Leave Me Out of This: Album, 2003
Words On Music
Careless Talk Costs Lives (UK)
I enjoy knowing there are bands like this out there, bands that started almost a decade back and clearly loved all sorts of things i loved from the early Nineties that weren't grunge or baggy or whatever. Bits of shoegazing drone, moody music by way of Cranes, Factory Records filtered slightly through the Sarah lens, the evocative mystery of Mazzy Star and early Drugstore, a sense of sometimes quiet but determined reach.
Fiel Garvie's first single bubbled up back in 1996 but this is only their second album, and it's a beaut, from lead singer/guitarist Anne's sometimes dreamy, sometimes sharper vocals to the gentle warm gauze around so much of the record's sound, enveloping but not drifty. When the strings kick in on 'Got A Reason' and the vocal overdubs quietly mass on the chorus to 'Old Friend', i'm sold so easily and so simply.
Sale temps pour la mélancolie. 4AD n’étant plus le refuge systématique et acclamé de ce spleen éthéré, ces Anglo-Norvégiens errent, spectraux, depuis des années dans une indifférence étonnante. Pourtant, des Cocteau Twins à Lush, ces guitares brumeuses, ces colères cotonneuses ne sont pas restées lettre morte, revenues hantées l’air du temps à force de Sigur Rós, d’Under Byen, de Weevil… Pour son second album, Fiel Garvie a trouvé refuge sur une nouvelle structure française aux ambitions prometteuses. Mixées par l’un des apôtres de la brit-pop, Phil Vinall (Elastica, Pulp…), ces chansons évasives refusent pourtant la dictature du couplet/refrain, préférant installer sur la longueur, sur la langueur leurs ambiances troubles, lynchiennes. Particulièrement hantant sur ses plages paisibles et pâles – des pop-songs jouées sous Temesta un soir de givre –, cet album aux arrangements touffus compose à la fois la BO et le film – que ces paysages soniques suggèrent avec insistance.
(Benjamin Montour)
Rock DeLux (ES)
¿Cómo sonarían The Delgados bajo la producción de Ivo Watts-Russell? A la espera del (incierto) encuentro, escuchar el pop de duermevela de Fiel Garvie permite que nos hagamos una pequeña idea. El quinteto de Norwich se sitúa con su segundo álbum en el mismo terreno que los últimos The Delgados, sólo que con extra de goticismo: el sonido disfruta de todavía mayor reverb, las guitarras tienen más dobleces, Anne Reekie canta con más somnolencia que Emma Pollock (y que Hope Sandoval) y en las letras hay poco espacio para respuesta y más para lamento y coma. Cuando más lentas, las canciones de "Leave me out of this" no desentonarían en absoluto en el repertorio de This Mortal Coil o Cranes. Los amantes del pop sin ventanas tienen en este disco muy buenos motivos para ser felices. Tristemente felices.
(Juan Manuel Freire)
There's always room for elegant and melancholic guitar pop in this life, and Fiel Garvie make the most of it. Anyone ever taken by the wistful beauty of early Drugstore, Opal and Mazzy Star will want to investigate the UK group's second full album, with much of the same combination of hushed drama, deceptively strong arrangements and a healthy dose of third album Velvet Underground inspiration. A lot of this is down to lead singer/guitarist Anne, whose slightly husky semi-whisper is instantly mood-setting in the best way. Balanced against the carefully restrained tension courtesy of the full group, it's a killer combination, and singer and band work together in striking ways — consider the careful interplay of overdubbed vocals on "Got a Reason" leading into a final climax and echoed drum clatter or the effortless blend on "Caught On," both trancelike and genuinely catchy. A song like "I Didn't Say" threatens to completely rock out but never does, instead building up the arrangement in quiet waves, while "Talking a Hole in My Head" is almost a refracted take on both a quick New Wave number and a blast of motorik, turned shadowy and mysterious. Moments like the spooky introduction to "Reeling As You Come Around Again," one guitar quietly playing a lead figure as two more swirl around in the background like lost ghosts and the queasy up-down guitar in "There You Go" just add to the album's compelling beauty. If it perhaps gets more and more of a piece by its conclusion, ^Leave Me Out of This is still a welcome, quiet gem of an album that deserves wider attention.
Mondo Sonoro (ES)
Esta claro que el shoegazing está volviendo a situarse en primera linea de la música actual. Las influencias de bandas como Jesus & Mary Chain o My Bloody Valentine, son cada vez más utilizadas al hablar de nuevos grupos, desde los que practican el rock (BRMC) a los que se mueven entre los ritmos mas pausados. Entre estos últimos podríamos colocar a Fiel Garvie, una banda inglesa que ha conseguido colocar su segundo disco en nuestro país. “Leave Me Out Of This” nos recuerda ampliamente a Drugstore (con la referencia que ello también implica a Mazzy Star) por ambientes luminosos, una sugestiva voz femenina de timbre muy similar a la de Isabel Monteiro, acordes abiertos rasgados con fuerza y pequeños detalles que enriquecen un resultado que engancha desde una plataforma que probablemente pida un rango de registros más amplio, pero que satisface completamente al oyente con unas melodías más que agradecidas, sobre todo por la brillantez y las esperanza que despiden. Mezclado por Phil Vinall, que ha trabajado entre otros con Elastica, Autures y Pulp.
(Jesús Sáez)
Subjectvisten (NL) Record Of The Week
She sprinkled fairy dust on you as she fell into your head. Zangeres Emma zingt met diepte zuchten, fluisterend als een meisje van acht jaar oud. Ze kijkt om de deur heen. Achter haar zie ik slechts diepe schaduwen. Emma lijkt te weten wat zich in die duisternis bevindt en welk mysterie daar op me ligt te wachten. Ik wil eigenlijk onwetend blijven over wat ze verborgen houdt, maar voordat ik een stap achteruit heb gezet, strooit ze zand in mijn ogen. Verblind probeer ik me in evenwicht te houden en de weg terug te vinden. Te laat. Emma duwt me door de deurpost. Achter de drempel voel ik geen bodem meer en ik val de diepte in. Luisteren naar Fiel Garvie is als tuimelen in een donker, wonderlijk land. Ik voel dat er iets niet pluis is, maar kan geen grip krijgen op de verborgen geheimen.
De band Pram vertelde vroeger onschuldige sprookjes (tenminste, zo kwamen de liedjes over, en wie kan er bang zijn voor een zangeres die haar toetsenbord op een strijkbout laat rusten?) en Alison van Cranes zong zo angstig piepend dat ik de held in me naar boven voelde komen. Het mogelijke gevaar in de onverlichte wiegeliedjes van Julee Cruise werden bezworen door de ironie en dubbele bodems van David Lynch. Geen reden om bang van te worden. Het Britse Fiel Garvie maakt het me moeilijk. Ik probeer de onschuld te vinden in de liedjes op Leave Me Out Of This, maar Emma zingt geheimtaal. Ze uit gevoelens als angst, liefde en onzekerheid en doet dat nauwelijks beeldend. De rest van de band doet alsof alles veilig is. De gitaristen tokkelen lieflijk op de snaren, de drummer aait de bekkens, violen uit een doosje zweven rustig in stereo om de zang heen. Een enkele keer wordt een ritmebox ingeschakeld en soms gaat het tempo omhoog zoals in het sinister getitelde Talking A Hole In My Head. Pas tegen het eind van de plaat, in Old Friend, zwelt ook het volume aan. Het album wordt even verluchtigd door He Goes, She Goes, een hoopvol liedje van verlangen. Verder is het vaagheid troef, tast ik in het duister en voel ik plotseling iets langs mijn beneden kruipen. Things get weirder what do you say/Where does it go from here.
Stellen sie sich vor, jemand, den sie nicht kennen, schickt ihnen eines Tages eine CD mit einem silbernen Stern drauf, und auf der CD befindet sich die schönste Musik, die sie seit Ewigkeiten gehört haben, und eine Stimme,die nicht von dieser Welt sein kann; vielleicht von diesem silbernen Sternstammt und nun durch die Unendlichkeit rauscht; und Melodien kennt, deren Staub bereits vor einigen Jahren einmal auf die Erde, auf Island gerieselt ist, wo Sigur Rós ihn aufgefangen haben; und nun also zurückgekommen ist.
Aber diesmal ist es nicht nur Staub, der auf die Erde fällt, es sind kleine Sterne, silbern auf den ersten Blick, lila, blau, gelb, wenn man genauer hinsieht, elf Stück, und jeder darf für immer in einem Lied dieser Band funkeln, die noch niemand kennt, die niemand je vergessen wird.
(Friedrich Reip)
Ruta 66 (ES)
Tres chicas y dos chicos forman Fiel Garvie, quinteto británico cuyo segundo album <<Leave Me Out Of This>> (Words Music) contiene evanescentes y contemplativos drones de pop ‘improbable’; fueron single de la semana en Melody Maker y sus amables ensoñaciones parecen un híbrido entre Cocteau Twins, Cranes, Felt y Jesus & Mary Chain.
(Daniel Miralles)
Fiel Garvie have been lost without a trace since their 1997 release, “For What I Love,” was proclaimed ‘single of the week’ by Melody Maker. They re-emerge today with their second record, “Leave Me Out Of This”, which features a sound (well worth a listen) taken directly from the golden age of shoegazing. Revival aside, Fiel Garvie are looking to raise the yard stick for a genre which is highly fashionable once again, but lacking in any truly interesting ideas, at least as far as an advancement in the field of authentic dream pop is concerned. They most certainly pull this off, thanks to a sound which invokes Lush and their natural predispotion for writing catchy melodies. It’s hard to tell if they’ll have much success, it’s probably easier just to go out and buy this record: it should fit in very nicely between your copies of Mùm and Radio Dept.
(Emiliano Colasanti)
Deuxième album de ce groupe londonien qui n’a (malheureusement) toujours pas de distribution en France. Comme ils le disent eux-mêmes dans leur bio : “I didn’t say est une des rares chansons sorties cette années qui n’aie pas été écrite par des musiciens croyant vivre à New York en 1972“. Vrai. Mais Newcomer ne va pas jouer les snobs, non, nous ne nous extasions pas uniquement sur les groupes de la “nouvelle scène rock“ américaine. Fiel Garvie cultivent cet amour d’une pop anglaise très marquée par les années 80 (la new wave, mes amis), dans une production tout à fait moderne, et signe avec Leave Me Out of This un bel album. Moins dynamique que Vuka Vuka (leur précédent), celui-ci et plus hypnotique (There You Go), plus dense. Les mélodies sont peut-être un peu moins évidentes au premier abord, mais marquantes, voir obsédantes avec le temps. On pense parfois aux Cocteau Twins (à la fois Garlands et Victorialand) pour la musique et le mariage des guitares, du jeu de basse et des boites à rythme/batteries. La voix, elle, garde cet accent anglais très appuyé, et cette voix s’impose comme la signature de Fiel Garvie. Étrange, à la fois douce et dérangeante, à la fois caressante et rugueuse, à fleur de peau en permanence – et ne perd jamais ce désir de mélodie. Recommandable. (JCV)
Radio Telescopio (Port) Recommended album of 2003
Escuchando éste álbum (ya el segundo) de los ingleses Fiel Garvie no resulta nada complicado rastrear sus influencias. Y es que me da la impresión de que estos chicos hubieran sido mucho más felices al menos diez o quince años antes, cuando hablar de música independiente tenía mucho más sentido que ahora. Sin embargo, el estar con un ojo fijo en el pasado reciente del pop inglés no tiene nada de malo, o al menos no lo tiene cuando alguien se está preocupando no ya de reivindicar, sino de tratar de devolver a la actualidad uno de los momentos -musicalmente hablando- más creativos de las últimas décadas.
Pero a pesar de la voluntad que ponen para crear bonitas canciones, a todos aquellos que nos educamos en el noise-pop, el indie-pop o el shoegazing, Fiel Garvie no nos enseñan nada que no hayamos escuchado antes. Aunque como suele suceder, si bien no actúan como descubridores, siempre nos dejan un espacio para la nostalgia y para poder hablar de grupos que creíamos olvidados.
Así, entre los once temas que componen este disco podemos encontrar retazos de Slowdive, de Lush, de los Sundays, de Boo Radleys, de Ride, de los primeros Spiritualized, de Chapterhouse, de los Charlottes, de Cocteau Twins, de This Mortal Coil o de Kitchens Of Distinction. Y con referencias como éstas, al menos lo que hacen Fiel Garvie desemboca en una devoción sincera por esos sonidos, más allá de modas y tendencias. En cualquier caso, es su sinceridad y su falta de pretensiones lo que les hace encantadores. Al menos conmigo ya lo han conseguido.
