Mrs. Toad likes these guys, so they must be good.  I am joking, but only partially; for my midget companion to lift her head and break a lifelong habit of treating my musical adventures with total and utter disdain happens very rarely, and when it does she tends to be onto something so I take notice.  She’s sort of a populism radar, I suppose.

Linfinity have finished recording a full length album, apparently, but shuffling through their various web stuffs there’s little sign of when or where we can expect it.  If the four songs which are available for our perusal at the moment are anything to go by then we are in for something of an eclectic surprise.  Holy Rain is reminiscent of a couple of things I’ve heard recently: Glasgow’s excellent The Seventeenth Century, and a more Eastern European relation of Kill It Kid.

Splendid, it is tempting to think, another lovely indie folk ensemble inspired by music from a little farther afield than their own country.  They may be good at it, but that would hardly be a new approach, would it.  Further listening, however, muddies the waters somewhat.  Molly Mar of Rome is a far smoother affair, more of a piano ballad, occasionally railroaded by the other instincts within the band, but building to a big, bombastic Radio2 crescendo.  Choo Choo Train to Venice brings a start which could easily come from The Clash covering an Elvis Presely tune, and then settles into a riff which reminds me somewhat oddly of Morrissey’s brilliant song You’re Gonna Need Someone on Your Side.

So what kind of a band are these guys and what can we expect from the album?  Fuck knows, frankly, but large chunks of this sound incredibly interesting and I am really looking forward to hearing it.

Linfinity – Holy Rain

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Linfinity – Choo Choo Train to Venice

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This is the last Song, by Toad show on Fresh Air for this term – so the last one until about October time, basically.  As the band are long time Toad friends, and as their long (loooong)-awaited debut album is being released on Monday, it seemed only fitting that Broken Records pop into the studio and have a chat about things, talk through the album itself (read: TOAD EXCLUSIVE!!!1!1 or something like that), and generally shoot the breeze.

To tune in, go to the Fresh Air homepage and click on the big Listen Now button on the left hand side, from about 6.30pm-8pm, UK time.  As per usual, I’ll fill in the playlist below, and you can take the opportunity to leave compliments, questions and abuse in the comments section as you see fit.

01. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band – Hard to be a Saint in the City (Live at Hammersmith Odeon 1975)
02. White Antelope – Wild Mountain Thyme
03. Broken Records – Wolves (Toad Session)
04. Linfinity – Holy Rain
05. Ambulances – Come With Us
06. Broken Records – Lies
07. Sparrow & the Workshop – Last Chance (Toad Session)
08. The Lovely Eggs – Have You Ever Heard a Digital Accordion
09. The Low Miffs – Dear Josephine
10. Broken Records – Nearly Home
11. Bruce Springsteen – Dancing in the Dark

Whee – pub!