Thanks for Your Thoughts [Single]

So "Thanks For Your Thoughts" has doves connections (Andy Williams even plays drums on one of these tracks), but even so this latest release is NOT a doves album. It would appear that Mr. Rebelski has been composing his own tunes for some time and he's now managed to wangle his own recording deal with the Heavenly Recordings too.

It's crucial to note at this stage that this work from Rebelski is about 95% instrumental. Yes folks - no lyrics here I'm afraid ... but don't let that put you off!

What Rebelski has managed to do is write a collection of eight highly enjoyable tunes. Some of them do share similarities with the instrumental side of doves (a key example being the doves track "Break Me Gently" from Lost Souls) ... but this is of course a good thing for all us doves obsessives out there!

Despite being a more than interesting debut from Martin, I cannot justify 5 stars for this effort I'm afraid. Having only had the album for a few days I have yet to pin-point what the problem is with it exactly. Perhaps a little on the "light" side compared to say the mighty "firesuite" by doves? ... but in fairness to Rebelski that is not entirely comparing like with like.

Overall then, I can strongly recommend this new, mid-priced album to all music fans. Doves fans will perhaps get the most out of it, but followers of well written soundtrack music and other british bands should also enjoy relaxing to the sounds of "Thanks For Your Thoughts".

John Mounsey, March 2003.

This is Rebelski’s debut offering – and a curious little disc it is too. Entirely instrumental (and with Doves’ Andy Williams on drums on the first track), these eight songs stretch over only half an hour, so it is probably best to regard it as a mini-album or an extended EP. Nevertheless, it sounds oddly fantastic. “Unlikely Tale” is almost a contemporary, forlorn folk hymn, with spidery piano winding its way through unchartered territories; “The Swarm” is Aphex Twin having switched his Absinthe for Horlicks; “Tiddlywink” is just plain strange, full of soft, marching drums, spirally organ and unusual arpeggios.

Fans of Doves probably ought not to expect a natural companion to “Lost Souls” or “The Last Broadcast”. Instead, “Thanks For Your Thoughts” should be quite rightfully regarded as a first-rate, stand-alone effort from a very inventive and talented musician. However, if you are a Doves fan and take ecstatical pleasure in their gorgeous, dreamy, otherworldly instrumental doodlings (such as the B-Sides “Meet Me At The Pier” and “Zither”, or “Firesuite” from the Lost Souls album), then this album, without any doubt at all, will slot into your record collection with ease.