So top Scouse bands The Coral and The Bandits aren�t totally kicking out on a musical limb afterall. Way up in the Borders region of Scotland, and around Berwick-upon-zee-Tweed to be more precise, can be found 6-piece The Scheme� who not only share the prefix to their band name with the other 2 aforementioneds (i.e., �the�), but also their highly original, bittersweetly subtle indie-folk sound.
Chilled, unshaken yet lushly stirring, all songs are acoustic-led, as �God Walks Among Us�: and reminds of the laid-back Alfie. Mark Reid on vocals and guitar has an air of Richard Ashcroft about him, the minimalist lyrics and subtle melody shuffling into the best track of the three � �Voices in my Head.�
�Voices�� hits a good-time Shanty-vibe square in the jaw in the name of more engaging fun, but �Rambling Man� still features the best lyric of this outing with such a damn fine Scheme�
�Jesus Christ, the maker of man, has got a headache � with a gun in his hand.�
Mmm, if only this band heralded the YTS then I�d be the first to sign up. 4/5 (STEVE RUDD)
www.thescheme.tk E-mail� [email protected]
Tel: 07759 064746