check out UK band ALT-J (NYC & LA shows scheduled)

by Bill Pearis

In this era of the half-listen, the new ALT-J single 'Matilda' arrived a couple of days ago and it sounded, well, pretty enough. It wasn't a disappointment. It classically filled a moment.

Which is where I've been going wrong: several plays later, after listening again (really listening), this is a magical record. It makes you want to replay it (to really listen to it).

It is spell binding in its simplicity and sensitivity (enough that you want to be alone with it; to spend three and a half minutes away from the blather and nonsense). There is hardly anything going on, yet what is there - the little rolling rhythm, swept along by a warm, shiny guitar and that rich, fragile vocal....all this sounds gorgeous. [-Steve Lemaqc, Going Deaf for a Living]

The band's debut album, An Awesome Wave, is out in the UK at the end of this month. You can check out videos to singles "Matilda" and "Breezeblocks" at the bottom of this post and stream (and download) a few demos below as well.