Leeds have a quiet sleeper of a band I particularly like called Downdime. Singer/guitarist Ged was in Boyracer in the early 90s when they were signed to Sarah, and drummer Eddy left Manhattan Love Suicides to be in them, and they're even on the same label as MLS, Squirrel! However they plow a different field, playing fuzzy, highly melodic indie pop that kind of combines the pop hooks of later period Wedding Present, the adrenaline of early Placebo, the woozy Americana of the Lemonheads & the off-kilter dynamism of NY's underrated Versus. The 8 songs on this CD are pretty addictive, little indie pop gems from the heart, embellished in places with cello, trumpet & the most playful sounding keyboard i've heard in a while. 'Knowing Too Much' was recorded live by Matthew Robson from Sierpinski/Hood/Random Number. I think he likes their sweet, catchy timeless songs & homely attitude as much as I do. Be their friend and give them a whirl! CD only
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What their label says...
If you want lo-fi , guitar / keyboard heavy indie pop with beautiful melodies and thoughtful lyrics then you really need to look no further than Downdime.After releasing 2 successful (now sold out) limited edition 7" singles on Squirrel Records , they deliver this - their debut mini album.8 tracks of pure brilliance.It's short , sharp and to the point.Anyone who purchased the singles will be familiar with the tracks "Joanne" and "Shine" , but here they are presented in re-recorded versions alongside brand new material which shows that Downdime have truly developed in the time they have been together as a band.Tracks like "Knowing Too Much" and "Lessons" display what Downdime do best...3 minute slabs of perfect pop gems.But then there's tracks like "Time Runs Too Slow"....moody , dark , thoughtful and introspective in its approach , with beautiful strings being added to the mix.All in all , it's a very confident debut album , kept uncluttered and without a single wasted moment.They've been compared to everyone from The Flaming Lips to Pavement , Boyracer to The Modern Lovers.But all the comparisons are inaccurate really.You can't pin this stuff down as easily as that , and at the end of the day , the only conclusion you can reach is that it sounds uniquely like Downdime. 1000 copies only. Tracklisting : 1. Knowing Too Much 2. Lessons 3. Joanne 4. Times Runs Too Slow 5. Any Good Reason 6. Slave To Circumstance 7. Backpedalling 8. Shine
