i thought i'd better start representing some local antipodean music, so here's an awesome psyched out noise pop/"shoewave" track, Autumn from New Zealand's greatest band Surf City, this is from their debut "Kudos" LP (2010).
Surf City are certainly trying their best to revive the once internationally recognised et highly regarded "Dunedin Sound", et we should be truly thankful to them, they have painstakingly transplanted the distinct sound 1061.02km north to Auckland, deftly mixed it together with a myriad of other musical influences to create a formidable new blend of psyched out noise pop for a new appreciative generation!
Autumn is an ecstatically experimental pop track, chock full with layered instruments et effects, starting with the opening Beatlesque {Tomorrow Never Knows} backmasking/reverse looping on the cymbals et droning guitars, rim hits patter away before being engulfed by an oscillating wah-wah guitar effect, reminiscent of Johnny Marr on The Smiths How Soon Is Now?, then finally big fat spacious sounding drums bang out an upbeat rhythm with ultra crisp cymbal splashes that keeps your feet stomping for the duration.
frontman Davin Stoddard chants out lyrics with mantric repetition, the words barely decipherable, they become just another layer in the mix, rather than being at the fore, they are buried, soaked up, drowning in the swirling wall of sound, they echo around us dizzily. Stoddard's lazy, almost slurred delivery is reminiscent of Thom Yorke or Stephen Malkmus.
Autumn has that blissful hazy spacious roomy sound, that sublime fuzzed out wall of guitar noise that makes the music of My Bloody Valentine et The Jesus and Mary Chain so iconic, yet Surf City's sound is denser et cleaner, it's a more 'present' sound, reminiscent of Sonic Youth, but also revealing of contemporary digital recording methods.
Autumn is a one way ticket to shoegaze heaven, lie back, crank it up et let the euphoric wave of noise wash over you.
MP3: Autumn
i highly recommend getting yourself a copy of the excellent debut "Kudos" album, it is available from Arch Hill records on cd or vinyl! or you can get it from itunes along with the mind-blowingly good self-titled "Surf City" EP (2008).
you can check out {Kill} Surf City here: myspace | lastfm | facebook
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