Cause: American Shoegazers Astrobrite started in the mid '90s as a one man bedroom project by Scott Cortez of loveliescrushing that has long since morphed into to an occasionally still active band.
Their third full length release is entitled Pinkshinyultrablast.
Effect: Meet Pinkshinyultrablast, a St. Petersburg, Russian shoegaze group so inspired by Astrobrite that they named themselves after the third record in their discography. Pinkshinyultrablast have a brand new album out (their second) entitled Grandfeathered on Club AC30.
Dreams do come true! Heavy, distorted, GORGEOUS indie-pop from Berlin so down and dirty it could strike oil. You know all those bands who clearly worship My Bloody Valentine but then try to make a pathetic soulless copy of the band? Well, Fir Cone Children finally got this inspiration right. There is a shade buzzsaw guitar groups like Jesus and Mary Chain and the likes here but Fir Cone Children put a unique spin on it all. I could see outsider Metal fans (think Aquarius Record shop pick of the week) finding something to love among all the shimmering and buzzing. But I could also see Slumberland Records fans who believe there will never be anything better than the early years that included Lilys and Velocity Girl worshiping this too.
Catalog Songs of Praise 1987 - Further / Mute Blowtorch - 1988 - Torso Sourpuss - 1989 - Blast first (Jon Langford produced) Belinda Backwards - 1991 blast first (and I am sure I am missing some!) Singles :
Band of Susans split 7" 1989 - Blast First
Wedding Present split flexi 1993 Ablaze! Magazine insert
Hometown- Sheffield, UK
They are a perfect blend of so many genres and bands I love…only A.C. Temple was doing it before many of these newer groups. I was undeniably an old school emo indie rocker kid (still am I suppose minus the kid part) so my point of reference here is the early to middle years of Dischord Records. Some of the great guitar bands to come from San Diego like Pitchfork and Drive Like Jehu. The classic Chicago / Touch and Go sound. American and British variations of Riot Grrrl. Anything Sub Pop from the late 80’s up until the mid 90’s. UK and US 90’s shoegaze and last but not least the more slightly dissonant noisy groups like Sonic Youth.
In high school I didn’t know about groups like Lilliput, Kleenex, Delta 5, The Slits, The Au Pairs,Th' Faith Healers, The Raincoats….but I have discovered these artists between 1988 and now and still I wonder how A.C. Temple records didn’t make their way into my collection sooner. This band and their catalog of music is equally as poignant and pertinent as any of these other groups yet for some reason A.C. Temple never made it to the underground music hall of fame.
Does A.C. Temple really fit into the same musical family as ALL the groups mentioned above?
YES! (I suspect for some people this group might sound a little too derivative of that decade but they were ahead of their time damn it so be nice!)
Carousels are lovely for a person like me. I don't like unpredictable wild rides with blind turns at high speeds. For those with anxiety the gentle circular motion and slow gallop of the horses is a thing of comfort and beauty. While in the modern day many wouldn't consider it amusement park worthy, these sparkling, majestic rides offer a gentle, dreamy passage beneath a sturdy flying beast.
Taking White Poppy's 2015 release entitled National Phenomena for a spin is the musical version of a merry-go-round. You softly get carried round and round in a current of shimmering delay with an occasional whisper of sweet nothings.
Below are some video's by this two piece from Vancouver, Canada.
