Singing Bridges

William from Singing Bridges sent me an e-mail the other day about the band's new EP, Three Trains. Honestly, sometimes I get a little nervous when people get in touch with me about potentially reviewing something because I worry about not liking it and then being in the awkward position of figuring out what I should do next (write a lukewarm review? pretend I forgot about it and hope for the best? etc.) Fortunately, just seconds into "Bee," the EP's first track, I knew I wasn't going to have anything to worry about.

"Bee" is a lush shoegazey song that reminds me of My Bloody Valentine (and something Chuck Klosterman wrote about shoegaze that used the phrase "swirling guitars" in excess.) The EP's second song, "Crazy Street," changes things up a bit with a ramshackle indie pop sound (not unlike a combination of Gaze and the Shermans), featuring feathery female vocals. "Sunny Day" starts out with a bass line that immediately makes me think of "Ceremony" by New Order and builds from there, ultimately reminding me of a stripped down Galaxie 500 -- simple lyrics, simple chords, but a sound that somehow works its way into your memory. "Edith Keeler" is another great lo-fi pop number & sounds a bit like one of those little germs of songs recorded by Guided By Voices grown into a full two and half minutes. "Disappear (Nitrogen)" is the darkest song on the album by far, sounding not unlike a mix of Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine.

So, this is the part where I get sort of conversational, because I just reread that last paragraph and realized how namedrop-y it was and how much I talked about Singing Bridges in terms of other bands that they sort of sound like at certain moments -- which in a way really diminishes their music, because it is great & not just because sometimes it sounds like Galaxie 500 or Gaze or whatever. It's good because it's straightforward and it stays with you.

You can sample Singing Bridges via their MySpace (I recommend listening to "Bee" and "Crazy Street") and you can order their Three Trains EP through Skipping Stones (it's $5.50 for US orders and $7.50 for international, prices include shipping.)

In sum, I'm so happy that William e-mailed me about this EP & I think you should listen to it! (And if you think that there's anything I should be listening to, feel free to send me an e-mail at heysideponytail@gmail.com!)

Lastly, for Clevelanders! If you're looking for something to do tomorrow night, Prisoners are playing the West Side Food Not Bombs Benefit at Now That's Class. There is a 50% chance I will be there lurking around while Drew plays the bass.