I'm a sucker for strings. Guitar strings, cello strings, violin strings, harp strings, all things strings. I'm also a sucker for rock & roll, thunderous drums and bass , the occasional listening of the soundtrack to Stanley Kubricks "Barry Lyndon" and I have a healthy appetite for The Dirty Three. Perhaps that is why I loved this little surprise waiting in my inbox so much.
Exquisite Corps release their debut self titled album today (July 25th 2012) after forming in a Sacramento garage with a cello, a guitar and a voice. Since their minimalist beginnings Exquisite Corps have exploded physically and volumously into a six piece outfit melding strings with guitars and drums to create a symphonic, indie, pop, feast that is not only eccletic but an example of atmospheric music making at it's best.
Number 1 track off the rank "Tone Poem" sounds like something Brian Wilson could have pushed out for The Beach Boys Pet Sounds album and is a grand symphonic opening featuring sweet, sweet strings and a killer bass line that slides underneath the song like a snakey hipped mo-fo, embracing the classical vibes and dancing around them to create a groove and texture laden masterpiece.
Track 2 "Light As A Feather" is cinematic in depth, absorbing and thanks to fabulous production, loses absolutely nothing of it's robust strength on these crappy office speakers. I shudder and become slightly incontinent when I think about what this song would sound like on "real" speakers.
This album is an absolute treat and if the good people of Sacramento are any indication of what's good then the recent sellout show at the Crocker Art Museum's auditorium stands as testament to the greatness of Exquisite Corps.
The album is available digitally today via Bandcamp and iTunes.
Here is a sample of the luxurious goodness.
