Friday Cover Up - Fresh Lilys

Here's a bit of a throwback. Sonic Masala was conceived at My Bloody Valentine curated ATP festival Nightmare Before Christmas back in 2009. One of the bands (and there were goddamn many) that I was blessed to catch that weekend was Lilys, the 90s DC dream pop outfit that missed out on much in the way of adulation despite their inherent cracked brilliance and obvious influences. A couple months ago a compilation came out of early Lilys classics called And I Forgot A Long Time Ago How You Feel,  and it included covers from up-and-coming acts handpicked by the Clicky Click Music Blog. Many of these bands have actually graced the hallowed halls of Sonic Masala over the years, such as Lubec, White Laces and Soccer Mom. Another band to lend their talents, Speedy Ortiz, is blowing up due to the hype surrounding their latest LP Major Arcana (you will hear more of this soon). On here they tackle 'The Hermit Crab' - and it takes me back. You can get the comp for free here. Enjoy.

Speedy Ortiz - The Hermit Crab (Lilys cover)

Moving Over White Laces

 

Seeing as the theme for today has been about being slack and not talking about albums sooner, here is one more to take us out. There is a shoegaze-leaning band from Virginia called White Laces whose self-titled EP I was impressed with and wrote about here. They brought a record out through Speakertree Records in August called Moves.

I've had it since before then.

So I'm a bad man, ok? But hopefully you guys aren’t jaded Web 2.0 fools who only listen to records that came out a week ago (hence my constant apologies – y’all a fickle bunch, 21st century music types!) and will give these hypnotic synth/guitar pop meanderings a red hot listen. The pendulum swing from detachment to embrace give the album these woozy sens of vertigo, a movement in and out of focus, that rather than create unease evokes a sense of otherworldliness, as if you have one foot each firmly placed in the present day and a distant alternate reality. If you have ever seen the Britt Marling film Another Earth, and the feeling of waking from a dream that you are never sure you have fully shaken that it details? That’s what Moves is like for me.

 

You can snag Moves here. Another great soundtrack for the gloaming.

White Laces – Invocation
White Laces – Crawl/Collapse

Watch White Laces - Motorik Twilight

Here's the new video for White Laces' 'Motorik Twilight', off the selftitled EP we covered late last year. Cheap and nasty...

White Laces - Motorik Twilight from White Laces on Vimeo.

Fuck Velcro, I Want Me Some White Laces

Michael Powell over at Crash Avenue alerted me to Richmond, Virginia's White Laces, who are prepping the release of their debut self-titled EP next month via Whole Ghost/Shdwply. Americans have been a part of the current shoegaze zeitgeist for a while now, and White Laces prove that its possible to emulate the likes of Swervedriver in the heart of Virginia, with the likes of 'Motorik Twilight' and 'Sick of Summer' marrying both dreamy waves of scuzz with disarming melody. In fact, 'Sick of Summer' reminds me of oft-underrated Aussie act Bluebottle Kiss at their most dissonant yet fragile and heartbreaking - which is a good thing. 'Honeywood' shows a little more play within the formula, which doesnt entirely work but is still entertaining. And that is the main thing you get from White Laces - a strong, vibrant shoegaze act that are still finding their feet. Cant wait to see what they give us next...

White Laces - Motorik Twilight
White Laces - Sick of Summer