ULTIMATE PAINTING : Green Lanes

Lou Reed never really died, he keeps inspiring young talents across the world. British band Ultimate Painting, back with a sophomore record, has a mellow vibe that reminds of The Velvet Underground circa Loaded, comforting pristine tunes wrapped in dapper melancholy.

The band’s main asset is combining forces sonically and vocally.  

Jack Cooper and James Hoare are song goldsmiths who wear melody on their sleeves and complement each other perfectly, making an ideal autumnal soundtrack, dopamine infused and mentally soothing. It feels like being in New York City sometime in the fall, feeling cozy indoors whilst looking out the window on a rainy day, a walk on the not so wild side that pulls at your heart strings and gets your purr motor running.

Their guitars are delicious and beguiling and while the song structures seem nearly effortless, they possess that other layer that leaves you longing, something that lays in your comfort zone while injecting a prodigal amount of escapism. In this regard, they remind of their fuzzier NYC cousins Crystal Stilts, combining retro elements in a sound which is still modern enough, instantly enjoyable but also intellectually-stimulating, urban but somewhat pastoral too, a mental picture of the Central Park landmark, that they dedicated a song to on their debut self-titled LP.

“Woken by Noises”, one of the pinnacles on Green Lanes, bears similarities with The Stilts “Future Folklore”, a long lost recollection of VU’s Run Run Run : a more hectic vision of the city while “The Ocean” and “Pay The Price” sound more bucolic. "Break The Chain" has a Beatles touch that gets under your  skin and is also in the vein of the Australian gem The Lovetones’ Meditations.

Let’s hope that these two Brits keep expanding their canvas as they know how to please the listener with their painterly eye. Meanwhile, they may brighten dull days and chilly nights.

Green Lanes was released in August 2015, on Trouble in Mind Records.

THE PROPER ORNAMENTS : Wooden Head

The Proper Ornaments, a dapper name for a distinguished London band.

These gentlemen aren’t merely ornaments, they are the main attraction with their elegant style that evokes The Velvet Underground circa Loaded, the song Rock & Roll especially springing to mind as the cornerstone that shaped their trademark sound.

Those Londoners are by no means a rip off, they have soaked up the Velvets luscious vibe but have inserted other influences beyond this and from both sides of the Atlantic.

With the pristine “Always There”, they have inherited Felt’s lordly and poetic touch.

Partners in crime Argentinian Max Claps and British James Hoare (from Veronica Falls) combine forces and complement each other perfectly, vocally with their delicate and delectable singing as well as musically with chiming guitars.

Their collection of songs is made of a sleek and colorful canvas.

If one looked into it with a magnifying glass, one would find chiseled rare fabrics as well as precious bits and pieces. The Ornaments’ tone is lo-fi but constructive, they stand out from the crowd of  soundalike bands.

“Sun” is the perfect pop song, in its noblest sense. It radiates majestically. It feels like an exhilarating cinematic ride in a retro convertible.

Miles away from its dull title, Wooden Head is a dreamy technicolor record which is very coherent and intelligently entertaining, the type that lifts up the listener’s spirits and brightens their days.

To indulge in immoderately.

Wooden Head was released on Slumberland Records/Fortuna Pop on July, 9th.