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Release Info : The suddenly prolific
Resonant label delivers this charming debut album from
1: Somnambulist * Video www.smallsails.com/mov/somnambulist.html
* Small Sails are :
Reviews : Interestingly enough, Small Sails were previously named after the capital of South Australia. I know SA doesn’t have a monopoly on the word ‘Adelaide’, like many Australian place names it is derived from European royalty. Their new name perfectly reflects the sound that this Portland, Oregon four piece trade in; whispered nonsense vocals, pointillist drumming, poignant keys. Similar Anniversaries could be proudly be referred to as internal smile music; it certainly had me doing just that , although I felt as if I needed a good dose of Sunn0))) afterwards. If you are after a glowering, moody resonance to soundtrack your life, look elsewhere. Similar Anniversaries is melodic, poppy electronics with nary a moody edge in sight. The Resonant label has built a catalogue based upon this highly recognisable brand of predominantly instrumental post-rocking, electronica-drenched sunshine. Small Sails boast a 16mm film projectionist as part of their line-up, delivering a visual accompaniment to their unashamedly wide-screen sound. As our text-based culture ramps up the meaning and rhetoric of daily living to frenetic levels, and then surpasses it almost instantaneously, the space to dream and interpret events individually is an important commodity. Ethan Rose’s wordless vocalisations add another layer to the mix, ranging from “OHIO” to “DA DE DA DA DA DE DA”, throughout the album. My take on ‘House or Home’ was “HOT IN BATH”, so interpretation of Ethan’s voice-as-instrument is always open for discussion. Anyway, does meaning need to be ascribed to everything? Opening track, ‘Somnambulist’ sets out Small Sails raison d’être perfectly with Stereolab style LA LA LAS and a simple Balearic guitar melody. ‘Somnambulist’ also boasts a Quick Time video on the CD, bringing the live Small Sails experience to your computer screen. ‘Backside of a Magnet’ accentuates the Tortoise-style vibes. ‘Earthbound With Parents’ exhibits a touch more dynamism and drive, suitable for the chill-out room at the end of the night; maybe your dreams have come true, or else you’ll be back next time for another chance to take a bite of the cherry… CYCLICDEFROST.COM This quartet, hailing from Portland, Oregon, have staked a reputation on the calibre of their multimedia live shows, featuring not only he band's mix of electronica and breezy instrumental composition, but their16mm film projections too. Fittingly, some of this filmwork has been included on this disc, namely the accompanying video to opening track 'Somnambulist', a piece of electronic post-rock not too far away from the quiet, kooky epics concocted by Mùm or The Album Leaf. The film itself is a flickery romp through footage of the natural world, specifically the swaying of foliage in a light wind. If that doesn't sound particularly engaging, well it's not. You do however, get the impression it would assist a live performance in no small way, aiding the accumulation of some sort of atmosphere. Back to the music and there's far more excitement to be had, with the band's tight, often mathsy approach to writing referencing the likes of Tortoise, Stereolab and perhaps a touch of Lali Puna, especially on the jazzy glockenspiel and beat sculpting of 'Backside Of A Magnet'. There's a constant vocal presence on Similar Anniversaries, but not in any conventional sense. Instead, the vocals tend not to be concerned with actual words but function rather as another instrument, further humanising the mix. there are some moments of outright harmonic beauty on the album, such as the lovely 'House Or Home' and the shuffling 'Farewell Weird Owl'. BOOMKAT.COM I don't know about you, but I like breezy, atmospheric music when I'm driving - something to complement the experience of heading down that old winding road from Point A to Point B. There's a type of music that fits the bill perfectly: Sweden's Magyar Posse comes to mind, as does the little half-hour gem by the Inner Banks that was released a few months ago. Add the indie debut by Portland's Small Sails (they've a previous self-release to their credit) to this list of relaxing music for short drives. It's primarily instrumental, but with some kind of humming or background vocals on most of the tracks. This gives the album a unique flavor - sort of a mix of French soundtrack music and the lighter side of Chicago post-rock. In fact, this could well be the best album I've ever heard whose only lyrics consist of "bah bah bah," "whoa whoa whoa" and the like. Band members Ethan Rose, Gary Jimmerson, and Adam Porterfield utilize acoustic guitars, marimba (God, I love that instrument), soft electronica, and percussion to create gently flowing compositions that conjure a mood of melodic wistfulness effortlessly. If you're not instantly charmed by lilting tracks such as "Earthbound With Parents" and "No Spirit Animal," then you're a dodo-head. This is just sweet, graceful soundtrack art for whatever you're doing while listening to it, and it'll put you in a good mood. Small Sails...big pleasure! PLAYBACKSTL.COM Labels use a variety of tactics to get a writer to notice a record. One of the most effective techniques - especially to the freelancer with a day job and limited time - is the old RIYL package sticker. It's a quick reference that allows me, within a glance, to determine if I'm about to listen to speed metal, drum n' bass, or indie rock. It works. And it's the main reason why I grabbed Similar Anniversaries by Portland's Small Sails before I hopped on the train to work. I won't get all effusive about how I love what they do - the post should cover that - but I do think that SK has stumbled into it's character because of an alarmingly rich