Parachute Words is the musical project of London-based singer songwriter Martino Gasparrini and band. They’ve just come to my attention through the release of their thirteenth album, a tribute to the part of the city in which Martino now lives.
By Graeme Smith
Though Parachute Words are certainly a rock band, you can forget all the preconceived notions of what that means. They eschew the cliches that rock usually dwells on, instead focussing on topics such as insecurity, gender and anxiety. Their sound, too, is quite unconventional, featuring classical elements alongside the traditional rock setup.
Making up Parachute Words alongside Martino are Rosa Fisher on violin, George Harvey on guitar, Ralph Heseltine on bass and Lea Francis on drums. Their new album South of The River was tracked live in the studio so that you really get a sense of how they perform together, and a small taste of what it’s like to hear them play in person.
The album is inspired by Martino’s experiences living in in South London, focussing on the mundane but somehow elevating it to something sublime through detail-rich, poetic lyrics. As much as it talks of the personal, it also casts its gaze wider on modern politics and the current makeup of society. Martino discusses it all with a soft, laidback and attention-holding vocal style.
Nostalgic album opener New Cross Gate sets the scene before we are invited on a journey through the light and dark, and serenity and hustle, of Martino’s home. We travel through pubs (Just One More), an unpleasant morning commute (Into The Dark), the melting pot of public transport (Hold Me Up), and the end of a long day (Night Bus). The journey is pleasantly punctuated with some intimate acoustic solo moments, including the cosy Real Good Deal and the reflective album closer We Don’t Call Anymore.
South of The River is a beautiful effort from a group that clearly have a lot of chemistry and a songwriter with a unique point of view. It’ll have you dancing as much as it has you pausing for thought, such a dynamic and diverse collection it is. I can’t recommend it enough. The album is available to purchase on Bandcamp and you can check it out below.
