Song, by Toad

Forest Fire – Survival

Not the easiest of Google searches, that one, but amazing what useful advice it turns up. Now, you know my sparkly new record label that I’m slowly levering into existence? Well Catbird Records were pretty much all the things I am trying to do myself, only at least three years older. So in other words, respect and deference due.

Of course around here, like most music blogs, it comes down to one thing: tunes any good? Fucking yes indeed they are, crikey this is a terrific album.  The presence of The Shaky Hands’ Nathan Delffs comes as no surprise, listening to it.  I don’t know how much he had to do with the songwriting, but the lazy, confident rhythm definitely evokes their vibe.

Shimmering, vaguely uncomfortable  guitars build the atmosphere in a manner somewhat reminiscent of a less thunderous version of The Low Lows, and the vocal delivery chimes with a similar kind of unease.  You could be in a half-awake feedback-oppressed dystopia one minute, and a lovelorn dustbowl romance the next.

The combination of that tension with the romanticism is about as squarely perfect an approach for someone like me, it’s untrue.  If they’d been aiming for my kind of music I doubt they could have scored any more direct a bullseye.

Forest Fire – I Make Windows
Forest Fire – Fortune Teller

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