If every band had an equivalent foodstuff or taste, Sparkadia would be lime flavoured candyfloss; fairly lightweight, but consisting of a tangy bittersweet edge that suggests hidden genius (well I think lime candyfloss is a great idea) and stops you from throwing it straight in the bin. With Alex Burnett’s ethereal voice at times displaying hints of Jeff Buckley, and a number of lush arrangements and melodies, Postcards is undoubtedly a beautiful album, but there’s a fine line between wistful pop and bland mediocrity.

     Stand out tracks ‘Kiss of Death’ and ‘Help Yourself’ confidently show where Sparkadia’s niche could lie, with a darker, fuller bodied sound that combines Burnett’s soft tones with deceivingly bittersweet lyrics. While a number of other songs threaten to follow this mould, the majority peter out into middle of the road melodic pop-rock. A very quaint debut album all in all, but with infuriating hints they could be capable of so much more.

Matt Risley 

Posted In Album Reviews, Sep 06 2008.