The Shop Window - Daysdream (2024) Hi-Res

The Shop Window release their 3rd album, the exquisite double Daysdream, on their own Jangleshop Records

Following a run of singles, It’s A High, A World Where We Remain, I Run and Blues, which would put any self-respecting 7” releasing band of yesteryear to shame, we finally have the long awaited album. Daysdream is a 16 track. It’s perfectly balanced throughout, the ‘Days’ disc filled with choppy, upbeat indiepop whilst the ‘Dream’ disc is more melancholic with a Shoegaze influence.

Obviously no man is an island and whilst Mr Mann has lead the charge the it wouldn’t be The Shop Window without Syd, Martin, Phil and Paul (who joined after the last album had been recorded) also playing their parts along with his wife, Kat who has added vocals to a few tracks. Shout out to Syd as well for the gorgeous artwork.

The Shop Window have rarely performed live, the major reason being that the 5 members are spread over 4 counties (Kent, Wiltshire, Dorset and Suffolk) so meeting to practice is cost prohibited let alone trying to recoup costs from touring. Rather than let this hinder their development it appears to have ignited their creativity. No longer constrained to recording tracks that they would be able to perform live, they have have the freedom to experiment in the same way that The Beatles and XTC did to maximum effect. With the frontmans growing confidence, this can only be a good thing.

So what of the music? There are many touchstones across the collection, which reflect the bands record collections as with their earlier albums. You can hear everyone fron The Byrds to Orange Juice and House Of Love to Ride with a more than healthy dollop of Spiritualized thrown in for good measure.

Daysdream follows The State Of Being Human and 4-Letter Word released in 2021 and 2022 respectivily. There has been a progression thoughout their releases which personally I think is encapsulated on the two discs in this set, the first more in line with the previous albums, the second looking forward. That’s not saying that there is a weakness in either

Each of the 16 tracks has something to offer, there is a consistancy across Daysdream which should be applauded. As I mentioned at the outset the run of singles, the cornerstones of the set, have been sublime. It’s A High is a pure earworm and an example of ‘grown up’ C86 band would soundlike. The second of the A World Where We Remain didn’t really strike me at first but after listening to it in the context of the whole piece has grown to be my favourite. By the time you reach it (14 tracks in) it’s almost as if the album has been building to the moment. If this was a movie the final tracks, Happy Now and Made In Heaven would act as the celebratory final scene and the coda.

The third of the singles, I Run, is actually the opening track, brimming with confidence. Similarly to It’s A High, is classic indie disco tune, with the line ‘Don’t need to worry, I’m yours ’til the bitter end’ you can imagine being sang by couples to one another whilst holding on to their warm cider on student night. The most recent (and final ‘single’ from the set), Blues positivily shimmers, with harmonies, chiming riffs and crunching, distorted open chords comes just after the midway point being the second track on the second disc, carrying on the ‘Ride-vibe’ from the track Miracles.

As well as excelling musically, lyrically the song-writer exposes himself, for example, offering advice to his son on Live to Love & Love Your Life, almost heartbreakingly summing up a parenthood and mortality with a single couplet, ‘Son, I’ve told you I won’t last forever, just hold on to all the memories together’.

There is so much to enjoy about this album you really need to explore it yourself. Each listen reveals more and more. By the time you get to the final track, Made In Heaven, you’ll be wanting to go back to the beginning and start all over again.