The Seahorses
Do It Yourself
GEFFEN
Former Stone Roses guitarist John Squire ropes in Tony Visconti to produce his new outfit's debut album.
Those Jimmy Page / John Squire comparisons just keep coming, don't they ? Squire leaves the Roses and recruits some relatively unknown young-blood, much as Page post Yardbirds. The Seahorses' first single, Love Is The Law, derives its title from a maxim of cabbalist Aleister Crowley, who of course, Page was fascinated by. Do It Yourself is littered with exquisitely-phrased lead guitar a la ZOSO too, but the Britbeat and baggy legacy ensures things never get overly Zeppelinesque.
Much of the credit has to go to vocalist Chris Helme, whose folk-influenced inflections gives the melodies the twists and turns they need to compare with the mother of all guitar mixes. This is not to criticise Visconti's production - he's captured some incendiary performances on I Want You To Know and Suicide Drive, and the rising strings at the end of The Boy In The Picture are inspired. With some notable exceptions - Love Me And Leave Me, Blinded By The Sun - Do It Yourself might ultimately mean more to the air-guitar players than songwriters. A strong debut though, all the same, and one that should sit comfortably with Roses fans.
James McNair
Back To Media 1997