The Skygreen Leopards – Gorgeous Johnny

The Skygreen Leopards

Album number four from the Californian quartet The Skygreen Leopards visits little ground the band and their inclusive folky sound haven’t already happily trodden numerous times previously. But there is a touch more polish to the production and a soupcon extra Sixties homage (though they’re no Beechwood Sparks).

Who the Johnny in the title is is still unknown to me but he merits his own theme straight off in track one, and this is a smartly picked instrumental with hints of the jangle of The Byrds throughout. Immediately following on from that we get ‘Margery’ which drifts along at a druggy pace that will be familar to fans of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, albeit without any of the drone or distortion that outfit employ. After this things proceed in much the same vein, with the odd difference in pace here and there, such as the song about being in love with a Jehovah’s Witness, which even has a potential double entendre as a title – ‘Jehovah Will Never Come’.

Two thirds of the way through the album the title track appears and its most reminiscent of later-period Velvet Underground and fortunately the enjoyable music suffers on slightly near the start from the vocal frailties that have been hinted at on many an earlier tune as they finally become all too noticeable. Of the remaining four songs (‘Nine Car Train For Fremont’ doesn’t count as it’s just 23 seconds of what sounds like a sampled railway station announcement) all are as pleasant as what’s gone before, but none set the heather on fire. That pretty much remains this bands main problem – their stuff all sounds nice and soft and fluffy and summery but generally it’s as forgettable and insubstantial as unwanted candy floss. I imagine diehard fans go to see them live more for the experience of hearing the songs in different orders rather than rousing communal singalongs.

Decidedly more campfire than torchsong. Long may they continue, though, as I enjoy summery as much as anyone and many do it with less obvious ability than these guys.

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