Spectrals

7th Date

SLR 122 » released June 2010

1. 7th Date

2. Don't Mind

Spectrals is the creation of one young lad "L" from the north of England, a place where to not have a baby and a criminal record by the age of 18 is seen as unusual. After being in various bands playing punk rock in basements, L decided to start something combining his love of doo wop, girl groups and adding a bit of rat pack flair with a punk rock vibe to create Spectrals. In Spectrals short life span they have released an excellent single for Captured Tracks and toured the UK with bands such as Girls, Real Estate and Desolation Wilderness.

7th Date is Spectrals' first release for Slumberland and it's a corker. "7th Date" combines classic 50s songwriting with a lazy swing and drawling, Westerberg-ish vocals. Understated guitar twang snakes through tremeloed strum, punctuated by tambourine shakes and tinkling bells. Lovely! On the b-side, "Don't Mind" is a gorgeous piece of slow-dance perfection, evoking scenes of beach bonfires and the end of summer. There's a weepy, woozy vibe to L's vocals, his sighing "ahh ahh" back-ups drifting skyward through the jangly riffs to the starry skies.

The balance of timeless songwriting and modern suss is pitch-perfect, and this single shows Spectrals to be purveyors of smart modern pop of the first order.

What's been said about Spectrals

"Taking cues from 1950s doo-wop in crafting this song, "Don't Mind", which pairs a Righteous Brothers-style yearning vocal with a fuzzed out Spector-esque wall of sound" - Pitchfork

"Spectrals are one of the most exciting new UK bands around. 9/10" - Vice

"Insatiable tunes....Spector-goes-surfing inspired lo-fi pop" - Drowned In Sound

"This unique shake up of heavy-hearted British gloom and infectious sunkissed, breezy melodies has had us totally hooked." - Transparent

Notes:

All copies on minty green vinyl.