I Tried - Single

On their second single, Mull Historical Society prove to be a multi-trick pony, with both sides resembling mid-period Radiohead. Thing is, a case could be made for both of these Colin McIntyre compositions topping the Oxford band at their own game. "I Tried" is an acoustic-based number that explodes in a mass of new wave keyboards, vocal spasms, and splashes of electric guitar on the chorus. McIntyre sounds like a mix of Thom Yorke and Supergrass' Gaz Coombes without touching the outer vocal reaches of either. The spooky "Some You Win, Some You Lose" is much more subdued, relying on echoed drum thumps and aquatic FX for the bulk of its duration. McIntyre displays the haunting melancholy in voice, dragging notes for extended periods while avoiding whininess. The song, which could also be viewed as a missing chapter from Mercury Rev's Deserter's Songs, will hopefully have a spot on Mull's debut full-length. If the record should happen to hinge on greatness, its inclusion would surely swing it in the right direction.