Sky Larkin - The Golden Spike

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5...according to our Phil on Fri 06 Feb, 2009.

The Sky Larkin album has landed in all it's fine glory. The Golden Spike is 12 tracks of pure quality indie pop. Each year I like about one indie album (on average).... Last year it was These New Puritans and the year before it was the Young Knives and I think this year it's gonna be this one. I've been reasonably taken by the singles but I've not been bothered to take 'em. I decided to just wait for the album and I'm pleased I did. This is well decent indie pop and it makes me think everything isn't all completely shite after all. Strong indie pop tunes, smart catchy vocals and it's got a really full sound (produced by John Goodmanson who's done Sleater Kinney and Death Cab For Cutie). Musically there's bits of lots of indie bands in there.... But the ones that spring to mind are Velocity Girl, Tsunami and Sleater Kinney. After hearing this a few times I don't think these will be a flash in the pan. The strength of the music on the album makes me think there's some longevity about 'em and I'd like to think they'll be kicking about for a while. Brian reckons there's a bit of Love is All in there as well. Smashing melodic jerky indie pop music which is doing the biz for me. Lovely.

TRACKLISTING: (1) Fossil I (2) Pica (3) Molten (4) Antibodies (5) Octopus 08 (6) Somersault (7) Beeline (8) One of two (9) Matador (10) Geography (11) Summit (12) Keep Sakes

OVERVIEW: Sky Larkin consist of two old friends (Katie and Nestor) and one newer one (Doug). Since the addition of Doug to their band, Sky Larkin’s ascent has been rapid and invigorating. The trio’s recently-released debut single ‘Fossil, I’ via Wichita recordings (Bloc Party, Bright Eyes, The Cribs) was a turbulent, melodic eruption of guitars exhibiting Katie’s immense vocals. It pricked up the ears of Huw Stevens who has been championing the band constantly on his Radio 1 show, (swiftly followed by others from the station) and NME were quick to feature the band as one of their highlights of the CMJ festival this October. Thus followed European tour with Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst, Los Campesinos and trawls through the UK with the likes of Hot Club de Paris and, shortly, Stereolab. It’s clear that this DIY ethic-driven band now based in Leeds are well on their way to bigger things.
With a new single, the punkishly infused ‘Beeline’ to come next month, the band have garnered comparisons with the likes of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Breeders and the Violent Femmes.
Those who have heard ‘The Golden Spike’ already have been near-universal in their lavishing of praise upon it; immediately sensing that the trio have produced what will be acclaimed as one of the finest records to be released in 2009. Their own label was moved to declare of the band: “What we love [about Sky Larkin] is that they marry a fiercely DIY ethic in the truest sense with the best pop melodies we’ve heard since Belly”.
Recorded in Seattle, Washington, ‘The Golden Spike’ is intricately detailed but utterly immediate. Most fascinating is how the album stands out on its own in the ever-changing alternative world; ‘The Golden Spike’ sounds in thrall to no other bands of the moment and decidedly out of step with the current trends. Neither as lifeless and clichéd as the ‘landfill indie’ that is much bemoaned in the current British music scene, nor as winsome as much of North America’s current slew of college rock. Pleasingly hard to place your finger on, there’s simply something indefinably great about this record. The album was been produced by John Goodmanson (Sleater Kinney, Death Cab for Cutie) and together he and the Sky Larkin have managed to create a timeless record that is confrontational and razor sharp yet intricately layered and utterly captivating.

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