There is a deliberate, leisurely tempo to the new (and rumored to be final) Clientele record, Bonfires On The Heath, which fittingly serves those listeners that don't ever want the album to come to an end. The ethereal atmosphere crafted by the London band can easily lull you into a dreamlike memory of a place you've yet to visit, while also providing the blissful soundtrack to something as mundane as a city bus ride. Either way, you're transported to somewhere better than where you are, which is a testament to both the indelible elegance of the arrangements and the serene vocals of Alasdair MacLean, which never imposes on the mood of the music and only helps enhance the spirit of the song. But there is a subliminal, ghostly aspect to these songs, with a layer of longing and wistfulness buried just below the surface that gives these tracks a pensive piquancy that belies their ebullient pop overtones.Right from the start it seems that MacLean is targeting those listeners without any place better to go, with his candid lyrics of "Friday night, and I don't have a clue" kicking off the first song on the album, the lovely, Belle & Sebastian-like lilt of 'I Wonder Who We Are.' The band slows things down considerably on the sedate but soulful title track, with the delicate, understated piano line adding a fine touch to the breezy, autumnal imagery of the song. That fall-like theme clearly continues on 'Harvest Time,' which features unhurried psychedelia reminiscent of early Pink Floyd. The nostalgic thread that is woven throughout Bonfires is most evident on 'Never Anyone But You,' which features the repeated, rueful phrase of "I can only see you" as the melancholy song slowly fades out, a topic MacLean returns to in the lyrics of both 'Jennifer And Julia' ("When will I see you again") and 'I Know I'll See Your Face.' There is an open admission of loss and regret plainly discernible within these lines, but there is also a confidence that what was lost will again be found, which gives these diaphanous songs some added strength and resilience.The mid-album shake up found on the brief, guitar driven 'Stretch' is a welcome sonic experiment, with hints of the druggy freak-outs of J Spaceman and Spiritualized. But the second half of Bonfires quickly settles back down into the familiar woolgathering territory we've come to expect from The Clientele, except for the perky romp of 'Share The Night,' which has a Spanish-tinged flavor due to the animated horns that effectively spice up the song. Those soaring horns are featured again in the lovely, Simon & Garfunkel pop-folk of 'I Know I'll See Your Face,' which more than makes up for what it lacks lyrically through the strength of its musical arrangements. The autumn theme is brought up again on 'Never Saw Them Before,' which features perhaps the albums strongest (and funniest) verse: "Autumn round the corner/With its eeriness/Someone’s smoking in a hatchback/Screwing on your lawn." Just try and shake that vivid imagery from your head while you listen to that song. It proves to be quite impossible, and why would you really want to forget the vision of a couple struggling to have sex in a hatchback, on your lawn no less? That is what MacLean is so gifted at doing; with an economy of language, he can craft these indelible images that stay with you long after the song fades away.So, The Clientele have most assuredly released another 'Clientele sounding' record, but one that builds on the successful formula of their past, with added flourishes and a depth that only strengthens and clarifies their obvious talents. These songs all float along delicately, but have a poignancy and potency within them that fittingly counters their often sanguine melodies. Bonfires On The Heath is an album about leaving things behind and forgetting what we've lost along the way, but there is also a hopeful quality to these songs that induces the listener into believing we will all find what we need in the end. And that eternal spirit, as well as the memorable music found throughout, ultimately makes Bonfires an album that we're incapable of ignoring and one that is impossible to forget.

Buy the album from Bonfires on the Heath | [itunes link="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/bonfires-on-heath/id333816926?uo=4" title="The Clientele ”“ Bonfires On The Heath" text="iTunes"]