Music Review

02 December 2008 03:19 BST

Speck Mountain: Summer Above

Peace Frog, out April 7th.

In a nutshell…

Chilled-out summer soundtrack offering. Wistful, depressive and beautiful.

Who's it by?

Speck Mountain are a New York trio formed in 2005 who relocated to Chicago to write and record their debut album Summer Above. They comprise of Marie Claire Balabanian on vocals and bass, Karl Briedrick on guitar and Kate Walsh on piano, organ and sax.

To read the inthenews.co.uk interview with Speck Mountain, click here

What's it about?

Speck Mountain’s debut album is a wistful offering of layered chiming guitar riffs and slow psychedelic pop. Marie Claire's vocals beautifully complement the layered bass and guitar and variety of other instruments utilised by the band (including the sax and the organ) in a slow but often beautiful record that meanders through musical genres showing off and incorporating the space rock and 60s psychedelic influences of the band.

As an example...

"My blood is clean but the devil is in me." from 'Blood is Clean'

Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys

Speck Mountain have garnered their fair share of critical acclaim, although they are a little off the mainstream to pick up any Grammys. However, they reached the number five spot in Piccadilly Records 'Year-End Best List' before the album had even been released on this side of the Atlantic so may be a band to keep an eye on.

What the others say

"The opiated numbness of Balabanian's vocals lends an engaging air of naivety to the band's songs, most effectively on Girl Out West. As comforting as a warm bath of Prozac. 3/5." - Independent

So is it any good?

Speck Mountain's first album is a musical tonic; a summer breeze in a CD case; a hazy dream. A subtle blend of folk, funk and electronica, Summer Above is the 21st century's answer to Mamas and the Papas and the Velvet Underground, although more needs to be seen from this trio before these comparisons can be brought fully to life, since there is an absence of variance in the album. It might have been nice to hear a slightly heavier guitar here and there or the odd up-beat tune to test the band's mettle, but for now it is safe to say that they are great at what they do.

The album was for the most part recorded in late night / early morning sessions in a Chicago recording studio and the album reflects this sleepy atmosphere, both in sound but also at times in pace, with songs like Chlorine Fields overly long, clocking in at around nine minutes. Yet while there is some overly indulgent sections to this album, there are some gems there as well. Fjord Song is one of the standout tracks on the album, wistfully evoking the haunting isolation and beauty of the Scandinavian landscape.

8/10

Zephie Begolo