Monday, September 27, 2010

For Ex-Lovers Only on Magic Marker Records


3 tracks today from For Ex-Lovers Only on Magic Marker Records. Ex-Lovers are based in Orlando, FL and I could see this being a part of the sunny 3 coast fuzz movement that's really been flourishing the past couple of years. This blown out sound fits into a part of that Best Coast, Frankie and the Outs, Big Troubles scene that might be a case for this kind of pop emerging from the outer edges of North America.

Coffin is a great A-Side to introduce these guys. Real gritty fuzz guitar and flat percussion, reminding me of The Yips raw rehearsal space sound. Layered on top is healthy amount of distortion, a real nod to JAMC but with a somewhat cheery outlook that keeps changing. The pattern they settle into has distinct parts but they're really pushing the arrangement to keep it interesting...it stays catchy and uptempo while still being a little mysterious.
The B-Side, "Lover's Heart" has a fast kick drum rhythm that vinyl makes great use of reproducing in all it's deep bass glory, a couple of nicely mic'd acoustics duplicate the bass sounds for the tin can vocals. They go for contrast between a shimmery chorus guitar melody and building cymbal crashes. I can't help but think it takes a lot to leave a track like this perfectly at this 7" length. God knows all of these could have been longer, but then it's always better to come away just getting into it than it going on too long. An indie pop sort of Minutemen. This is the song, leave it, it's perfect.

"Scraps" (Mono) is an example of the next to nothing instrumentation approach they take to write their brand of a K-Rec, Sarah pop song...acoustic guitar and tambourine with fistfulls of harmony. It doesn't ever go over the edge and get too cutesy, they just have these punky toy xylophone inspired brief songs of sincerity.

White vinyl, minimal monochromatic sleeve that reminds me of a Pains of Being Pure at Heart single, available for cheap (4.50) with digital download from Magic Marker Records.

No comments:

Post a Comment