beatglider v shinri : ep
interesting and lovely split ep involving the folks who also happen to release records as junkboy.
but, before we hit their groove, there are 2 tracks from the essex crew called beatglider. a band whose name i have seen about, but never actually heard before. so, when their elevated guitars and sublime shoegazing styles began to permeate my sunday morning mood, i have to admit a felt an inner glow, as ep opener, 'lights on the water', is 6 minutes of beautiful music. it drifts around from time to time, but constantly pulls you back in when the sugar coated vocals are brought back into the mix, then at THE 4.5 minute mark, the effect pedals are switched on. oh yes - I AM loving this.
second track, 'the rattlesnakes' of course mines the same style, with its reverb'd to max classic 80's indie blueprint. which, in different times, could have been hailed as the next best thing, and still may do, should people decide that actually, the house of love were bloody great. unfortunately, i fear that this delicate timeless music will drift passed most tastemakers on their way to the latest libertines spin off band, TIS THEIR LOSS.
then we come to brothers in arms, rich and mik of junkboy, new setup, shinri. as i have written about junkboy elsewhere, you may know that they recently released a lovely album, upon which they broke their instrumental only rule, and got their voices on tape. well obviously, demons were not exorcised totally, as these 2 songs are as far away from any aspirations of instrumental post rock noodling as possible. acoustic guitars are plucked and strummed, tambourines are shaken, vocalised sunshine harmonies are phased and layered, all with some serious attention to detail in the lo-fi mix, which also happens to include a banjo, e bow, and guitarlele, whatever that is !
now, i hate the beach boys cos i never related to their love of surfing and suchlike, but there is a sonic connection here, so fans of teenage fanclub, and all those other bands that worship at the alter of brian wilson, should definitely track down this bands output.
split eps have always been a mystery to me, as usually there is a voice at the back of my head shouting "just release your own goddamn record!", but, i have to admit, that this double act makes mincemeat out my bad tempered objections, as the shared 20 minutes makes perfect sense, which in 2006 is a very rare event. so, i urge you to track this ep down and immerse yourself in this very special record.