Genre/Influences: Indie-rock, rock-pop, shoegaze.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl, Cassette.

Background/Info: Loveblind was set up in 2017 by Saint Marie Records owner Wyatt Parkins. He rapidly got company from Joshua Garman (Crash City Saints) and German based singer Dorian Electrique (Dear Strange, Seasurfer). Mikel Wegener (Seasurfer) and Neal Burkdoll (Whimsical, Point Of Our Resistance). After a few singles they’ve their debut album ready featuring ten songs.

Content: One of the main characteristics that caught my attention is Dorian E. very particular timbre of voice, which reminds me to Brian Molko (Placebo). And there’s also something to say about the music, which features elements reminding to Placebo. Guitar play and electronic arrangements are pretty complementary, creating this indie-wave-pop & rock touch. The tracklist is alternating harder cuts and other dreamy like songs. There’s also a flavor of melancholia hanging over some parts.  

+ + + : First of there’s a cool, enigmatic and artistic digipak of the album. Physical copies will be always so much more than listening to music on streaming platforms. Next there’s the content of this album revealing an accomplished work carried by impressive guitar parts. The guitar play injects this 80s like spirit into the work. I especially like the more shoegaze driven “Sleeping Visions”. I also like the dark-like atmosphere recovering the songs and excelling at “Ice Song” and “White Piano Black Dress”. I prefer the harder side of the work (cf. “War Planets”, “Goodbyes Without Goodbye”), but the diversity of the tracklist is enjoyable. Last, but not least, the album ends with the remarkable “We Land” creating a pure climax.

– – – : Comparisons with bands like Placebo will be unavoidable, but does it really make a point when the global production is great?!

Conclusion: A band doesn’t always have to be in the same room to compose a great production! This debut album is nice surprise and definitely a great album!

Best songs: “Goodbyes Without Goodbye”, “War Planets”, “We Land”, “Ice song”, “White Piano Black Dress”

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.loveblindband.com / www.facebook.com/loveblindband

Label: www.saintmarierecords.com / www.facebook.com/SaintMarieRecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Shoegaze, wave-pop.

Background/Info: Seven years after their debut album “Glow In The Dark Music” this new opus by Crash City Saints sounds a bit like a resurrection and a new start. “Are You Free?” is a bit of conceptual work dealing about the story of a teenager growing up in a dead-end small town in the early 90s. This work has been accomplished with numerous guest artists.

Content: The sound and influences of Crash City Saints are clearly referring to shoegaze music. You feel the shadow of The Jesus And Mary Chain hanging over this work, which mainly comes through in the typical fuzzy guitar play. But “Are You Free?” also experiments with other elements, which now remind me to The Sex Pistols for some guitar riffs and then to psychedelic rock. There also is a song evoking Cocteau Twins memories, which is not a coincidence as Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins) played bass guitar on this track.

+ + + : Crash City Saints are back on track again, having achieved a great piece of music. The influences aren’t that new at all, but the way all influences carried by a solid shoegaze basis have been merged together is absolutely great. This album features multiple attention grabbers and even a few outstanding songs such as “Spirit Photography” and “Annabella”. There’s a real harmony between all influences although the guitar play remains the most noticeable aspect of the production.

– – – : There are a few short intermezzos, which aren’t adding any bonus to the album.

Conclusion: “Are You Free” is a great opus with a kind of hypnotic feeling, which I’m sure will appeal for all lovers of shoegaze music.

Best songs: “Spirit Photography”, “Annabella”, “The Hour Of The Wolf – Single”, “Harbour Lights”, “Ice Cream Headache”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.facebook.com/crashcitysaints

Label: www.saintmarierecords.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Saint–Marie–Records/164080190305178

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com