With the days getting shorter and autumn rapidly approaching, I figure it's time to upload one of my favorite fall records and one of my favorite records in general. I've tried to shy away from uploading readily available records in favor of the slightly obscure, but this is something I think everyone needs to have whether you pay for it or not.
The Clientele are a great Indie-Pop band from London who have been around since the early 90's, but only started receiving notoriety in the states once they were picked up by the always consistent Merge Records. They've released 3 LP's, several split 7"s, singles and EPs and while most of their material is solid, nothing will top the singles collection, Suburban Light. Whenever I start getting sick of summer and psyched for fall, Suburban Light is the first record I think of. Everything about it embodies fall to me - rainy days, cooler weather, sweaters, shorter days. I hear it in Alasdair MacLean's breathy, reverbed vocals and in the soft, dark production that makes each song sound like it was recorded in a dreary London bedroom. I hear it in songs like "Rain" and the off-kilter but upbeat "We Could Walk Together" in which MacLean sings about the fading heat of summer. They write dreamy, laid back music comparable to the lyrics about the simple pleasures of getting high, rainy days, quiet mornings, dusk and sleep. The Clientele have a knack for wearing their influences on their sleeve without borrowing too much from them. In their life-span, The Clientele have rarely strayed from their trademark brand of nostalgic pop, but what really sets these songs apart is the production. I know nothing about recording, but these songs sound exactly how they should - like looking out the window into a cold grey day when you're warm and cozy inside your house listening to your favorite record.
The Clientele - Suburban Light
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