***
A Shaggy-haired debut from Scouse musical magpies.
On the Liverpool band checklist, The Stands have a tick in every box: they reference every local musical movement from merseybeat to the current crop of cosmic scousers; they’ve got peg-on-the-nose vocals; and they come with the obligatory Noel Gallagher recommendation. What they’ve also got a way with is a Dylan-y harmonica, a supremely jangly guitar and a hearty tune. There’s nothing here that challenges the listener – it’s all instantly familiar – but when that results in the Beatles-aping lovelinessof The Love You Give and Creedence-style foot-stompers such as When This River Rolls Over You, it isn’t a bad thing.
Dan Stubbs
NME - All Years Leaving review
As if affronted by the notion that someone might be brighter and breezier than them, The Stands offer ‘Here She Comes Again’ (Echo), a confection so light and fluffy you could blowtorch the top of it and make it into crème brulee. Frontman Hwie Payne’s conversational style is a bit too Paul Simon, but halfway through it erupts into joyous sunshine, and since we appear to be in the middle of a new ice age at the moment, we’ll take any sunshine we can get.
Pete Cashmore
All Years Leaving (Echo; CD)
New music! New music! New music! What is the state of play in 2004? Well, when a band like The Stands (perhaps on the back of fellow 'pudlians The Coral, Oz rockers Jet and the Californian-lovin' Thrills, but even so) are managing to gain major kudos points and rave reviews from playing genuinely no-holds-barred '60s styled music it can¹t be in that bad a shape.
Although All Years Leaving can sound a little formulaic, main-man and writer Howie Payne has a good vocal range that blends John Lennon with that stoned Dylan twang. More importantly, he can also pen a decent tune: take the jaunty 'Outside Your Door' and its wonderful chorus or Payne's cheeky homage to Lee Mayers' Scouse classic 'There She Goes' ('Here She Goes Again'); if you want The Beatles the 'Rain'-like 'The Love You Give' is Fabs to the max and then there's the countryish, Byrdsesque 'I Need You' and the guitar dominated psych-a-thon closer 'The Way She Does' -- all fine songs that show off the band's abilities and understanding of the music. Of course, Payne's writing misses out on the major innovations heard on Rubber Soul or Buffalo Springfield Again -- such genius just won't ever happen again -- but this album is still a major step in the right direction for a new band. If strong '60s guitar pop played in that jangling pot-infused Liverpool way appeals, then this will definitely float your boat. It's a pleasure to hear new British bands not bowing down to the zeitgeist and playing what's 'supposed to be cool'.
http://www.the-stands.com/
Jon 'Mojo' Mills
www.shindig-magazine.com
All Years Leaving review
www.unbarred.co.uk/reviews/standsyears.html
For any band supporting the modfather would be a daunting experience but as The Stands stroll onstage they don't seemed fazed in the slightest. The band opens with 'I Need You', this has a good effect on the crowd as the normal cool crowd can be seen nodding their heads and tapping their feet approval.
As they move into 'It's Only Everything' the pace slows slightly, the melody has quite a haunting sound to it which suits Howie's voice perfectly with a harmonica solo to top it off. They then launch into a very enthusiastic 'Here She Comes Again' which again has the crowd dancing - and what with a happy smiley Howie as he sings it I guess it is a favourite of his too!
As the band launch into 'Some Weekend Night' the sound changes slightly and we are treated to a more rock and roll sound which the crowd take to well and as the band pause mid-song, the crowd cheer in anticipation of what is to come next.
They finished with 'All Years Leaving', a perfect summer song. Throughout the set the band capture the audience with their gloriously happy yet rock sound all topped off with a bit of cosmic scouse sparkle.
It was a sunny day in manchester and after an afternoon of drinking in the sunshine what better way to round of the day than to listen to some happy scouse boys playing some summer music.
The set began with popular countryesque favourite 'I Need You', this got the crowd going and with it's jangly guitar sound and summer melody, this just proves how cool country music really is now. This was swiftly followed by 'This River Rolls Over You' and as Howie informs the crowd that this is due to be their first release on Echo Records there is many a cheer from the crowd. Again this harmonica tinged song mixes a cool indie sound with a happy country vibe which the crowd love.
'Here She Comes Again' has a slight sound of The La's, which can only be good, this song had everyone dancing and singing, so far the set has been very upbeat and Byrds sounding but as the band move into the next few songs the sound changes slightly. The next few songs are more rock sounding and include an eight minute jam session which again the crowd absolutely love and give the band the chance to show of their skills and in particular some pretty fantastic guitar sounds.
All in all the band put on a fantastic show moving through a variety of sounds and genres.