'“Auld Lang Syne” is hermetic, homemade ragged psych-folk featuring brittle guitar and vocals that aim for the subtly epic and often hit the mark. A soon-to-be-rarity not to be missed.' (8 out of 10)
'"Auld Lang Syne" reads like a Jandek meets Amon Duul situation, switching gears between the hazy light and lilting vocals of the verses and a more orchestrated psychedelic songwriter bent that by the end fully expands into an acoustic kraut rock jamboree with a heavy dose of Skip Spence delirium. It's a nice little release that deserves some attention for sure. Beautifully recorded and a great early morning head scratching vibe.'
'As far as the intended style goes, Malkin pulls it off with ease, treating listeners to a subdued listening environment whose barrenness coincides exceedingly well with his deeply soothing voice and the melancholic lyrical overtones he conveys. And while the style is done remarkably well, the aspect that has drawn me most toward the success of The Endless Night traces back to Malkin’s songwriting. It is not by any means an intricate affair, but he makes exceptional use of his instruments at hand. Considering that he was using nothing more than a 4-track, a few instruments, and two hands, the individualistic variety in the songwriting on The Endless Night is considerably impressive.'
'Queen Victoria is also called Nick Malkin and The Endless Night comes in a black package without any information, just a sepia photograph that makes me think of Jandek, but the music is warmer than that (for all its desolation), and Malkin's moan does not sound as sad as it makes itself out to be, like someone who's waiting for the day when he can garage-sale all his Leonard Cohen records while his wife plays inside with their little girl.'
'A lot of unsigned artists’ first releases can be a chore to listen to, but Malkin has served up a confident collection of songs in the singer/songwriter mold.'
You're right Nick. I'm so tired of going to these bands that play simple chord sequences and act like they're fucking rockstars (it was okay when The Ramones did it because it sounded awesome and they didn't act cocky )and I think to myself "They ain't no good. I could fucking do that." So I think I fucking will. Fuckin' eh!!
