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The SHT derive their name from one of the pioneering moments in the history of telecommunication - the successful transmission of the first transatlantic radio signal, sent via Morse code from England to Newfoundland in 1901. As inspiration for names go, that's more worthy than most. Essentially a duo, at the time of recording 'Home', their first release, The Signal Hill Transmission - Scott Warren on vocals, guitars and harmonica and Scott Schoen on drums were augmented by Scott Brandon on bass. At the risk of accidentally mutating into Scott 4, the core Scott's seem, according to their current bio, to have settled on a three-piece line-up with recently joined bassist Duane Rakestraw. Based as they are in LA it's entirely plausible they'll have no idea what my wry aside was all about, though that won't be down to any lack of sense of humour on their part - the postcard I received with the album, evidence of the band's self-deprecating wit. Anyway before I digress any further as I am wont to do, it's the music we're supposed to be interested in. There are only seven tracks on 'Home', so it's really only an appetiser, though there's enough here to make the idea of a full album an enticing prospect. In the course of 'Home''s seven tracks, The Signal Hill Transmission draw on folk, pop and alt country influences and there are detectable traces of Scud Mountain Boys, Elliott Smith and early Wilco amongst the songs. Scott Warren has a warm, involving and expressive voice and an intriguing and mostly sombre inclination to his lyrics. Brief it maybe but sometimes less is more. In this case that's all we have, and it is!

Geraint Jones
CWAS #11 - Autumn 2002

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