Kitten Painting (UK)
The band designed the sumptuous cover for this, their second album, and utterly delicious it is too, dotted with silver stars and soft focus fairy lights. This is very twinkley music. It’s standing under velvet skies gazing down benevolently at your town below glittering through the night. It’s drowsily watching dust motes float in the hazy rays of sunlight that creep through the gap in your curtains. It’s girls with tangley hair sprawled on moth-eaten chaise lounges swigging from cobwebbed bottles of red wine they found in the cellar.
The songs are delicately constructed around chiming guitars not heard since the halcyon daze of 4AD and the breathy girly voice of Anne. Bjork without the gargling gymnastics, Stina Nordenstam without the bonkers Swedishness, Isobel from Drugstore without the er, cowboy hat. The first song ‘b-rock’ features the lines ‘she sprinkled fairy dust on you/as she fell into your head’. Must…not…say…’ethereal’. Argh, I’ve said it. ‘Doortime’ recalls Slowdive at their mellowest (that’s pretty damn floaty then) whilst ‘Talking a Hole in My Head’ rouses itself with some insistent guitarge.
My favourite is ‘Old Friend’ with its weebling, skewy intro and simple chiming backing. It’s hushed and touching until the bitterness and sadness wells over into a tumultuous ending. Anne sings ‘I close the door on you my oldest friend / All because you slated me’. Blimey, good job I like this record then.
There's a difference between dream pop and shoegazer music. While Minneapolis label Words On Music's last release, by the fantastic Meeting Places, was sheer shoegazer, Fiel Garvie's new disc, Leave Me Out Of This, is distinctly dream pop. Instead of going for fuzzy, blocky soundscapes and pretty, spaced-out melodies, Fiel Garvie's mission is to purvey pure pop - the eleven songs on this album don't stray far from the basic formula (dreamy, female-led indie pop), but instead distill it to perfection.
On Leave Me Out Of This, you get a wide array of pop tunes. The spirited, powerful melodies and atmospheres of "Got A Reason" and "Reeling As You Come Around Again" combine My Bloody Valentine accessibility with Hopewell atmospherics. A tune like "Doortime" calls to mind a more dramatic version of The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Fiel Garvie have created a really terrific album; what it lacks in creativity, Leave Me Out Of This makes up in sheer listenability.
With this album, bliss addicts will be pleased to discover one of last year's best dream pop releases, but the best thing about Leave Me Out Of This is that it marks the North American debut of what promises to a very, very good band.
Minneapolis label Words on Music is slowly becoming one of my favorite labels. The label features creative forays into slowcore, dreampop and shoegaze, while wrapping their releases in sharp packaging. From the exquisitely sublime self-titled release by Coastal, to Should's haunting A Folding Sieve, to The Meeting Places' dreamy Find Yourself Along the Way, Words on Music has quietly built up a reputation of being a label that releases innovative and high quality music.
With the release of British band Fiel Garvie's Leave Me Out of This, though, Words on Music may just have outdone themselves. The first thing the listener notices about this CD is the stunning packaging. Leave Me Out of This is encased in an 8 panel digipack, with attractive graphics and lots of information (including full lyrics) printed inside. You almost feel as if you've gotten your money's worth with the packaging; it's THAT good.
With all of this great packaging, the listener is left to wonder if the music would be a bit of a let-down. However, the music on Leave Me Out of This impresses the listener immediately. Driven by an immaculately-produced mixture of dreamy keyboards, drum machines, effects, guitar accents, live drums, and the unique vocals of Anne Reekie, Leave Me Out of This is a wonderful blend of dream and pop. Beginning with the sparse but lovely "B-Rock", in which Reekie sounds strikingly similar to Bjork, Fiel Garvie wastes no time in presenting their ability to craft poppy yet experimental songs. Dream dark pop may just be the description for this CD, as time and again the band showcases radio-ready melodies and envolpes them in dark electronics and odd chord structures. No more is this more evident in the absolutely stunning song "Caught On", which, in a perfect world, would be a number one song. Featuring an achingly breathtaking chorus bookened by chilling verses, and incorporating a multi-instrumebt assault on the ears, "Caught On" is pure candy for the ears. Other mesmorizing songs like the dreamy "Doortime", and "I Didn't Say" also showcase the band's shiny melodies.
The approach Fiel Garvie uses in their instruments is deliberate and detailed. The band integrates smart guitar lines (using the guitar more as an accent), while building walls of sound keys. The percussion and bass lines are super-smooth, with the bass particularly reminding me of something Eric Campuzano (Cush, The Lassie Foundation, The Prayer Chain) would play. As a drummer myself, I also appreciate the nice tom work and other percusssion sounds used by the band, as in the aforementioned "Doortime". All of these instruments could be a sonic mess, but the extremely clean production of Leave Me Out of This help to distinguish each instrument, while allowing them to blend nicely. It's not surprising that the production is so excellent, since Phil Vinall (Pulp, The Auteurs, Elastica) lent his skills to the project as the producer. I'm a sucker for good production on a CD, and hearing such great sounds coming from a dreamy pop CD makes me giddy
However, even the pristine production, excellent instrumental arrangements, and often perfect songwriting may not be Fiel Garvie's distinctive. Instead, the band's distinguishing mark may just come from Reekie's vocals. Sort of a sounding like a British-accented whisper, Reekie, for lack of a better phrase, makes love to the microphone with her voice. Every syllable, every consonant is deliberate and important to Reekie, and her passion pours through the speakers. Even now, as I listen to this CD at work, I blush a bit when others who are less open to music walk by, due to Reekie's sensual delivery. The band would be good with a different vocalist, to be sure, but Reekie gives the band an unmistakeably distinct presence that is impossible to imitate
In short, by providing this release to North America, Words on Music has scored another major notch in our respect chart. Leave Me Out of This is an often stunning work of musical fluidity and grace, and the melodies featured on Leave Me Out of This are sure to echo in the mind of the listener long after the disc ends. Highly recommended. Hints of Sigur Ros, Bjork, Douglas Heart, Club 8, Mazzy Star, and "Goldenwest"-Era Ester Drang.
A distinctive voice can make or break a band, and Fiel Garvie's Anne Reekie certainly has that love or hate quality. I happen to love it. Her vocals glistening with hushed assertiveness, at times barely scraping the floor of tonicity, Reekie is equal parts sexy and spooky, but always intriguing; think Björk fighting off laryngitis. Luscious as rainforests, depressing like a lush, Leave Me Out Of This reverberates and hazes around clean-strummed guitars, layered keyboards and Anne's compelling rasp. The rhythm section progressively builds and ebbs with flattening bass lines and snare-heavy beats, propelling the band's spacious instrumentation with coursing immediacy, ensuring their music as something more than just mope-y, wrist-slitting rock. While they may not be the rainbow ending a gloomy day, they might be the ions that make your hair stand on end. Sigur Rós and Mazzy Star fans take note.
Voted The Best of 10 Overlooked Albums of 2003
Fiel Garvie is a 3-girl, 2-boy band who released the 2nd album, "Leave Me Out Of This". The album is full of starstruck songs shining straight into your eyes. Not unlike TheCocteau Twins in their prime, their music stuns us with its melodies and lyrics. Or as the band say themselves "you'll never know the spark you gave to me"
This 11- track CD by England's Fiel Garvie, which marks their debut in the North American market, is fan-fucking-tastic!!! Lead vocalist Anne Rekke's ethereal melodies and simple lyrics are reminiscent of Julee Cruise (so, so good). Leave Me Out of This is a wondrous soundscape, with moments of tasteful melancholy and bittersweet joy ("He Goes, She Goes" and "Reeling As You Come Around Again"). The British quintet demonstrates a versatile style moving from ambient ("B-Rock," "Flake") to rockish ("Old Friend") to poppy goodness ("I Didn't Say"). If I had to pin it down, the sound is kind of like 'Bjork meets Julie Cruise and Lush' (so if you're stuck for a gift for someone who likes this type of sound, I would definitely add this to the list).Another point worth mentioning is the CD cover itself, which was designed by Orphananne and features ambient visualscapes with tiny silver stars flecked sparsely throughout the case. The cover art really works with the tone of Leave Me Out of This, and demonstrates Fiel Garvie's loyalty to the entire musical experience. I look forward to hearing great things from this group in the future!
Casi terminando este 2003, Fiel Garvie deleitan con su propuesta Leave Out OF This.
Con una presentación de lujo, como si para regalar fuera, y con una portada mágica dejan entrever que contiene este segundo disco de los británicos.
Leave Me Out Of This podría ser perfectamente la banda sonora de un cuento de hadas moderno. Sus canciones hablan de relaciones interpersonales. Encandilan con esta temática, en la que cualquiera puede verse reflejado. Su música crea atmósferas de ensueño. Encima la voz de Anne, se puede imaginar que bien podría ser la de una duendecilla traviesa, la guía a través de los once cortes del álbum. Un disco con una producción que para ellos la quisieran otras grandes bandas. Ha sido mezclado por Phil Vinall (Pulp, Placebo, Elastica, The Auteurs y Black Box Recorder) y masterizado en los archiconocidos estudios de Abbey Road. Si se comienza a desglosar la caja negra adornada con estrellas y se da un paseo por sus canciones se pueden encontrar temas como I Didn´t Say, primer single extraído y uno de los principales reclamos del disco, los susurros y la sensibilidad transmitida a través de la guitarra en Reeling As You Come Around Again, la dulzona melodía entre lo popie y lo folkie de Caught On, la joyita para el directo Talking A Hole In My Head con sus guitarras indies, el pegadizo estribillo de Got A Reason (dice así "I'll Find The Value"), la temblorosa y a la vez algo épica Doortime, la armonía y los suspiros de There You Go. Leave Me Out Of This podría bien ser la música del baile lento en la despedida del instituto o la instantánea que ilustrara un reencuentro con la nostalgia de tus mejores momentos.
(David Rodriguez)
If it's a soundtrack for dim, warm lighting you're looking for, look no further! Fiel Garvie's sophomore release on the Words On Music label is a swirl of sweet reverbed pop tunes, slow and dreamy. This music is laying belly up in the grass, sunny faced, headphoned ears, Walkman on chest, a visitation from the ghosts of indie rock shoegazer past. The vocals lay atop, a distinctive quirky whisper in a voice soft and pretty enough to ignore and just strange enough to believe. Fiel Garvie is slow and lush without being mopey and dull. This is nice music.
If you're a verse, chorus, verse merchant you might want to get off now, because Fiel Garvie aren't overly keen on hacking away at the traditional pop-rock coalfaces. 'Leave Me Out Of This' isn't any 'kind' of record, but it's a great one.
There are no safe bases, but there's accessibility in the sumptuous, string swept ballad 'I Didn't Say' and there's a scuffed riff and charmingly ramshackle drums hustling you through the controlled electric blizzardry of 'Got A Reason'.
This is an album that manages to touch most points on the rock compass as well as having a whale of a time exploring the interesting bits in between.
Constantly inventive, thoroughly insidious, often plainly catchy, 'Leave Me Out Of This' is a stunning example of the superior material that can come from a band who have actually spent some years 'in development', it's just a sad indictment of the 'music industry' that Fiel Garvie have had to fund this process themselves.
There is a website, www.fielgarvie.co.uk, go there and get this album now. You'll still be playing it when most of the currnt crop are back on the bins.
Fiel Garvie may have been in existence for some time, but this probably as rewarding a recording as anything they've yet released. Firstly, this is one of the most beautifully packaged CDs I've ever received. The predominantly black fold-out sleeve is adorned with what appears to be a twisting selection of coloured lights, dotted with twinkling silver stars. It's a gorgeous piece of design and compliments the songs within perfectly.
What Fiel Garvie do exceptionally well is to construct delicate swirling melodies and dark brooding soundscapes galore. Topped off with ethereal vocals and heartfelt lyrics that wrap themselves enticingly around the whole caboodle and you have an intoxicating mixture. A prime example if the dramatic 'Talking a Whole in my Head' with its introductory helicopter blades, bleeps and squiggles and choppy guitar. It's gloriously constructed, yet wonderfully freeform, at least on the face of it. I get the impression that even after a few years together now Fiel Garvie are still experimenting, still trying different things and still not playing the game. That they can come out of it with something of such beauty and intrigue can only be applauded. Just don't expect to pigeonhole them, and don't expect to see them on TOTPs, this is not their territory. 4/5
Sounds Like: My Bloody Valentine's melodic moments eschewed to the sound of a hook-laden Sigur Ros
It’s rare that an album is released with the press document mirroring all the things you want to say yourself about it - rare and annoying - but a good sign. If this much attention to detail appears on something as formal as a press release, then it looks as if Fiel Garvie are a pretty powerful band. One of those rare ones that not only can capture intricate feelings and images, but does so for a wide audience. Without forcing it upon you, this is a record that makes you feel.
