Sunday, January 6th, 2008
Sunday Cleaning – Volume 83
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AM Syndicate / Liberation (Novastar)
Maybe it’s because I’ve recently gotten a copy of The Comforts Of Madness from eMusic but this, the second album from AM Syndicate, really reminds me of the Pale Saints. Like that English outfit, the Austin-based trio produce a brand of distractedly anthemic dreampop that’s neither overly guitar-heavy or noisy, nor especially hazy or ambient. Instead, their songs are crystalline-sounding but with their lattices slightly skewed – not so much as to compromise them structurally (or musically) but off-kilter enough to make you look (and listen) from a slightly different angle, perhaps allowing your peripheral vision to catch a glimpse of the storm clouds gathering in the distance. Plus Omar Chavez’s voice reminds me more than a little of Ian Masters. MP3: AM Syndicate – “The Neighbour And His Wife” |
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Murder Mystery / Are You Ready For The Heartache Cause Here It Comes (independent)
There’s nothing murderous nor mysterious about New York’s Murder Mystery. In fact, they’re as sunshiney and straightforward an indie-pop band as you’re likely to find – jaunty, jangly and wry with classic melodies and some unexpectedly sharp, rockabilly-inspired guitar riffs. Anyone picking up on some Strokes-iness in the proceedings, particularly in the aforementioned guitarwork, need look no further than the presence of that band’s “guru”, JP Bowersock, in the production credits. There’s no stones being turned over here that haven’t been turned over umpteenth times before, but it is simple fun that’s not necessarily simple. Are You Ready For The Heartache Cause Here It Comes is due out on January 29 and are embarking on a cross-country tour starting in the middle of the month. MP3: Murder Mystery – “Love Astronaut” |
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