It was a tense weekend at Add To Wantlist HQ. Usually, Dennis and I get along well, we hardly fight over who writes about what release. Part of that is because our taste buds differ enough to justify most decisions based on level of enthusiasm. But every now and then, we get equally excited about a release and it almost becomes a standoff, both hoping the other will yield. This time, Dennis was kind enough to hand me the honor.<\/p>\n
Who caused all this tension? The Small Intestines! They are a new project from Melbourne featuring members of Chook Race. To be honest, I almost pressed the order now button before hearing a second of it based solely on the Chook Race link and the “for fans of early Go-Betweens, The Bats and Felt” mention in the press release. Of course, I did listen to the record before ordering it, but it only took me one song to become fully enchanted. Tristan Peach, Matt Liveriadis and Rob Remedios have made something truly special and sincere. It’s like they brought their instruments and recording devices to a scrapyard where they found loads of usable parts from underground pop and rock’n’roll history which they then combined to create something that is more than the sum of its parts, and easily stands up to the original producers of said parts. In addition to the beforementioned comparables, you could call Hide In Time<\/em> a modern Australian take on Velvet Underground and you would not be wrong, but it’s more than that. Really, it is a fantastic piece of work and one of the most exciting records we’ve heard this year. It’s the kind of record that makes a good first impression, and you become increasingly infatuated with after each subsequent play. It’s playful, it’s scrappy, it’s full of subtle and tasty guitar work, and the arrangements keep you on your toes.<\/p>\n Perhaps we should start a new feature in which we compile the releases Dennis and I both go wild for. Perhaps call it Wantlist Essentials? Add To Wantlist’s Hall Of Fame? We’d definitely include Hide In Time. <\/em>It is out now through Meritorio Records and Lost and Lonesome.<\/p>\n