Flying under most people’s radars this year was another 60s-beholden effort by Manchester’s Jim Noir.

The record, Jimmy’s Show, plays to Noir’s strengths- clean production, folky acoustics, crisp electrics, relaxed Kinks-styled melodies.

Whereas the previous self-titled record (Jim Noir) featured slightly more contemporary Super Furry Animals-esque takes on the classic pop canon with numbers such as “All Right” or “Don’t You Worry”, this effort is more in line with the first full length, Tower of Love, short of home-runs like “Eanie Meany”, “My Patch” or “A Quiet Man”.

At times one might wish for a few more breakouts or rave-ups… the solo that jumps out within the first minute of “Driving My Escort Cosworth to the Cake Circus” is one example.  The whimsical, didly-didly-do-dum of a Jim Noir reccord can eventually get cloying, no?  Also, the repeating guitar lick in “JJC Sports” demonstrates how clearly a riff can be Noir’s friend, pulling the listener through a song.

For this reason, the stand-outs on the record seem to be the Simon and Garfunkel influenced “Ping Pong Tennis Time” and Hendrix send-up “X Marks the Spot”.  Their sonic touchstones help better separate them from other enjoyable, yet similar sounding mid-tempo numbers.

I for one, would be intrigued to see what “Jimmy” could do if he really just loosened up, got funky and tried to tackle some rougher-edged, contemporary sounds.  His melodic craft could so easily be applied in other arenas…

If an above the sheets make-out or Wes Anderson interlude are in your future, it is surely (“Tea”) time to get your new favorite record of 2012!

MYH