Track Of The Day Blair Parkes
Venturing from yesterday’s coastal Central Victoria, Australia to the shores of New Brighton, New Zealand, we find a similar scenery with a likewise experienced musician and understated, eclectic protagonist of an even longer, diverse and distinguished career.
Christchurch-bred singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and visual artist Blair Parkes started in the mid-’80s with his high school band All Fall Down, embedded in the filigree line of jangle-pop Flying Nun bands, with a one and only 12″ EP “My Brand New Wallpaper Coat” for the label in 1987, before splitting up soon after, and pursued through plenty of bands and solo projects over more than three decades such as Creeley, Little Dead Things, Swim Everything, The L.E.D.S, Range, Swim Everything, Thomas : Parkes, The Letter 5, Bridal Path, Cardigan Bay, 103, Condensations…I would refer to the ably constructed and updated WordPress personal blog for more in-depth info.
The new single, “No Plans”, featuring the latest core of friend musicians Ryan Fisherman on drums, Miss Mercury on vocals and Marcus Thomas on bass, lyric-wise emerges in a tension fuelled setting of social uncertainty, unrest, and unruly mental restrictions.
The buzzing tune cruises along the lines of the churning, sparkling fuzzy guitar pop with shoegaze leanings from last Spring’s album “New Building”, to capture the band’s hypnotic rhythmic drive and subtly melodic flair, with steady pounding drums riding a chunky and blaring barrage of impetuous, ringing layers of feedback to drift over soaring catchy chorus and elated backup female harmonies that hover around high-strung airy male vocals treading fear and tension through chaotic bursts of anxious disconnections.
A sweet blast of pure beguiling pop craft.
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