year in music that melds both electronic and traditional instrumentation. And 2007 is starting off even more profoundly. Small Sails' take on mostly-instrumental future-pop is a very accessible one, and they hop around the musical spectrum sounding all Chicago-y (think Tortoise, Sea Cake) during some songs and more 4/4 beat-oriented at others. The track that I posted is automatic for SK: acoustic guitars, vibraphone, tight snare break, melodic as fuck. They are definitely a quartet to look out for and I'm lucky and honoured to have stumbled upon this excellent disk. SCISSORKICK A spin through Small Sails' newest album, Similar Anniversaries, immediately awakened a sense of familiarity in my mind that was difficult to pinpoint. Upon closer inspection, I was clued into the fact that Small Sails is a film and art band which used original reel-to-reel footage and dual projectors to convey the meaning behind their music. Which brought me to a band we had covered over three years ago in REDEFINE -- a band called Adelaide, from, conveniently, the same hometown of Portland, Oregon. Fact is that this was not merely a coincidence, but a correct assumption, because Small Sails was formerly known as Adelaide. Similar Anniversaries is this long-running band's first release backed by labels, with Other Electricities footing the bill for the United States. Fans in Japan and Europe can find the record released through Headz and Resonant, respectively. While this band may classify themselves as "ambient pop" (perhaps for marketing purposes), their music is anything but poppy -- it is hardly accessible or easily consumed by the majority of the public. But that being said, Similar Anniversaries may be the newly renovated band's most poppy work to date, and it is an impressive full-length for those who like bands that walk the fine line between ambient rock and electronica. Much of their music incorporates "common" elements of ambient music -- chanting, humming, low-key percussion, and other subtle elements that add minorly to the overall composition without detracting. The combination of well-timed and diverse instrumentals makes the album an interesting listen, even for those who are not into ambient music. Take a look at Small Sails if you're a fan of the Album Leaf or American Analog Set. REDEFINE It's not often that an instrumental band gets stuck in your head with the efficiency of Small Sails. Formerly known as Adelaide, Small Sails presents its debut album to the world on March 27th. Similar Anniversaries is by far the group's strongest release to date, offering an electronic/pop mix that is as texturally rich as it is sonically addicting. Tracks like "Aftershocks and Afterthoughts," "Earthbound with Parents," and "Backside of a Magnet" make it difficult to listen to the album in its entirety, as their pop appeal pulls in the listener and begs for repeat listens. Give in -- Small Sails have cleared the skies and it's smooth sailing from start to finish. SILENT BALLET Small Sails don't just create ambient electronic soundtracks; they perform them with correlating cinematic footage for the full audio-visual experience. The Portland four-piece dreams up twee laptop pop, incorporating computers, vibraphones, keyboards, and finger-picked guitars with live film loop mixes. Fans of like-minded souls the Books and Prefuse 73 will find cuddly tunes here, as the pastel-hued instrumentals float by with breezy ease.” - SAN FRANCISCO WEEKLY A whole range of sounds jump at you with this record. Electronic music being a strong source of influence here, small sails have blended upbeat idm sounds in the realms of tortoise, mice parade, broken social scene ('feel good lost' era) and lymbyc systym while standing out with their own sense of musical vision. while the underlying tone of the album is ambient and contemplative, there's a real catchiness to the songs. a lot of the tracks have acoustic/classical guitar on them, bringing up mice parade's recent sound with records like "obrigado saudade". while a lot of these acts are single-man or duo groups, small sails is 4 man strong, which allows for musical complexity and a great live show i'm sure. the first track "somnambulist", also comes in video form on the album, showing off even greater creative work by the band as a whole in interpretation of their music visually. great album, and both these bands (jatun and small sails) show great potential for the years ahead. N/A MAGAZINE In 1967, the Bay Area's Brotherhood of Light transformed the average rock show into a full-blown psychedelic spectacle. Using 16mm film and Technicolor dyes and oils, the collective began projecting swirling visuals on larger-than-life backdrops at venues like the Fillmore. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and, of course, the Dead all got the Brotherhood treatment. The projectionists definitely livened up those 20-minute drum solos - Iron Butterfly, I'm looking at you - but ultimately, their improvisations couldn't continuously jell with the music. The aim is to gently guide a narrative idea, but at the same time it's not telling some specific personal narrative. It's sort of everybody's narrative," Rose says. "With the imagery and the colors and the sounds, it creates this space that opens up emotionally to a whole bunch of different places for different people. It's a platform for an open experience. The Brotherhood would be proud” - San Francisco Bay Guardian“LET'S NOT BULLSHIT ourselves here-ambient music can be some of the most emperor's new clothes-ish, low payoff, substance-less, boring crap you'll find anywhere. It's easy to play nice sighing grooves, but damn tough to keep it interesting, human-feeling, and evocative of anything concrete. Small Sails, then, makes ambient pop that is upbeat, nimble, and fun as hell. Gary Jimmerson (drums, percussion), Adam Porterfield (keys, guitars, vibes), Ethan Rose (vocals, keys, guitars), and Ryan Jeffery (film projections) build gauzy, chime symphonies á la the Album Leaf. But where the Album Leaf is all about long shadowy valleys of Rhodes piano and spacious breathy pauses, Small Sails is a full-on pop machine with half-chanted vocals over tight percussion, bass-heavy beats, and micro-condensed indiepop riffs. And have you seen their live show with all the projected trippy shit? Wow.” - Portland Mercury"Warm atmospheres lie beside post-electronic beats and downtempo vibes throughout this inviting album known simply as "Similar Anniversaries". Pretty much perfect for any particular setting, the album recalls Album Leaf and Animal Collective at times. "Aftershocks and Afterthoughts" (also present on their "Hunter and Gatherer" EP) leave you with both, haunting your dreams with its igloo cool bleeps and coffeehouse guitar loops. Small Sails accomplishes a lot here but still maintains an overall feel that is stripped down and raw lending it creditability among the crowd who doesn't care for the processed laptop sound. You could hear Conor Oberst listening to this album as he pens the follow-up for his "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn". SMOTHER Hype sure is strange. I mean, how many times have you waited for a universally acclaimed new record by a band, gone out and bought it at the first available opportunity, only to be distinctly underwhelmed? All too often hype acts as a smokescreen, dictating which albums are successes before people even get the chance to decide for themselves. And, of course, by the time people can make up their minds it's too late; the album is everywhere, everyone's already bought it on the strength of outlandishly positive reviews, and it's already on the radio, on MTV, even being used in adverts. It's frustrating, and you've got to wonder what you'd have thought of the same album if it had just been quietly released with barely a word as to its musical worth. So that's why I feel in quite a privileged position to be one of the first to hear (and form an opinion of) Small Sails' debut album Similar Anniversaries. he record is released into the vast musical ocean on March 27th, but has by and large, whether intentionally or otherwise, avoided the hype machine. The thing is, this is a record which clearly deserves to be heard and justifies being given a substantial degree of hype, as well the superlatives which accompany such attention. Not only does it feel very fresh, it is one of the most confident debuts I've heard in a long time. The observant amongst you may know that the band had a previous incarnation under the name Adelaide, which explains just why this project seems so accomplished, but also perhaps reinforces this notion of them needing to draw a line in the sand to do justice to the new direction which their music had taken. Again, attesting to this sense that the band have really tried to nail the record on the head, the 5 track Hunter Gatherer EP seems to test the waters with many of the albums strongest tracks, a few of which have been slightly tinkered with to fit the final product. I guess by now you're getting impatient and wondering what the album actually sounds like. Well it's soulful electronic pop action, relaxing but upbeat, the kind of thing you might expect Caribou to sound like if they were a little less into hip-hop, or perhaps the Animal Collective if they were administered a large dose of sedatives. The overall feel of the album is one of innocence and exploration - a pleasant naivety which manages to avoid straying into the realms of irritation or randomness which the aforementioned collective can often be found. And like the two band previously mentioned, Small Sails have their own peculiar style of creating songs which can make you feel like you're relaxing with a cool beer in the sunshine, when in fact you're just trying to keep warm on a cold wintry night. Their songs are intricately crafted from twinkly synth lines, acoustic guitar loops, blissed-out backing vocals, electronic drum blips, and very occasional shoegaze style half-whispered lead vocals. Given the musical ingredients identified here, it is impressive that the band manages to avoid sounding twee. On the contrary, however, each song has a considerable depth, albeit through an all-pervading haze of summertime nostalgia. It should also be mentioned that in addition to being genuinely uplifting, every track on Similar Anniversaries is catchy as hell. Perhaps it should be stated as a warning that the incomprehensible backing vocals and European sounding synth of "Aftershocks and Afterthoughts" have been playing inside my head since the first time I heard the track. Not that this is particularly unpleasant, but you'll inevitably find yourself playing certain tracks over and over, which will no doubt drive anyone else you live with absolutely insane. But for every catchy tune or backing vocal there's also a mellow, introspective groove to act as a counterbalance, and this is what gives the album its dynamics. It's this yin/yang approach which, for all its simplicity, gives the album its finest moments. The movement from upbeat and happy to downbeat and introspective on "Earthbound with Parents" or vice-versa on album closer "No Spirit Animal" may seem contrived, but they are executed with such subtlety and finesse that you cannot help but become absorbed in their brilliance. But that's not to single out these tracks as particular standouts; every song seems to incorporate a similar dynamic movement but with a different intention and outcome each time. More than likely you'll find, (as I did) the task of choosing a favourite from these 10 tracks an impossible venture. My advice is simple, don't even try. Just go buy the album now. And then spread the word; for once the hype can be justified. SILENT BALLET
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