Konkord 137
In Circles And Lines
Pretty Pleas
In Circles and Lines - Moody Art Pop for the people
There are bands that call it a day after three chords and a piddly organ melody. But there are also bands that grind their sound, tweak the lyrics, polish the solos to a shiny high gloss finish and only exceed the tempo limit in the appropriate lanes. Bands that work out every nook and cranny of the Pop Song itself until they have created perfect pieces of timeless musical jewellery.
An American band all the way from Vienna: Pretty Pleas (Daniel Smith – vocals/guitars, George Clavicle - bass, B.B. Kong - drums) showcase that in addition to excellent craftsmanship and love of experimenting you also need the right influences to create an authentic, individual sound that is both great pop and tough alternative rock. Squaring the circle? Perhaps. But hasn't good music always been everything plus a whole lot extra? Pretty Pleas found amazing support in multi-instrumentalist Paolo Tornitore, who is primarily responsible for the great arrangements, as well as in the fabulous keyboardist Jasmin Nagl, who put the perfect icing on the cake with a wonderful, grooving organ sound. Daniel Smith: "The record is an intriguing blend of power pop, glam rock, new wave, and psychedelia influences." And the band delivers the perfect description of this elegant, vigorous and very danceable mix of atmosphere, beat and sound as Moody Art Pop.
Their debut album "In Circles And Lines" is the best example of this apposite sound description. The opening track "Moving Forward" provides the listener with the breathtaking freshness that we know from early Roxy Music. With "Broke", the band immediately follows up on the same high level. And although Daniel Smith's distinctive voice is in a different league - the flamboyant nature of Brian Ferry is not quite far away. But Smith is also acquainted to the stirring melancholy of Stuart A. Staples (Tindersticks). "The band delves into universal themes such as loss, heartbreak, alienation, as well as the throes of new found love.", Daniel Smith explains the interior life of his songs.
To keep the sound of "In Circles and Lines" as compact and groovy as you might remember the hit songs by The Sweet, the crystal clear, always present guitar sets its tone for power pop. And the vibrant organ, which both recalls the garage punk of the 60s and the British rave bands of the 1990s ("Ghosts"), also celebrates the enthusiasm for sparkling melodies - Moody Art Pop it definitely is.
"In Circles and Lines" offers a deep dive into the ways we interact with each other in romance, life, and every facet of human relationships - a contemplative exploration of love's many forms and the inevitable heartbreak that often follows." (Daniel Smith)