The Chorus Music Club Society • Page 163

I always used to talk to Paul about them seeming like they were the support band to every band for so many years and I was dying for them to have their own bigger break (not that I'm a fan, but they just definitely deserved it). You Guildford area or did I make that up?

 

Yeah you're right I'm in Guildford

I'm really hoping that this new album breaks them, like you say they definitely deserve it. They've taken a poppier sound when it comes to production on this one so if this one doesn't break them I not sure what will.

One thing I was thinking about the other day was that they should push for some Radio 2 play with some of the songs on this one especially as there's loads of Bruce and Petty vibes all over this album. Brian Fallons newest single has been being played a lot on there the last few weeks and I could easily see something like Drive Me Wild, Crazy or Show Me Beautiful fitting in well on there.

Have you given this album a try, there's enough of a change of sound on this one that you might like it if you're not a fan of their earlier work?

 

If there is anything I would add to my review is that there is a slight alt-country sound to the album that could potentially draw a bigger audience.

 

Yeah I did actually, it's okay. I just never really connect with them. I enjoy a few songs from their whole discog but would never sit and listen to a full album or necessarily pop a song on out of nowhere. I respect them but just don't connect with them musically - but I appreciate what they're doing with this album a lot and venturing out. It was refreshing to hear them try something else and do it well. I always enjoyed "Pop Song" and "Slackerpop" though.

 

Maybe I need to move to South London because the scene there sounds insane and I’m a big fan of everything that comes out of there.

 

Fair enough I have bands like that too that I can appreciate but for some reason I just don't connect with. Glad you gave it a go though and those 2 tracks are bangers

 

@Wall Of Arms I am moving to North Carolina in the next few months and Shame will be there on their US tour. Tempting...

 

Do all of these things haha.

 

There's a lot of great music coming out of the UK and Ireland in general atm imo. We've loads of great scenes bubbling away outside of the mainstream right now.

Also good luck with your move to NC

 

The last two albums I was recommended were both great. However, it took me awhile to do write-ups for them because I knew I was not in the mindset for them to fully connect. I think this is to the credit of both recommendations as they have very distinct feelings to them.

First off is @littlejohn's rec

Ribbons and Sugar - Gatsbys American Dream

Ribbons and Sugar is the second album from Seattle’s bookworm-core group Gatsbys American Dream. The album’s title is a reference to a conversation in Orwell’s Animal Farm about the unfortunate and inalienable desires of humans to appear to enjoy empty pleasures at the expense of the freedoms of one’s self and others. The album engages this theme through exploring the equally set and contrasting desire we have to be unconventional given the opportunity to. To their credit, the band accomplishes this without swallowing the dictionary, a didactic tone or leaning to far into teenage angst. The result is a solid experimental pop-hardcore record that skirts the conventions they sought to break themselves from.

Releasing in 2003, the record is rife with the sugary melodies and swaggering guitars that captured the heart, mind and spirit of post-9/11 youth holding on to the hope of the 90’s. Against their label’s wishes, the band refused to follow the traditional song structure expected from their pop sensibilities. There are virtually no choruses present on the album and time signatures lurch in surprising directions which effectively demands the attention of the listener. To the chagrin of Gatsbys, this makes for a more streamlined template for both their poppy and experimental sides to shine. The aggressive groove at the core of the album is experienced better than listed out as the sum is greater than its parts. That being said, 'Apparition' and 'Counterfeit Languages' are both fine examples on their own of what this band achieved ahead of their contemporaries.

 

I'm glad you liked it. I think I recommended them like 3 times in this club. I still owe you a write up too. sorry just been busy.

check out volcano and s/t if you like them enough. albums are short.

 

No worries! I'll check the other albums out to. Are any of the associated side projects worth looking into?

 

The Money Pit is definitely worth checking out

 

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yeah The Money Pit is awesome. they should have a new album out this year sometime too.

also the What What What album that came out a few months ago is definitely worth a listen.

 

For one second I thought this said The Money Store and not The Money Pit and I almost got the hell out of this thread.

 

Paint Brain by Toy Cars is really good. Hard to find anything unique to say about it. It's the kind of alt-rock/post-hardcore/emo/whatever (I hate genres) I feel like you don't hear a lot anymore. I like that it adds some new additions to the formula. A little bit of fuzzy guitar wall here. Some cool guitar effects/sounds there. Like if you rolled a band from '08 through a Turnover dredge and lightly battered them in some shoegaze pedals.

I feel like this band would have made an awesome bill with Gratitude back in the day.

 

Nice review!

 

Some albums are easy to go on and on about. Some are just good. This is one of the latter. Great rec.

 

I’m not sure if you saw my review for The XCERTS but it’s a good one!

 

I did! I'm really glad you enjoyed it. There's always something really exciting when a band takes The Leap. And they very much just did.

 

@Davjs has decided to join us here!

 

About damn time!

 

It’s about time!

 

I'm here and ready to dish out Metallica's St Anger and Def Leppard's cover album.

Kidding

 

pls