The Big Pink

The Big Pink – Velvet

So these boys have been touted in just about every beginning of year “going to be massive” list, and not without good reason.

Don’t be deceived by their name, which will bring to mind The Band and various hairy alt-country types: this is drone-indie of the highest order, with big waves of fuzzy sound burying surprisingly accessible songwriting.

TBP have toured with TV on the Radio, and appear to share their patrons’ early distaste for music that isn’t full to the brim with layers of sound that you won’t ever be able to pick out unless you listen to their records obsessively on a pair of Bang Olufsen headphones guaranteed to make you like a complete helmet.

Sound geeks, listen carefully at around 4:20 for a silver spoon being dropped on a Marimba plugged into 32 fuzz pedals in a drained swimming pool – can you hear it? Me neither, but when the music’s this great  who cares?