Damn snow.
I mean, come on, it’s been like six years since the sun shone outside the ClashMusic office. In the meantime we’ve been huddling round a small bonfire of old promos, keeping our fingers warm while we type.
Of course, we could just wear gloves but where’s the fun in that?
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Single Of The Week
Late Of The Pier – Best In The Class
Late Of The Pier are bonkers. Not just in a manufactured ‘ooh look at Florence’ kind of way but the same kind of nutty genius which drives all great pop stars. Yet another stand alone single, ‘Best In Class’ is driven by the dense electro rock which powered their debut album to the top of the critical charts. But if anything the new single is even more unhinged, even more daring than anything on ‘Fantasy Black Channel’. With Late Of The Pier threatening to indulge us in even more bizarre offering, 2010 could turn out to be a far stranger affair than anything we could imagine.
And the rest…
Belleruche – Liberty EP
Yet more good fare from Tru Thoughts. Brighton’s house of funk rewards us again with some booty shakin’ action, as Belleruche raid the archives for some remixes alongside some new material. A good stopgap between albums, ‘Liberty’ is also a fine catching up point for those in need of some horn laden party anthems.
Mumford And Sons – The Cave
The English Fleet Foxes! Amid uncertain times, the listening public search for pleasant sounds. The whole indie-folk boom has parallels with the early 70s, when a Vietnam scarred baby boomer generation went head over tit for West Coast troubadours like James Taylor. Just like James Taylor this is mildly diverting fare, but you can’t help but long for a cavalcade of punks to come charging over the hill.
The Boy Who Trapped The Sun – Home EP
Well, well. Hailing from Lewis, the remote island strains of The Boy Who Trapped The Sun are this week’s surprise entry. And they’re stunning. Part Bert Jasch folk stylings, part Beta Band oddball psych ‘Home’ is a superb introduction to a genuinely talented songwriter. Lyrically, The Boy Who Trapped The Sun is alternately self-effacing and disarmingly honest yet always keeps you entranced. Well worth tracking down.
Cymbals Eat Guitars – Wind Phoenix
Whiplash guitars, surreal lyrics and the nagging sense that the whole thing could fall apart at any minute – welcome to the world of Cymbals Eat Guitars. Taken from their debut album ‘Wind Phoenix’ is a beautiful track which recalls the otherworldly space rock moments of MGMT but with an identity all of its own.
Local Natives – Airplanes
This is nice. If one word could be used to sum up Local Natives ‘nice’ would definitely be it. Twinkling piano, subtly anthemic songwriting and whispered vocals. Ultimately unmemorable, but hardly offensive. Nice!
Veronica Falls – Found Love In A Graveyard
Part Glasgow, part London. Part day and part midnight. Veronica Falls seem to be built on bringing together ideas that at first seem in complete opposition. ‘Found Love In A Graveyard’ is a salute to nocturnal pursuits, and underpins some dark lyrics with softly sighing vocals which could yet steal the indie pop crown away from Brooklyn.
