The work of Eric Matthews was a direct reaction to the lo-fi recording practices so prevalent throughout the alternative music scene of the 1990s; while many of the decade's artists trafficked in a defiantly ragged, do-it-yourself aesthetic, Matthews' records grew out of orchestral theories and practices, and revelled in the stately elegance of... [+] Read More

The work of Eric Matthews was a direct reaction to the lo-fi recording practices so prevalent throughout the alternative music scene of the 1990s; while many of the decade's artists trafficked in a defiantly ragged, do-it-yourself aesthetic, Matthews' records grew out of orchestral theories and practices, and revelled in the stately elegance of warm harmonies and lush arrangements. A native of Gresham, OR, Matthews was born in 1969, and fell in love with the symphonic pop of the Beach Boys, Burt Bacharach, and the Bee Gees at an early age; John Williams' score for Star Wars steered him into orchestral music, and he picked up his first instrument, the trumpet, while in elementary school.

After attending a San Francisco conservatory to hone his craft, he moved to the Boston area to further pursue his songwriting and performing. There he met Sebadoh's Lou Barlow and Bob Fay, and under the name Belt Buckle, they teamed for a four-song EP in 1993. Through Fay, Matthews also struck up a friendship with Richard Davies, an Australian-born singer/songwriter best known for fronting the cult band the Moles. Together they formed the duo Cardinal, a forum for Davies' wry songwriting and Matthews' arranging skills and instrumental talents (which now included a mastery of piano, organ, harpsichord, and marimba), and released a stunning self-titled debut in 1994. Internal difficulties resulted in Cardinal's brief lifespan, however, and Matthews soon resurfaced as a solo artist. In 1995, he issued his debut, It's Heavy in Here, an ornate, complex collection highlighting his emerging vocal and composing skills. The excellent Lateness of the Hour followed in 1997. It was his final album for some time, however. He finally returned in 2005 with a mini-LP titled Six Kinds of Passion Looking for an Exit and a full-length, Foundation Sounds, late the following year. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Musician and illustrator Archer Prewitt was born and raised in Frankfort, KY, going on to attend art school in Kansas City. There he co-founded the Coctails, a now-legendary quartet whose eclectic, Martin Denny-inspired kitsch-pop predated the lounge revival movement by a good half-decade; the band relocated to Chicago in 1991, issuing four... [+] Read More

Musician and illustrator Archer Prewitt was born and raised in Frankfort, KY, going on to attend art school in Kansas City. There he co-founded the Coctails, a now-legendary quartet whose eclectic, Martin Denny-inspired kitsch-pop predated the lounge revival movement by a good half-decade; the band relocated to Chicago in 1991, issuing four albums and a series of singles before disbanding with a farewell show on New Year's Eve, 1995. By that time, Prewitt was also ensconced as a member of the acclaimed post-rock combo the Sea and Cake; after completing the band's 1997 effort The Fawn, he returned to the studio to record his long-awaited solo debut, the outstanding In the Sun. White Sky followed two years later. In addition to his musical pursuits, Prewitt enjoyed success as a graphic artist -- a onetime colorist for Marvel Comics, he also earned acclaim for his brilliant independent title Sof' Boy. A third release entitled Gerroa Songs was released in fall 2000. Recorded on an old reel to reel recorder in Australia, it featured a far more stipped down sound. However, 2002's Three was a return to a more lush pop sound and detailed arrangements. In 2003, the Sean and Cake was back on duty, but Prewitt returned to his solo work and released Wilderness in early 2005. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Although the High Llamas are nominally a group, they're pretty much the brainchild of singer and guitarist Sean O'Hagan. O'Hagan did some time in the London-by-way-of-Dublin band Microdisney, in which he was the songwriting partner of Cathal Coughlan. After Microdisney split in 1988 (Coughlan forming Fatima Mansions), O'Hagan released a couple... [+] Read More

