No Hits 10.24.05

Sister In Love (mp3) - Envelopes

Demon, a newish record by Envelopes, is what happens when a French chanteuse and a bunch of Swedes plant themselves in rural Yorkshire, England to subsist on a steady diet of Belle & Sebastian and The Pixies. Or at least that's what I imagine they're lapping up. What exactly is this motley bunch doing in Yorkshire exactly? It's kind of a mystery. (Ah, the joys of holding an EU passport!) But the giddy, catchy music they've produced is clear as day.

"Sister In Love" is the standout track on the album. Unless you're a heartless bastard, you can't hate it. And it's more than possible you'll adore the ditty. When singer Henrik Orrling intones with mock seriousness,

If I were you, I'd watch out for that guy, over there

He is, he is, he is not that fair!

then the rest of the gang barges in for an enthusiastic chorus of,

Is your sister in love, is your sister in love, is your sister in love?

you're transported to a world of ice cream cones, bike rides in country lanes and staying up well past bedtime. You know, all the stuff K and Kindercore and Sarah Records used to be about, but with stronger production values and even better hooks. So yeah, this isn't exactly twee-pop. For one thing, crunchy guitar lines and a well-placed scream put some muscle behind the message. And while Envelopes sound like amateurs, my guess is that's just a political stance, wink wink.

Isabel and Leonard (mp3) - Envelopes

Sister In Love video (Quicktime)

Demon is already available to buy in the UK and Europe. Right now it's import-only in the U.S. The band has also just released "Sister in Love" as a single, which includes remixes by Test Icicles and Clor. Stream them here.

Also, if you don't normally check in with this blog on the weekends be sure to backtrack a little. Yesterday, I posted some excellent stuff from a new singer/songwriter, The Inconsolable.