Yes! One the bands I was introduced to while living in the UK, Jim Noir, are releasing their new album April 8! Their first album, Tower of Love, is an incredible feast of psychedelic happy music. When my friend Ryn had me listen, it felt like someone had wired a jukebox to ’summer afternoon’. Jim Noir channels a mellow-pop electronic sound that’s rife with the sonic repertoire of Cat Stevens, The Beatles, Beta Band, Heart (total guilty pleasure), and Mama Cass. Noir makes all the music himself except at live shows where he brings in some mates. Plus he wears a bowler hat constantly. *swoon* For this new album, self-titled Jim Noir, I’m grabbing a copy in 12″ vinyl as soon as they press it because there are no copies available anymore for their first album, and I expect this one to do the same.
His Manchester-based label, My Dads Recordings, has a terrible website, but pop by their State-side distributor Barsuk Records to download the single ‘Don’t You Worry‘ from the new album (also available at Spinner.com). Or you can check out a few of the songs streaming from their MySpace page. One of the things I love most about Jim Noir is how well he unexpectedly layers the sampled grooves and builds the tracks as a DJ might–including the ‘break-downs’–yet still retains a folky/Help!-era Beatles atmosphere. It’s a stunning surreal instrumental timbre, and yet it sounds effortless–as if you had just happened to pluck out a sweet radio station. With only a cursory listen to what’s available from the new album, I’m elated that there doesn’t seem to be any sophomoric ego infusion on his part. It’s truly light-hearted mood-lifting music. Full review when I get my hands on a copy for sure!
I love the video of ‘My Patch’ from the original album (ARISE Chicken!):
