Pleased to Meet You: The Lymbs Ready EP

lymbsSo many tracks come across my track on a daily basis, and while I claim to fawn over so many, I’ll admit that the favorite I’ve found this week is this brand new song from The Lymbs (now based in Oakland). It has this crunchy style of rock to it, stuttering at moments, before lurching forward into a full-fledged rocker. Since relocating from New Mexico, the band have been hard at work trying to get things up and running, so expect a full EP or album to come from the band in just a short span of time!

 

Fresh Power Pop from Coastal Town

10838227_866582683381693_1382080938002639839_oI’m going to be honest with you; I know very little about Coastal Town. But, I will fill you in on what information I do have…it’s just not much. The voice should be familiar to ATH followers, as it sounds like it’s Frode from I Was a King at the helm. This leads down a crazy path of tales and such…is I Was a King over or is Coastal Town just a new project? I do know from the IWaK blog that they have spent recent time in studio with Joe Pernice and Robyn Hitchcock…could this be part of it? I don’t really know any of it for sure, but I know the songs are incredible…so as I know more, I’ll keep you posted.

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Missing I Was a King

iwasakingIn the last few weeks, some of the bands I thought were gone have come back (It Hugs Back/Crayon Fields), so I went in search of what was up with one of my favorite acts, I Was a King.  First, I noticed they had recently released a song they’d worked on with Robyn Hitchcock. It’s a beautiful tune, indicative of the growth they’ve made since their early days as a band. Also, and I’m not sure if the two are related at all, but the band has also announced they’re in the studio with Norman of Teenage Fanclub and Joe Perince…looks like we’ll have a new LP form the band soon. Here’s that lost track that’s just appeared.

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I Was a King – You Love It Here

Rating: ★★★★½

I’ve long praised the wonderful work of I Was a King, and for a bit I felt like I was the only one that noticed.  It seems that wasn’t true at all (thank goodness) with the band getting a touch of grace on production duties; Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub and Robyn Hitchcock share duties on You Love It Here.  If that’s not enough to sway you towards the excellent work of this Norwegian trio, then perhaps I can push you just a little further.

Three albums into their career and the group opens You Love It Here with perhaps one of their best songs, “Frozen Disease.”  The guitar has that nostalgic ring to it, distorted yet melodic.  The song itself has a down-trodden temp, but Frode’s voice has this warmth to it that somehow allows the song to avoid any sense of melancholy, even if that’s the intent of the vocals.  Then they move off into their meat-and-potatoes indie pop, blending slightly angular guitar work, emphatic drumming and harmonies that would make your mother swarm.  “Leave” is the sort of song that originally endeared me to the group, and it’s clear that even with great producers on hand, you can’t take away a band’s songwriting sensibilities.

You’ve only got to skip ahead a few tracks to see the progression I Was a King has made in their songwriting; it’s nice to see them holding close to certain aspects, yet still see them pushing forward.  “Hanging On” isn’t filled with distorted guitars, rather it’s filled with vocal harmonies and light instrument strumming.  I particularly love the change in the vocal pitch that comes in right at 1:40 on your player; this is a mood affecting shift that’s been perfected by the likes of Nada Surf.  Another move that was unexpected, yet welcomed, was Anne taking the lead on “Superhero.”  For the majority of the track, there’s a hint of guitar, though it’s been cleared out in the studio to let her vocal shine through, remaining the perfect focus.  It’s striking, not only for the power in Frokedal’s voice, but in its ability to break up some of the album.  While I love power-pop and such, a little differentiation goes a really long way.

As always though, the winner on You Love It Here seems to be the sound of the guitars.  “Food Wheels” enters near the end of the album, and while there’s still that element of swirling guitar, a more rudimentary sound is what struck me most.  The distortion is peeled back, and I dare say that there’s a bit of a jangle to the track.  It’s similar to the earlier appearance of “Eric” on the record, though that track has more of a chugging folk guitar vibe, and a more pronounced rhythm.  All in all, these tiny additional touches demonstrate both exceptional songwriting and the band’s ability to adapt/change.

Sometimes when I listen to a record like You Love It Here, I want to hold it close to my heart/ears.  It’s the perfect pop record that I can play any time of year, and it will always bring a smile to my face.  That’s selfish though; the whole world needs to get a chance to listen to I Was a King.  If you make one decision today, I beg you to make sure that it’s to pick up this delightful record from our friends in Norway; it’s a decision that will improve your life drastically, I swear.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/1-01-Frozen-Disease.mp3]

 

New Gem from I Was A King

One of the band’s I can’t get enough of is I Was A King, a great power-pop act from Norway.  They’re about to release their third album, You Love It Here on October 5th overseas (the band is currently looking for US representation!), and if you don’t love this song, something’s got to be wrong with you.  It’s got an effortless cool to it, with a wonderful central hook and a melody that’s going to have you salivating for more from the group. If you needed further proof that this group was on top of their game, you need look no further than the production credits attributed to Norman Blake and Robyn Hitchcock.  After you stream the song, check out this video that goes along with it HERE. This is going to make your day, I promise.

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