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February 07, 2006
Big Infatuation - The Long Blondes
With the eyes (and lips) of the world's music press attached firmly to silly teens the Arctic Monkeys, Sheffield has emerged a vibrant center for English guitar rock. Sadly, most of the attention is squarely on the wrong band.
In the shadow of "beers and blokes" lad mag mediocrity stands the best new band in Britain, the Long Blondes.
Since I long ago stopped taking anything the NME says seriously, I passed by frequent notices of the group. It wasn't until I fell similarly in lust with What's Your Rupture? label mate Love is All that I gave the kids a chance, and was subsequently blown away. Any self respecting Anglophile feels so because Brit culture provides a smarter more sophisticated alternative to its frequently dunder headed American step child. A quick peek at East Enders or a cursory listen to the chart topping "Crazy Frog" will kill that of course, but I want bands to fuel my illusions, not depress me with street level tales of urban stupidity.
Lead singer Kate has a marvelously expressive voice. Like Britpop vixen Justine Frischmann before her, she manages to purr out lines that come off as equal part come on and put down. The tough and bouncy spirit of Elastica also resonates in the band's smart wordplay and hook crammed guitar. But the Blondes don't borrow as heavily from any band (Elastica included) as much as Elastica did from Wire. From girl group pastiche to punk shouter, they have a wider range of styles at their beck and call. Since I've included three rave-ups, you'll have to either take my word for it or do some leg work yourself, heaven forbid.
the Long Blondes - Giddy Stratospheres
The first track I heard, and I was already sold at the handclap intro. Then in love as soon as the echoing, icy Siouxsie and the Banshees vocals entered. Some might shriek blasphemy at me, but S & the B's have always struck me as putting an emphasis on atmospherics over songcraft. This is better.
The effortless grace of its intial verse and chorus would be enough but at the two minute mark when you think you have its number, it surprises delightfully with a second chorus. The song's "that girl is no good" story explodes with a second much brattier female vocal asking "Is she a femme fatale?"
"That's what she wants you to think," replies Kate coolly. The call and response progresses, with Kate's class stopping it from devolving into camp, and the backing vocal giving it a more tangible sense of fun than the grave seriousness of something like Interpol. Fantastic.
the Long Blondes - Autonomy Boy
Getting 20-something NYC kids to dance at an apartment party shouldn't be that hard, but for some reason it is. This song, however, achieved lift off for its entire length when trotted out in a recent social expirement. Nothing else could really match it. That tight groove is unstoppable, and the vocal rings Kate runs around it add to the hypnosis. Can't. Stop. Dancing. Like what happens at a cobra party when somebody turns up the Indian flute jam.
the Long Blondes - Appropriation (By Any Other Name)
This song is a study in efficiency. In only three minutes we get a complete Hitchcock "Vertigo" narrative, excellently structured and insidiously catchy. Again, the vocal performance is the star. Passionate and clearly enunciated, which doesn't happen very much these days. And how's this for an opening verse?
"eighty percent of lovers never forget their first/ that significant other who's departure makes things worse/ well, this is you down to a tee/ i can see you won't forget her/ yet she met untimely death a year ago"
It's all gold from there, with nary a bum lyric to follow. My personal favorite part is how the simmering background vocal refrain of "I know how your mind works now," gains momentum until it becomes the main lyric, and leads to the defiant line "Before I met you I never wore dresses like that!"
Then within five seconds she's lost her nerve, switching from angry to vulnerable on a dime, helplessly repeating "Someone stop this man!" as strings by fellow Sheffield resident, Pulp's Russell Senior, swell up and the music comes unglued around her.
My girlfriend's new favorite band by a huge margin. Mine too. You're next.
Obsession is only a click away.
Watch their video for the also terrific single "Seperated by Motorways"
See them play live on the reliably awesome Punk Cast.
Check out their offical site, and My Space page.
Tags: Long Blondes, What's Your Rupture?, Love is All, Elastica, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Pulp
Posted by Jeff Klingman at February 7, 2006 04:03 PM
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Comments
These tracks are dope. I picked up the cd after listening to the tracks a few times and I've been listening to it on loop.
Posted by: Julie at February 7, 2006 07:16 PM
best new band. I am obsessed.
Posted by: sarah at February 8, 2006 09:57 AM
These songs are so good, I cannot get them out of my head! Is there an album coming soon?
Posted by: Dana at February 8, 2006 11:26 AM
great songs, great band --thanks!
Posted by: mnnico at February 8, 2006 11:27 AM
so do they have a new album coming out?
They are super!
Posted by: Kate at February 9, 2006 07:53 AM
I don't know about an album. They certainly have enough material, but there's been no word on their site or their record label's. Rest assured that I will post about it if it materializes.
Posted by: Jeff Klingman at February 9, 2006 08:21 AM
That "Seperated by Motorways" song, in parts, reminds me of Erase Errata, in a good way.
Posted by: Keith at February 9, 2006 08:35 AM
Thanks for the plug, Jeff.
I shall have to put up some Love is All for you, now..
joly
punkcast.com
Posted by: WWWhatsup at February 9, 2006 01:05 PM
