Pavement, Malkmus, Adam Green, Built to Spill, Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, Bright Eyes, Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division, Broken Social Scene, Dappled Cities Fly, The Unicorns Gerling, The Fall, Ride, My Bloody Valentine, Yo La Tengo, Guided by Voices, Velvet Underground, blah, blah, blah.
As dreamy, somnolent waves of delayed guitar and keyboard wash under Mark Smithers clean, disconnected vocal, one thing becomes clear - The Small Hours are a real band for real fans.
With an average age of twenty, the four guys from Sydney’s Western suburbs embody the culture and history of their music. Songs like Episode II and Arks satisfy without trimmings, nodding at seminal Sydney groups like Youth Group, Dappled Cities and classic international acts like Yo La Tengo, while Smithers’ nuanced songwriting and vocal mark The Small Hours as an individual proposition.
Smithers and his band examine youth, love and friendship with characteristic melancholy, distance and wry humor. Their drowsy combination of guitars and keyboards slow things down while Smithers examines melancholy and happiness at arms’ length. It's that distance and slight sadness that makes these songs evocative.
The Small Hours debut is the sound of suburban Sydney ticking over in the heat, the vacuum of nothing much happening, of youth passing by and days falling off the calendar.
Most importantly Small Hours are unafraid to have their music reflect their lives without styled contrivance, and that sincerity comes across in their Wayne Connolly-produced debut. I hope it impresses you, as it’s impressed me.
Enter your Email Address to Subscribe/Unsubscribe.
Video: Episode II - Live at The Hopetoun Hotel (6.8.08)
Brag Single Review (Episode II - 3.5 Stars):
This precocious young Indie group from Sydney’s western suburbs create a shimmering heat-haze of guitars and keyboards through which singer Mark Smithers weaves his airy vocal, criticizing an old friend for turning into a fluro-wearing club clone. Their sophisticated mesh of Indie guitar influences like Youth Group, Dappled Cities and Yo La Tengo make them custom fit for producer Wayne Connolly, and does a wonderful job of brightening the corners of their quirky melancholy arrangements. Smither’s weary sense of fatalism combines with a shiftless, emotionally fluent structure and lovely melody. Good Stuff.
Listen to our music. Membranes are cracking, ears are exploding and consciousness is infected. Listening to Baxandall IP's from Mystique Moon Recs music induces alteration of personality and memory loss ;)
Hi there! We have two exciting shows this week! Friday 27th Feb Heritage Hotel, Bulli With Sierra Fin and The Shipwrecked Doors open at 8pm. $12 presale, $15 at the door.
Saturday 28th Feb Spectrum, Darlinghurst With The Retreat and Adrian Deutsch The Supper Club, Darlinghurst Doors open at 8pm. $12 presale, $15 at the door.
Take care and hope to see you soon!! The Dawn Collective
Online Now!
