The Divine Comedy - Your Daddy's Car (Acoustic Version) (Setanta, 1994)

Delightful baroque pop.

The Promenade album was my introduction to the delights of The Divine Comedy. Pre-Britpop loucheness, Neil Hannon was knocking out a stream of arch but heartfelt songs and adorning them with oodles of strings and romantic lyrics.

If I'm honest I probably only bought this because there wasn't much else out that Monday and it came with a free bonus CD. I'm eternally thankful I did - firstly, because Promenade is a splendid album; and, secondly, it led me to his wonderful debut album via the bonus disc's live acoustic takes on four tracks from said album.

'Your Daddy's Car' somehow conjures images of The Great Gatsby, The House Of Eliot and the Famous Five. A sprightly tune, here just acoustic guitar, cello and pizzicato violin, it's smells of cucumber sandwiches, cricket pavilions and unrequited love. Tidy.

Download The Divine Comedy 'Your Daddy's Car (Acoustic Version)' (Setanta, indie, pop, mp3) (Divshare)

#Bestof2011 - Neverest Songs 'Paper Trumpets' (Tea At Yours)

Best newcomer of 2011. Beautiful, orchestrated folk-gazer delight.

A delightful, wistful slice of gently unwinding folk with strings, gorgeous backing vocals and subtle guitar. 'Paper Trumpets' boasts a shoegaze-y sensibility with  circular, ensemble singing in the mode of A Silver Mt. Zion.

A very promising single to file next to the similarly talented Peter Broderick, Sufjan Stevens and the exquisitely arranged prog-pop of Spoonfed Hybrid. He's released a handful of CDs including an accomplished film soundtrack so he's not really new. New to me this year though and great to see him at the Green Man festival.

The seven-inch vinyl release available direct from the artist.


Paper Trumpets by Neverest Songs

Cocteau Twins 'Dials' (4AD, 1991)

Gentle rarity from the 1991 singles box set.

'Dials' was one of the tracks on the bonus disc in the 1991 singles box set (along with 'The High Monkey Monk' post herebefore). It was released as they were about to leave 4AD for Phonogram's major label headaches.

It's an outtake from the 'Heaven Or Las Vegas' sessions and is a beat-less piece of beauty. It bridges the ambient gorgeousness of the 'Victorialand' album to the richness of the later 4AD period, thereby teaching a generation of Shoegazers what singing should sound like.

Beautiful.

Download Cocteau Twins 'Dials' (indie, Dreampop, Shoegaze mp3 download) (Mediafire)

Listening Post - Esmerine 'La Lechuza' (Constellation, 2011)

Epic, ornate post-rock/modern classical hybrid from alumni of Godspeed You! Black Emporer, A Silver Mt Zion and Set Fire To Flames.

'La Lechuza' is the first Esmerine release since 2005 and the first to be released on Constellation. It's a beautifully poised record comprising strings, piano, harp and a host of elegant arrangements.

Tracklist:
A Dog River
Walking Through Mist
Last Waltz
Trampolin   
Snow Day For Lhasa
Sprouts
Little Streams Make Big Rivers
Au Crepuscule, Sans Laisse
Fish On Land 



La Lechuza - ESMERINE by Constellation Records

My Life Story 'Funny Ha Ha EP' (Mother Tongue, 1994) (zip)

Proto-Britpop orchestral pop elegance from My Life Story.

This is an early self-released EP by the wonderful My Life Story who were a kind of flamboyant, major-key parallel band to The Divine Comedy or The Auteurs, releasing some gorgeous orchestral and baroque string-driven pop.

Busting a twelve-piece, heavily orchestral line-up, singer/songwriter/driving force Jake Shillingford cut a maverick figure in the pre-Britpop years - maybe something of a precursor to the wonderful Patrick Wolf, though going a little easier at the dressing-up box.

My Life Story later signed to EMI but never made the breakthrough they deserved and faded away, seemingly embittered by the experience of being processed through the major label machine. According to the Jake Shillingford website, he now lectures on the importance of autonomy in the music industry.

This EP shows them in fine form. 'Funny Ha Ha' is piled with swirling strings, catchy melodies, memorable lyrics and is utterly irresistable with 'Funny Peculiar' a companion, stripped-down chamber/lounge version. 'The Lady Is A Tramp' is a driving, strident groover and 'These Words Are Haunting' is a moodier end-of-the-relationship ballad, draped in picked and strummed acoustic guitar and some crazy flute.

A top quality EP package.

B-sides/rarities and greatest hits CDs are available direct from Jake Shillingford's online store and are highly recommended.

Tracklisting:
1. Funny Ha Ha
2. The Lady Is A Tramp
3. These Words Are Haunting
4. Funny Peculiar

Download My Life Story 'Funny Ha Ha EP' (320k mp3, ZIP) (Mediafire)

The Left Banke 'Desiree' (Smash, 1968) (mp3)

Delicious, strident and swirling piece of baroque sixties pop.

The Left Banke crafted two albums of baroque, string-laden pop and also wrote 'Walk Away Renee' which was made (most) famous by The Four Tops.

By the time of their second album ('Too') principal songwriter Michael Brown had left making just one contribution to the album. 'Desiree' builds to an urgent, storming pace from an intro of voice and cello, taking in brass, strings and lashings of harmonies.

Recently released on Sundazed along with their debut album.

Download The Left Banke 'Desiree' (mp3) (Mediafire)