Across Six Leap Years

Tindersticks celebrate their 21st anniversary with ten tracks from their catalog re-recorded at Abbey Road. Half of them date from the previous century; two are pre-split, and only one, the closer "What Are You Fighting For," is post; it appeared as a Record Store Day single. "If You're Looking for a Way Out," a cover of their cover of an Odyssey track that appeared on Simple Pleasure, is looser, more fluid, and more transparent in its connection to '70s-era, East Coast -- i.e. Philly -- soul. "Sleepy Song," whose first version is from their second album, is performed here with far more tension and drama. The spirit of restraint in its original gives way and the roiling menace underneath is allowed to surface and breathe as the song's dynamic expands. "Say Goodbye to the City," from Waiting for the Moon, is louder and marginally more uptempo, but the increased drama via the bleating trumpet fills and solo, and the strident female backing chorus coming from the pocket, elevate it. Tindersticks see this anniversary celebration as a reflection of who they are as a band now, rather than merely as a reflection of their past. ~ Thom Jurek