HIGH LLAMAS

Can Cladders

Μετά από ένα μεγάλο διάστημα απουσίας οι High Llamas επιστρέφουν με ένα
pop-masterpiece! O Sean O’ Hagan και η πολύχρωμη παρέα του επαναφέρουν εδώ την
παραδοσιακή, χαρούμενη, pop αισθητική που χαρακτήριζε τη δουλειά τους σε όλα τα
’90ς, με μερικά από τα πιο δυνατά του κομμάτια, όλο και πιο κοντά στον απόλυτο
εξωτικό ήχο, το μυθικό χαρμάνι... Ένα κουαρτέτο εγχόρδων και μια γυναικεία
χορωδία δίνουν τον τόνο στο gospel των High Llamas, πάνω σε μια ηδονική ηχητική
κατάσταση βασισμένη σε πιάνο, βιμπράφωνο και όργανο και χτισμένη πάνω στην
σοφιστικέ pop παράδοση του Brian Wilson, των Steely Dan ή των 10CC, αλλά και την
blue-eyed soul της Laura Nyro και των Big Star. O Sean O’ Hagan θεωρείται μία
από τις σπουδαιότερες μορφές της νέας βρετανικής μουσικής σκηνής, οι
ενορχηστρώσεις, οι συνθέσεις και τα remixes του είναι μοναδικά και περιζήτητα,
έχοντας επανειλημμένα οδηγήσει καλλιτέχνες όπως οι St. Etienne, Stereolab, Brian
Wilson, Love, Doves, Super Furry Animals, Tom Ze και Will Oldham σε αναζήτηση
των υπηρεσιών και των ταλέντων του.

"... απίστευτη μουσικότητα" (Mojo****).

BIO

Hailing from London, England, the High Llamas are a band with one mission in
mind: to make beautiful pop music. Formed in 1992, the High Llamas have released
six studio albums to date, along with a slew of EPs. From their debut with
1992’s Santa Barbara, to their critically lauded Gideon Gaye, to their most
recent effort on the Drag City label, Buzzle Bee, the Llamas’ sound is melodic,
densely layered, eclectic, and adroitly produced.

Much of the story of the High Llamas is the story of Sean O’Hagan. O’Hagan
worked with Cathal Coughlan in the group Microdisney, formed in 1980, until the
group disbanded in 1988. O’Hagan then released a solo effort titled High Llamas,
the title and album cover of which came from a magazine picture of a Victorian
hot-air balloon. In 1992, O’Hagan formed the High Llamas and recorded the
Apricots EP. Mute Records took the four tracks on Apricots, added four more
tracks, and released it as the High Llamas’ debut full-length, Santa Barbara.
Their next album Gideon Gaye met with high praise from critics upon its release
in 1994. Since that time, the Llamas have been putting out great pop records on
a fairly consistent basis.

Gideon Gaye and the High Llamas’ subsequent releases have garnered for O’Hagan
and his Llamas many a comparison to Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. While this
resemblance can certainly be heard in the High Llamas’ unmistakeable harmonies
and the cheery, light quality of their music, many other influences inform the
Llamas’ sound, including the work of Steely Dan, Ennio Morricone, Burt
Bacharach, and Joao and Astrud Gilberto--as well as decidedly more "electronic"
acts like Stereolab and Mouse on Mars. In fact, it is the fusion of such
seemingly disparate genres as melodic ’60s pop and modern electronic music that
makes the High Llamas so compelling. They are assuredly a band to watch in the
future.

The High Llamas are:

Sean O’Hagan - vocals, guitars
Marcus Holdaway - keyboards
Jon Fell - bass
Rob Allum - drums

Δελτίο Τύπου