Invisible bands

I imagine most people have records they love, by bands they know nothing about. I guess the internet should end this phenomena, but there are a few records I know and love where everything I know about the band is deduced by looking at the cover. So basically it's all made up, I'll look at the band photo (if there is one) and think "oh those two look like they hate each other" or "I bet they're a couple".

So what records fall into this category for me? Well these days it International Airport and The Bristols. Both bands are fairly recent, but seemed to have petered out by the time I got into them. They are also remarkable for having amazing sounding records. International Airport's Nothing We Can Control just sounds so perfectly balanced. Chief band dude Tom Crossley seemed/seems to be loosely linked to The Pastels and there's clearly a similar sound to Pastels circa Mobile Safari. Only I think they manage the sound better than The Pastels do, each layer delicately stacked on another until you're left with no so much a wall of sound as a forest of sound. I wish I'd bought up more of their stuff when I was in Monorail last year, but I just didn't expect to become so obsessed when I rediscovered the record.


The garage rock revival of c2001 didn't really interest me too much at the time. Although now I think if the bands had sounded more like The Bristols and less like The Von Bondies it would have been very different. Their record In Tune With The Bristols is an absolute blast. I remember I bought it a couple years ago, but never really gave it much of chance. But since arriving back in New Zealand it hasn't left my 'currently listening' shelf. It's suitably recorded at the famous Toe Rag studios in London and is probably the best example I've heard of what that studio represents. It's analogue and vintage equipment used not out of nostalgia, but out of a recognition of quality. Liam Watson who ran the studio also seemed to run The Bristols, so it's hardly a surprise I guess. To me The Bristols interpretation 60s garage rock doesn't feel 'retro', rather just the natural way the songs and the band sound.

happy new year and all that

Like a lot of people I find end of year lists both absurd and irresistible. There's no such thing as the 'Best Album of 2008' and I tend to assume anyone who says there is is trying to sell me something. But then they're fun and interesting and all that, so I should probably stop complaining right? Of course it's great to have people telling the world what record hasn't left their record player/mp3 player/car stereo over the past year. Provided that album isn't by Fleet Foxes of course.


Plus, when I think about it I realise I've stayed remarkably quiet about most of my favourite records. Crystal Stilt's self titled EP, The Motifs compilation and The Andersen Tapes Cloudberry single have been suitably gushed over; but Minisnap's Bounce Around has been kind of ignored and I haven't engaged in Vivian Girl's debate much (for the record I love them, think they sound nothing like The Shop Assistants and think people label them sound a likes are mildly sexist/stupid). Plus, I've also avoided writing about No Age for some reason, so I'll say now Nouns is an absolute killer and about as exciting as I imagine music can be. I was a bit disappointed when I saw them at ATP, but hopefully their Auckland show with Jay Retard will make up for it.

Then there's been The Gladeye's 'album' The Prospect Palace Practice Tapes. Recorded in one day with Tim Guy on bass and chief Ruby Sun Ryan McPhun on drum it has all the spontaneity and excitement that makes seeing bands live worthwhile. I'm in danger of becoming a bit of a joke if I keep gushing over these guys so I'll I'm just going to say I think they're the best lo-fi pop band around (and that includes Times New Viking) and mention the CDs only NZ$15 (which is like the equivalent in price of a packet of crisps in most countries) and you can buy it from here.

Oh, and I feel I have enough distance now to say Pants Yell!'s Allison Statton is my favourite album of 2007. So maybe check back in twelve months time for a more confident review of 2008.