Crystal Stilts - Radiant Door

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4...according to our Clinton on Thu 17 Nov, 2011.

Who is your favourite crystal? Castles, Fighters, Stilts or Antlers? Stilts make a good attempt to become kings of the crystals with this smart new EP. Choc full of top notch beat pop tunes that recall New Zealand's pop heroes The Clean, scary 60's garage, all manner of New York cool from the Velvet Underground to The Strokes as well as The Shadows. Opener 'Dark Eyes' is a 60's two-chord stomper with lots of cheesy organ and hazy, reverbed vocals whilst 'Radiant Door' is more reminiscent of their debut and in a similar vein to the territory Deerhunter/Atlas Sound are veering off into these days. They also sound enormously like The Fresh and Only's right down to the 50's pastiche lurking in 'Still as the Night'. After a mid EP lull it closes strongly on 'Frost Inside the Asylum' a drifting Velvet Underground like drone with Ian Curtis vocals and lashings of organ.

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Sacred Bones is elated to present a new EP from a NY band that has been very near and dear to our hearts for many years now, the Crystal Stilts. Recorded in early 2011 by Gary Olson, with the band’s guitarist JB Townsend producing, Radiant Door unveils some of the Stilts’ most dynamic recordings to date. The Album features the beguiling blend of romanticism and mystery that one expects from singer and lyricist Brad Hargett. Radiant Door reflects the band’s experiments with specific ideas in the studio and what they’ve been excited about and listening to, including Blue Orchids, Sanford Clark, and many more. Opening track “Dark Eyes” may be their strongest song to date, unshackling them from their fuzzy reputation, which, even at its heaviest, could never obscure one from this bands dexterous song-craft. This has been a remarkable year for the band, including the release of their sophomore full-length, In Love With Oblivion, to rave reviews, and almost continual touring since.