And it appears that’s what it was made to do. They tip-toe somewhere between Godspeed’s lighter moments (minus the gritty industrial imagery) and Sigur Ros’s ethereal female vocals whilst at an afternoon love-in with My Bloody Valentine.
Each song is a different part of a lonely walk. During daytime, with the sun slanting through dusty window boards. Yesterday’s skeletons in their closets twinkling in the warmth of Mellotrons and sultry, swollen guitar lines, gently stumbling in slow-motion and yet with some effortless grace. With each song, New levels of melody are toyed around with and at times, unpredictably exploding into full guitar action. Maybe Anne’s child-like voice seems at times a little forced, considering the depth and cinematic conscience of her words, but they flow on the same wavelength as the music, becoming just another instrument amalgamated into one blissful waltzing maelstrom, occasionally picking up on fractured memories and past friends.
Old Friend suddenly explodes into stair-case descent of sharp arpeggios and yowling synth lines. The walls of the house have fallen away, and by the time the album comes to its close, you’re left staring at the soft fairy lights.
I've heard the saying that while Velvet Underground never achieved huge sales, everyone who heard them went out and formed a band of their own. There's probably something in that statement, and I would go ahead and extend it to the band My Bloody Valentine as well, especially with the enduring explosion of bands doing shoegazer rock and pop. Although Fiel Garvie comes in on the quieter end of the spectrum, there's something in the breathy vocals and fuzzy melodies that recall everything from the Cocteau Twins to Slowdive.
Come to think of it, Leave Me Out Of This doesn't sound too far removed from a 4AD release that came out anywhere between the late 80s and early to mid 90s. The five-piece group from Norwich England have been kicking around for about 8 years with several single and EP releases (as well as an earlier full-length), but this sophomore release finds them treading warm sonic waters with what is one of the better releases in the genre that I've heard this year.
The album opens with "B-rock," and the somewhat ironically titled track is anything but rock as it contently swims around with an almost liquid backdrop of guitar and fluid, subtle keyboards while lead singer Anne (everyone in the band simply goes by their first name) adds her childlike, ultra-breathy vocals. "I Didn't Say" and "Got A Reason" inject potent rhythms into the mix and take the group even further into dreampop territory as guitars shimmer over rich basslines and vocals soar with sing-along choruses. "He Goes, She Goes" features two-part female vocals and the whole thing swirls with an even headier haze as plucked guitars loop delicately during building verses before letting loose a bit on the louder choruses.
The whole thing is very dreamy and lush, and if one fault can be given to the album, it's that it simply is a little too similar sounding throughout. Granted, the group keeps things fairly interesting by changing up tempos and even rocking out on a couple ocassions (the gritty "Taking A Hole In My Head" arrives about halfway through a definitely adds a bit of punch to things). Most of the time, though, they move through a mid-tempo cloud of dreamy atmospheres narrated by breathy vocals about love and lost love and finding love again. If you're a fan of dreampop, this one should move onto your list directly (and the packaging is absolutely lovely as a nice bonus).
Rating: 7.5
Dreamy, lush, Britpop that reminds me a lot of Mazzy Star or Elysian Fields or stuff like that, except that Fiel Garvie is never lethargic.
Which is not to say these songs are quick or in any way fast-paced. Nope. Fiel Garvie navel-gazes as much as anyone, and the songs can pretty much all be lumped into the languid category. But there's just too much going on to fall asleep when this stuff is playing.
Part of it is the tasteful distortion and echo-filled sound achieved by the producer. These songs are interesting on their own, but the vaguely mysterious feel caused by the sound made me bite almost immediately. Just a bit of a skin crawl combined with nervous curiosity.
One of those albums that took a while to really prick up my ears. Cool stuff, to be sure, but how cool? I'm beginning to think that this album is much better than I first imagined. I keep coming back for another hit.
English dreampoppers Fiel Garvie's second album, their first to be released in North America, mines pop music's more ethereal past, creating an adventurous, seductive, enveloping sound that holds you in its thrall for 45 entrancing minutes. On Leave Me Out of This, the Norwich quintet blend the chiming guitar pop of such late '80s/early '90s 4AD acts as the Cocteau Twins and Lush, the stirring, orchestral pop of Phil Spector's great singles, and the hushed, ambient quality of contemporary acts as the Cranes and the Delgados. Not only that, but singer Anna's unique, breathy voice will have many critics falling over themselves comparing her to Björk (although she sounds more like a cross between Emiliana Torrini and Hope Sandoval). But no matter who you may think they're ripping off, this album has more than its share of sublime moments. "I Didn't Say" and "Get a Reason" are perfect examples of airy pop at its most unassuming, while the gorgeous ballad "Reeling As You Come Around Again" will leave your head spinning. Fiel Garvie tread the line between uptempo indie rock and ambient music with skill, and this pretty little album is just the thing for anyone who craves some new, beautiful, late-night music.
You know those great Cocteau Twin swishing choruses when Liz Frazer ditches the hackneyed refrain of an ‘ooh I luv ya baby, me and forever’ to swoon something almost unintelligible, but all the more beautiful for its opaque quality? Sometimes ‘caterpillar badminton periscope’ can sound a whole lot more magical than any linear bitch about your boyfriend. Fiel Garvie have captured a little of that, except they’ve printed the lyrics in their sleeve, which somewhat spoils things. All those coital slurrings lose a little of their ethereal wonder. In most instances, I’d just dispatch the lyric sheet away to where it safely belongs (out of sight). Even the most erudite indie lyricists are hardly Byronic in their abilities. Besides, in my ‘Purple Haze’, Jimi Hendrix excused me while he kissed this guy, despite anything anybody tells me to the contrary.
Problem is Fiel Garvie have packaged their new long player in such exquisitely decadent packaging. Even if ‘Leave Me Out Of This’ was a dreadful record, the fairy light photography and silver stars implanted on its cover could happily wink to me from the corner of my mantelpiece. But hey, what’d’ya know? It’s actually a pretty sweet record. Singer Anne quietly whispers over the mood indigo soundscapes in a way to suggest she’s not a girl averse to wearing a hairclip and for a band who can sit comfortably in your record collection between Mazzy Star and all number of post-rocker collectives, a warm bathing chorus bursts forth comfortably often.
This UK band has been around since 1996, putting out songs long before Coldplay made its splash stateside. Why many of us here will be introduced to this glorious band with their second album (eighth release) and first on Minnesota-based label Words On Music can probably only be attributed to that tricky factor in the indie music world called distribution.
Early into Leave Me Out of This it becomes clear that this a band in command of its sound. With ease and brilliant sharpness, the songs play out with a restrained beauty. This is moody, dreamy pop that would fit nicely with the whole '80s shoegaze movement or some of the more recent interpretations of that British phenomenon of sound provided by the likes of Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, and the Jesus and Mary Chain. When vocalist Anne Reekie's fading whispery voice comes in on the album's second track "I Didn't Say" Drugstore quickly comes to mind.
This Drugstore comparison holds up for much of the record, Reekie's vocal delivery comparable to Isabel Monteiro's with a similar atmospheric background that builds a wall of sound gradually around the quiet musings sung with odd pronunciation.
"Reeling As You Come Around Again" is a slow-moving song filled with longing, a quiet contemplative lullaby clocking in a little more than 5 and a half minutes. It's one of those songs you can easily find yourself getting lost in. Seconds into it you are locking in on a repeating guitar lick or a distant washed out sound of a keyboard waving in and out. In the end, the song doesn't take you into a big crashing finale. It leaves you hanging. But it's okay because the next track, "Talking A Hole In My Head" turns to the rock, a mirror opposite with energetic guitar bursts and a noisy climax. Still, the more climatic noise the whole album seems to build up to doesn't come until "Old Friend," which borders on chaotic as all of the elements the band so wistfully blends throughout reach their peak.
Like many of their contemporaries, Fiel Garvie require an attention span or at the least a willingness to get caught up in the wave of soundscape they elegantly create and a patience to see through to the shining end of their melancholy universe
This is Fiel Garvie's second release, their first being "!Vuka Vuka!" which was reviewed here in July of 2001.
They have a sound that is unique and appealing. They can be compared to other bands, but there's also something else there. Something unique.
Lead singer Anne Reekie has a lovely whispery voice that blends magically with the music; which is hovering in the neighborhood of Coldplay meets Cocteau Twins. The music is at times fuzzy, often swoopy, soaring and diving.
It's a pretty and vivacious album that will please lovers of Brit-Soft-Rock/Dream Pop.
Recently, Whisperin' & Hollerin' were suitably blown away by LA-based The Meeting Places' astonishing debut "Meet Yourself Along The Way", noting that here were a band who seemed to have finally located the keys to the dreampop kingdom that seemed to evaporate when dreadful terms like 'shoegazing' began to flood the market. Brrr.
In their own, distinct way, Norwich's FIEL GARVIE have also got their fingers on the notoriously deceptive dream pop pulse and "Leave Me Out Of This" sounds pretty damn refreshing as there's precious little of this kind of thing currently doing the rounds out there.
I plead total ignorance of FG's debut album ("Vuka! Vuka!") as I never heard it, but certainly "Leave Me Out Of This" is a positive place to start getting acquainted as it features 11 (mostly) languid examples of brittle, but attractive pop, with the emphasis very much on songs rather than experimentation, sleepily seductive vocals from Anne Reekie and the kind of chiming guitars that used to be praised before 'indie' became a wholesale dirty word.
It's by no means a mirror image, but the record "Leave Me Out Of This" most resembles - in this reviewer's mind - is Mazzy Star's superb debut "She Hangs Brightly". Songs like "I Didn't Say" have that same distant, slightly sinister carnival feel, while "Got A Reason" also recalls the third Velvet Underground album, down to the Mo Tucker pounding, strung out vocals/ atmosphere and the strangely heroic cowbells. It rocks in an opiated fashion and is very good, as is the sparse, but unimpeachably lovely "Caught On."
If I was to pick holes, the main problem with "Leave Me Out Of This" would be that perhaps too many tracks float in and remain becalmed at the same woozy pace, although there are several tracks here that suggest Fiel Garvie can succeed when they branch out a little. "Talking A Hole In My Head", for instance, begins by reprising the helicopter blades last heard whirring on Michael Weston King's recent album and begins simple and hollow before flexing surprising muscle and mutating into something unusually visceral, while "Reeling As You Come Around" goes to the other extreme and goes ever inward. The very embodiment of regret and being battered by emotions, but still feeling open to further heartbreak, it features Anne Reekie singing "I don't suppose you'll fall for me again" in the loneliest of voices, while the tempation inside her heart is palpable.
Perhaps best of all, though, is "Doortime". The vocals are virtually soporific on this one, while the subtle use of mellotron adds a Spectorian quality that can't fail to attract. Inventive and slyly passionate, in a nutshell you could describe it as an epic on a shoestring.
Fiel Garvie are an interesting prospect and "Leave Me Out Of Here" wears its' emotional scars with dignity,pride and intrigue. Their sound is a thing of troubled beauty which will have no problem connecting with the discerning out there. Further instalments will be most welcome.
After the marvellous single, here comes Fiel Garvie's second album. It's a stunning record, continuing where the debut left off. The group's moody, cinematic songs are brilliant. The uptempo "Got a Reason" takes in the Velvet Underground's white noise, but brings the bands own sound into the mix as well. "Doortime" is a colourful song that makes good use of Anne Reekie's gorgeous voice. "Reeling as You Come Around Again" is a spooked song with plenty of disturbing noises. It sounds like perfect music for the other side of midnight.
"Talking a Hole in my head" is a punchy pop song with plenty of sass. Reekie's singular voice makes it a thing of wonder. The weird parts that Fiel Garvie add to every song only makes them shine brighter. Their music is truly special and moves me in ways I can't even describe.
"Old Friend" details a relationship torn asunder in a heartbreaking way. Musically it starts out slowly with a gently played guitar balancing Anne Reekie's whispery vocals. It builds to a mindblowing climax gradually.
Fiel Garvie have made a welcome return and this album is a gem.
No year would be complete without its maverick talents. Norwich's Fiel Garvie are essentially a pop band but possess some key elements to make them special. First, there's the vocals; as if Cerys Matthews was in a permanently chilled-out state, breathy and whispered rather than raucous. The guitars pull back from shoegazing just before they threaten to swamp the tunes. Sprinkled with an ear for a winning melody the songs begin in quite an unassuming manner then grow into blissed-out, Spector-esque epics. 'I Didn't Say', 'Caught On' and 'Reeling As You Come Around Again' are particularly dreamy. They also have time for a little grunge on 'Taking A Hole In My Head' but as usual come up smiling. The lack of immediacy will probably undermine attempts at chart success but they have a charisma which will gladden the hearts of many an indie-pop fan.
