I had a where have you lot been hiding moment the first time I heard Comet Gain. I came late to the party, and I was astonished to discover a large back catalogue that touched on so many things: Britpop, The Go-Betweens, ? and The Mysterions, Godard and ’60s British kitchen sink dramas, Mods, Orange Juice, Felt, Bikini Kill, Smash Hits, Northern Soul, the photography of Roger Mayne, hell, even the photo I use at the top of this column, came together and found a place to roost.
[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/14-Beatnik.mp3|titles=Beatnik] [audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/07-Ripped-Up-Suit.mp3|titles=Ripped-Up Suit]It’s a literate, spirited, and reverent indie pop that these Londoners make. They tap into something where they sound, and the listener feels, unabashed about being a music geek, and the redemptive and exhilarating power of rock, style, and being smart.
[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/16-The-Ballad-of-a-Mix-Tape.mp3|titles=The Ballad of a Mix Tape] [audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/11-Some-of-Us-Dont-Want-to-Be-Saved.mp3|titles=Some of Us Don’t Want to Be Saved]What really comes through for me is the sense that this scrappy cult phenomenon are really psyched to be making records. They’re an indie-pop confection, and the more you eat, the more you want, which is something everyone should love in their favorite bands.
[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/01-The-Kids-at-the-Club.mp3|titles=The Kids at the Club] [audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/19-Germ-Of-Youth-Part-II.mp3|titles=Germ of Youth Part II]Check ’em:
Their album, “Broken Record Prayers” is one of my favs.
And you know how you can tell they’re cool? They shoot their video in black and white, and all the girls have bangs/fringe.
A friend burned me a collection of their singles a couple of years ago. I like the album. They’ve got style and spark. This would have been a great band to have discovered in college. Unfortunately, there’s a part of me these days that feels like I’m trying to fit in with the local college kids home on summer break if I spend too much time with a band like this. That’s my problem. I like the way you characterize them in this piece, Slim.
THis presentation got off to a bad start with me. The video and the 1st 2 tracks had that grating, recorded all in the red feel that force me to hit Stop on the Slits, and early un-schooled Souixie. I like lots of lo-fi stuff but I always feel that the band and the song have to redeem that obstacle. The later MP3s were much better and saved my perception of the band a bit.
I’ll have to say that they do seem to be part of the insular hipster culture we get around here with the hip kid parties, drinking in toilet stalls and songs about only themselves and their tribe. On the plus side, the British facial hair fashions aren’t anywhere near as noxious as here in the US. It does tend to be offputting to anyone outside their orbit.
Those are three very different styles/sounds in the three pairs of songs. Is there any thread binding them together? The middle pair sounds completely out of place amongst the others. I know what k means about the “all in the red” sound (on the first two tracks and to a lesser extent in the video), it bugs me to some degree.
“The Kids at the Club” made me think of New Order “Age of Consent” immediately. “Love Without Lies” brought to mind Bauhaus, also due to the bass line. I did kind of like “Germ of Youth” with the repetitive guitar-effect/drums groove.
I never heard of this group “Comet Gains'” From what I read of he disparate comments I’d like to check them out?
The 6 songs posted await your mouse clicks!