Uncletoe's Portasound
"[Sentimental]" cassette
Best
Kept Secret
Genres: indie pop, dream pop, shoegazer
Best Kept Secret
c/o Alessandro Crestani
via Biron di Sotto, 101
36100 Vicenza
Italy
Sep 6 - 12 2004 |
[Sentimental] is the first of many Best Kept Secret cassettes
I'll be reviewing over the next weeks, so sit tight. The fun's
just begun.
Uncletoe's Portasound is one of the many eclectic bands with
releases on the Italian BKS tape imprint, and keeping with the label's
tradition, you don't get fed anything you could possibly expect. [Sentimental]
boasts ten indie pop songs that blur dream rock with synths and lo-fi
recording. The whole thing is quite unconventional - sometimes
dreamy, sometimes loud - but, the style is particularly likeable if
given a few listens. Blissful shoegazer is the dominant genre,
although other influences certainly seep in.
Side one has five tracks on it, starting off with the Yo La
Tengo-esque "Passerby" and ending in dream-pop territory
with the peaceful but somewhat tedious "Gone." Rock
number "Bitter" boasts a tight sound and some very
impressive guitar soloing and "Icicle" is a pretty,
shimmering space pop tune. "Wish I Was There" is
slowish shoegazer, and becomes a bit tiresome after multiple listens.
Side two contains five more songs in a similar vein. The
songs are slow and calming, based in true shoegazer territory - Jesus
and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine comparisons, here we
come. Only the more rock-centred "So Tired" wanders
from side B's relaxed theme.
What separates Uncletoe's Portasound from more successful
shoegazer acts is melody; these songs have the right atmosphere, but
don't latch on to the calibre of hooks necessary to capture most listeners' attentions.
You'll need to spend more effort getting to know the music before
you'll be hooked - it makes for a challenge, but in the end it's a
worthy investment.
80%
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
10 tracks, distributed by the
label, released 2003] |