The first time I heard this, the second LP from this band from Norwich England, I could only wonder from what planet the meteor that brought this here came from. Featuring some of the most oblique vocals I have heard in a long time, I honestly could not tell ifthis was rank shite or pure genius. However, I think I'm leaning toward thelatter.
Bjork comes to mind at first, but I think she really is from another planet and frankly since her Sugarcubes days her music hasn't done anything for me. This has a more mysterious quality, where Bjork simply sounds like she's ill.
Musically it reminds one of early 4AD stuff, and as they are english they get that bit quite right. And it isn't even like this is queer or something and you have to attune yourself to it, but rather it's an odd private moment you have stumbled upon and you aren't sure if you should stay or go, or speak up or remain quiet. You don't want to look yet you can't turn away from it.
Never has the word enigmatic been a more appropriate label for a band. This is going to take a long time to fully absorb, as it is very complex and things like that need to grow with you and on you but I can say with certainty that this is a very special album and I rated it high
but with room to grow. Perhaps the infectious itch of 2003. Oooeeerr... me 'eads all wobbly.... (9.7/10)
Well, when I first got this record I thought ‘My my, that is a fancy CD packaging’. It seems Norwich’s Fiel Garvie think so too judging by their press release. It’s got shiny little stars and fairy lights sprawled over the pitch-black background, this is relevant because it probably sums up Fiel Garvie nicely. Fiel Garvie – Stars & Fairy Lights.
Ooh, those breathless female vocals stand out and contribute to the dream-pop sound that gets weaved out with class and finesse. Whoosh, the album's got nice harmonies and an orchestral-y pieces that soar up to the stars and plummet back down to bed surrounded by fairy lights with a thump or they decide to float about in a big bubble and continuing float until somebody decides they’ve had enough and pops it in a convenient place.
There’s the more straightforward fuzzed-up pop in songs like ‘Talking A Hole In My Head’, which break things up on the album and keep in feeling shiny and fresh against the typical dreamy tracks such as ‘He Does, She Does’.
Reference point time! Yeah, there’s a wee bit of Saloon here, and a distinct whiff of Chemikal Underground’s Suckle. I dare say Bjork could be an influence too but Fiel Garvie are far more interesting than Bjork, because she’s DULL. Fiel Garvie grab your genitals for attention (gently of course) then sing sweetly into your face and then float off elsewhere without saying a word, leaving you confused and possibly slightly aroused.
Chainsaw Beats (D) Album of the month
The waiting has come to an end. After the much praised debut "!Vuka Vuka!"
the five musicians from norwich have released their new album "Leave Me Out Of This". This time Fiel Garvie have chosen Phil Vinall as a producer. Mr.Vinall has worked with for example Pulp, The Auteurs and Elastica.Magical dreamy pop with a dreamy singer. Her voice is full of desire for love and affection, which sets the tone in the whole album. An emotionally charged changing bath of feelings.
The singing reminds a bit of Alison Shaw (The Cranes). Central theme of the cd: Love (hurts). Who sings so grippingly will not be alone for long.
All eleven songs are completely convincing. Especially mentionable are the title track "I Didn't Say", and the songs "Reeling As You Come Around Again" (Goosebumps!) and "Got A Reason". "Got a reason" alone is a good reason to buy the album. A beautiful digipack complements the beautiful music of Fiel Garvie. You can simply put the album between Bjork and the Cocteau Twins in your cd collection. An absolute masterpiece!
UK band Fiel Garvie's second full-length album Leave Me Out of This sounds good quiet and better when turned up loud. They build a wall of sound that overtakes you, body and soul, pulling you along on an enrapturing journey.Leave Me Out of This is filled with dreamy songs that are evocative of ambient-pop groups like the Cocteau Twins but often follow a trajectorythat's more rock. Their song explode on you, but do so gently.
Guitars,keyboards, bass, drums and "dislocated noises" all wind themselves together in a way that's at once soothing and explosive, controlled and unrestrained.
Fiel Garvie rock their way through lullabies and daydreams, massaging you forcefully. Lead singer Anne sings softly in you ear, and then echoes the
songs' crescendos by belting the words out with an unusual, off-kilter lilt reminiscent of a less over-the-top Kate Bush.
Leave Me Out of This musically shoots you up near the stars, yet its lyrics are more earthbound, articulating the pain and confusion behind human relationships. "I feel so bad about you/think too much about you," Anne sings at the start of one song.
The lyrics throughout Leave Me Out of This is preoccupied with the feeling of getting so wrapped up in someone else that you're floating on a wave that could lead to either pleasure or doom, and will likely lead to both. That feeling fits right in with the music; they perfectly capture thedizzying of being head over heels, of being lost in something new and uncertain.
With a sound that is a mixture of Mazzy Star, Drugstore and Sigur Ros with a folky edge, Fiel Garvie's debut album makes an interesting listen. The music slips slowly from your speakers, pushed by breathy vocals.
This is pop music of great beauty. Its only downside is that sometimes it seems a bit samey, though I have a feeling that this is one of those albums that gets less so the more you hear it; the great peaks and troughs of the soundscapes created by the band are possibly blinding me to the more reserved elements at this stage. Leave Me Out Of This has clearly had a great amount of thought put into it, these are not songs that wrote themselves in five minutes!
Wonderfully soft, pensive, smooth, and slightly eerie British pop. The folks in Fiel Garvie craft their unusual pop compositions with elements derived from some of the best English artists of the 1980s and 1990s. The band's tunes bear similarities to a variety of artists including (but not limited to) Cocteau Twins, Wire, and This Mortal Coil. While the main focal point of the band is the breathy silky smooth female vocalist...the other members' contributions are actually and, in fact, just as equally important to the overall sound. In some ways, Fiel Garvie tunes might best be described as a bizarre cross between Ivy and Spiritualized. The tunes are thoughtful and possess an honest quality...yet there is a subtle drone to the music that is offbeat and compelling. Leave Me Out of This features eleven peculiar stream-of-consciousness tracks...including "B-Rock," "Got A Reason," "Talking a Hole In My Head," and "Flake." Beautiful dreamy stuff, well outside the norm... (Rating: 5+++)
'Leave Me Out Of This' by Fiel Garvie is a gentle and sumptuously atmospheric record. It is has the ethereal quantity of Mazzy Star, the husky intimacy of Drugstore and a quality all of its own. Fiel Garvie wonderfully swoops, croons and whispers over rich waves of sound reminiscent of bands like Slowdive and Mogwai. There is an indistinct feeling to the whole album, its mood is disjointed and fragile, but Fiel never lets a song break down too far into the chaotic. A special mention must go to the bossa nova beats and cascading guitars of the first single to be released from the album, 'I Didn't Say', a serenely beautiful tune.
It's funny how Kevin Shields re-emergence on the "Lost in Translation" soundtrack has got me pining for my old My Bloody Valentine albums, and longing for the hazy dream-pop era of the early-mid-1990's. It's a period of music that Norwich, England's Fiel Garvie would've fit in beautifully in.
On their second full-length Leave Me Out Of This, the band has created eleven beautiful ethereal atmospheric songs, all punctuated by the unique vocal delivery of lead vocalist Anne Reekie. Sometimes she whispers and coos, sounding much like Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star. Other times, she speak-sings and sounds more otherworldly, like Bjork (this is especially true for "Reeling As You Come Around Again"). The whole thing is so lovely and exquisite. And it comes in an absolutely gorgeous glossy digipak with tiny silver stars stamped into it! too, too pretty
The first obvious thing about the new album from the Norwich Five piece, is the self designed album cover, all shiny black card, dotted lights and tiny stars.Upon playing the album its lead singer Ann Reekie's voice that first hits the ears, between breathless whispers, drawn out choruses and strange pronunciation her voice seems to crawl out of the speakers to convey a sad longing, that's often sinister in its seduction. The closest I can describe it is if Bjork somehow merged with the Cocteau twins.The music itself works as a perfect partner to the vocals, twisting their way around her voice they add both atmosphere and spirit. Up coming single I didn't say begins with Reekies spooky faded vocals with what appears to be a drum roll played out on some cheap obscure eighties keyboard to accompany it. But then in comes very human guitars and backing vocals that make the tune swell like an animal coming out of hibernation into an almost sixties sounding pop song.
The rest of the album is as varied as it is unique, sometimes on tracks like Caught on its a layering of instruments simply awaiting their time, reminiscent to Joy Zippers recent American whip. At other moments its like the landscapes built by Sigour Ros with music washing out from the groups own world.
Despite the full glaring heat of summer outside, Leave me out of this makes everything feel like long autumn days; all faded dusky colours, glorious blazing sunsets and swirling breezes. Although the album will certainly not be to everyone's taste, on a personal note I generally try not to use the term beautiful too often but in this case I've no choice.
Sefronia (FR)
Après la vague des groupes en "The" surexposés, en voilà maintenant qui travaillent la sous-exposition : les Fiel Garvie, actifs depuis 1996, sont plus à leur aise dans la dissimulation.
D'abord la voix d'Anne Reekie : un chant à demi-chuchoté plongé dans un fog anglais lesté d'électricité, au grain à la fois proche des incontournables My Bloody Valentine, de Sonic Youth sous une couette, et du "Disintegration" de Cure – qui aurait fait un titre convenable pour ce disque. Une facture années 90, accentuée par la présence de Phil Vinall à la production (Elastica, Pulp, Placebo…).
Fiel Garvie a commis un hold-up en anxyolityques dans le Drugstore d'Isabel Monteiro : le disque se passe dans un état cotonneux, engourdi, et assez intime. "Doortime" pourrait être chantée par Lisa Germano sous un voile de (shoe)gaze. Les chansons sont évasives et indifférenciées, elles ont bien des structures et des mélodies pop mais les contours en sont flous. "Caught on" et "Reeling as you come around again" s'enroulent autour des oreilles comme une écharpe chaude et lumineuse, une guirlande colorée comme celle de la jolie pochette, qui pourrait aussi figurer les lumières d'une autoroute illogique et serpentine sous un ciel d'hiver étoilé. Fiel Garvie parvient à conserver sur une grosse moitié du disque un mélange sans grumeaux de bouts d'électronique, de rythmiques métronomiques Velvetiennes ("Got a reason"), et de guitares qui dressent une paroi sonore qui a tout l'air d'un cocon.
Le disque connaît une petite chute de tension aux trois-quarts : davantage rectiligne, "Talking a hole in my head" et "He goes, she goes" sont un cran en-dessous, mais cela ne dépare pas l'ambiance. Sur les trois derniers titres, "Leave me out of this" retrouve cette note qui fait que l'on se souvient du disque et de quelques mélodies comme des fragments d'un rêve – à la différence près qu'ici, il suffit d'appuyer sur la touche "Play" pour vérifier et s'y replonger.
(Jérôme Fiori)
iPodGeneration (FR) Album of the week
Vous n’avez sans doute jamais entendu parlé de Fiel Garvie. C’est normal. Fiel Garvie n’est pas un groupe en « The », ne puise pas son inspiration dans la période post-punk, ne cite pas comme influences Gang Of Four, les Buzzcocks ou autres Talking Heads honteusement pillés ces derniers temps. En un mot, Fiel Garvie n’est pas, mais alors pas du tout, à la mode. Actif depuis près de 10 ans maintenant, ce quintette en provenance de Norwich a sorti, dans l’indifférence la plus totale, du moins en France, son deuxième album intitulé leave me out of this. Attention, rien de neuf à l’horizon, Leave me out of this aurait pu sortir il y a dix ou quinze ans sur le label 4AD, mais une impression de fraîcheur et de bien-être envahit l’auditeur et ce dès les premières écoutes d’un disque qui rapidement nous paraît familier, un peu comme si on retrouvait un ami de longue date après une séparation. Une voix envoûtante (on pense à Isabell Monteiro de Drugstore, à Lisa Germano, voire à Hope Sandoval), des mélodies à la timidité maladive dissimulées derrière un voile pudique, des chansons mélancoliques au contour flou mais aux silhouettes engageantes au service d’une pop spleenéique habillée sobrement d’une électricité cotonneuse et de discrètes touches électro nous rappelant My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain ou plus récemment Under Byen. Le groupe frôle même à plusieurs occasions le tube parfait (Got a reason, Reeling as you come around) pour les amateurs de miniatures pop sous tranxène et, au final, on se surprend à appuyer de nouveau sur la touche play comme on s’enroule dans la couette un dimanche de grasse matinée, frissonnant de plaisir à l’idée de ne rien faire de la journée.
