"The Soft Cavalry arrives less as a Slowdive extracurricular activity than as a new outlet for Clarke, whose brother and former bandmate Michael Clarke produces. Along with Midlake/Mercury Rev keyboardist Jesse Chandler, the lineup also includes a drummer who has collaborated with the Clarke siblings on other projects (including backing Ricky Gervais in a 2016 mockumentary film). The resulting collection of cavernous electro-rock, elaborately adorned psych-pop, and winsome ambient-folk is polished and professional-sounding, but it's also as tedious and unmemorable as the group's name"

"Slowdive's reunion in 2014 didn't just spawn a great fourth album and sensational victory-lap tour. The band's singer-guitarist Rachel Goswell met her husband Steve Clarke when he tour-managed the reformed act and the pair have now created their own album as The Soft Cavalry, exploring the same spacey, effects-heavy pastures as Slowdive but with licence to roam further"