Apricot Rail's Self-Titled Debut
Most instrumental rock suggests the apocalypse is coming. If it is, Apricot Rail are too busy crafting beautiful lilting melodies to care. This Perth quintet have the charm, humour and songwriting nous – and a killer live show – to re-ignite anyone’s belief in music’s subtle, giddy powers.
Apricot Rail produce some of the most discretely charming, lush instrumental pop music you’re likely to hear all year. Delicate, bell-like arpeggiated guitars weave around snaking clarinet and flute, while the beautifully held back yet sanguine rhythm section drives the whole thing into a blurred, sun-soaked horizon.
Their debut album features the wonderfully received single ‘Pouring Milk Out The Window’, an anthem without ever having to be anthemic, a melancholic reverie that never resorts to the emotional ease of sadness. ‘If You Can’t Join Them, Beat Them’, which featured on the 2009 Spunk Singles Club compilation album, is another chiming standout. And gorgeous closing track ‘Halfway House’ weaves in bubbling electronics as the band lead the listener through glowing landscapes and light-drenched vistas.
“this shyly retiring gem is predisposed to a seductive spectral / ethereal head bowed beauty much reminiscent of the Grails in more tender moments.” – Losing Today on ‘Pouring Milk Out The Window’
“The might of, I dunno, Mogwai is still there, but the charm of Múm is also present. They paint mountains in broad strokes but afterwards they take time to put in Sherpas and goats partying on the cliff face. That’s how I like my monumental arms of guitar served up - gigantic but also tiny” – Love Is My Velocity
In November 2008 the band headed into Kingdom studios under the guidance of Simon Struthers (Umpire, Adam Said Galore, Mukaizake) where they recorded their self-titled debut long player. Australian fans got a chance to taste some of the new album’s sublime wares when the Apricot Rail track ‘If You Can’t Join Them, Beat Them’ was released on the prestigious Spunk Singles Club compilation album along with the likes of Leader Cheetah, The Dead Sea and The Middle East. The band was also recently nominated for Favourite Newcomer in the 2009 Western Australian Music Industry Awards. Apricot Rail have chalked up some serious gig mileage, along the way supporting the likes of Holly Throsby, Charge Group and Adam Said Galore, whilst finding refuge among Perth’s emerging post-rock/experimental scene.
Apricot Rail’s self-titled album hits the streets on the 4th of July, released through Hidden Shoal Recordings. The album is distributed in Australia through Hidden Shoal Distribution and internationally via n5Mailorder. The album is also be available digitally through the Hidden Shoal Store and all good third-party digital music stores (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon etc).
Hidden Shoal Recordings is an Australia-based independent music label that has earned a reputation for releasing exciting and engaging new independent music that is not bound by genre or style. The label was chosen as one of the top ten favourite labels of 2007 by Textura magazine, and has been dubbed “This generation’s 4AD” by prominent New York radio host DJ Mojo.
Label Site: http://music.hiddenshoal.com
Label Store: http://agora.hiddenshoal.com
Apricot Rail: http://www.myspace.com/
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
