<div> <ul class="ResultList"> <li><a href="/news/former-finalist-djokovic-through-to-us-semis-$1325996.htm">Former finalist Djokovic through to US semis</a></li><li><a href="/news/more-belgian-joy-as-wickmayer-makes-semis-$1325995.htm">More Belgian joy as Wickmayer makes semis</a></li><li><a href="/news/northern-ireland-0-2-slovakia-$1325991.htm">Northern Ireland 0-2 Slovakia</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div style="background:white;"> </div> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-9353229343941924"; /* 300x250, created 03/11/09 */ google_ad_slot = "0725049070"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> </div><p class="date">Thursday, 10, Sep 2009 01:58</p><p class="summary"><i> Geographic, out now</i>. </p><p><b>In a nutshell... </b> </p><p>The next best thing to silence </p><p><b>What's it all about?</b> </p><p>Over a decade after their last album, Glaswegian indie veterans the Pastels collaborate with Tokyo's Tenniscoats to create 12 soft and subtle tracks cleanly divided between the two groups. </p><p><b>Who's it by?</b> </p><p>In the UK, most interest in the album will of course be generated by the involvement of the Pastels. First forming in 1982, the group proved to be a key influential group at the time, starting from garage and punk pop origins, but mellowing into a softer synth sound as they matured. Following a constantly changing line up which marked various shifts in musical direction, the release of 1997 album Illuminations marked the beginning of a period of 'other projects' for the group, including running their own record label and working on soundtracks for film and theatre. </p><p>In contrast to the Pastels, the still relatively wet behind the ears Japanese folk-pop outfit Tenniscoats consists of Saya and Takashi Ueno; although they often work with session musicians- many of whom are high profile names in their own right. Earlier this year, Saya also began the psych-folk group Kasumi Trio. </p><p>Despite coming to the present collaboration from very different directions, and originating from different sides of the world, the music of the two groups demonstrates perfectly the sense of universality and eternity behind the whole concept. Essentially, the music of the two groups does not so much compliment each other as morph into an inseparable whole; sometimes distinguishable only by the fact that some of the song lyrics are in Japanese and some are sung in English. </p><p><b>As an example... </b> </p><p>"Ashes are grey in the day/All ashes are grey in the day."- Vivid Youth </p><p><b>What the others say</b> </p><p>"The two bands inhabit such similar musical worlds - dreamy places where vocals are wispy, melodies gossamer and the word twee never far away - that their alliance makes sense... But the bands' unselfconscious appreciation of each other brings something more: a buoyant confidence that infuses every subtly orchestrated note." - Guardian </p><p>"Two Sunsets, then, is a tale of two cities: an enveloping delight both familiar and unusual, gentle in its tempo yet invigorating in its possibilities." - The Skinny </p><p><b>So is it any good?</b> </p><p>There is very little you can justifiably criticise about this album. It is beautiful, calming and evocative- following clearly on from the Pastels' recent soundtrack work. Whether or not you will remember a single second of it within five minutes of the final note, whether it is really noticeably different from a number of other similar projects and whether it is worth spending money on or even the time to download it illegally are all entirely different matters. </p><p>The Pastels' About You is one of the most poignant tracks of the collection; the child-like chimes, easy listening pan pipes and whimsical pretensions of mini-track Modesty Piece is one of the most uncomfortable. The spacey and magical influence of Japanese pop interspersed throughout also adds to the much talked of dream-like quality of the album. </p><p>Overall though, it is difficult to be moved in either direction by Two Sunsets - except to put it down as another film sound track in the making. </p><p><b>6/10</b> </p><p><i>Julia Ross</i></p> </div> <div id="article-ad"> <script type='text/javascript'><!--//<![CDATA[ var m3_u = (location.protocol=='https:'?'https://a.preferdigitaladvertising.co.uk/delivery/ajs.php':'http://a.preferdigitaladvertising.co.uk/delivery/ajs.php'); var m3_r = Math.floor(Math.random()*99999999999); if (!document.MAX_used) document.MAX_used = ','; document.write ("<scr"+"ipt type='text/javascript' src='"+m3_u); document.write ("?zoneid=139"); document.write ('&cb=' + m3_r); if (document.MAX_used != ',') document.write ("&exclude=" + document.MAX_used); document.write (document.charset ? '&charset='+document.charset : (document.characterSet ? 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