(Yann Desert)
Ce disque là fait fonctionner la machine à remonter le temps. Encore un groupe qui revisite à sa façon les années ’80. Mais pas celle qu’on a l’habitude d’entendre en ce moment, celle du Rock à danser, du parfois clinquant et du souvent superficiel. Fiel Garvie navigue sur d’autres eaux, beaucoup plus calmes et aussi beaucoup plus troubles. Eux, leur univers, c’est plutôt le label 4AD, celui du milieu des 80’s. Celui qui produisait des gens aussi particuliers et inclassables que les Dead Can Dance ou les Cocteau Twins. Des groupes qui ont d’une façon ou d’une autre influencés toute une frange de groupes actuels dont le terrain de jeu reste une musique lente, voire planante et surtout fortement mélancolique. Galaxie 500, Mercury Rev ou Sigur Ros pour n’en citer que quelques uns sont les héritiers de cette période là. Et Fiel Garvie fait partie de cette filiation là. Leur ancêtre et leur inspiration première s’appelle Cocteau Twins et/ou Liz Fraser. En fait ce disque aurait presque pu être enregistré il y a deux décennies sans qu’on trouve quoi que ce soit à y redire.
La musique de Fiel Garvie contient cette même dose d‘ambiances cotonneuses et souvent quasi planantes. Cette même mélancolie et ces mêmes climats frissonnants. Fiel Garvie n’invente rien, mais il revisite avec un vrai talent une période et un style musical qui me sont très chers. Alors forcément, j’aime ce disque. Parce qu’il réveille en moi des souvenirs bien enfouies et puis surtout parce qu’il m’a incité à ressortir mes vieux vinyles pour réécouter la divine voix de Liz Fraser (magnifiquement utilisée par Massive Attack sur l’album Mezzanine).
Pour en revenir à Fiel Garvie, si le style musical est assez proche et la voix également féminine, le groupe sait pourtant se démarquer de son illustre prédécesseur. La voix d’Anne Meekie est assez déroutante, à la fois douce, caressante, mais aussi souvent étrangement étranglée, ce qui donne aux chansons une couleur assez inédite. Les chansons sont aussi suffisamment variées pour éviter l’ennui qui guette toujours au tournant avec ce style musical. B-Rock, sorte de berceuse vaporeuse sur nappes de violon nous met d’emblée dans l’ambiance. Et dès le départ, on sait que le voyage sera gris et doux, comme ces journées où on reste sous la couette en regardant la pluie tomber au dehors. I Didn’t say est du même genre, mais à partir de là on entre dans des chansons plus rythmées, mais encore plus diaphanes, comme transparentes. On s’éloigne du format de la chanson classique pour voguer, ou plutôt flotter, entre les mondes, quand on ne sait plus ou se trouve le refrain, ni où commence le couplet. Dans ce genre là, Got A reason est magnifique, basé sur une rythmique raide, mais à la fois planant et enveloppant à force d’être noyé d’échos. Doortime est plus classique dans sa forme et sa production plus simple nous permet de prendre contact avec la voix si particulière d’Anne Meekie, tour à tour caressante et presque maladive. Mais Fiel Gravie ne se contente jamais de nager dans la facilité. On a vraiment l’impression que le groupe s’efforce de toujours lutter contre le courant et de s’éloigner des chansons faciles, de toujours chercher l’angle qui donnera une vision différente d’une chanson. Ce qui donne Caught On, chanson qui aurait pu avoir un format Pop classique, mais qui dans leurs mains se retrouve légèrement décalée, juste ce qu’il faut pour sortir des sentiers battus. Ca leur permet aussi de créer un morceau comme Reeling as you come around, magique, encore une fois flottant et mélancolique. Et pour rompre avec les rythmes lents des morceaux précédents, Talking A Hole In My Head entre de plein pied dans un Rock presque bruitiste, tendance My Bloody Valentine. Puis la direction change a nouveau pour s’orienter vers He Goes, She Goes, belle comptine Pop à la mélodie et aux vocaux irrésistibles.
Leave Me Out Of This est de ces disques qui valent peut être plus pour ce qu’ils nous rappellent que pour leur valeur propre. Et pourtant, ces anglais là affichent de belles promesses et un vrai talent. Tout comme leur musique demande du temps avant d’être appréciée, on peut leur laisser le temps d’inventer la suite. Ils y travaillent en ce moment. Affaire à suivre, donc…
Ce disque paru l'an dernier dans une quasi indifférence, repointe aujourd'hui le bout de son nez, pour un second tour de piste. Les anglais de Fiel Garvie, pratiquement inconnus ici, cultivent depuis 1996, l'art de la sous-exposition. "Leave me out of this" est leur second album. Parfaitement abouti, il laisse à entendre une dream-pop mélodique aux contours un peu flous, des guitares cotonneuses, et un chant féminin voilé particulièrement captivant, une musicalité qui évoque par bien des aspects les travaux de My Bloody Valentine, Sigur Ros ou encore Cocteau Twins. L'ensemble du projet est cohérent et convaincant, se laissant écouter comme une longue mélopée éthérée subtilement ensorcelante.
Es kommt schon einer Schande gleich, dass eine Band wie FIEL GARVIE noch nicht bekannter ist, denn verdient hätten sie es allemal.
Was zuerst auffällt ist die liebevolle, aufwendig gestaltete Aufmachung von „Leave Me Out Of This“. Die CD erscheint in einem Digipack, welches selbst noch einmal in einen Pappeinband geschoben wird, der mit leuchteten Sternen direkt ins Auge fällt. Da kann man nur inständig hoffen, vom Musikalischen nicht enttäuscht zu werden. Sonderbar, denn die Songs auf „Leave Me Out Of This“ ergreifen sofort, umgarnen mit ihrer Melancholie. FIEL GARVIE machen Musik für emotionale Extremfälle, denn diese Art Musik kann man sich einfach nur anhören, wenn man durch und durch am Boden oder aber besonders gut gelaunt ist.
Wer mit der THE CUREschen Melancholie und dem enormen Tiefgang zurecht kommt, für den werden FIEL GARVIE eine Alternative der besseren Art sein. Mal bestimmen hier Gitarren die akustische Szenerie, mal sind es Elektrinik-Elemente, die einem Song das gewisse Etwas geben. Man denke an BJÖRK ohne diesen anstrengenden Art-Rock-Anspruch oder SLOWDIVE in mellow. FIEL GARVIE sind zwar sehr eingängig, als experimentell würde man Songs wie „I Didn´t Say“, „Reeling As You Come Around Again“ und „There You Go“ nur im weitesten Sinne bezeichnen können. Die Sängerin haucht die Texte über weite Strecken nur ins Mikro, selten wird es lauter. Man nenne es Dream-Pop, mit Elektronik versetzten Indierock – das, was man hier zu hören bekommt, ist in einem gewissen Sinne unbeschreiblich. Die Atmosphäre, die FIEL GARVIE erzeugen, sollte man selbst erleben. Dass auch der Sound so ungemein gut ausfällt, ist keinesfalls verwunderlich, da Phil Vinall (Pulp, Elastica, The Auteurs) für diese Produktion verantwortlich ist. Wer diese Melancholie, diesen Schwermut und diesen ungeheuren Tiefgang ertragen kann, für den ist FIEL GARVIEs „Leave Me Out Of This“ sicherlich ein Juwel und könnte sogar das Potenzial zur Platte für die Ewigkeit entwickeln.
(Dennis Grenzel)
www.elisabett.de
Adam, Jude, Emma, Greg und Anne sind Fiel Garvie. Sie stammen aus Norwich und machen zusammen bereits seit Mitte der 90er zusammen Musik. Der merkwürdige Bandname hat familiäre Grundlagen von Anne (Gesang). Da alle männlichen Kinder in Annes Familie von je her Garvie genannt wurden, suchte Anne nach einer weiblichen Form des Namens. Sie fand nach einigen fehlgeschlagenen Kombinationsversuchen wie Girls Garvie oder Woman Garvie schließlich FIEL Garvie.
Der Name ist das eine, wichtiger ist die Musik. Fiel Garvie machen sphärischen Sound der geleitet wird von dem Wesen und dem Ausdruck der Stimme Annes. Alles wirkt sehr bedächtig oder doch besonnen? Die Stücke auf dem zweiten Fiel Garvie Longplayer (Die Band befindet sich gerade im Studio zu den Arbeiten zum 3.) haben somit auch ihren vorgesteckten Rahmen. Harmonie und Weichmut.
Vor dem Genuss von Fiel Garvie sollte man sich einiger Gebrauchsinformationen und der Grundlagen von Musikkonsumtion unterziehen. Fiel Garvie verstehen sich als Künstler, als Independent Künstler. Sie haben keine Vorbilder, vielleicht Inspirationen, derer jedoch endlos vieler. Sie mischen diese Einflüsse, ihre Lebenserfahrungen und Weltwünsche in ein eigenes seichtes, wenn auch nicht immer leichtes Paket.
Anne säuselt in ruhigster Belly Manier, erinnert darüber hinaus sehr oft an The Cranes, und eine gewisse Nähe zu Björk` schem Kunst- und Atemholen ist ebenfalls nicht zu leugnen. Leane me out of this fließt dahin wie ein klarer, geschwungener Bach. Von Zeit zu Zeit möchte man sich auf ihn legen, sich
.
She Devine (ES)
The music: second album by England's independent FIEL GARVIE. When you want to explain the music of FIEL GARVIE with words you only need a pair of lines to place them in a concrete musical genre (atmospheric independent pop), in this sense the limits of their music are more or less strict, they can be open to some diverse possibilities, it can have a more strong guitar presence, a more wild drumming or, on the other side, it can visit the paths of more static or ambient music, or even with things similar to soundscapes, but there is a clear stylistical uniformity (maybe some penetrating guitar melodies are nearer to things like after punk or darker styles, but that's all). Explaining the music of FIEL GARVIE is a matter of perceptions, sensations and above all adjectives; incorporeal music full of strange arrangements, details and echoes, running as little clockworks; incorporeal music which becomes more solid with the more stone-like structures of some tracks where guitars and drums are more predominating, but the music is normally based on intimate conversations and dances between the instruments and the enigmatic voice of Anne. In the atmospheres of FIEL GARVIE the images are a little diffuse or out of focus, you can float (and sometimes sink yourself) in a violet sea of slow melancholy, you can turn with the cadence of the vocal melodies or vibrate with saturated guitar noise. FIEL GARVIE can be occasionally an eruption of guitars and rhythm but they are above all enigma, mystery and all those far-off and ethereal guitar melodies in constant crawling or propagation . In the atmospheres of FIEL GARVIE the voice of Anne rocks you with melancholic and turbid tenderness or with violent love.
GLOBAL GRADE: 8/10
(
Héctor Noble Fernández.)
Its star spotted, eye catching cover is a perfect representation of this superb album from Norwich gloomsters, Fiel Garvie. With their sophomore effort they have produced something quite wonderful in the form of ’Leave Me Out of This’, a nostalgic amalgamation of beautifully crafted vocal harmonies, atmospheric instrumentals and intense emotion. It’d be too easy to call it ‘jangly’ or ‘pretty’ or something equally unimaginative; this deserves much better than that.
With vocals sounding like a hybrid of Bjork and Joanna Newsom you cannot help but be immediately mesmerised by its sensual and soothing qualities. The dreamy ’I Didn’t Say’ sets the tone perfectly for what follows. The guitars chime in the background as you’re slowly lifted away on a bed of clouds by the soundscape that is painted before you. In amongst all the softness and wonderment there is, perhaps surprisingly, not a single dull moment on this record. Tracks like ’Got a Reason’ and ’Caught On’ are so smile inducing and simply put together that it’s hard to get them out of your head.
There’s also a great sense of elegance and class surrounding the whole album which is fairly unique, but considering the band have been around for the best part of a decade (under one alias or another), it is perhaps down to their maturity and expert grasp on the music they create. ’Reeling As You Come Around Again’ is the best representation of the band that we are provided with. Its simple lyrical style and sweeping, faultless musical backdrop combine to provide what is truly quite a moving and magical moment.
It just goes to show that there’s no need for big chart topping synth riffs, four way art rock harmonies or bass lines that punch through your heart in order to make people happy and, more importantly, in order to create a true piece of art. They may not be to everyone’s liking but if you’re human, and you like feeling happy then just give it a shot. Emo kids beware! 5/5
(Jason Edwards)
Fiel Garvie ist ein Quintett aus England, das auf seinem zweiten Album "Leave Me Out Of This" elegischen, sphärischen Indie-Pop vollführt. Ein halliger-plastischer Sound, der an New Order erinnert, eine Stimme, die mehr Emotion ist und meistens haucht. Mal Gitarren als Hauptelement, die schonmal einen leichten Noise- oder Flaming Lips-Anstrich haben, mal fließende Elektronika, die im Mittelpunkt stehen. Ein Stimmungsbild, das an Under Byen, Sigur Rós oder American Analog Set denken lässt. Großes, wenig greifbares, cineastisches Ambient, kühl, nah und sensibel. Keine rhythmuslastige Band, denn viel mehr elf Songs aus wehenden Maibaumbändern mit darüber funkelnden Nordlichtern.
