ALAMO RACE TRACK

Alamo Race Track’s new long player, “Unicorn Loves Deer” is the culmination of a challenging and adventurous 2010- 11. As well as knocking out their third LP, the band have negotiated their way through personnel changes and the considerable challengeof writing and performing music for an avant garde theatre production; (Innenschau by Jakob Ahlbom to be precise). Not to mention trips to Austria and Finland along the way…Being busy seems to suit them. The result of their labours, “Unicorn Loves Deer”, is a cocksure record; enjoyably eccentric in places even, though not quite the eccentricity that saw Syd rub Mandies in his hair. Still, it must be said, there is a fair dollop of faerie pop that does get slightly Barrett-esque: as “Unicorn Loves Deer” feels very English in places. The quirky pastoral elements in tracks like “Apples” recall Traffic stuck in their cottage in Berkshire, the Small Faces messing about in their punt on the Thames, or the Pretty Things at their most floral. The title track comes on like some psychotically twee Morris dance with a restless fluffy beat. It’s certainly something you need a few plays to get your head round.