THEE MOTHS – Sand in our pockets (Total Gaylord Records)
Posted: January 28th, 2005, by Simon MinterHowever much I musically digress into drone rock, fractured guitar noise, improvised folk or anything else which tickles my fancy, I can still never get enough of good ol’ sweet-natured indie-pop. To me there’s something magical about pure, non-cynical, non-ironic melodic pop music, and I’m glad that people still continue to stay ‘true to the path’.
Thee Moths I know next to nothing about, so I’m pleased to say that the four tracks on this CD line up in my mind alongside a legacy of records which I own – anything from early 80s Cherry Red acts like Tracey Thorn or Felt, through the tweer side of Sarah Records’ output, on to (often American) modern indie pop. At the beginning of the first track, ‘Universe Prayer’, there are Robert Wyatt-esque vocals humming gently over gentle, folky-sounding melodies which remind me of the quieter moments Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci. And so it continues through the rest of the CD – plaintive, simplistic guitar lines and almost whispered female vocals adding to a feeling of warm introspection. This music has a nicely ramshackle feel to it, but backs it up with simple, but accomplished songwriting.
Simon Minter
Simon joined diskant after falling on his head from a great height. A diskant legend in his own lifetime Simon has risen up the ranks through a mixture of foolhardiness and wit. When not breaking musical barriers with top pop combo Sunnyvale Noise Sub-element or releasing records in preposterously exciting packaging he relaxes by looking like Steve Albini.
http://www.nineteenpoint.com