A Classic Education - Hey There Stranger (with Exclusive Remixes)

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5...according to our Brian on Wed 12 Oct, 2011.

More epic psych-tinged chamber pop and dream-like indie rock from this increasingly popular Italian collective. They've been compared to several international players in the past but I think this may be the first time I've had the privilege? I cannot easily compare them to anyone really famous and obvious either which is kinda weird, they seem to have a distinct, erm...classic feel all of their own. Guitars strum, chime and sing, the arrangements are stunning, lush and moving and the vocals are a sensual wonder! In a contemporary vein I get a mild spot of Deerhunter, Animal Collective and Papercuts throughout, though more in the harmonic aura than the actual song structures, a penchant for honey-coated '60s inspired melodies but they sound really dreamy and fresh too, crisp and halcyon songs enriched with a genuine beauty and easy-going nous. ACE could well appeal to fans of classicist guitar pop bands such as The Clientele and original '60s acid munchers Love...I'm quite amazed at the depth and quality of songwriting on the first side here, it is not at all what I expected! I'm not going to review the remixes on the flip either because the original numbers on side one are more than twice worth every penny this record will cost you and for some purist reason I don't want the luxurious musical memories lingering in my mind right now deteriorating so soon...

We Were Never Being Boring Collective and Lefse Records team up to bring you the vinyl version of A Classic Education‘s Hey There Stranger. Originally released at the end of 2010 in digital and cd format, this EP is the bands first bold announcement to the world. As webzine The Line Of Best Fit puts it “you’re unlikely to find a more polished introduction to a band than Hey There Stranger- if a debut album can carry even half the substance, melodies and brains of this first work, it’ll come close to being a modern day, you guessed it, classic.”The EP is now expanded to include 5 remixes of artists loved by A Classic Education. Exclusive to this release are Banjo Or Freakout‘s minimal idm-warped take on Terrible Day, Visions Of Trees‘ spazz-electro-palm party I Lost Time, Crimea X and their cosmic kraut version of Devilish Coast Sway, Welcome Back Sailors gives the french touch to Gone To Sea while Death In Plainsgoes with the “destroys all barriers” approach.”The brightness of their wonderful songs is hard to contain on any terrestrial plane”. – Altered Zones

“Classic is right. Songs so sturdy you’d swear you’ve heard ‘em before. You haven’t, but you will.” – SPIN

“I Lost Time feels like an epic single painstakingly assembled from discarded piles of sonic rubble. Truly impressive stuff.” – My Old Kentucky Blog

Gone To Sea by headphonesman

Terrible Day (Banjo or Freakout Remix) by headphonesman

Tracklisting:

SIDE A
1. Gone To Sea
2. Terrible Day
3. What My Life Could Have Been
4. Devilish Coast Sway
5. I Lost Time
6. Toi

SIDE B
1. Terrible Day (Banjo Or Freakout remix)
2. I Lost Time (Visions Of Trees remix)
3. Gone To Sea (Welcome Back Sailors remix)
4. Devilish Coast Sway (Crimea X remix)
5. Gone To Sea (Death In Plains remix)

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