It Hugs Back

Firstly, a little round up of all things bright and beautiful - went to Los Campesinos! on Monday at The Water Rats. Very promising (DiS review - [link]) and very friendly! Read my recent interview with them [link].

Ben from other Welsh-yet-not-Welsh band Shake My Hand (formerly Yossarian) has set up his own mp3 blog called Kilroy's Chinos [link]. He's posted about Spank Rock and Pete & The Pirates/Tap Tap so far. Check it out.

Mike of Nothing But Green Lights fame rather nicely included this very blog in his splendid "Finding New British Music Online" feature [link]. Don't be fooled, I know next to nothing about electro.

And for a laugh and completely musically unrelated, go read my friend Max's seven part Rome diary at Shake Before Reading [link]. Let hilarity ensue.
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Tigertrap Recordings are releasing their sixth single, 'Lights In The Trees' by It Hugs Back. NME described them as potentially Kent's answer to Bright Eyes and their list of influences has a distinctly American feel ranging from the likes of Cat Power to Sonic Youth. More importantly, what hugs back exactly?

'Lights In The Trees' is endearing, if a little bit underwhelming at first. The soft, alluring vocals are reminiscent of the shoegazing era but the music comes across as a haunting, lo-fi Belle & Sebastian. Considering the mature sound of most of the track, the bonkers brassy finale is a great, but welcome surprise. It evokes memories of the glee of The Polyphonic Spree and provides the song such a vibrancy that is truly disappointing when it comes to an abrupt end.

B-side 'Soft Spot' is a fragile, happy-go-lucky number and could quite easily be one of those huddled-around-a-campfire-at-midnight singalongs. An offering as charming as The Boy Least Likely To but more mellowed.

It Hugs Back - Lights In The Trees
It Hugs Back - Soft Spot (Clip)

Although perhaps not as stompingly good as some of the previous Tigertrap releases (read my review of the last release [link]), it is nonetheless solid and promising for a debut release. Expect to hear great things about It Hugs Back in the not too distant future.

'Light In The Trees' is released on 2nd October on ltd 7"/download and can be preordered on the Tigertrap MySpace [link].