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This one is hard to figure, the beats - both down and midtempo - are some of the best ever found on Buzzin' Fly. It's too bad the Canadian duo's singer Graham Baxter's voice bears more than a cosmetic resemblance to that of Thom Yorke and it is just plain irritating, especially on the closer "Sonic", to think what Flowers and Sea Creatures would sound like if they weren't trying so hard to be derivative.
Despite all of the posturing, they still manage to crank out a release that, at the very least, deserves a listen. Because despite all of Baxter's Yorke affectations the duo's sound isn't all that influenced by Radiohead instead carving their own unique path.
"At Night" has Baxter going overboard with the Thom Yorke love and it is glaring on the lead off cut of this four tracker. The beats here could be best described as trip-hop, in that sexy and sophisticated, Everything But The Girl kind of way, as opposed to the blunted beats of Bristol.
It's a dynamite combo that gives the original some real staying power and shows that Buzzin' Fly has some real vision and a solid understanding of the genre's aesthetic. The complementing dub version strips the original back to a simple Balearic pulse that is gentle and spacy. Baxter's vocals are reduced to Radiohead-ish cooing which is tolerable in the context of the track.
On the flip side, "International" picks up the Balearic baton and runs with it for another laid back early evening swayer. Baxter's voice is still overbearing and more so on this track than on the leadoff cut "At Night". Still, it has a general sense of moodiness that gives it some serious panache.
"Sonic" sounds like a weird old relative trying to play demos from that album he cut back in the Seventies. Horrendous can't even begin to describe its awfulness, even in spite of the excellent use of electronic percussion that backs this Cat Stevens-inspired treacle.
Freebie from Buzzin' Fly - Download: 'At Night':
www.buzzinfly.com/fasc-at-night.html
| Artist: Flowers and Sea Creatures Title: Test Pressing EP Label: Buzzin’ Fly Records Tracklist www.myspace.com/flowersandseacreatures Our Rating: 6,5/10 |
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