Got a single in of dreamy layered pop from a three piece out of Chicago called Darling, on Cardboard Sangria Records, which is about to turn 13, and goes on the list of labels that have too long flew under the all powerful 7inches radar. Looks like these guys have at least 3 full length/EP's behind them already so this is no debut single baby, but just one of those personal labors of love in the form of the seven tiny inches (Isn't that a caroling song?), two tracks here, "White is Night" and "Mako Sica" from the
"White is Night" on the A-Side starts out with the warm acoustic guitar layers and background organ, while Jeff comes in with a slightly echo'd vocal that has that sincere slight break from a guy who's giving in to delivering the emotion and not to the judges. Something of a Jeff Tweedy comforting country...or is that the rim shot rhythm...or the call and response from the rest of the band like a ghostly chorus. It must be the stabs at the warbly hammond organ that put it in the lonesome west for me anyway. A solemn horseback tune, which is putting a new spin on the paint chip card that usually is the color for night. Same kind of melancholy though, wandering...might just be trying to convince himself of this positive spin. The breakout moment is this distorted organ/guitar solo where those two opposing sounds find their way into each other, maxing out in great ways.
The B-Side, "Mako Sica", goes for the slow guitar centric chorus this time, slowly building in the layers of shaker as the whole thing picks up to a poppy shaker, definitely in line with American Analog Set or Dean Wareham's projects. I think that's Native American for 'bad lands' if you trust the internet and these guys make it sound alright to me, another attempt at changing name expectations? Or they just can't help themselves to get a groove going under any circumstance. I hear some abstract lyric references to tough situations, but again is feels completely fun...maybe they're normally a hardcore band and this is their blue period which fails nicely. Clean as hell for getting to the bottom of the pit without getting too dirty, rocking the whole way.
Sleeve art from Stacey Chapman, liner notes thanking everyone on an interesting (raspberry?) shade of opaque red vinyl, with download card, 250 pressed on Cardboard Sangria Records.
No comments:
Post a Comment