The 1900s – Cold & Kind
I think this is one of few albums that turned out to be precisely what I expected it to be before I even listened to it. Shock and awe you will not get, but this is one of the most satisfying pop albums you could wish for. Happy, upbeat, infectious and hugely enjoyable – this is as pop as indie-pop gets.
The sunny 70s harmonies and lovely, cheerful piano disguise lyrics that are occasionally peculiar and at times a little dark, which makes for an odd juxtaposition at times. Basically I would imagine that, as I did, you will be humming and bouncing along to some pure musical joy and then suddenly think that perhaps you heard something rather odd. You’ll rewind to check and find out yes, they really did just sing about taking it from behind. Or strange attractors (one of my favourite mathematical concepts – so elegant and so fascinating).
Ultimately though, with songs so built for pleasure, these detours into actually listening can seem a little like distractions. I don’t mean to disparage listening closely to lyrics, but really, this is music to experience with your insistently tapping toes and spontaneously beaming smile. Which is not to say that I think it is a work of genius. It somehow lacks the portentious gravitas that one would expect from anything like that, and one or two of the songs are a little less splendid than the rest, but by and large if you are after a joyous record of blissful old fashioned harmonies that will make December seem like the middle of Summer I really don’t think you could do much better.
The 1900s – When I Say Go
The 1900s – Two Ways
website | hype | buy the album
I’ve visited your site a couple of times now and I have really enjoyed it. I appreciate the tunes by the 1900s, I’m starting to enjoy their music a lot. I think your blog was one of the blogs that first introduced me! Thanks again and take care.
Elizabeth in ND, USA (Actually I *am* insane, but your blog isn’t!)
Splendid to hear it Elizabeth. It especially nice when lurkers de-lurk for a bit to say hello. Gives me more of a feel of who I’m talking to with all this waffle!
s’Good, isn’t it? Without being too ‘artsy clever-pants’ like, say, Tilly & The Wall or The Concretes.
Now, did you hear them first or did we?
P
The Concretes I know pretty well, although I am not an enormous fan. Tilly & the Wall I barely know at all. Worth exploring then, I take it?
Well, they are cutesy – perhaps a little too so. They have a tap dancer (on a tap box) for their drums. Live it’s amazing. Very amazing. On Record? Sounds like a haphazard clatter when they get it wrong. Try their second album. It’s a tad betterer than the debut. names excape, right now.
Tips, though, for you:
Elizabeth & The Catapult (amazing 3-piece stuff – brilliant voice, far betterer tunes & tap/bop-alongs & lyrics than 1990s)
and
Jennie Abrahamson (Swedish dishy lass – I saw her first, mind – with a stunning Tammy Wynettesque voice, set to very stylish & slick contemporary Swedish pop/balladry. Deserves a fuller, wider audience – despite the fact she is one of the most in demand Scandinavian session musicians/vocalists & tours the world backing up other).
DC
the incongruous combination of happy-happy music and dark lyrics happens to be my favorite of all favorite kind of music. happy on the outside, sad (weird, dark) on the inside speaks directly to me.
as for tilly and the wall, i tried to like them, but as dc says, they’re probably much betterer live, when you could appreciate the effort that goes into all that tapping.
Hmm, may keep an eye out for them then. They were one of those groups I was aware of when they emerged but never quite got round to listening to.
to think that I got this lot mixed up with the dull pub rock of the 1990s. more fool me
1990s do bollix all for me as well.
The 1990s have a couple of good tracks -but I can’t help wondering if the fact that they are part of the Glasgow scene has given them a massive advantage (love ‘You’re Supposed To Be My Friend’ though). On the evidence of what I have heard, 1900s are infintely superior. I think this will be joining my must purchase list right about now…