This is a Shabby collection of songs. A baker’s dozen, written by former Pembroke resident Miles Jefcoate, who now lives in Brighton

Shabby describe themselves as a power wash. No, sorry, I misread the liner notes, they describe themselves as a power trio. And that they most definitely are, though I’d add pop to the description.

I mean that most sincerely folks and no way in any pejorative sense. I’ve always been a sucker for backing vocals (b/vs) that go “baa baa baa” or “oo oo oo”.

Pembrokeshire music fans will recall Miles as the frontman of fondly remembered beat combos Cretin the Herb and Permanent (winner of the Western Telegraph’s People’s Prize at the last West Wales Music Awards in 1997).

Miles is still singing, but he does so from behind the drum stool nowadays, alongside Pete Passingham on bass and b/vs plus Jimmy Beige on guitar, keyboards, theremin, and b/vs.

Shabby are heavily influenced by groovy mid-60s power pop, the likes of The Who and the Small Faces spring to mind, but the songs also have a distinctive contemporary feel with crunching guitar work driven by a wild, barely restrained rhythm section.

The music is a collaborative effort though the lyrics are undeniably Miles’ own; epic tales inhabited by characters who, whether ‘tilting at windmills’ Don Quixote style or ‘tied to the mast’ in the fashion of Odysseus’s crew, are always possessed of an indefatigable human spirit despite their obvious flaws.

Miles’ singing style suits these emotions to a T – a T-shirt emblazoned with a colourful target on the chest.

This style is exemplified on “I’ve Got Robin Friday On My Mind” a song that cleverly nods towards the Easybeats’ mid-60s classic “I’ve Got Friday On My Mind” (and covered by both Bowie and Springsteen) while lauding the skills and career of doomed Reading and Cardiff City footballer Robin Friday, whose life story makes that of George Best appear saintly.

Buy the CD and let Shabby power wash over you.

BB Skone

BB Skone presents the local music show every Sunday @7pm on purewestradio.com