The Birthday Kiss #3 - Can You Keep A Secret

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The Birthday Kiss are a band I've featured here a couple of times before so I won't bore you with their fine history again and instead will head straight into the good stuff... "Can You Keep A Secret" is the bands first official single due for release 8th April (if you are slow to pick up this 7" like me, you'll have to import it from the US via label Death Party Records as the bands own have sold out, you can still grab their earlier digital single "Choking" for free via bandcamp).

"Can You Keep A Secret" builds on the identifiable sound of their last track and is a truly great pop track, combining a joyous indie-pop core packed full of melody and punch with shimmering synth and the gorgeously sweet vocals of Sarah Williams. Bright, infectious and danceable it's a track that is going to go down a treat on stereos all summer long. The flip side "Worth It" is similarly full of contagious energy with jangly retro sounds and crashing crescendos starring on another punchy hit that will take you back to the days when you could stay up dancing at indie pop discos until 3am without the aid of pro-plus. That last bit could just be me.

The Birthday Kiss #2 - Choking

Facebook / thebirthdaykiss.bandcamp.com/

When I first posted about The Birthday Kiss just before Christmas I promised I'd re-visit the newly formed Leeds band made up of past loves The Lodger and The Research, something called time has meant two months have elapsed since that declaration and a new single has arrived, "Choking", their most polished, thrilling recording yet.

The glittering indie-pop beauty succeeds because through its buzzing analog synths, catchy choruses and jangling guitar it leaves an indelible mark on heart and mind. Whether it's the prettiness of Sarah vocals or the way the hook gets in your head it orchestrates the key features of The Birthday Kiss' sound, it's simple, honest and human, disposable pop it is not.

The band are currently recording their debut and the early demos hint at something special. Ben who takes principal song-writing duties certainly knows how to compose melody and chorus, the lovely "Black and White" manages to encapsulate hopelessness and youthful optimism over the course of just two minutes and "Starting to Come Back to Life" recalls wistful memories of yesteryear over summery, shimmering melody, both instantly set me a flutter. The Birthday Kiss look set to appeal to a generation of dreamers.

Download "Choking" via bandcamp for free. Listen:

The Birthday Kiss - Sentimental Christmastime

Facebook / thebirthdaykiss.tumblr.com/

This is band I promise to come back to after the whole 'festive thing' has calmed down for I'm pretty excited to investigate their work further, an email dropped in my mailbox today from a band unfamiliar to me, the newly (2011) formed Leeds act The Birthday Kiss, it basically said something like this; 'we're made up of ex parts of The Research and The Lodger... we've made a Christmas song called 'Sentimental Christmastime' and would love it if you gave it a listen and posted it on your blog'

I was hooked straight away, both bands I own records by and had been lost in the abyss of my brain, The Lodger's debut 'Grown-Ups' was absolutely great but if I'm honest I'd totally forgotten about their existence (I just checked my iTunes, I've not listened to them since 12th May 2009), the same could be said for The Research, though with the exception of their incredible singles "I Think She's The One I Love" and "Lonely Hearts Still Beat The Same" it's October 2008 since I'd given either of their albums a listen, consider me back in the game...

The track I'm posting now is the festive one with a relatively short expiry date (I doubt Saint Nick is going to wait for me to fully digested the rest of their material) "Sentimental Christmastime" is a gorgeous original song, both male and female are lovely, with understated guitar chimes and precise drums beats (as well as bells to add a real Christmassy feel) creating a warm and cosy feeling that goes some way to hiding the lyrics calling off a relationship on Christmas Day. It's available for free download below or here if the soundcloud limit is exceeded.

Sentimental Christmastime by The Birthday Kiss

P.S. I listened to Black and White from their soundcloud, it's absolutely brilliant.