Auffällig ist das Artwork, ein glänzendes Digipack mit Lichtschlangen und Sternen.
Fiel Garvie arbeiten bereits an dem Nachfolger von "Leave Me Out Of This", ihr drittes Studioalbum soll von Rob Kirwan produziert werden, der u.a. schon mit besagten New Order arbeitete.
(Vanessa Romotzky)
Os Fiel Garvie já tinham carreira longa no momento de lançamento do álbum de estreia em 2001, ¡Vuka Vuka!, pelo menos desde 1996, altura em que foi lançado pela Foundling Records (editora de colaboração regular) o single de estreia Glass Faced Warrior. Sabendo disto – os cinco anos que separam a estreia no formato single e o primeiro registo álbum – não se pode deixar de louvar a paciência da espera, sobretudo porque é hoje uma das principais virtudes e um trunfo valioso por parte daqueles que querem levar a sério o que fazem e que o querem estender por muitos anos. Basta consultar os manuais. O futuro acaba sempre por ir ter com as pessoas, tímida e sorrateiramente. Mas nem tudo o que os Fiel Garvie fazem vem nos manuais: a música é disso um exemplo. E, por isso, uma fermentação tão longa tinha de dar nisto - segundo álbum de uma banda que agora aspira a voos mais altos.
Leave Me Out of This, o último registo do quinteto das ilhas Britânicas, vem acondicionado num pacote de luxo e é editado pela norte-americana Words On Music, editora necessária para traçar o mapa da música independente que se edita actualmente. Ao longo de onze temas a banda (constituída por Anne Reekie, Emma Corlett, Greg MacDermott, Adam Green e Jude Bugden) fala de amores e desamores, perdas e reencontros, em letras que tanto têm de simples e directo como de complexo e não imediatamente perceptível. Assim, as palavras sobrevivem tão bem às primeiras audições como não dão mostras de se esgotarem passadas algumas escutas mais atentas.
O som dos Fiel Garvie é ditado por uma ordem invisível, luminosa, capaz de, como que num relâmpago, iluminar a escuridão que se coloca no ciclo dos tempos - na noite de todos os dias. Há uma procura permanente que parece apontar no sentido da busca de um porto de abrigo, uma dimensão que aponta
para algo distante. Pensativa e melancólica, talvez, mas sobretudo sonhadora, capaz de com o simples poder da música fazer ultrapassar limites à partida inalcançáveis. Se a voz de Anne Reekie faz, aqui e ali, lembrar Björk, a música aponta para um espectro que conheceu importante reconhecimento em bandas como Mazzy Star, Cocteau Twins ou Sigur Rós, só para citar os mais flagrantes. Doortime e Caught On são, por sua vez, apenas dois exemplos de temas que poderiam figurar numa banda sonora de um filme do género David Lynch, como os próprios certamente não se importariam.
Leave Me Out of This é um disco para descobrir com calma. Como os próprios, que souberam aguardar, é preciso não estar com pressas. Já se disse que geralmente as melhores músicas se desgastam sempre, tal é o número de vezes que são ouvidas. Ninguém se devia querer enfastiar com os Fiel Garvie.
Imagine-se uma guitarra, um baixo e vozes que parecem combinar, na perfeição, características tão peculiares como são as de projectos como Cocteau Twins, Bjork, Lush, This Mortal Coil ou The Delgados.
Pois...Como resultado, surge um álbum fantástico!
Anne Reekie, Emma Corlett, Greg MacDermott, Adam Green e Jude Bugden são os cinco elementos dos ingleses Fiel Garvie. Em 1996 editaram o primeiro single de título "glass faced warrior", single esse que seria o primeiro de um conjunto de cinco, antes da publicação do primeiro álbum de originais, "!Vuka Vuka!".
Agora em 2003, surge este "leave me out of this", que já tem o single "I didn't say" e que, pelo que consegui apurar, não tem distribuição em Portugal.
Pois é...Há estrelas no céu!
Sitter hemma bland allt julpynt. Julgranen är klädd, i fönstren hänger julstjärnor och säger "hej du där ute på gatan, här inne har vi det mysigt och bra. Jag lyser lite på dig så att din väg hem inte blir fullt så mörk". Under granen ligger det en massa paket. Jösses vad många det blev i år, vågar inte ens tänka på hur mycket pengar jag lagt ut. Bäst att låta bli, det är ju ändå jul och presenterna är till mina nära och kära. Själv har jag redan köpt lite paket till mig själv, en hel del skivor från Parasol – som vanligt – och så kom det ett mail för någon vecka sedan där ämnesraden löd: "I want to send you a really good album!". Nej, det var inget spam, bara en vänlig Adam Green från brittiska Fiel Garvie. Att halvetablerade band fortfarande gör sånt är för mig väldigt charmigt och glädjande. Såg verkligen fram emot att skivan skulle dyka upp. Det dröjde ett tag och under tiden undrade Adam (alltså inte galningen i Moldy Peaches) om jag fått den där skivan med svart omslag och små blänkande silverstjärnor.
Det är verkligen ett underbart omslag, omsorgsfullt designat av dem själva. På något sätt speglar omslaget verkligen musiken. Det mörka omslaget genomsyrar stämningen på 'Leave Me Out of This', där små tindrande stjärnor tänder små gnistor av hopp och glädje. Anne Reekie sjunger inte, hon viskar mest fram sina ord insvept i mjuka bomullstussar och endast ibland blir viskningarna tillräckligt starka för att få nog med luft och fart för att lyfta från marken. Jag får associationer till Mazzy Star, Sigur Rós och Broken Dog.
Trots att Reekies sång ofta är dämpad och mjuk kan musiken dra iväg på utflykter där det låter lite som Hood och tidiga Velvet Underground övat behärskat i månader tillsammans för att sedan släppa lös allt i crescendon där trummor och gitarrer spretar för fullt åt alla håll och kanter men aldrig tappar fokus från kärnmelodien. Bandets balans mellan lugn och kaos är hårfint men väl utnyttjat och de undviker snyggt krystade onödiga utspel.
Risken med band som dessa är dock ofta att de faller lite på en viss enformighet i sången. Att lyssna på Sigur Rós brukar för mig ofta sluta redan efter halva albumet. Tyvärr låter Anne Reekie lite som Jon Thor Birgisson i sin frasering och mjukhet. Ja, trots att hon sjunger på ett alldeles eget litet världsspråk som engelskan låter det ibland som Birgissons hemmagjorda språk.
Fast om man bortser från en viss likformighet trots alla crescendon och utspel är 'Leave Me Out of This' ett alldeles perfekt album att vila öronen med denna jul.
När man lyssnar på Fiel Garvies sömngångaraktiga, drömska popmusik går tankarna till grupper som Sigur Rós, My Bloody Valentine och särskilt Mazzy Star.
Gruppen har producerat musik ända sedan 1996, och debutalbumet kom för två år sedan. Ändå är de sällsamt anonyma. 'Leave Me Out of This' har givits ut på bandets eget skivbolag och de verkar själva sköta all promotion, något de nu tycks jobba hårt på.
Och visst förtjänar de större uppmärksamhet. Den mycket stämningsfyllda, vackra, men flummiga musiken är ett utmärkt soundtrack för mörka vinterkvällar, när man mest vill sitta hemma med ett glas rött vin och fundera över varför man aldrig tycks finna kärleken.
Sångerskan och gitarristen Ann Reekie är nog det enskilt viktigaste elementet i gruppen. Hon ömsom viskar, omsom väser fram orden. Det blir mycket effektfullt ihop med de mörka, repetetiva gitarrslingorna och de långsamma bakgrundskörerna. Gitarristen Adam Green utgör den andra centralgestalten och Ann och han var en gång i tiden ett par.
Detta är inte musik att bli glad av, men konstigt nog släpper de mörka tankarna i takt med att jag spelar 'Reeling as You Came Around Again' om och om igen. Man mår bra efter en stunds kontemplation.
Låttips: 'Reeling as You Came Around Again', 'I Didn't Say' och 'Got a Reason'
Fileunder (NL)
Zijn drones outdated? Kan shoegazing anno 2004 nog wel? Of was dat iets van pak-em-beet rond 1995? En nog wat eerder. Verjaart zo'n genre? Shoegazers zijn toch wel van alle tijden? Fiel Garvie is in ieder geval diep geworteld in die tijd. Met Leave Me Out Of This zal Fiel Garvie er in ieder geval niet aan ontkomen om vergeleken te worden met bands als the Cranes, Lush cs. Deels grijpt het ook nog wat verder terug tot de tijd van Velvet Underground and Nico, wel een nette versie dan. Zangeres Anne Reekie is hier natuurlijk voor een groot deel de oorzaak van met haar hijgerige stem, die af en toe zelfs klinkt als het kleine zusje van Sinead O'Connor. Dromerig, beetje naïef zweven de liedjes je tegemoet en zingt Reekie je bezwerend toe. Toch is het niet een en al onschuld. Eeuwige dromers kunnen ook venijnig zijn! In "Talking A Hole In My Head" laat dit grotendeels rustig voortspinnende poesje toch even een keer flink haar nagels zien en zet die even flink in je handen. Maar als je haar vervolgens weer op haar favoriete plekje tussen de oren kriebelt keer de rust weer snel terug en spint ze rustig verder en jij geniet van haar zachte huid, maar bent wel gewaarschuwd. Al die bands uit de jaren 90 mogen dan inmiddels opgedoekt zijn of verworden zijn tot lachertjes van zichzelf, als Fiel Garvie met Leave Me Out Of This in ieder geval iets bewijst is het wel dat shoegazing eigenlijk helemaal niet verjaart.
(Coen Schilderman)
Go Magazine (ES)
De entre los renovadores del shoegazing, el sello de Minneapolis Words On Music se está agenciando las tres cuartas partes. Si ya conocimos en su día el hermoso debut de Coastal, la nueva andanada vendrá de las guitarras de For Against, The Meeting Places o Fiel Garvie. Estos últimos, británicos de Norwich, ya celebraron en su país ciertas glorias, con la friolera de cinco singles (con Single of the Week de Melody Maker y todo), un EP y un álbum de debut, "¡Vuka vuka!" (Noisebox Records, 01). Su segundo paso en largo, "Leave me out of this", el primero que da el salto fuera de la Pérfida Albión, es un ejemplar muestrario de su efectivo ejercicio de estilo, que fascinará a los nostálgicos del asunto. Desarrollan arabescos reverbgo mntes de guitarra, que miran a los Slowdive menos expansivos, guiados por la infantil voz de Anne Reekie (Alison Shaw sin el rollo dark), con visión pop y tímidas escapadas ruidistas. Incluso honran (¿plagian?) a My Bloody Valentine en "Old Friend". Bonito. (Pablo Vinuesa)
Era (ES)
Words On Music es un sello practicamente desconocido en España que vive al margen de modas y que apuesta por rescatar el shoegazer o, como en el caso de Fiel Garvie, el art pop de Cocteau Twins o The Cranes. Leave me out of this es un disco sedoso, prácticamente sin ritmos, con el que debutan en Estados Unidos. El sonido descrito con palabras parece atractivo pero a medida que avanza el disco el planteamiento se agota. Cuando mejor suenan es en las canciones de pop más clásico, en las que con la voz aniñada de Anne no pierden singularidad. (Carlos González)
Interferencias (ES)
Exquisiteces como este Segundo album del grupo de Norwich no abundan. Pop noctámbulo, crepuscular que puede remitirnos a los Cranes, Cocteau Twins, Lush, The Delgados o, incluso, los actualmente reivindicados Wire. Pero este quinteto representa aún más, canciones de pop lírico envueltas en una ensoñación de guitarras con un trata miento a lo My Bloody Valentine, buscando una escama más a una incesante sucesión de ellas, una deliciosa catarata de ambientaciones melancólicas a la que contribuye la magistral voz de Anne Reekie, para un trabajo que fluye como un mar mágico y misterioso..
)Manolo D. Abad)
Conseguir el equilibrio perfecto entre las melodías de Cocteau Twins, la delicadeza de Drugstore y los destellos de Sigur Ros abre sin dudas terrenos muy interesantes para explorar. Esto es lo que intenta el quinteto noruego afincado el Norwich Fiel Garvie, un grupo que en 2001 debutó con Vuka Vuka (Noisebox), un disco que aquí no se llegó a distribuir.
