Submarines Declare A New State! Release Date : June 20, 2006. Label: Nettwerk. Rating: Charming. (Screw points. To each his own!) The Submarines have made a pretty album. Sweet and feminine vocals meet real and neutral male vocals. Gentle tunes, bristling with pianos and syrupy guitars. It's really beautiful. Envisioning 60's and 70's folk music - daisies and fields and all that fun stuff. Imagine my surprise then when the r+b-lounge (think Morcheeba or Hooverphonic) strings and effects come into play on "Ready Or Not." Unusual juxtaposition on this album of gentle folk. That's followed by another uppity track, although this one again sounds like something that could have walked out of the 70's, with fat horns and experimental noises that could quite easily have been a cutting-edge, trip-induced tune to make mothers cringe. The sweet female vocals make this album the touching piece that it is. "Darkest Things" is such a charmingly sweet story. This band manages to pluck sounds as perfectly needed for each moment and each emotion in the songs. Song of choice : "Hope" has an astounding slow soft melody. -Andy Scheffler Elsewhere The Submarines website Published : January, 2007.