cut and paste and twist

The music of Pengilly’s occupies a half-way house between the wistful melancholia of long forgotten, long boxed, recently discovered family photo albums, and the half-remembered optimism of growing old. What is most exiting to note, for an artist whose material is so new and so raw and so wrapped up in the layers of youth, is that pastiche is not the quality that presents itself here as something new and notable, it is an earnest face to the world, not highway bound but rooted on the breeze.

mp3s | To London | Mister Punch and Thomas Moore

www.myspace.com/thisispengillys

A live date is billed for 11/4 at Bullet Bar in Kentish Town. A further two songs can be streamed at Pengilly’s myspace. Though these two posted should provide more than ample justification for the outing, be sure to listen to the other two, the standard is equally high.

Orillia Opry craft beautifully realised songs with an organic craft that is so often lacking from their immediate peers within the negative-stereotyped world of folk music. The songs released so far are refreshingly removed from the myriad wanderings and pre-determined set pieces of contemporary folk acts that dwell within this country; and not to get all caught up in this idea of a picture perfect wanderlust of our cousins from across the sea but this is something special. 

These songs soundtrack cinematic moments that aren’t recorded on celluloid but play out around you behind closed doors. The newest batch of songs recently released on Ships at Night Records and entitled ‘Lighthouse For Straggler’s Eyes’ is a beautifully simple collection of songs that leaves you both satisfied and intrigued for the back catalogue.

The songs appear timeless and that statement isn’t written to imply mediocrity or a faux-hip admiration for truly awfully recorded material, rather it is an appreciation for truly original songwriting and song-craft.The ability to transcend artificial ‘genres’ is an appreciation we should be striving for much more readily these days.

The nouveau hippy-ed elite will not have a monopoly for much longer. 

mp3s | Peace Will Come | Shadow Shadow

www.myspace.com/orilliaopry

<< order ‘Lighthouse For Straggler’s Eyes’ from Ships At Night Records.

“Whatever happened to Voxtrot?” could readily apply itself as the mantra of this year just past. As a classic example of the pitfalls and perils of the hype merchants and their consumers Voxtrot stand as the marker alongside the road to ignominy for such bands as Vampire Weekend and for Black Kids as we roll into 2008.A series of blisteringly re-worked guitar melodies and emotionally charged lyrics that slipped Morissey a couple of G ‘n’ T’s before jumping into bed with him, the album released last year – titled simply, ‘Voxtrot’ – simply failed to live up to those earlier whispered promises.

Give them time. You must always give the kids time.

However, little brothers will often show you up. For Voxtrot is but the day-job for this highly productive outfit.
Sparrow House is Jared van Fleet, spending time in between lost seasons and cold cafes by the sea to commit his particular blend of lo-fi amplification and letters to lost friends. Move the dial across the airwaves and the song picks up halfway through, slightly trampled underfoot, it’s been snowing recently but the leaves aren’t quite dead. We’ll stamp our feet to keep them warm and sit on wooden benches in a cabin in the woods by a lake and write songs like these.

Belaire move in completely different circles and accuse classmates of being too sensitive when all we’re here for is to have a good time. Like a lost cartoon-show from the early ’90s that you were too young to watch, Belaire delight in the obscurity. Peddling a warm, fuzzy line of sweetly saccharine vocals and heavily indebted synths the band are no ground-breakers but it’s a sound that pre-packaged pop can only dream about.

mp3s | Waiting Patiently | You Sang Along

www.myspace.com/sparrowhouse

www.myspace.com/belaire

 Although the line peddled by Ms. Tucek is nothing particularly groundbreaking or genre-bending what she does produce feels so guiltily well-rounded and honest that you almost can’t help becoming particularly enamoured with the whole proceeding.With songwriting credits for such Illuminati as the Brian Jonestown Massacre she is certainly a well-travelled lady and the usual boxes are ticked in regards to broken hearts, lonely nights and bright bright lights. Detractors would point to the overtly polished production courtesy of Mr Ethan Jones - with self-referential techniques almost too painfully enthralled to ‘Gold’-era Ryan Adams - or question the need for a further influx of cathartic Americana rock ‘n’ roll but such vocal opinions will always be voiced and they are just as easily ignored. In the end it is much better to just enjoy yourself, rather than getting caught up in your own opinions.

 Sarabeth Tucek is playing at the latest Chess Club extravaganza at the Social on Monday night (21st) with School of Language and Mumford Sons.Should be a riot. 

www.myspace.com/sarabeth tucek

< < buy ‘Sarabeth Tucek’.