The Clientele – Bonfires On The Heath

If you’re a dedicated fan of indie pop, odds are you already know about UK based band the Clientele, who’ve been making breathy, lushly produced pop since the turn of the century. Bonfires on the Heath represents all the qualities that have earned them their fanbase: Airy, dreamy vocals backed by rich and eclectic instrumentation, featuring strings, horn sections, organs, the occasional sitar and a healthy amount of reverb and acoustic guitar, all deeply influenced by 60’s and 70’s pop and psychedelia, styles they’ve made very much their own. For the most part, Bonfires On The Heath is about as laid back as its title may suggest, though there are couple of quick rockers, the all too brief “Sketch” and “Share The Night.” The overall mood is by turns romantic, pastoral, nostalgic, dreamlike and certainly haunting. I haven’t decided where this album ranks among the Clientele’s body of work, but that aside, it’s some pretty terrific music from a band that’s managed to carve their out own distinctive niche in modern indie pop. Standout cuts: “I Wonder Who We Are,” “Harvest Time,” “Never Anyone But You” and “Tonight.”

http://www.myspace.com/theclienteleofficial

Matt Costa – Unfamiliar Faces

Indie-style acoustic guitar heavy pop with a 60’s and early 70’s feel, Matt Costa’s music on his second album, Unfamiliar Faces, is easygoing and likeable. While there are a couple duds, such as “Emergency Call,” which seems ready made for the soundtrack of a Hollywood romantic comedy, most of Unfamiliar Faces has an easygoing, affable charm that goes a long way in selling the songs to listeners. Other songs such as “Bound” and “Heart Of Stone” have an edge to them that bodes well for future releases. Standout cuts: “Mr. Pitiful,” “Vienna,” “Cigarette Eyes” and “Bound.”

http://www.myspace.com/mattcosta