Soft Tigers - Gospel Ambitions

If you know of Soft Tigers, it is most likely for their two biggest songs, M.A.R.I.A. and Mr Ice Cream. This is no surprise, because after all, these two songs are undeniably great. Catchy, energetic and fun, these two have ‘hit’ written all over them. You may also have seen them live and discovered a whole new side to them. Their on stage show is far more chaotic, mixing shambolic recreations of their recorded material with all sorts of new sounds. This experimental (and a little apathetic) approach means you never what you’re going to get.

Well their debut album demonstrates yet another side to Soft Tigers. It isn’t a collection of hits. In fact a number of the songs deviate significantly from any sort of ‘song’ structure. Similarly, their rough edges have been smoothed and their chaos given some direction. These changes are certain to leave some fans a little disappointed and as a result, it’s hardly a shock to see this album failing to make waves in the music community. But as far I’m concerned, it delivers everything the Soft Tigers promises to deliver, even if it’s not quite what we expected.

The problem is that on first inspection, Gospel Ambitions certainly seems to be rather weak. You can’t help but hold on to the hope for an album full of M.A.R.I.A.s. But on closer inspection, you’ll discover this album to be great for plenty of other reasons. It’s softer, more intimate sound displays a genuine for love creating music filled with cool sounds and engaging melodies. At first I thought it to be rather sloppy, but I realise how well they’ve captured the spirit of music, imperfections and all.

I’m not trying to proclaim that this is some sort of spectacular album that everyone should love. All I’m saying is that it appears widely misunderstood, and as far as I’m concerned, critically undervalued. What impresses me most is that their rise in popularity has certainly seen no compromise of integrity. Soft Tigers make music how they like to make it, not how they think will sell best. They haven’t just found a winning formula and stuck to it and their shows aren’t just live recreations. They offer far more variety and as a result, a far richer musical experience.

Making Love – This song perfectly demonstrates some of the different sounds to expect on this album. The song travels through a number of different styles, each reflecting the mood of the story being told. It actually quite an interesting song that really captures your attention.

M.A.R.I.A. – Despite all the talk of a different sound, it doesn’t change the fact that all their biggest hits are still on the album. Not only that, but they also fit in seamlessly as the album progresses.

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