Tag: Sarah Records

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Founded back in 1987, the Bristol, UK-based label Sarah Records had developed a reputation for being a defiantly indie label. And during its short lifetime, the label managed to create a whole scene surrounding itself that initially featured British bands, but expanded to Arizona, California and even Sydney, Australia.

The label shut its doors in 1995 and has long eschewed re-releases and re-issues. But interestingly enough, the label’s alumni have continued to actively create gorgeous and captivating pop music: in some cases, with the original bands that recorded on the label — and in others, with new bands that featured members of the from the label’s roster.

When Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey founded Skep Wax Records last year, they were heavily influenced by the many amazing indie labels they’d work with in previous projects like K, Elefant, Fortuna Pop!, Wiiija, Matinée, WIAIWYA and others. But Sarah Records was the one they admired most: the label operated in an ethical fashion, was completely independent and better organized than most majors. When Fletcher and Pursey started to look around, they were surprised to discover how many of their labelmates were still actively creating interesting, beautiful music.

Skep Wax recently put together a compilation album titled Under The Bridge. Slated for a March 18, 2022 digital and CD release and a July 2022 vinyl release, reintroduces several of the bands — and individual band members — who released records on Sarah Records, during the label’s storied history. However, instead of being a trip down the nostalgia road, as many compilations often do, Under The Radar spotlights the new music that these bands are making right now — with much of it being exclusive to the compilation.

The album features original Sarah Records bands like Even As We Speak, Secret Shine, The Wake, The Orchids, Boyracer and St. Christopher — with relatively unchanged lineups. Under The Radar also features newer bands, which feature members of Sarah Records bands including Jetstream Pony and The Luxembourg Signal, which both features members of Aberdeen; The Catenary Wires and Tufthunter, which both feature members of Heavenly; Soundwire, which features members of The Sweetest Ache; Leaf Mosaic, which features members of Sugargliders; Sepiasound, which features members of Blueboy; and Useless Users, which features members of Action Painting; and Secret Shine.

Every track on Under The Bridge manages to continue Sarah Records’ reputation for crated pop. Some of the tracks are punk rock, some are indie pop, others are dream pop-like. Some are gentle, some are full of rage. But all of the tracks are defiantly sensitive, thoughtful, literate and fueled by DIY spirit.

The Luxembourg Signal — currently, Beth Arzy (vocals), Betsy Moyer (vocals), Johnny Joyner (guitar), Brian Espinoza (drums), Ginny Pitchford (keys), Daniel Kumiega (bass) and Kelly Davis (guitar) — features members split in London, Los Angeles and San Diego. And with the release of 2014’s self-titled debut through Shelflife Records, the trans-national shoegaze/dream pop outfit quickly attracted a loyal following while receiving overwhelmingly breathless praise for crating material centered around ethereal vocals and lush soundscapes, paired with a pop sensibility. 

I’ve written a bit about The Luxembourg Signal over the past handful of years, and as you may recall, the band released their third album, the 10-song The Long Now was released back in 2020 through Shelflife Records and Spinout Nuggets. Although a couple of have passed since I’ve last written about them, the trans-national outfit contributes the slow-burning and gorgeous, compilation opener “Travel Through Midnight.”

Centered around a lush arrangement featuring glistening and reverb-drenched guitars, a supple bass line, gently padded drumming, and shimmering synths “Travel Through Midnight” is spacious enough for Arzy’s and Moyer’s gorgeous vocals to ethereally float over the mix. The song manages to evoke a gentle yet wintry melancholy.

