So let's start with the brutal cover art. On the front a photo of a black hole or something similarly intergalactic with photoshoppy text that you might see on a totally sketchy "electronica" album, and then the back cover is an ink jet print with poorly aligned print heads? The thing is that the cover isn't poorly done; it also makes absolutely no sense. They're a great sixties influenced indie pop band in the guise of a bargain bin trance act. These guys are in desperate need of a graphic designer... if you're reading this – my services are available for hire!
The music, on the other hand, is first rate. Super simple perfect pop songs about love, love, love. They sound a lot like the less psychedelic members of the Elephant 6 crew. There's hardly a bad song on here, from the power-pop opener Don't Push Me Away, the slinky, loungey acoustic Fall In Love Again, and the maybe the best song on the album, Gwynneth. I think their version of Sleeping In A Beetle Bug may be better than the original.
Singer Michael Chagnon has a great vibrato and a charming Westerberg-like snarl that works wonders on The End of The Real World.
The recording quality and mix is remarkably good for a self-produced, independent release. If you dig the poppy side of Elephant Six - bands like Minders, Of Montreal, Apples In Stereo, Marbles, you'll flip for this band - myspace.com/escapevelocityva or buy it from cdbaby.com/escapevelocity for the nice price of 8 bucks US greenback dollars.
