Clairecords
The folks who comprise Con Dolore used to be in a highly underrated and largely unknown dream pop band called Polar. Their album, 'A Future History Of The Frigid Polar Night,' has been one of my favorite records since its very limited release several years ago. Luckily for the rest of the world, members of Polar have continued on in Con Dolore and their newest release on Clairecords is their strongest yet. What separates Con Dolore from the teeming masses of female-fronted dreamy pop bands in the world is their impeccable flare for songwriting. Songs like "Your Ways" and "Are You Still There" have hooks that Top 40 radio producers would kill for and production that doesn't make you feel dumb for falling in love with them. The beats are electronic loops and samples but they veer far, far away from the electroclash trappings that could otherwise infect and sour a release like this. Jangly guitars meet lush shoegazer effects, drawn out keyboard melodies, and the fragile, pretty voice of Kristy Moss in a bittersweet swirl that will attach itself to the inside of your head and refuse to leave for weeks. Later tracks like "Quietly and Still" let Ed Ballinger stretch his vocal chords as well, and the results while not as coy, are still sincere and hum-able. The only missteps here are the forced "Intro" and "Intermission" that break up the otherwise stellar line up of great songs that sound perfectly pieced together for people who wish Depeche Mode and Lush had kept on making records like the ones in their heyday. Sadly, this is to be the final Con Dolore release, in a cruel twist of fate that finds the band dissolved when they have created a truly wonderful record of selfless, honest pop songs that should find an audience far wider than their earlier efforts. I can't recommend this record enough.
The folks who comprise Con Dolore used to be in a highly underrated and largely unknown dream pop band called Polar. Their album, 'A Future History Of The Frigid Polar Night,' has been one of my favorite records since its very limited release several years ago. Luckily for the rest of the world, members of Polar have continued on in Con Dolore and their newest release on Clairecords is their strongest yet. What separates Con Dolore from the teeming masses of female-fronted dreamy pop bands in the world is their impeccable flare for songwriting. Songs like "Your Ways" and "Are You Still There" have hooks that Top 40 radio producers would kill for and production that doesn't make you feel dumb for falling in love with them. The beats are electronic loops and samples but they veer far, far away from the electroclash trappings that could otherwise infect and sour a release like this. Jangly guitars meet lush shoegazer effects, drawn out keyboard melodies, and the fragile, pretty voice of Kristy Moss in a bittersweet swirl that will attach itself to the inside of your head and refuse to leave for weeks. Later tracks like "Quietly and Still" let Ed Ballinger stretch his vocal chords as well, and the results while not as coy, are still sincere and hum-able. The only missteps here are the forced "Intro" and "Intermission" that break up the otherwise stellar line up of great songs that sound perfectly pieced together for people who wish Depeche Mode and Lush had kept on making records like the ones in their heyday. Sadly, this is to be the final Con Dolore release, in a cruel twist of fate that finds the band dissolved when they have created a truly wonderful record of selfless, honest pop songs that should find an audience far wider than their earlier efforts. I can't recommend this record enough. samples:
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