Just when it seems that there's no such thing as any uplifting sounds in indie rock, a quiet voice is heard from the other shores from what could be a distant time. The Clientele are based in London, but could easily be a dead ringer for the Mersey sound of the late 1960s.
The band has kept to their guns and have still not yet released a full-length start-to-finish recorded album (only a number of 7" singles, EPs and compilation appearances, gathered on a full-length recording but that doesn't count). The latest pair of songs materializes on a cheap 7" from Merge, equipped with their staple of faintly delivered vocals over deceptively complex melodic structures recorded on high-hiss sound gear, probably far older than any member of the trio. The A-side clocks in at barely over two minutes, and while it's not as singable as some of their most famous refrains, like "I want you more than ever," it still is a tasty treat to savor as the weather is nippingly cold outdoors. The B-side, "Fear of Falling," is another uplifting-sounding gem, which, despite it's phobic title, sounds more like a yearning for the summertime and being outside. What all their lyrics mean together, I'll probably never know without first finding out what exactly is being said, but in the meantime, the songs are good enough for making tapes and taking long journeys to.
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