Tower of Love
Tower of Love is the debut album by Manchester based multi-instrumentalist Jim Noir. First released on 12 December 2005, it largely consists of songs taken from Noir's first three releases, "Eanie Meany EP", "My Patch EP" and "A Quiet Man EP". Album description. AllMusic’s Tim Sendra described the album as a “blending of the cheesy drum machines and bubbling synths of indie electronic, the lo-fi guitars and adult-child vocals of indie pop, and the full-bodied and harmony-drenched arrangements of chamber pop into a swirling, soothing, and truly lovely Technicolor pop  confection”. Album cover art. The album cover art features a lighthouse, emitting heart symbols instead of light. There appear to be two versions of the album cover, one with a door in the lighthouse and one without a door. Critical reception. The album received by and large positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 73 out of 100, which indicates "generally favorable reviews" based on 18 reviews. Calling Noir a “melodic genius”, The Guardian‘s Dave Simpson described the album as  “a cross between a classic 1960s album and half-forgotten children's TV themes”, “rich in the sort of melodies you'd think went out with Simon and Garfunkel and Smile-era Beach Boys.” In similar vein, PopMatters’ Dan Raper described the album as “sophisticated pop music with broad appeal” that “hums with 60s pop brilliantine and a slightly uncomfortable childhood nostalgia”. Speaking about notable influences on the album, Raper wrote that “Jim Noir casually allows the history of pop music to inform his arrangements; luckily, he never allows them to overwhelm his natural sense of melody. Somehow, these sweet  songs still sound fresh.” He further praised the album for retaining “a sunny optimism that’s difficult to resist. For that reason alone "Tower of Love" is worth a listen.” In his review, Allmusic’s Tim Sendra especially noted the album’s “catchy and richly constructed tunes”, predicting that listeners “will be hard-pressed to keep from walking around all day grinning like a fish once you give the album an airing. In fact, doctors should prescribe a spin of "Tower of Love" to chase the blues away. The only problem with the record is that it paints Noir into  a corner, as it will be hard to top.” In his review, Drowned In Sound’s Dom Gourlay concluded that “[a]lthough not strictly an album in that it wasn't created for the purpose of such [...], it still wipes the floor with most other albums of a similar genre released this, or indeed any other year in the last ten. [...] "Tower Of Love" is a tasty entree that merely whets the appetite for the first album proper.” While praising its melodies, Pitchfork Media’s Sam Ubl criticised the album’s “subject matter” and Noir's “trying to emphasize the naïvety  of his naïve-sounding music with naïve content": "Let's just say "Tower of Love" isn't out to offend or challenge or discomfit anyone.” Track listing. Everything by Jim Noir.