Current Music Fixation: Days

Once again the Swedes have done it again!

From the first note of the debut EP “Downhill” from Gothenburg, Sweden quartet “Days,” it’s quite obvious that you have stumbled upon almost picture perfect indie pop. Like fellow Swedes “Peter Bjorn and John”, Days seems to have found the answer to perfecting poppy disarming hooks without sounding convoluted and bogged down by over production. Released on Portland/San Francisco based label “Shelflife Records”, this 5 song EP successfully delivers track after track of feel good pop music reminiscent of Demarks “Northern Portrait” and Indie Pop Alumni “The Go-Betweens.” I understand it’s a lofty statement to compare anyone to The Go-Betweens but it’s just that good.

Opening track “Never Came to Last” immediately sets the standard of what to expect. As the distant guitar fades in, it gives you that sense of genuine warmness that you so often look for in music but rarely find. Even though the first line of the song “I keep my dancing away out of site” in all its loneliness and lowliness sounds like something you would hear Morrissey deliver, it does nothing to unhinge the sudden urge to smile to yourself. Track one can easily cast the feeling of it being the strongest track of the five almost from the get go. That is, until track two “Simple Thing” starts in with its “Doolittle” era Pixies base line. The marriage between the simplified rhythm section and the shimmering clean guitars is almost flawless. Add the innocent pitch of vocalist/guitarist Fabian Sahlqvist and you can’t escape feeling as though these three Swedes were destined to make music and more importantly make all of our lives just that little bit better.

The rest of the EP (although not as strong as the first two tracks) effortlessly achieves all of the staple qualities and subtle nuances you wish you heard more of in today’s Indie music scene. In an ideal world this would be the case. However, if everyone was doing it the right way the first time around, Discs like this would lose its uniqueness and the ability to stand out as the brilliant piece of work it is.

Another triumphant gem Murph.

Concert Review - A Place to Bury Strangers.

Once again, I had the pleasure last Tuesday of catching Brooklyn based Noise Pop/Garage/Shoegaze trio A Place to Bury Strangers w/All The Saints and Dead_Confederate at the Mod Club.

This is all thanks to Sarah (teaming up with Murphy) who picked up some surprise tickets late the week before. I can't thank her enough. It was my second time around seeing A Place to Bury Strangers (last time was 2 yrs ago at the Drake Underground) and Sarah’s first experience in what can only be described as a sonic assault and raping of your eardrums.

The opening acts seemed to be handpicked (as most are) according to their complimentary sound of the fuzzed out noise pop of APTBS. Although not overly impressive, the mix of the "shoegazeesque" garage rock of All The Saints and the "Nu-Grunge" angle of Dead Confederate wet the palates of concert goers thirsty for the ear shattering wall of sound of the headliners.

A Place to Bury Strangers took the stage and without word shot into a frenzied feedback-drenched opening track. Although the base and rhythm sections at times made me feel like Murphy was sitting on my chest, I didn't find the volume as abrasive as the first time I caught them. I was prepared for an all out assault on my hearing (which I must say is now on par with Pete Townsends legendary deafness) but surprisingly they came up a little short. In fact they aren't even the loudest band I have seen this year. I caught Earth at the Horseshoe earlier in the year and not only did it erase my ability to hear anything for 3 days, I think it actually shook out a filling or two.

I am talking boarder line seizure stuff here.