Su segundo disco, Leave me out of this (Dock, 2003), es toda una declaración de principios: se presentan ajenos a cualquier escena, pretenden alejarse de la etiqueta de “enésima promesa de la escena británica”, y presentar una propuesta intimista y muy personal, lleno de emoción y mucho sentimiento.
Producido por Phil Vinall (Pulp, Elastica, The Auters), Fiel Garvie, nos ofrecen un álbum donde se unen el encanto de las melodías pop con la sofisticación y el buen gusto de unos arreglos electrónicos en absoluto estridentes, llenos de matices que resultan imposibles captar en una primera escucha. El rico espectro de sonidos del disco abarca desde las explosiones comedidas de guitarras (‘Talking a hole in my head’), hasta las secciones rítmicas y de percusión con una gran presencia que marcan el desarrollo de la canción (‘Got a reason’), e incluso con una intención orquestal (‘Doortime’).
Sus temas consiguen evocar paisajes crepusculares llenos de luces y sombras y amaneceres que dan pie a las ensoñaciones más cálidas y agradables. Sin duda, su música no sonaría igual sin la exquisita voz de Anne Reekie, entre susurrante y etérea, con la que consigue transmitirnos el mundo de ensoñaciones que se dibuja en su música.
“Leave me out of this” es un álbum realmente encantador y mágico, pero no parece más que una pequeña muestra de lo que puede hacer un gran grupo..
Desorden (ES)
Fiel Garvie son noruegos aunque están afincados en Norwich. Su perseverancia en las tareas de autopromoción (a desorden.net llegaron cuatro copias distintas de este CD) les ha valido un buen número de reseñas en gran cantidad de webzines patrios y foráneos, pero cierto es que el disco lo merece.
A “Leave Me Out Of This”, segundo en su carrera, la definición de dream-pop les sienta como anillo al dedo y más aún si nos fijamos en esas luces que adornan el digipack que lo envuelve. Voz femenina (que no te sorprenda acordarte de Isabel Monteiro al escucharla…) al frente que susurra estrofas rematadas con preciosos estribillos y que actúa casi como un instrumento más. Guitarras que repiten tres o cuatro notas a lo largo de todo una misma canción adornadas con multitud de efectos, puntuales arreglos de cuerda o de viento… todo aquello que hace que sigamos teniendo a grupos como Cocteau Twins o Slowdive entre nuestros favoritos, con el añadido de que nunca tienes la sensación de estar asistiendo a una mera revisión de “Treasure” o “Souvlaki”.
Más bien al contrario, temas como “I didn’t say”, “Got a reason” o “Talkin a hole in my head” hacen pensar que estás ante un disco realmente grande, sobre todo en su parte inicial y final, al que sólo un pequeño exceso de linealidad le priva de serlo del todo.
(Carlos Revillo)
Radiotelescopio (ES)
Escuchando éste álbum (ya el segundo) de los ingleses Fiel Garvie no resulta nada complicado rastrear sus influencias. Y es que me da la impresión de que estos chicos hubieran sido mucho más felices al menos diez o quince años antes, cuando hablar de música independiente tenía mucho más sentido que ahora. Sin embargo, el estar con un ojo fijo en el pasado reciente del pop inglés no tiene nada de malo, o al menos no lo tiene cuando alguien se está preocupando no ya de reivindicar, sino de tratar de devolver a la actualidad uno de los momentos -musicalmente hablando- más creativos de las últimas décadas. Pero a pesar de la voluntad que ponen para crear bonitas canciones, a todos aquellos que nos educamos en el noise-pop, el indie-pop o el shoegazing, Fiel Garvie no nos enseñan nada que no hayamos escuchado antes. Aunque como suele suceder, si bien no actúan como descubridores, siempre nos dejan un espacio para la nostalgia y para poder hablar de grupos que creíamos olvidados. Así, entre los once temas que componen este disco podemos encontrar retazos de Slowdive, de Lush, de los Sundays, de Boo Radleys, de Ride, de los primeros Spiritualized, de Chapterhouse, de los Charlottes, de Cocteau Twins, de This Mortal Coil o de Kitchens Of Distinction. Y con referencias como éstas, al menos lo que hacen Fiel Garvie desemboca en una devoción sincera por esos sonidos, más allá de modas y tendencias. En cualquier caso, es su sinceridad y su falta de pretensiones lo que les hace encantadores. Al menos conmigo ya lo han conseguido (Ignacio Pérez )
Tremolina Fanzine (ES)
FIEL GARVIE dan un paso de gigante con respecto a su debut en el sello Noisebox. Lo que Vuka Vuka! apuntaba Leave Me Out Of This lo confirma y amplia. Y consiguen algo más bien dificil para cualquier grupo; tener un sonido propio y personal reconocible a los primeros segundos de audición, algo que deben en gran medida a la voz dulce a la par que espectral de Anne Reekie, que además compone e interpreta en solitario las misteriosas b-rock y Flake que abren y cierran respectivamente el compacto. La primera vez que les escuché pensé inmediatamente en Drugstore, la más solvente apuesta de Julio Ruiz en su ya lejanos tiempos de “gloria” pero tempoco están lejos de Mazzy Star o de los últimos dos discos de The Delgados. Suenan brumosos y nocturnos, pero a ratos también parecen el grupo británico que debiera haber caído en manos de Phil Spector en vez de los mediocres Starsailor. Ahí está ese single dulcemente amargo, tristemente euforizante que es I Didn’t Say o la batería de Got A Reason con su particular muros de sonido, o los guitarrazos inmediatos de Talking A Hole In My Head, aunque predominan los momentos suaves y vaporosos, no exentos de detalles venenosos a descubrir en cada nueva escucha. Un disco que puede seb un buen compañero en noches de tristeza e insomnio y que tiene la rara virtud de convertirse tanto en un hombro sobre el que llorar como en un abrazo cálido e inmaterial.
(Jesús Miguel Gimeno Rosales )
Moonpalace (ES)
Fiel Garvie vienen de la mano de uno de los sellos más a tener en cuenta del momento, Words on Music, desde donde procede también una de nuestras bandas favoritas de los últimos tiempos, Coastal. Al igual que Coastal, éstos también gustan de los ritmos más pausados, pero donde unos dan vueltas de una manera exquisita alrededor del slowcore, otros recuperan ese sonido misterioso y sensual de bandas como Cranes o Cocteau Twins, bandas que al igual que hacen ahora Fiel Garvie, basaban gran parte de su potencial en unas vocalistas espectaculares y personalísimas. Así, temas como "I didn´t say", "doortime", o la maravillosa "caught on", remiten directamente a los mejores momentos de Cranes, entre aniñada y volátil, la voz que arropa los excelentes temas de éste "Leave me out of this" aporta la nota característica a unas canciones que redondean una de las sorpresas de éste año que ya termina. Un trabajo que nos hace retroceder hasta comienzos de los 90, mirar a ambos lados, por uno el shoegazing y por el otro los vaporosos y etéreos discos de bandas como los mencionados Cranes, y ver que entre ellos y Fiel Garvie no hay demasiadas diferencias, tan sólo la fecha que vemos en la contraportada de cada uno. Unas referencias de las que distan ya unos años, pero que gracias a una producción de lujo, hace que el disco suene completamente actual, como si de una revisión de aquellos se tratase, una puesta al día de unos discos y una época realmente fructífera por parte de una banda que realmente ha sabido captar esa esencia para llevarla a su terreno. Si a todo esto le sumamos el maravilloso artwork que envuelve el trabajo, tenemos entre manos uno de los discos más bonitos y sugerentes del año. (Juan Ramón Prado Carrión )
Dock edita en España el segundo álbum de Fiel Garvie, quinteto que ve la luz en 1996 en Norwich (Inglaterra), y que desde entonces lleva publicados cuatro CD single, un 7‰, un CD EP y dos CDs.
Sin lugar a dudas, los cuarenta y cinco minutos de este „Leave Me Out Of This‰ mezclado por Phil Vinall (Pulp, Elastica, The Auteurs), recuerdan irremediablemente al sonido 4AD, envuelto por una tímida y fina bruma gótica. El disco flota y deambula por un mundo propio de caricias y susurros a duermevela, aunque cuando se aceleran, como en „Taking A Hole In My Head‰, el resultado es todavía mejor. Consiguen que sea muy complicado no sumergirse en ese espacio, a lo cual contribuye de una manera inapelable el pausado e intimo fraseo de la bonita melodía de la voz de Anne Reekie, que por momentos puede recordar a la inalcanzable Hope Sandoval. Destacable también el trabajo a la guitarra de Adam Green, creando un delicado y onírico escenario, el cual también es ocupado por Emma Corlett (teclados, voces), Greg MacDermott (batería, voces), y Jude Bugden (bajo). Un buen reparto, para una mejor obra, que a levantado elogios allí por donde a pasado, siendo single de la semana en Melody Maker.
De todas las bandas con las que han sido comparados (Björk, This Mortal Coil, Lush, The Delgados, The Cocteau Twins), yo me quedaría con Cranes, pero no creo que necesiten ser objeto de ninguna comparación.
Posiblemente, a principios de 2004, Fiel Garvie nos visiten, será entonces un buen momento para ser seducidos por la necesaria magia de los británicos.
From: Satelite Pop (Spain), November 2003
Como ya os avisamos cuando publicamos la revisión del single "I didn't say" de FIEL GARVIE estábamos expectantes para oír el álbum completo que aquellas dos canciones nos avanzaban en primicia. Y bien, el resultado ya está aquí, gracias a Adam, del propio grupo, que amablemente nos lo hizo llegar desde Norwich hasta las oficinas centrales de satelitepop.com.
Comparados con gente como DRUGSTORE, P.J. HARVEY o incluso con NICO en el Reino Unido, ellos hacen la vista gorda y dicen que quieren dejar de lado todas esas habladurías (¿quizá es ese el significado del título?) y centrarse en ellos mismos. La verdad, hay que admitir que a DRUGSTORE sí que se parecen, quizá es anecdótico, pues el productor de su primer disco fue productor habitual de los de Isabel Monteiro.
Bajo ese precioso envoltorio de luces de colores y estrellas plateadas realmente precioso, hay once canciones intensas y con ese buen sabor de boca que ya nos había surgido tras escuchar el single de adelanto. Como ya mencionamos entonces, se trata de poderosas melodías, en ocasiones muy largas, que arropan esas voces que tanto nos gustan. De esas canciones me quedo con "Got a reason", "Talking a hole in my head" y "There you go".Este segundo álbum de FIEL GARVIE es la continuación de "Vuka Vuka" (Noisebox, 2001), disco del que no pudimos disfrutar en nuestro país puesto que no se distribuyó por estas tierras, cosa que no pasará con "Leave me out of this" que distribuirá en España Dock. Tenemos muchas ganas de escuchar el pasado de esta banda de la que sólo conocemos el presente seguimos esperando.
El Efecto Orégano (ES)
¿Un grupo actual que no pretende hacer la música del año 1972 en New York? Desde Londres nos Ilega el nuevo disco de Fiel Garvie, un grupo situado en el mismo espacio que Mazzy Star, la encantadora música de Drugstore y el desolado sonido de Sigur Ros. “I didn’t say” es el primer single del album “Leave me out of this”, publicado por Foundling Records y producido por Phil Vinall (Black Box Recorder, Placebo, Elastica). Música hetérea, debatiéndose entre la gelidez posmoderna de los oscuros sonidos manchesterianos y la alegre melancolía de las cantantes pop de los sesenta, para minorías dispuestas a dedicar su tiempo a nuevos sonido fuera del “mainstream”. Ecos de Bjork, Cocteau Twins, Lush, Cranes y The Delgados para un grupo que abre nuevas vías – no siempre fáciles – para la música pop.
