Lucky Soul

by MacKenzie Wilson
The sugary indie pop sounds of Lucky Soul feature Toby Fogell (bass), Ali Howard (vocals), Andrew Laidlaw (guitar), Ivor Sims (guitar), and Nathaniel L. Perkins (drums). The London quintet, which delivers a charming '50s pop sound that's part Sandie Shaw and part Ronettes, officially formed in early 2005 after Perkins and Laidlaw's original group had fallen apart. Adding Howard's candied vocals and the structured musicianship of Sims and Fogell, Lucky Soul was born. They made their performance debut opening for the Pipettes that June, and their debut single, "My Brittle Heart/Give Me Love," was an instant hit with British music press. Its follow-up, the shimmery "Lips Are Unhappy," arrived in June 2006 on Ruffa Lane.