A few weeks ago I posted an Out Hud song and drew comparisons to the Tom Tom Club. This prompted a reader to inform me that she agreed. She then took the comparison one step further and said she thought that the new Architecture In Helsinki single sounded a lot like them too. Who?! said I (having never heard of them before). Turns out they are an 8 person band from Melbourne, Australia, and they have just released their second LP In Case We Die in the US on Bar/None Records. It's a fabulously entertaining listen. They're like a funkier, looser Fire Arcade, or a more shambolic Stars. There are some 40 instruments listed on the album, so you know you're in for an orchestrated treat. There are lusciuos strings, peppy horns, great new wave rock riffs, some lashings of boppy synth pop, some goofy kid's toys sounds and even power tools get a credit. And yes, there's also a big ol' helping of the Tom Tom Club, especially on the groovy first single from the album, Do The Whirlwind - loose disco beats and girly girly vocals plus horns plus sitars make for a bunch of sunny, warm fun. I have to admit that I'm totally captivated by this album - it's gotten played every day, and it's creativity and genre mashing and that feeling that you-never-know-what-might-come-next always keeps me entertained. Highly recommended!
3 comments:
yeah thats great. love when the horns kick in, very summer,very relaxing (australian? surprise).
they're actually much better live than on record. they all look so cute and cuddly, swapping instruments on almost every song, looking uncomfortably shy when the between song patter dries up.
Glad I helped you discover these guys! I'm the reader (a he, not a she, btw!) who came up with the Tom Tom Club comparison. Yes these musically adventurous Aussies are a treat. I just want to eat them. Ion
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