In my review of my tips of 2012 I said much of what I have to say about Let's Buy Happiness, so excuse me for repeating it again...
Let's Buy Happiness are a band I've been following for a while, I've been smitten with the bands shimmering guitar lines and Sarah Hall's heavenly vocal purr since I first saw the band at The Great Escape in 2010. I originally picked them as one of my 'Tips for 2011', a year which saw them releases a couple singles ("Fast Fast" and "Dirty Lakes") and play a few high billing sets. I expected 2012 to be the year the band released their debut album and fulfilled all the blog praise received from people much more in the know than me. However, it hasn't quite turned out that way, besides a digital only single in June it's been pretty much silence from the North-East quartet.
The track was actually a re-working of an old Let's Buy Happiness too, "Works Better on Paper" was originally released on the debut LBH EP in 2010, this version was pared back from the original version with a gentle, languid tempo and delicate instrumentation making Sarah Hall's soft, celestial vocal the main instrument. It worked to perfection, magically complimenting sleepy drums and guitar effects, "Works Better on Better" was just overwhelmingly beautiful.
As for 2013, the good news is that the album looks to certainly be on the cards for next year, a series of in the studio shots on facebook confirm as much, one (more) for the 2013 list then!
Three years in a row on my 'tips' lists, definitely time for an album!
Novella - Facebook
Another returning from last years list (sorry about the apparent lack of imagination, I'd rather call if faith in the bands I like) are Novella,one of the bands I'm most excited about seeing live again, I saw them plenty of times over the spring but their live performances dried up over summer until the autumn where our paths never crossed, I'm sure that will change in early 2013...
After a stunning self-titled EP released via Italian Beach Babes in March (now close to selling out its second pressing) and the aforementioned live shows I regard Novella as one of the best 90's influenced band in London today, the EP highlighted Novella's live sound, part dreamy psychedelia mixed with a whole lot of sprawling noise where sugary vocals buried in a see of hazy, grungy guitars and battering drums swirl around in your brain, it's all kind of wonderful, check out the excellent live video below if you don't believe me...
Latest single "Mary's Gun" hinted at more to come in 2013, a ferocious cocktail of pysch ambience with moody percussion and off-kilter grungy guitar fuzz, sure to get the adrenaline pumping and will (hopefully) lead to news of perhaps an album at some point next year. If you haven't already, make sure you check out Novella live.
PINS - FacebookPINS came from nowhere to everywhere in the space of about a month earlier this year, a stunning double a-side tape which promptly sold out about three times catapulted the Manchester quartet to the quarters of pretty much every online music magazine. It's seldom I agree with enormous hype but on this occasion the buzz was definitely worthwhile with "Eleventh Hour" and "Shoot You" introducing an electrifying band with infinite potential around hard-hitting drums, brooding vocals and dark, echoey guitars.
The follow up was even better, more evolved and darker, “LuvU4Lyf” saw four raw tracks that were ferocious and perverse sound out a minimalistic, explosive treat. Led by the compelling Faith Holgate's howling cries the back-bone of Pins sound comes from droning guitar fuzz whilst the pulsating military like drum beat coupled with an equally powerful bass hits you in the guts like a ton of bricks, it was a stunning statement of intent which came on the aftermath of a signing to one of the UK's finest independent labels, Bella Union.
I've seen Pins live three times in the space of the past month or so, so where perhaps I might be now writing something the lines of I hope there's more to come, with Pins I know there is much more, with the highlights of their sets being some of the entrancing new tracks, "I Want it All" immediately comes to mind, I can't wait to hear them on record.
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