Salzers

Reviews:

South debuted in 2000 with From Here On In, a promising batch of Brit-pop mini-anthems produced by James Lavelle of the dance label Mo'Wax. Because of the affiliation with Lavelle, who signed the U.K. trio as the first rock act on Mo'Wax, many observers expected beats, but South was hardly an experimental outfit. They're still playing crafty pop that's on the moody side on their second album, and singer Joel Cadbury and friends lean heavily on string arrangements, apparently in an effort to add weight to their subtle melodies. This provides uneven returns; the band sounds better stripped down, as on the atmospheric "Mend These Trends," with guitars spiraling around, or when the strings are barely noticeable, seamlessly forming the hook to "Motiveless Crime." With the Tides may be a victim of its title: it never rises high enough.