Mancunian five-piece Alfie are a band right at home on Twisted Nerve - they've played backing band to Badly Drawn Boy, produced by Mum & Dad's Joe Robinson, a fansite called Cloudy Lemonade - they could quite easily follow Mr Gough into the hearts of the masses.
'If You Happy With You Need Do Nothing' collects together the band's three don't-look-for-'em-now-they're-not there-anymore 'Alfie', 'Bookends' and 'Montevideo' EPs, along with a couple of newer tracks 'Umlaut' and '2 Up 2 Down', giving a wider audience the chance to hear their quiet funky nu-folk revolution, rather than remaining a joyous treat for the 1000 vinyl-only boffins.
Each EP has seen Alfie grow in confidence and sound. The palette was in place from day one; cellos and flutes augment first single 'Sure And Simple Time', strolling trad-indie on 'Talking Song' from the 'Bookends' EP reaching potential anthem status with the Badlands-slide of 'It's All About The Weather'.
As debut albums made up of EPs go, 'If You Happy With...' is up there with PJ Harvey's 'Dry', inasmuch as it sets out their stall perfectly, with the knowledge that there's nothing but better to come.
What makes Alfie so rewarding is the casualness and deft touch of a band who come across as though they're not even breaking into a sweat. Armed with a skipload-o-charisma lead singer Lee Gorton - imagine Ian Brown and Tim Burgess' lovechild - there's no angst, no vocal histrionics, no sweat in sight. Just a fine collection of warm'n'hazy sun-pop magic. Watch them glow.
by Ian Wade