Riding the Rails...

The Besnard Lakes


Montreal Quebecians The Besnard Lakes are not the black sheep, or rather the dark horse as the title might suggest. I mean I have had plenty of people coming into my wee store here in South Africa looking for their album, The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse, with much adoration pumping from behind their eyeballs... It's kinda a freaky variety of people who enquire about it, especially if you had to stick them into a room together and not tell them what they have in common... Hmm, maybe it's time for an experiment... Anyhoo...

Consisting of the following folks, Steve Raegele (guitar, vocals), Jace Lasek (vocals, guitar), Richard White (guitar), Kevin Laing (drums, vocals), Olga Goreas (bass, vocals), they resemble a darker, more sinister and western Arcade Fire. Well horses in the artwork and press shots aside look at that one guy with the line dancing outfit...

They're quite a strange beast to tame. When they rock out as they do on You lied to me, they channel My Morning Jacket and even Pink Floyd... With Disaster there's a little bridge a bit more into the song where the string arrangements sounds like Van Dyke Parks was involved. And while they do get their fix of the Beach Boys throughout, especially toward the end of that track, other times, well maybe most times, it sounds like they're strung out on the old Low catalogue... I mean there's plenty of harmonizing between Jace, Kevin and Olga and it's a definite Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker sounding affair.

The baroque psych post-pop is complimented by some spacey drones and I suggest that slow and sadcore folks should take a listen too.
On Devastation they almost spiral out of control with their guitars as much as an Olivia Tremor Controlled Polyphonic Spree with choir intact building revelation upon revelation...

Disaster
You Lied To Me
+ Myspace

Sparrow House


I have no idea where I first came across Sparrow House, I am pretty sure it was on another blog. It's just recently, while busy putting a compilation together, that I came across Blindfold Waltz and figured it's definitely worth posting about...

Sparrow House is 24 year old Jared Van Fleet who's also a member of the indie fantastics Voxtrot. I find this little side-project extremely refreshing, like Ris Paul Ric post Q and not U kind of refreshing. He has a definite knack for writing catchy folk pop dittes and while it's a departure from Voxtrot's main influences, he seems to be very much at home in his bedroom (no i don't know if that's a fact) since his pop sensibilities, like on lullaby creeper When I am gone could be likened to Elliott Smith. Bright, beautiful finger picking permeates and a solo piano adds to the beautiful melody.
On Blindfold Waltz, waltz being quite an effective part of the title with the nice strong strumming keeping the pace, it's the beautiful progressions to the song that makes it stand out. The production has some lovely subtle underlying layers of knob twiddling gadgetry that gives it a nice sheen. Adding the cello and strings just stole my heart though... There's a slight hint of Papa M (David Pajo) in his voice now and again too especially in his phrasing and the lyrics are real pretty. He's quite the lyricist so check it out. I really like this. It's humble, simple and bitter sweet. You will like it too.

Blindfold Waltz
When I Am Gone
+ Myspace

Bonus: ('cause it is so damn skippy! swing it boys!)

The Autumn Defense - Canyon Arrow

Ive known you in the morning with your soft eyes dreaming...
you were the one who could break me with a whisper

So draw a picture of a girl who's going to show me everything we push together's just a piece of something that's already disappeared

- Ri