Single Review: The Candle Thieves – Breathing (Just for You)
Okay. So it might be a bit mean to call anyone with glasses “boffin”. (To be fair, I’ve worn glasses for pretty much as long as I can remember, so I’ve been called “nerd”, “geek”, and whatever other denigrating sobriquets, so these kinds of things don’t faze me). But given that Peterborough duo the Candle Thieves make bleepy, boppy music on electronics, I think it’s fair to call them two eccentric boffins making eclectic music. This time around, they’re attempting to add their name to the ‘breathing’ hall of fame: yes, that long list of hits and misses of songs waxing philosophical about respiration. That register that includes Duncan Sheik’s ‘Barely Breathing’ (glack), the Police’s ‘Every Breath You Take’ (you know, the stalker song that gets played at weddings) and Toni Braxton’s first mainstream hit ‘Breathe Again’…
While relying more on the electronic aspect than their previous single ‘The Sunshine Song’ (released as part of their ‘Happiness Blues’ EP last year), Scott McEwan and Glockenshiels give life and emotion to their new single, ‘Breathing (Just for You)’, out today (21 March). Guitars are almost completely absent. Ironically for the Candle Thieves, I think my favourite part of this track is actually the double bass that murmurs and sings in the background, not the arpeggios of bleeps. The words in the second verse “I don’t think my words could be more than a joke to you / so I’ll never come by home” is heartbreaking, but somehow these guys manage to keep things upbeat and light with plenty of “oh oh ohs” and yes, the cheerful bleeping synth notes. There’s something very engaging about the Candle Thieves – something more than just them being two cute boffins with spectacles. You want to take them home and cook them dinner. And hope they’ll play a concert in your living room.
8/10
‘Breathing (Just for You)’ is now available from Carnival Town Records.
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