If there's one superficial musical trend in 2010 that's left me cold, it's the attempt to shroud new acts in secrecy. There's been iamamiwhoami, Summer Camp, Silver Columns, WU LYF, Islet and probably many more. I can now add CYMBALS to that list.
I was one of the umpteen bloggers to receive an email from the band entitled "THE EXHIBITION IS AVERAGE AT BEST", with simply a link to a Bandcamp page and about six words. Had they not written "Hey Faded Glamour" in the opening line of the email, it would be swimming round in my email trash right now. Which would have been a shame, as this initial glimpse into their work is enticing.
There's a Pavement influence there (one of their two songs on Bandcamp being a Pavement cover was something of a hint) but 'Summer Job' sounds disturbingly like an updated version of Test-Icicles, with its incisive synths and yelpy vocals. CYMBALS' cover of 'Kennel District' is definitely amazing though, sounding like an inspired mash up between Pavement and Talking Heads. More of this, please.
CYMBALS are playing the Tough Love 5th Birthday Party tomorrow in London. They tell me they're on at 5.30pm but turn up earlier just in case.
Bandcamp // Twitter
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