The Belle Music (ES)
Fiel Garvie es una de las bandas que más está dando que hablar en lo que a la Inglaterra pop se refiere. Su capacidad de innovación está siendo muy bien vista por la crítica y pronto aquí entrarán con buen pie –si es que aún no lo han hecho- ya que “I didn’t say”, su primer single, ha sido elegido por Disco Grande como canción de la semana. El álbum está producido por Phil Vinall, habitual en las grabaciones de Placebo, Elastica o Pulp, con lo que la calidad de sonido y unos buenos arreglos ya están garantizados. Con esto ya has conseguido, al menos, llamar la atención de todo fan de Placebo, Garbage o JJ72 –como matarían estos últimos por hacer un disco así- y si le añades frescura e innovación en lo que a capacidad de composición se refiere, pues también te puedes llevar de calle a todo aquel que ya estaba cansado de la falta de ideas en las bandas de este estilo, como es mi caso. Según Adam, la cabeza visible del grupo, Fiel Garvie no suena como ninguna otra banda y son diversos grupos como R.E.M., Red House Painters o Sigur Ros los que les gustan, por lo tanto se supone que algo de cada uno habrán cogido, aunque a mi Fiel Garvie siempre me recuerda a lo que JJ72 podría llegar a ser si fuese un buen grupo. Hablando de la grabación, decir que rebosa frescura, sensibilidad y sólo tiene los justos toques de potencia, con una sutilidad pasmosa, en algunos pasajes puntuales, como en “talking a hole in my head” o en “old friend”. Y es sin duda esa su mayor virtud; la capacidad de mantaner atento al oyente durante más de los cuarenta y cinco minutos que dura el trabajo sin necesidad de acudir a escarceos metálicos, gritos o distorsiones para defender sus melodías pop, que a fin de cuentas es lo que debería perseguir cualquier grupo de este estilo. Ellos lo consiguen y el tiempo pondrá a cada uno en su sitio.
(Alejandro Ochoa Alonso )
Hay algo que me inquieta nada más poner a funcionar este disco de la mano de “B-rock”. Esa melodía y ese tono de voz me suena tremendamente familiar y no logro acertar el porqué. Por un lado encuentro en ella el tacto finamente rugoso de Tanya Donelly, su asimétrico modo interpretativo evoca poderosamente a Björk y, también, ese poso de melancolía me lleva ya casi por inercia hasta Hope Sandoval, reina mayor de los tonos sepia y las secas hojas del otoño. Aún así, no me termina de encajar en una mente que, en estos momentos se siente como cuando tienes una palabra atascada en la punta de la lengua. En “I dind´t say”, el siguiente tema, la sensación es aún más poderosa: esos susurros que, poco a poco, toman cuerpo y van formando suaves curvas melódicas hasta que llega ese falsete y... ¡sí!, ya sé porque demonios tenía yo esa sensación de que esa voz ya había sonado increíblemente parecida en mi habitación. ¿DRUGSTORE, se acuerdan?. Sí aquel grupo de mediados de los 90 comandado por la brasileña Isabel Monteiro que incluso tocó en el Fib del 96 en una actuación memorable. Pues hagan una comparativa entre las cuerdas vocales de Anne Reekie y ella y, con los lógicos matices, me dirán...( y de paso, podríamos recuperar a aquel bonito grupo perdido en el olvido. Lo apunto para el archivo).
Nada se dice de ello en la hoja promocional del segundo trabajo de este quinteto británico ( sí lo hacen, por el contrario, con CRANES, THIS MORTAL COIL, COCTEAU TWINS, LUSH o THE DELGADOS, entre otros) , pero uno se jugaría el cuello en que es la referencia más acertada para situar estas once canciones que, con un poco de suerte y el siempre necesario apoyo mediático, bien podrían trascender mas allá de ese cajón indie en el que , por ahora, permanecen. Sí, porque FIEL GARVIE no solo tejen asequibles melodías interpretadas con agria dulzura, sino que el envoltorio musical lejos del lo-fi de DRUGSTORE no es sino un pulcro, detallista y brillante lienzo capaz de conquistar esos oídos que no soportan las estrías de los bajos presupuestos. No en vano, se cita también a GARBAGE en la mencionada hoja y sí, en su acabado, se podría emparentar con ese tipo de bandas (se me ocurre también HOOVERPHONIC) que aplican el barniz de la accesibilidad a referencias selectas y exclusivas oxigenando las listas de ventas de su habitual menú de cochambre. Su productor, Phil Vinal ( PULP, AUTEURS, ELASTICA) ha logrado que la sensual “I didn´t say” , la hermosa “Caught you” o la vigorosa “Take a hole in my head” puedan convertirse en los ganchos que lleven al grupo hacia audiencias mayores. Público éste que, en temas como “Old friend”, “There you go” o “Got a reason” quizá encuentre universos musicales que ni soñaban que existían. Si de ahí, tras leer una entrevista donde el grupo los cita como influencia, deciden dar el salto a CRANES (¿existe algún grupo actualmente más infravalorado que ellos?. Otros para ese archivo ) , sería el final feliz de un bonito cuento pop. Dejemos, por una vez, la puerta abierta al optimismo.... ( ¿ se nota que hoy me recibido la noticia de que he aprobado una asignatura que daba por suspensa?).
Eras una sutil cortina de poética melancolía, Fiel Garvie nos ofrece su segundo álbum, "Leave me out of this", tras seis EPs y su disco de debut "¡Vuka Vuka!" (Noisebox Records, 2001).
Surgidos en Gran Bretaña en plena explosión indie, Fiel Garvie matiza a través de sus canciones sensaciones vaporosas utilizando la sensual voz de Anna como hilo conductor, provocando que acudan a la mente reminiscencias que giran entorno a los etéreos Cocteau Twins y a la sensualidad de Dot Allison o Hope Sandoval al generar atmósferas crecientes que fácilmente envuelven al oyente. Sellos como Foundling Records y Noisebox Records han apostado por su trabajo, y ahora, Words on Music apuesta por ellos en las que son sus mejores canciones hasta la fecha.
En "Leave me out of this" y los once cortes que le dan forma, intensidad y nebulosa sensualidad son expresadas con soltura en canciones de secas guitarras como "i didn't say" o "talking a hole in my head", influencias del shoegazing acogen en su seno a cortes como "got a reason" y una cuidada suavidad indie a lo Mazzy Star alivia a través de canciones como "caught on" o "he goes, she goes" en las que la efervescencia del pop denso y melancólico provoca el desvanecer de cualquier estado de acritud.
Son canciones que fluyen hacia un estado de calma retocado con capas de inquietud que dejan un estupendo sabor y generan deliciosas expectativas ante un sonido capaz de generar tenues espacios y orgánicas sensaciones que facilitan a Fiel Garvie abrir un camino digno de ser explorado, no hay más que seguir los pequeños puntos de luz..
¡Vuka Vuka! : Album 2001
I Like Music (UK)
Spooky, seductive, sinister and grungy, atmospheric and unhinged - Anne Reekie's vocals are dramatic but honest with simple guitar riffs underlying them. The songs are catchy, the voice is sexy and raw like the attitude. And with a Tricky-esque feel and provocative cover art that features a woman's hand holding a lit candle with was dripping down her arm and a scary guy with tongue ring licking the candle flame - vuka vuka baby - it's bound to catch on.
Splendid (US)
This is the CD that Garbage has been trying to make for a couple of years now -- spooky, atmospheric, slightly grungy, slightly unhinged pop music with a no-bullshit girl singer from the UK. And what more could you ask for in a band, really? Catchy songs? Check. Sexy voice? Check. Bad attitude? Check. Cover art featuring a woman's hand holding a lit candle with wax dripping down her arm and a skeevy looking guy with no shirt, spiky hair, shiny pants and a tongue ring, licking the candle flame? Check.
Tricky's Angels with Dirty Faces comes to mind when listening to many of these tracks. It must be the claustrophobic atmosphere and the highly detailed, fast-moving musical moods that the band creates. Anne Reekie doesn't have quite the same spooky obsessiveness as Tricky, but she does have her own particular "I may or may not be a psycho so sleep with at least one eye open" quality, which works quite well with the darker, heavier tracks.
"Right Out and Forced" is probably the most Garbage-like track on the disc. It has a cheeseball drum machine in the background, weirdly restrained-but-ready-to-blow vocals and a terrific chorus. "Risk" is one of the prettier tracks; Reekie's vocals are dramatic but honest sounding, the drums are un-rocky and the guitars are simple and lovely. It's a quiet, powerful song.
"Better Gaze than Fear" is very Bjork-like, with its spoken word intro, up-front vocals and stream of conscious lyrics. A lesser band would surely crash and burn if it tried to pull off a tune like "A Man"; the vocals are totally exposed for most of the song, with just a simple bass line, quiet drums and spare guitar and organ parts to support it. Fiel Garvie pulls it off, though, thanks in large part to the band's subtle, restrained playing.
It's obvious why the band released "Glass Faced Warrior" as a single: it really gives their best qualities a chance to shine. The song has a great chorus, complex but subtle and atmospheric music, intriguing lyrics and another terrific vocal performance by Reekie.
You probably haven't heard of Fiel Garvie yet -- I know that I hadn't -- but I think that we'll be hearing a lot more about them soon. !Vuka Vuka! sounds great, its songs are strong and strange and the performances are outstanding. It's really worth a listen.
Organ Ezine (UK)
¡Vuka Vuka! is wrapped in the kind if intriguing artwork that demands you find out more, and when you put in on you instantly know that Fiel Garvie have something that is both rather special and warmly unique.
Vocalist Anne Reekie has a voice that sounds unlike any other, it's a coolly seductive, sometimes sinister voice that sucks you in to their inviting web of warm analogue songs.
Fiel Garvie are from Norwich and their previous singles have hinted at the possibility of fine things to come, we hadn't quite expected it to be this good though. A deceptively simple, uncluttered always restrained sound that plays with warmth and texture, played in a rather organic, seductive way. Delightfully difficult to pin down, almost impossible to put in to mere words, Fiel Garvie reallydo sound like no one else out there.
Anne Reekie's voice brings in a hint of that disturbing feel of Queen Adrena's Katie Jane Garside if she were to suddenly find herself fronting The Cocteau Twins or maybe Tricky's excellent side project Nearly God. Fiel Garvie bring in an almost restrained progressive feel in to things with their intelligent construction and minimal adventures, their warm keyboards and restrained Mellotrons, their insistence on 8 track valve recordings (these things really do make such a difference).
Maybe if Rhatigan was to become a little more organic and less guitar dominated. "Glass Faced Warrior" is almost post modern minimal cocktail lounge jazz, "Dress Down" is such a polite song until you actually listen to those lyrics, "Difference Of Me" is just a delight with it's hint of euphoria, "Shuffle" has a lo-fi organic feel with it's hint of church organ.... don't misunderstand though, this is an album that very much works as a whole. I guess the nearest thing would be a very good Kate Bush album, Kate Bush at her most adventurous, her most creative, her most organic. "For What I Love" is Fiel Garvie's finest moment yet, Vuka Vuka is a rather unique album that you really should take the time to investigate.
Modular (UK)
"¡Vuka Vuka!" marks the Fiel Garvie's debut in a surprising way, mainly for the security and personality of the band. The weird name album is not so accessible, far from it, sometimes it's situated near to the edge of experimentalism. The dense atmosphere and at times until suffocating atmosphere, is the result of the combination of elaborate and melancholic instrumentation and Anne Reeke's vocals. By the way, Reekie does a great job, with her beautiful voice and peculiar singing style. Highlights: "Better Gaze Than Fear", "Glass Faced Warrior", "Risk" and "Dress Down". Despite the hard times that British musical scene is going through, I bet all of my money on these boys and girls from Norwich. Someone dares?
Rhythm and Booze (UK)
Wow a CD that fell out of the envelope that immediately impressed me. Then I look inside the fully glossy inlay and you get some really cool photos and even better quotes such as "it is not always what it seems so use your imagination" and "don't buy stuff do stuff", so even if the music wasn't that good you'd remember the packaging. Then I press play and the music begins and the atmosphere begins and then the vocals begin a haunting girl croon, right from the opening track I'm sold. Imagine the Cocteau Twins, Tricky, The Cranes and PJ Harvey all rolled into one and you're in the right area. Throughout this CD the band go through a number of different moods, on Risk you get a powerful but refrained delivery with gorgeous vocals by Anne Reekie. A Man sees the vocal accompanied by subtle bass, guitars and organ giving the song a sparse feel that shows that the band are happy to let their songs do the talking and don't rely on over played musical background. Glass faced Warrior sees them head into a near jazz direction with a jazz like groove running through the track. Difference Of Me has the band at their rockiest, they seem to up the volume while Anne Reekie continues her spooky yet seductive croon. For What I Love was released as a single and rewarded with single of the week in Melody Maker and you can easily see why the song is full of emotion and walls of guitars that are also occasionally complemented by cello. It's such a catchy song that should have broken the band so much bigger. The whole album is so impressive. It''s an emotional, darkly seductive rollercoaster of atmosphere. An album that will seduce you before gently ripping your heart out.
DrawerB (US)
If Kate Bush had an evil twin she might sound like Anne Reekie - emotionally disturbed and angry but still very feminine. The nervous quiver Reekie intones could easily frighten small children. Her vocals refuse to blend with the dark, atmospheric rock that her band weaves around them. Instead, they hiss and slither amidst the warm analogue tex