The Lovely Sparrows have deceived me. I’ve been happily bobbing my shaggy head along to the opening strains of “Department of Forseeable Outcomes” in recent days, secure in the knowledge that it was somehow a happy song. Rain pouring down outside, my future uncertain, I reveled in what I thought to be just a silly little tune in the vein of Barnhart’s “Little Yellow Spider”. I smiled and mindlessly sang along, brightened by this seemingly happy little tune.

And oh how I was tricked!

On repeated listens, the “happy” strings and “silly” lyrics fade away, and “Department of Forseeable Outcomes” is exposed for what it really is: a tale of decisions made, even when we know the outcome is going to be awful. What starts as a smiling recollection of poor choices wrought narrated by singer Shawn Jones plainly-gorgeous vocals, balloons in to timpani-tinged, almost epic finish. As if Jones is taking us, the listener, to the final outcome of his poor decision - a messy, though beautiful, end that slowly, and quite sadly tapers away.

I was unable to catch The Lovely Sparrows at The Tractor when they played last month, and my mouth foams with envy at those who did.

Myspace: The Lovely Sparrows

MP3: The Lovely Sparrows - Department of Forseeable Outcomes