My new favourite band Part Blah, Blah, Blah Sometimes the chance discoveries are the best ones. Marlin's Dreaming'st HIRL fell into my lap yesterday afternoon, browsing through a playlist of new releases. Within a couple of songs I was hooked on their sreamlined, minimalist guitar driven sound and sensibility. They're a band with enormous heart and soul.
Hailing from Otepoti, New Zealand Marlin's Dreaming have a few albums under their belts and seem to be a good example of the wisdom of keeping thing simple if you can. At various points I thought of Feelies,Chastity Belt, The Shins, Alex G and other favourite things. Their playlists on Spotify feature Big Thief, Duster, Wilco and other things which may recommend them to you. . And also themselves. Never a bad idea.
When I started off with the record, I wondered for a moment whether Chris De Burgh was at the mic, but this sensation soon disipated and Marlin's Dreaming settled into an easy groove and began to quietly astonish. They remind me in many respects of Antipodean forbears. The Flying Nun bands. The Go Betweens. They have a fluid, comfortable grace and the record dips and flows in a manner that few contemporary bands are capable of these days. They're special. Let's put it that way.
This is a record I'm still getting to know but one that I already love, in the way that I used to love records when I was seventeen. Spring Hill Fair. Rattlesnakes. This is the best guitar album I've heard for some time. I'll post this again later in the year. Well into December, as my rundown of my favourite records of the year draws to its close.
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