Although the High Llamas are nominally a group, they're pretty much the brainchild of singer and guitarist Sean O'Hagan. O'Hagan did some time in the London-by-way-of-Dublin band Microdisney, in which he was the songwriting partner of Cathal Coughlan. After Microdisney split in 1988 (Coughlan forming Fatima Mansions), O'Hagan released a couple of import-only solo albums before forming the High Llamas. The Llamas issued their debut, Gideon Gaye, in 1994 to high praise in the British press; it was released in the States a year later almost as an afterthought, with virtually no fanfare. Comparisons of the High Llamas/O'Hagan to Brian Wilson/the Beach Boys are unavoidable, and not just from arcane critics. Anyone with a large Beach Boys collection will detect the uncanny resemblance to 1966-1970 Beach Boys, with the sophisticated melodies, the beautiful harmonies, and the elaborate production, with the emphasis on layered keyboards and orchestration. Echoes of Pet Sounds, Smile, Wild Honey, and Surf's Up predominate, though O'Hagan also claims Burt Bacharach as a major inspiration. At this point, however, the strong resemblance to Wilson's meisterwerks place O'Hagan closer to imitation than originality. Considering that he's been making records for over a decade, he might want to start aiming his sights higher. Subsequent efforts include 1996's Hawaii, 1997's Cold and Bouncy, and 1999's Snowbug. Buzzle Bee arrived the following year, featuring a more stripped-down sound and guest vocals from Mary Hansen from Stereolab. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Tindersticks were one of the most original and distinctive British acts of the '90s, standing apart from both the British indie scene and the rash of Brit-pop guitar combos that dominated the U.K. charts. Where their contemporaries were often direct and to the point, Tindersticks were obtuse and leisurely, crafting dense, difficult songs layered... [+] Read More

Tindersticks were one of the most original and distinctive British acts of the '90s, standing apart from both the British indie scene and the rash of Brit-pop guitar combos that dominated the U.K. charts. Where their contemporaries were often direct and to the point, Tindersticks were obtuse and leisurely, crafting dense, difficult songs layered with literary lyrics, intertwining melodies, mumbling vocals, and gently melancholy orchestrations. Essentially, the group filtered the dark romanticism of Leonard Cohen, Ian Curtis, and Scott Walker as filtered through the bizarre pop songcraft of Lee Hazlewood and the aesthetics of indie rock. Though their music was far from casual listening, Tindersticks gained a dedicated cult following in the mid-'90s, beginning with their eponymous 1993 debut album, which was named Album of the Year by Melody Maker.

The origins of Tindersticks lay in Asphalt Ribbons, a Nottingham-based indie rock band that featured vocalist Stuart Staples, keyboardist David Boulter, and violinist Dickon Hinchcliffe. All three members formed Tindersticks in 1992; the remaining members included guitarist Neil Fraser, bassist Mark Colwill, and drummer Al Macaulay. In November of 1992, the band released its first single, "Patchwork," on its own label, Tippy Toe. "Marbles" followed early in 1993, as did "A Marriage Made in Heaven," a collaboration with Huggy Bear's Niki Sin that appeared on Rough Trade's Singles Club. Following the release of the Unwired EP on Tippy Toe, the fledgling This Way Up signed the band.

Tindersticks' eponymous debut appeared halfway through 1993, earning rave reviews from most sections of the British press. By the end of the year, the group and the album had won over most of the U.K. critics, and Tindersticks was named Album of the Year by Melody Maker. Tindersticks spent a quiet year in 1994, releasing a single of John Barry's James Bond theme "We Have All the Time in the World" (On Her Majesty's Secret Service), a live album entitled Amsterdam, and a cover of Pavement's "Here." Also that year, Tindersticks was released on Bar/None in the U.S. In the spring of 1995, the group released its untitled second album, which featured cameos from Gallon Drunk's Terry Edwards and the Walkabouts' Carla Torgerson. Like its predecessor, it received rave reviews and appeared on nearly every British Top Ten list of the Best of 1995. In November of 1995, the group released another live album, Bloomsbury Theatre.

