On
Diary of an Antibody, London's
Fosca once again prove why their new wave-inspired sound, while often inspired by the sounds of yesterday, are fresh and exciting, without the slightest hint of sounding contrived. Opening with the lively "Secret Crush on Third Trombone" and the festive "Idiot Savant," the quartet's quirky take on pop music is instantly credible as they forsake convention in favor of intelligent lyrics by Dickon Edwards and exquisite instrumentation. With keyboardists Rachel Stevenson and Kate Dornan, and cellist Sheila B adding charming and diverse background, Edwards chimes in with a wealth of graceful guitar and electronic sounds. The upbeat tones and drum machines on "Universal Gatecrasher" add up to a wonderfully carefree song, and the band immediately counters that track with the thoughtful "Supine on the Astroturf." Edwards' casual vocals, while not stunning in their delivery, are perfectly stylish for these songs, all brimming with poetic lines and narrative rhymes. "I Know I Have Been Happier" is easily the most bare-bones song on the disc, with Edwards' vocals, Dornan's piano, and Sheila B's cello combining for the heart-on-sleeve ballad. The band keeps the tempo low on the disc's final track, the relaxed and charming "Rude Esperanto." On
Diary of an Antibody,
Fosca avoided the sophomore slump. Recorded with
Saint Etienne's Ian Catt, England's Shinkansen Records released the disc in 2002. ~ Stephen Cramer