 

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: The Dark and Menacing Visuals for Monster Movie’s “Shouldn’t Stray from the Shadows”

Currently comprised of founding members and primary songwriters Slowdive’s Christian Savil (guitar, bass, keys, and vocals) and Sean Hewson (guitar, bass, keys, and vocals), along with Air Formation’s James Harrison (drums) and Slowdive’s Nick Chaplin (bass), shoegazer act Monster Movie can trace their origins to when Savil and Hewson played in a number of bands together, going back to the late 80s — including a band called Eternal, which released a single through Sarah Records that featured the dreamy and fuzzy guitars, and soaring pop melodies that Savil would gradually become known for; in fact, interestingly enough, Savil left Eternal to join Slowdive. About a decade later, Savil and Hewson started their side project Monster Movie with the intention of writing and recording more Krautrock-leaning material; however, their first EP wound up being much more shoegazer rock with a few seconds of something remotely Krautrock-leaning.
Now, if you had been frequenting this site over the course of this year, you may recall that I have written about Monster Movie earlier, and that between the years 2002-2010, Savil and Hewson released four, full-length albums, a mini-album and

During the period of 2002-2010, Savil and Hewson released four full-length albums, a mini album and a two EPs mostly through Graveface Records. And perhaps unsurprisingly, the band has been on an extended hiatus at Savil and Hewson have been involved with Slowdive’s reformation and subsequent touring; in fact, the duo have claimed that their involvement in Slowdive was instrumental in helping the band’s primary songwriters and founding members realize that they’ve needed to move from being a pure studio-based project to being a proper, live band.

Produced by Graveface Records’ founder and head Ryan Graveface and recorded with Martin Nichols at Weston-super-Mare, the band’s fifth album Keep The Voices Distant was released last week through Graveface Records and from the album’s first single, “Shouldn’t Stay From The Shadows,” the band further cements their long-held reputation for crafting rousingly anthemic material that walks the tightrope between fuzzy and towering shoegaze rock and power chord-heavy Brit Pop with a decidedly radio-friendly vibe. But pay close attention, as just underneath the surface, the song’s narrator describes a dysfunctional and abusive relationship — the soft of relationship in which the song’s narrator self-flaggelates himself while simultaneously abusing his partner.

Fittingly for the song’s dark overtones, the recently released video features projected imagery of someone writing the song’s lyrics while within the tub, imagery revealing the band being submerged in water.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Currently comprised of founding members and primary songwriters Slowdive‘s Christian Savil  (guitar, bass, keys, and vocals), Sean Hewson (guitar, bass, keys, and vocals), along with Air Formation’s James Harrison (drums) and Slowdive’s Nick Chaplin (bass),  shoegazer act Monster Movie can trace their origins to Savil and Hewson playing in number of bands together going back to the late 80s — including a band called Eternal, which released the “Breathe” single on Sarah Records that featured dreamy, fuzzy guitars and soaring pop melodies that Savil gradually began to become known for. Shortly after the release of “Breathe,”Savil left Eternal to join renowned and influential shoegazer act Slowdive. About a decade later, Savil and Hewson started Monster Movie initially as an attempt to write and record something more Krautrock-leaning; however, their first EP only managed to possessed a few seconds of Krautrock while being primarily shoegazer rock.

During the period of 2002-2010, Savil and Hewson released four full-length albums, a mini album and a few EPs mostly through Graveface Records. Unsurprisingly,  the band had been on a bit of a hiatus as Savil and Hewson had been involved with Slowdive’s highly-anticipated reunion and subsequent touring; however Savil and Hewson’s involvement in Slowdive was instrumental in helping the band’s primary songwriters and founding members realize that they needed to move from being a purely studio project, to become a proper band.

Produced by Graveface Records’ founder and head Ryan Graveface and recorded with Martin Nichols at Weston-super-Mare, the band’s fifth album Keep The Voices Distant is slated for a March 31, 2017 release through Graveface Records — and while marking the first release in over 5 years; however, as you’ll hear on Keep The Voices Distant‘s first single “Shouldn’t Stay From The Shadows,” the single will further cement the band’s reputation for crafting material with soaring and anthemic hooks paired with fuzzy shoegazer and Brit Pop power chords, thundering drumming and a subtly pop power leaning sensibility.