Darlings of the press right now. Once the moniker under which WOLF PARADE’s Spencer Krug released low fidelity solo recordings – the SUNSET RUBDOWN project has long since evolved into a full band, and ‘Dragonslayer’ is the third full-length recorded by the whole group. With 10 out of 10 rated reviews left right and centre, ‘Dragonslayer’ is guaranteed to be in all those ‘top 50 albums of 2009’ features cramming all the music magazines just before Christmas – I promise you!
Besides Krug, SUNSET RUBDOWN feature the three musicians who originally signed on: Jordan Robson-Cramer on drums, guitar and keys, Michael Doerksen on guitar and bass, and Camilla Wynne Ingr on keys, percussion and vocals. And now, for the first time, newest member Mark Nicol can be heard on bass, drums, and percussion.
SUNSET RUBDOWN’s previous release on Jagjaguwar, ‘Random Spirit Lover’, was a studio-built album, in that much of it was written while recording (built up in separate layers, with almost all the vocals needing to be overdubbed). With the new album, the band wanted to try something completely different. It was a very conscious decision, and not a “natural progression.” The result is an album that feels honest, natural, and straightforward. The musicianship is left in the open, unassisted by studio magic, and the songs are left to justify for themselves their own screwy pop-rock existence.
‘Dragonslayer’ was recorded in the fall of 2008. SUNSET RUBDOWN hope that the true strength of this new album is a hidden complexity that emerges slowly from within the straight production and raw musicianship, and from what sounds at first to be an only slightly skewed approach to pop. They hope it’s like that one friend of yours who looks unassuming and normal, but once you get to know him it’s obvious he’s basically crazy.
Formed in Nov 2005 with the intention of recording and performing six albums with six different themes; the band currently exists as a three piece, sounding like THE KINKS and TALKING HEADS.
After self releasing the single ‘Leader of the Chain Gang’, which received airplay on both Radio 1 and XFM, the band were picked as one of only two artists to represent Wales in the BBC’s Electric Proms, a week of new music and innovative performances at the relaunched Roundhouse and other venues in Camden (KOKO, Barfly etc). The band were also able to record two new songs with an eight piece ensemble provided by the BBC.
Towards the end of the year they featured on a compilation ‘This town ain’t big enough for the 22 of us’ (Twisted By Design records) featuring first releases by Welsh bands by LOS CAMPESINOS, THREATMANTICS, GINDRINKER amongst others.
In the new year they were filmed for a programme on unsigned bands by ITV, recorded a Maida Vale session for the BBC (where their new single was recorded), played a prestigious Club Fandango (Fierce Panda) show as well as the Great Escape Festival in Brighton. In July the band were part of DANIEL JOHNSTON’s backing band at his only Welsh show in the Point Cardiff.
In late 2008 they released their highly awaited debut album ‘Episode 1’ on Businessman Records to great acclaim, and airplay and praise on Mark Radcliffe’s BBC Radio 6 show.
One of the tightest live bands we have seen, This show will be their first Cardiff gig in 5 months and will feature the live debut of brand new material from the follow up album to ‘Episode 1’ which they are currently recording.
Ticket information: £9 adv / MOTD
Online:
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/51612
http://www.seetickets.com/s.asp?a=sunset+rubdown&p=6806
http://www.derricksmusic-shop.co.uk/eventdetails.php?eventid=1167
On foot: doors on the night / Spillers Records / Cardiff SU box office
IN ASSOCIATION WITH KRUGER MAGAZINE
