Tuesday, January 15, 2008

the soft city


Don't you love it when decent bands send friend requests your way on Myspace? If you're on there, you're probably about as sick as I am of r'n'b bootyshakers, hxc metal bands and the like wanting your digital acquaintance, then sending you nasty messages when you click the magic "DENY" button. Ah, but then a band like The Soft City comes along and makes your social networking experience all the more worthwhile.

The Soft City is masterminded by Phil Sutton, he who helped bring the extra-wonderful Velocette to the world, and also played in Comet Gain, amongst other bands. I could just write about Velocette all day long, but I'll resist on this occasion. His new project is half-Postcard Records, half Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, so you know it's bringing out its inner Scot in those hollow guitars, charming melodies and yearning vocals. "My Heart and I" has some bittersweet lyrics that don't sound so bad alongside the jangle and the "I wore my fringe like Roger McGuinn" vocals. Like all the best pop songs, though, it draws from its influences and manages to create something modern and relevant for today. I'm just wishing I was listening to this in the car on a Saturday afternoon, rather than a dreary Tuesday night at home.

Just to demonstrate how far behind the times I am, though, I have since read their first single was released by Cloudberry Records last November. I am sure all the discerning indie cats will have already procured their copy. Me? I might try to get my mitts on a copy very soon. Better late than never, eh?

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