Tindersticks were quiet for most of 1996, releasing the soundtrack to the Claire Denis film Nénette et Boni in the fall of the year. The album was comprised of old songs, new songs, and rearranged older material. A new version of "A Marriage Made in Heaven," featuring vocals from actress Isabella Rosselini, was released a few months after Nénette et Boni; the single was later appended to the American release of 1997's Curtains. Their fourth effort, Simple Pleasure (1999), marked the band's most open-hearted release since their inception. A new deal with Beggars Banquet surfaced at the dawn of the new millennium, and a replenished unity within the band was found on 2001's Can Our Love.... Later that year, Tindersticks provided the soundtrack to another Claire Denis film, Trouble Every Day. The proper follow-up to Can Our Love..., Waiting for the Moon, was released in mid-2003. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Australian-born singer-songwriter Richard Davies formed the chamber-pop unit the Moles in Sydney in the late 1980s after growing disenchanted with studying law; concluding that he preferred composing poetry to writing essays for his class assignments, he soon began crafting his first songs. After finding some underground success in their native... [+] Read More

Australian-born singer-songwriter Richard Davies formed the chamber-pop unit the Moles in Sydney in the late 1980s after growing disenchanted with studying law; concluding that he preferred composing poetry to writing essays for his class assignments, he soon began crafting his first songs. After finding some underground success in their native land as well as the U.S. and Britain, the Moles broke up around the beginning of 1993; Davies soon settled in New York City to begin a solo career, although in 1994 he released his solo debut, Instinct, under the Moles name. Through a mutual friendship with Sebadoh drummer Bob Fay, Davies joined forces with multi-instrumentalist and arranger Eric Matthews to form the duo Cardinal, which released their lush, symphonic self-titled debut to great acclaim in 1994. However, internal strife prompted the group to split soon after, and Davies began his solo career in earnest with 1996's baroque There's Never Been a Crowd Like This; on tour, he was backed by avowed fans the Flaming Lips. The superb Telegraph followed in 1998, and in 2000 Davies signed to the Kindercore label to issue his third solo LP, Barbarians. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

A thrilling, revelatory debut, Tindersticks is a chamber pop masterpiece of romantic elegance and gutter debauchery. Within the framework of a remarkably consistent and mesmerizingly dank atmosphere, the group covers a stunning amount of ground -- "Her" is a crashing flamenco number, "The Walt Blues" is a tipsy organ instrumental, and "Paco de... [+] Read More

A thrilling, revelatory debut, Tindersticks is a chamber pop masterpiece of romantic elegance and gutter debauchery. Within the framework of a remarkably consistent and mesmerizingly dank atmosphere, the group covers a stunning amount of ground -- "Her" is a crashing flamenco number, "The Walt Blues" is a tipsy organ instrumental, and "Paco de Renaldo's Dream" is an impenetrable cinematic monologue punctuated by subdued guitars, pianos, and strings. Stuart Staples' bacchanalian songs are obsessed with fluids, both bodily ("Blood," "Jism") and otherwise ("Nectar," "Whiskey and Water," "Raindrops"); no topic is too personal or too disturbing -- "Piano Song" is frightening in its callousness, while "City Sickness" is an unflinching examination of emotional and physical desperation. Fascinatingly constructed and strikingly ambitious, Tindersticks is insidiously labyrinthine: the music speaks softly but carries tremendous weight, and its hold grows more and more unbreakable with each listen. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Fans who missed out on the three import EPs between If You're Feeling Sinister and The Boy With the Arab Strap should pick up the reissue set that puts them all in one little box, as it's more quality work, and all non-LP. The band and Matador should have taken the opportunity to put them together on one disc. What a waste of extra plastic. ~...

