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The Ladies and Gentlemen
The Ladies and Gentlemen, despite the name, is entirely the brainchild of one Thomas D'Arcy. And if you're expecting another Canadian supergroup that specializes in walls of sound or drawn-out compositional experiments, you've got another thing coming. Small Sins is, as its core, an indie pop album. But it's an indie pop album is filled with warm electronic sounds of keyboards and drum machines that practically shimmers in front of you, like light flowing through gauze, glittering. It's a collection of charming, sincere songs that floats by on a gentle bed of layered synths and Moogs, barely touching the ground. Simple but not simplistic, D'Arcy succeeds in creating sweet, tiny moments with stripped-down choruses and just the right dose of ornamentation.
D'Arcy is blessed with a talent for a great melody, and also the world's softest, prettiest falsetto: so light and airy it threatens to blow away in a gust of wind. The songs are sweet but never quite cross the boundary into twee; don't be fooled by the dreamy exterior, as the content of the songs is much more raw and personal. The Ladies and Gentlemen take a hushed, confessional tone when dealing with ex-girlfriends who are up to no good, and bad decisions in love. "Stay," the album's centerpiece, is a bittersweet gem that flounces and has the perfect setup of circular keyboards, a steady backbeat, girly backup vocals, and a killer snark in the chorus, while "It's Easy" is the summer jam that never was. Recorded and mixed entirely by D'Arcy in his basement studio, Small Sins is bursting at the seams with textured and hushed bedroom pop blostered by the occasional showering of handclaps or chorus of voices.
The Ladies and Gentlemen have a welcome, velvety sound garnering comparisons to bands like Grandaddy and The Postal Service, and D'Arcy's naive, quietly wispery vocals go perfectly with the cheery but mellow mood. While The Ladies and Gentlemen may never inspire a mosh pit or an audience full of pumped fists, the music is sure to guarantee a few smiles in the crowd and some toes tapping.
The Ladies and Gentlemen - It's Easy
The Ladies and Gentlemen - Stay
The Ladies and Gentlemen - Won't Make It Easier
The Ladies and Gentlemen official site. Buy Small Sins from Amazon.
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Posted by Queen of the Front Row at 02.15.06 at 1:19 AM
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