Chime School is in essence the solo project of San Franciscan Andy Pastalaniec who drums for bands Flowertown and Seablite. He releases his second solo album `The Boy Who Ran The Paisley Hotel` which follows on from his 2021 self-titled debut.
We are introduced to the album with `The End` a dreamy offering which sounds like the Byrds meets The Lemonheads. It was originally titled `Start Again (Again),` as a tribute to the opener from Teenage Fanclub’s 1997 album Songs from Northern Britain. The faster paced `Why Don’t You Come Out Tonight?` is a brief foot tapper that appears to be encouraging a suiter that you are the one who brings light into their life and should maybe take a chance.
`Give Your Heart Away` is a melodic earworm which has a kind of gentle introspective innocence about the lyrics and reminded me a little of the early Smiths outings. We have a pumping jangly guitar led composition in `Another Way Home` which seems to relate to choices made that didn`t quite flourish as expected.
`Words You Say` is an appealing mid paced reverie that possibly looks back on unfulfilled hopes and expectations. The singer has said that `Wandering Song` is about “the energy we expend distracting ourselves from crises unfolding around the world; how we tend to turn inwards when our only chance to survive them is through collective organizing.”
`Say Hello` is another fast-paced piece with lyrics that are rapidly shared and may refer to a romantic break up. I`m sure the jangly power pop submission `Desperate Days` could be interpreted in a number of ways. A song of reminiscence for what is no longer there or even a song about loneliness maybe.
`(I Hate) The Summer Sun` is a brief number that has a strong appealing rhythm that draws you in and may well be a metaphor for life passing us by. There`s a similar vibe to `Negative Monday` although the lyrical content seems a little more absorbed and meditative.
The album closes out with `Points of Light` which has a much more percussive texture with lyrics that seem quite philosophical.
`The Boy Who Ran The Paisley Hotel` is a delightful whimsical slice of jangle-pop- rock that will lift you out of the mundane for at least thirty-five minutes. The lyrics are a little ambiguous but for me that was the joy of allowing you to interpret and take what you desire from them.
Rating 8/10
