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Ambulance LTD
Yes, they're from New York. Yes, they had to add the "LTD" to their name because of a silly lawsuit. And yes, they've been featured on Fox's The OC. But, hear me out: Ambulance LTD are a heavily British-influenced indie pop band worth paying attention to. There's more than a hint of Smiths and Stone Roses, with pretty melodies and lovingly crafted harmonies. "Primitive (The Way I Treat You)" reminds me of Ride or early, shoegazer Sloan, with its insistent plinking of the keyboards and swirling guitar interplay, as frontman Marcus Congleton struts and spits out his too-hip speaking verses. The swooning "Sugar Pill" has a similar swagger, but has more in common with the cosmpolitan, vaguely threatening pop of the 80s, combining a chilly vibraphone, a straight-out-of-a-James-Bond-movie guitar riff, and a smashing breakdown worthy of a theme song; you almost wish you were watching the closing credits of a spy caper. Meanwhile, the anthemic "Swim" delights in its own dreamy sweetness.
Remember big, big, atmospheric rock, lovingly crafted with swelling guitars and the bravado of youth? I guess it never left. So turn your iPod's volume way, way up and basked in the envelope of gorgeous, lush sound.
Ambulance LTD - Sugar Pill
Ambulance LTD - Primitive (The Way I Treat You)
Ambulance LTD - Swim
Ambulance LTD official site. Buy their self-titled debut on Amazon.
Posted by Queen of the Front Row at 02.12.05 at 5:17 PM
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