Reading Rainbow / Coasting on Atelier Cisaeux Records

The Workshop Scissors are at it again! Atelier Ciseaux emailed me about this amazing split single from Reading Rainbow out of Philly, whose full length I have to grab from Hozac actually and Coasting from Brooklyn. I've been meaning to listen to both of these guys and that's why I turn to a 7" like this, one of these tracks has to be good. But AC has so far put out an amazing collection of singles from Jeans Wilder (check out their full length at AC also), Terror Bird, US Girls and freaking Best Coast for gods sake so I know this is in the best company.

The single doesn't specify and A or B Side, so I hit the Reading Rainbow side first, Euphoria is a perfect title for this fuzzy, massive guitar sound and dual guy/girl vocals. They took the No Age overwhelming haze and added an extra layer of pop. The vocal harmony comes first, and that's what keeps me coming back to this one. My favorite on the whole single...and even after listening to most of Prism Eyes, I love this track, probably their strongest. The vocals are far too precious for the grit flying around underneath, but that's where this really works, the angelic harmony over the distorted layers, lightening the echo doom sound. When this then shifts gear towards the end into an the epic chorus of their voices and crunch, the seemingly perfect track gets better.
Euphoria / is over... just until you play the track again.

But I want to hear the next one, "Can't stand it".
In just these two brief tracks they stretch out into all kinds of various echos and far off guitar wash. They aren't sticking with one type of sound. This one is a lot more raw... where the first was getting into My Bloody Valentine haze, this track is getting dirty in the garage. I like they're really exploring the range of overblown distortion in just these two tracks.
Every time it comes up, this fuzzed out no-fi, it's going to define this late 2000's, starting in 07 with the Vivian Girls, this romanticized-in-love-with-the-90's distortion, indie rock sound and then combining it with a '50s melodic pop. Everyone is sort of building on an entire time period, and it's a weird one to come back, but the time and effort that goes into the craft of distortions and layers of sound is what makes the whole thing bigger than it's description. I love their sound, I think they're bringing something new to the party.
Speaking of the Vivian Girls, Coasting is Fiona from the Vivian Girls and Madison from Dream Diary, so they also have a clear direction to take this sound...and the pedigree.
"Snoozefest" uses a simple reverb guitar melody and the double hit snare that breaks into chorusy dual harmonies with a raw, spontaneous feel. That drum sound is defining everything about the last 4 years. Put a tambourine on the tom, or high hat...it's essential.
"What you wanted" is even looser, the guitar even lagging a quarter beat off because it's trying to keep up this frantic surf strumming. I like that AC put these duo's together on the same single...I think it makes perfect sense to hear them together, two completely different approaches to the same initial setup.
This is a really great single but it's not fair when yo stack the deck like this this...I hope to god fusetron or midheaven is importing these, (not yet -ed). Excellent release.
I need it.
Damn you scissors.