Chronophage’s self-titled record, the band’s fourth full-length, tamps down the turbulence of last year’s Th’Pig’Kiss’d, leaning into the lush, lyrical tendences already in play there. In reviewing Th’Pig’Kiss’d in 2020, I observed, “The slash and twitch and onslaught of their songs might put you in mind of the Fall, the Swell Maps, Fire Engines or, more recently, Protomartyr, but the nervy, baroque singing calls more ornate post-punkers to mind, Microdisney and the Monochrome Set, for example.” Their latest record swoons and flourishes where the old one jittered, finding a smooth line of melody and following it with grace.
The post-punk foursome recorded in a studio this time, rather than at home, which may account for some of the clarity. Even the quicker, noisier cuts, like “Fear and Agony,” have a febrile sweetness, sounding more like Felt than the Fall. Quick bursts of drumming, rapid fills of keyboard notes, fuzzy NZ lo-fi guitars all argue for post-punk, but bright, cheerful melody cuts through the hum, giving it a flavor nigh to pop. The songs on which bassist Sarah Beames sings, for instance “Old City Back Again,” have a jaunty, nearly twee cast, with a brass band making a brief, exuberant appearance.
Cleaner production and an eye towards tunefulness gives Chronophage a chance to expand its sonic palette, as on the melancholy “Spirit Armor,” opening with delicate piano and sung with a wistful tone. Even the slouching “After a Storm,” with its sharp, clamped-down chords, has a languid air, and “Cop in Psyche” floats psychedelically a few feet above ground level.
Th’Pig’Kiss’d felt more extroverted than this latest record. It was more directed at an audience, more of a sweaty, club-bound celebration. Chronophage’s self-titled album is quieter and more introspective, perhaps reflecting an unusually solitary couple of years. Not that that’s a problem. There’s a time for “Pink Frost,” rather than “Heavenly Pop Hit,” for Kilgour’s solo records rather than the Clean’s brash early band material, or for Blue Orchids more than the Fall. Chronophage explores the lyrical side of the fuzz equation very well indeed.
Fuzzy is taken from Rainbow Reservoir‘s debut LP, Channel Hanna, via Oddbox Records. due for release sometime in 2018. Rainbow Reservoir are based in Oxford, England, they are a three piece power pop / indie pop band. Band members are from the UK and USA, consisting of Angela Space (guitar, vocals), Oli Hewer (bass, vocals) and Cameron Grote (drums)
Hi! We’re Scarves, a dream-punk band from Seattle, WA.
We just released our second album Mall Goths! You can find it on iTunes, Spotify and wherever you stream music from these days, or click through to Bandcamp to buy a CD.
We’ve got some cool stuff in the works, including more music videos and a short tour, so stay tuned!
The smoky allure of Just Like Yesterday is nothing short of bewitching. This fuzzy, gazey dose of indie pop comes by way of a Swedish and Icelandic duo named Baula, and it’s only their second single so far though the band formed just before Iceland Airwaves 2015 and played 11 off-venue gigs there. A hint of the 60′s saturates its dreamy vocals and its drum heavy cadence. The gauzy single is snappy and taught, a fine balance of melodic zestful and dark simmering. Also fascinating is Just Like Yesterday’s cover art. The bottoms of my own feet tingle from the peculiar drawing.
WL//WH Track Of The Day: GLASOS “Stars Are Falling”
WL//WH Track Of The Day GLASOS
Glasos is the up-and-coming project of 16-year-old Barcelona denizen Emma Pavía Tropenscovino, who manages to craft a guitar-driven Indie Rock style with a distinctive penchant for the 90s, keeping it crisp and fresh to avoid any tiresome retro stereotype.
The young composer and guitarist has just dropped her self-titled debut EP via the independent local label…
