Swim Deep - Emerald Classics

Swim Deep are one of those delightful bands that are simply very enjoyable.
I like them. They have amazing summery and uplifting songs. I don't expect them to come with a record that will save my life or will save modern music, I expect them to come with good and simple tunes, that will feel good listen to when you are drinking a beer with friends or when driving to work.
So, with "Emerald Classics" I had this feeling.
It's an album that doesn't go inside your head easily. Actually, on the first listen I felt the album was poor, but then I listened to it again and changed my opinion.
Swim Deep, are now in a more "80's electronic" vibe, you can hear a lot of influences by Pet Shop Boys or Elton John on "Emerald Classics". Also, it's obvious that the band also got inspiration form their 90's heroes, like Oasis.
The best track on it is "Sail Awat, Say Goodbye". It's a fantastic pop song. Emotional, catchy, great lyrics. It's a classic, my favourite Swim Deep song ever. If the album was a commercial success (which unfortunately it's not) this song would be their flag, their hit.
"To Feel Good" was the first single, and it's almost a spoken word song, with a nice chorus and a sample from the 1991 disco classic "Everybody's Free". Although this strange mix of decisions for this song, it is a very beautiful and inspiring song. One of the best moments of the record.
"World I Share" really sounds like a Pet Shop Boys song and "Father I Pray" is like a ballad with a sing-along chorus and a computerised baby voice, just like the one's from Akon's Lonely (yes, really). "Drag Queens in Soho" is a inspirational song, again with a "baby voice" (this time a falsetto) and reminds me a bit the song of Patrick Wolf "The Magic Position".

Almost all of the lyrics are great, very open-minded, very hopeful, very peacefully. It's like Swim Deep got out of the closet, and it feels good. They are singing for everyone about everyone, specially about the ones that are marginalised because of their own orientations and thoughts. The world needs more messages like this.

Top Of The Pops is the most beautiful ballad in the record, again, simple but universal and young lyrics. They are singing about their and our European world.
Never Stop Pinching Myself it's their Oasis song, really reminds me of the Gallagher brothers.
The rest of the songs that I didn't mention before, flow in the same direction of the album, fresh, electronic, good.

As an overall, although I think that "Emerald Classics" it's not an album to change lives, it is a very decent and good record, with a brilliant, brilliant song (Sail Away).
It is a happy album, a celebration of life and love.
The band will probably continually be remembered by their debut album (which is, in my opinion better) but we have here a fresh and good piece of work.