Suburban Light

by The Clientele

Overview

Even as the Clientele's hazy, soft-focus indie pop suggests the influence of virtually every musical ancestor worth acknowledging, the band's pastoral beauty nevertheless conjures a dreamscape entirely its own; fusing the heady otherness of psychedelia with the gentle caress of folk, Suburban Light swirls and settles like gold dust. Like the artist Joseph Cornell, the titular subject of one of the disc's most memorable songs, the Clientele assemble and juxtapose found fragments (collected from forebears like Love, Nick Drake, and Donovan) and transform their source materials into something magical and new; although the record's 13 cuts assemble various singles and scattered recordings, the finished product hangs together with a clear sense of purpose and scope. While Alasdair MacLean's plain-spoken, heartfelt vocals and subtle guitar arpeggios are the focus of the record, it's impossible to underrate the thoughtful, always supportive bass playing of James Hornsey and drummers Daniel Evans and Howard Monk. Together they create a haunting, poetic, and rich sound that's unlike any indie pop being created by their contemporaries. Suburban Light is a brilliant introduction to the band, and over repeated listens, the songs grow both more distinctive and more interconnected, boasting a richly nuanced intricacy as intoxicating as it is elusive. ~ Jason Ankeny

Product Details

Release Date:	05/13/2014
Label:	Merge
UPC:	0673855018713
Rank:	20746

Tracks

1. I Had to Say This
2. Rain
3. Reflections After Jane
4. We Could Walk Together
5. Monday's Rain
6. Joseph Cornell
7. An Hour Before the Light
8. (I Want You) More Than Ever
9. Saturday
10. Five Day Morning
11. Bicycles
12. As Night is Falling
13. Lacewings

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Clientele   Primary Artist
Alasdair MacLean   Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards
James Hornsey   Bass
Mark Keen   Drums
Howard Monk   Drums
Innes Phillips   Guitar,Vocals
Daniel Evans   Drums
Sarah Crisp & Quartet   Cello,Viola,Violin

Technical Credits

The Clientele   Composer
Bob Markley   Composer
Alasdair MacLean   Composer,Group Member
James Hornsey   Group Member
Shaun Harris   Composer
Clock Strikes Thirteen   Composer
Howard Monk   Group Member
Innes Phillips   Composer,Group Member
Daniel Evans   Group Member
Sarah Crisp   Arranger,Composer