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LP
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ITR 316LP
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"Whether you know it or not, Shark Toys are one of the best bands in LA... and they have been for quite some time. I think the Urinals would agree and now they can finally call them labelmates. Their first single came out back in 2009, but Labyrinths is a far more developed record than that or any of their subsequent releases. Gone are most of Danny Clodfelter's former band members, but not because of some Mark E. Smith-type drama. The turnover is more likely due to nearly a decade passing and life happening. That said, this current line-up is by far the strongest. Drummer Emanuel Farias and bass-man Bill Gray (formerly of The Mae Shi, Man's Assassination Man, and a million other Smell bands) are one of the tightest rhythm sections in 21st century post-punk. They allow Clodfelter to do what he does best: thrash and wail all over his Fender six string. His angular guitar attack is well informed (by thousands of obscure punk and post-punk records) and executed (albeit after no more or less than three beers) and Gray and Farias hold it down so effectively, one might make the incorrect assumption that they're playing sober. This album at times reminds one of Weirdo Rippers-era No Age on Tyvek uppers. There's an occasional sax skronk, piano plink-plunk, and the spare synth squiggle here and there, but more often than not it's a batch of four-on-the-floor pogo-friendly numbers that will have even the most jaded message board lurkers rethinking what the Los Angeles underground has to offer. Shark Toys are proof-positive that the local scene is a hell of a lot deeper than the LA River." --Lance Barresi / Permanent Records
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LP
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FTR 316LP
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"Rusalnaia is an incredible duo, formed early in the century by England's Sharron Kraus and Philadelphia's Gillian Chadwick. Their exquisite eponymous debut album was issued as a CD by Tony Dale's Camera Obscura label back in 2007, and we did it on vinyl last year (FTR 235LP, 2016). People pretty much swooned when they heard it. So when we learned the pair was recording a new album, our ears were immediately alert. Time Takes Away shares elements with its predecessor in terms of song construction, vocal overlay and general mystery action, but certain tunes manifest a bit more of psychedelic rock aspect, bespeaking antecedents such as the Trees. All of the wild electric string presence is provided by Sharron and Gillian, although Mark Wilden (who has previously backed Sharron) shows up as a steady percussive element. But, for all the band-like elements, this is primarily a vocal album as strong as their debut. None of the instrumental works flashes more prominently than the voices, and Sharron's decision to employ more of her Denny-register than she has in the past definitely colors the proceedings. Time Takes Away is a classic slab of UK folk invention. Like all of the best examples of the genre, it's impossible to tag the music to a year or even decade. It just sounds great and timeless. As though it has existed for aeons before you'd ever heard it. Even though the Cambrian CD only came out last year. At a rate, we suggest you relax and enjoy. Full lyric insert and printed inner sleeve provided for your additional pleasure." --Byron Coley, 2017
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LP+CD
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TR 316LP
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LP version. Includes CD. Since their formation in 1996, Swedish band Last Days of April has enriched the world with their enchanting indie pop. Their ninth album, Sea of Clouds, follows a series of outstanding releases. And yet the ninth studio album by this Stockholm band -- based around the songwriter Karl Larsson -- sounds so much more deliberate, mature, and balanced than ever before, while continuing the band's hunt for the timelessly beautiful Swedish pop song, in a snow flurry between Neil Young and The Lemonheads. The result is a wonderful long-player, and the group's most authentic and grounded work so far. This is surely due to the restrained instrumentation of the nine pieces. The songs are carried by acoustic guitar and piano, as well as by gently propulsive drum rhythms and immersive, reverberant guitars. It all comes together to underline Larsson's delicate, crystal-clear vocals in the most grandiose fashion. Sea of Clouds impresses with its shimmering melancholy and alternates between quiet, reverent numbers ("Sea of Clouds" and "Oh Well") and sprawling, guitar-propelled songs like "The Thunder and Storm." In between, there are charming and simply captivating pop songs/compositions (opener "The Artist" or "Everybody Knows") that have the character of classic Last Days of April hits. The pieces are always catchy, inviting the listener to dream, sometimes even to dance. In contrast to its predecessors, for Sea of Clouds the band dispensed with digital technology while recording and captured the entire album live to tape in just two and a half days, relying exclusively on analog equipment and recording without overdubs. Without countless synthesizer and guitar tracks that would create a glossy sheen, Sea of Clouds is somewhat purified and cleansed compared to previous albums such as If You Lose It (2004) or Might As Well Live (2007). The purely analog form of the recordings can only be realized in a handful of studios in Sweden or even throughout Europe. Last Days of April chose to work in the legendary Atlantis Studios in Stockholm, where bands such as ABBA or The Cardigans once cavorted. Immediately upon hearing the first few bars of the opening track "The Artist," it becomes clear that this was the perfect decision. After decades of touring around the globe, Last Days of April have delivered their strongest and truest work to date. Simply a beautiful piece of music, for faithful fans and the newly converted.
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