Another Form of Relief

A London five-piece that claims their influences include Pavement, Grandaddy and Yo La Tengo? If I had a pound for every time I’ve read that line on a band website or Myspace page, I wouldn’t be rich right now, but I would be building up a nice little pile of coins. Hell, is there any band these days that doesn’t cite Pavement as an influence? I get that they will be in the consciousness of recent bands, but when you’ve got a band that would sound more comfortable on the metal shelf of the record store claiming the same thing, it starts to get a little silly. So I’m a little hesistant to listen to bands that claim the same set of stock influences these days. Thankfully I still listen anyway though, as if I didn’t, I never would have discovered My Sad Captains.

Get past their awkward name, and you’ve got a band that does genuinely invoke a 90s Americana kind of vibe from their music. Which is a pretty impressive for a band from London. The guitars guide the songs between the gentler verses to the bursts of noise that seem to prop up the choruses. It’s never over the top, giving a feel the whole time that they band could kick into high gear at any minute, but these guys are far too restrained for that. The vocalist sounds laconic and indifferent when he asks “I was just wondering if you liked my style”, but you get the sense that he really does care what you think.

MP3 My Sad Captains - All Hat and No Plans (expired)
MP3 My Sad Captains - Hide & Seek (expired)

My Sad Captains: Website || Myspace

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