It’s somewhat surprising to discover that four years have passed since Tandem Felix debuted with Rom Com, the gap between 2019 and the present day seemingly evaporated by a pandemic which seemed to freeze and fast forward time simultaneously, a curse on our current decade which is seemingly not lost on David A. Tapley.
Tapley emerges a little more jaded and cynical on this sophomore record, in perfect contrast to the bright and bubbly melodic guitar pop of Rom Com, with each LP’s respective artwork even hinting at the tonal shifts and thematic differences between then and now. There’s A New Sheriff In Town finds Felix exploring darker lyrical territory with unreliable narrators, break up stories and existential crises’ populating the thoughts of Tapley across these nine tracks, and while these songs display a newfound subtlety and depth to the Dubliner’s wordplay, it’s the sonic elements of There’s A New Sheriff…which truly reveal the expansive qualities of this sequel.
As songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Tapley has always been a jack of all trades when it comes to his work as Felix, yet the dynamic approach of this album showcases these talents on a new level.
Whether it’s the psychedelic neo-country of tantalising opener Finger On The Button, the infectious shoegaze tinted lo-fi guitar hooks that burst The Kitchen into life or Message Of The Afternoon with its sumptuous blend of acoustic and electronic melodies, There’s A New Sheriff In Town reveals rich tapestries and hidden layers to Tandem Felix while showcasing a strikingly bold progression.
Words: Andrew Lambert
Tandem Felix – There’s A New Sheriff In Town
[Self-Release]
Release Date: October 20th
