Fleeting

My love for Victoria's indie-pop scene keeps growing stronger. Shapes and Sizes are a quartet who seem to be holding the torch high, mixing disparate sounds and influences into quirky pop music. A combination of female and male vocals share duties, offering us some personal reflections which sound heart-felt, if allegorical at times. The music shifts rapidly, from hook to drone and back again -- it's hard to pin down, which is part of the appeal here (OK, they can hit Frog Eyes with a good throw from where they're at). "I Am Cold" is my soundtrack tonight, as I nudge the thermostat another degree upwards.

Shapes and Sizes - I Am Cold
Shapes and Sizes - Weekends At A Time
Shapes and Sizes - Wilderness
Shapes and Sizes - Island's Gone Bad
Shapes and Sizes - Taste In My Mouth

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The female vocal kick continues with The Social Registry's Samara Lubelski (of Hall Of Fame). I think the most direct comparison here would be to the folk/psych wanderings of Neil Halstead, with similarities not only in her songwriting and the production quality, but also in her vocal inflection. These two tracks - "The Fleeting Skies" being the title track to Lubelski's 2004 solo debut, and "Sister Silver" from her latest release, Spectacular Of Passages - are so on target it's hard to imagine an entire album. Where the hell have I been for these? I need to visit Rotate tomorrow.

Samara Lubelski - Sister Silver
Samara Lubelski - The Fleeting Skies

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I have been coaxed into helping out tonight with Shack Up's ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY at The Queenshead. I'm sure I'll see some of you there.

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The death knell for house music with rock'n'roll production is nearing. Freshness is hitting a factor of zero, and whether or not it's another motherfucking remix, it's all starting to sound the same.