TBC - Talk Of The Town

Reviewed by Tony Cummings

I'm glad I held off reviewing this album until after seeing the girl group's stunning launch performance at Manchester's Apollo. To witness 2000 people, the majority of them girls between the ages of five and 15, go ballistic for these young musical evangelists puts in perspective what the light and airy music here is all about. For make no mistake about it, these are songs crafted by those wise old Pennell and Porter hands which at first listen can seem as light as thistledown and inconsequential as Saturday morning TV. But that's just the point. Having rethought their target audience and therefore their musical approach, the girls performing under Innervation's tbc moniker now move from the R&B and dance teen pop of the self-titled album to take in perky songs like "Faithful" and "We'll Keep On Dancing" which would get any seven year old bouncing in her seat. There are still hints of the old Pennell and Porter magic here. "Brighter Day" sounds like it could have been an old ShineUK track while the hyper active synth riff on "Calm" could be a hit in Ibizza with a different mix. But before all the musical snobs leap in to lambaste 'Talk Of The Town' with their "cheesy" generalisations, let me point out two things. First, just consider the huge quantity of grizzly albums which have passed for children's ministry down the years until the new line up tbc arrived. Second, I would ask anyone with good taste to listen to the slow song here, "Beautiful". A prettier melody and more powerful lyric you are unlikely to hear this year.