Fans who missed out on the three import EPs between If You're Feeling Sinister and The Boy With the Arab Strap should pick up the reissue set that puts them all in one little box, as it's more quality work, and all non-LP. The band and Matador should have taken the opportunity to put them together on one disc. What a waste of extra plastic. ~ Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Pedals fulfills the immense promise of the Aluminum Group's previous recordings, largely dispensing of the derivative synth-pop detours which hampered the preceding Plano to concentrate instead on the lush, darkly romantic orchestral arrangements distinguishing the band's finest work. Co-produced by Jim O'Rourke, whose own masterpiece Eureka the... [+] Read More

Pedals fulfills the immense promise of the Aluminum Group's previous recordings, largely dispensing of the derivative synth-pop detours which hampered the preceding Plano to concentrate instead on the lush, darkly romantic orchestral arrangements distinguishing the band's finest work. Co-produced by Jim O'Rourke, whose own masterpiece Eureka the record most closely recalls, Pedals' grandiose designs become immediately apparent with the opening "Rrose Selavy's Valise," a nine-minute pocket symphony and the most ambitious song the Navin brothers have created to date. This majestic but subtly-shaded epic builds with grace and precision, and its moody synth washes, shimmering guitars, and string and horn flourishes perfectly set the tone for the remainder of the disc. As before, the suave elegance and cool surfaces of the Aluminum Group's compositions belie the poison-pen temperament of the Navins' lyrics; the withering putdowns and snarky come-ons from before are joined this time out by a surfeit of arch literary allusions, but the songs' scathing wit deflates even the loftiest pretensions -- not only is Pedals the band's most bitter pill yet, it's also the easiest to swallow. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Fin de Siecle contains many of the touching, excellent, and suave sort of songs for which Neil Hannon and the Divine Comedy are known. There are quite a few stellar tracks to be found on this, their final full-length album of new material for Setanta Records. Humorous, stylish songs are present in the form of "Generation Sex" and "Sweden."... [+] Read More

Fin de Siecle contains many of the touching, excellent, and suave sort of songs for which Neil Hannon and the Divine Comedy are known. There are quite a few stellar tracks to be found on this, their final full-length album of new material for Setanta Records. Humorous, stylish songs are present in the form of "Generation Sex" and "Sweden." "Generation Sex" contains some simply joyous wordplay, alluding to the death of Princess Diana, the struggle between the classes worldwide, and genetic engineering in the cosmetic industry. "Sweden" is a tongue-in-cheek exploration of the beauty of Swedish citizens, which culminates in the loud proclamation of an obsession about Nina Persson of the Cardigans. The other high points of the album are in the emotional extremes of "Commuter Love" and the monumentally touching "Sunrise." "Commuter Love" is a touching ode to subway love. "Sunrise" is perhaps the most pristine, chilling, and heart-wrenching song ever written or recorded dealing with the swirling chaos of unrest in Northern Ireland. Any music critics who have dismissed Hannon as an empty mimic of Scott Walker would eat their words after hearing "Sunrise." The remainder of the album is quite strong, though "Thrillseeker" and "Here Comes the Flood" are a bit too bombastic to be completely enjoyable. The band is simply too talented, though, for a few missteps to darken the charms of its albums. With "Sunrise" and much of Fin de Siecle, the Divine Comedy continue in the mode of beautiful ballads and pop divinity found on A Short Album About Love. The band has raised the bar sky high for any future releases. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Music Guide [-] Hide

It's not that Archer Prewitt hasn't made excellent music in the past -- his fine solo debut In the Sun aside, there are also a number of outstanding releases recorded with the Coctails and the Sea & Cake -- but White Sky is a revelation nonetheless, a majestic, beautifully cinematic evocation of autumnal melancholia crafted with meticulous... [+] Read More

It's not that Archer Prewitt hasn't made excellent music in the past -- his fine solo debut In the Sun aside, there are also a number of outstanding releases recorded with the Coctails and the Sea & Cake -- but White Sky is a revelation nonetheless, a majestic, beautifully cinematic evocation of autumnal melancholia crafted with meticulous sophistication. With titles like "Summer's End," "Last Summer Days" (sequenced back-to-back, no less), and "Final Season," the album's thematic ambitions are fairly self-explanatory, but what's impressive is how vividly Prewitt captures the sad inevitability of time's passage; although always a gifted songwriter, on White Sky his skills as an arranger make a huge leap forward, with gorgeously forlorn strings and horns lending color and depth to his languid, spacious pop melodies. Even the most robust moments, like the opening "Raise on High" and the propulsive "Motorcycles," possess unexpected complexity and intricacy, but it's the epic centerpiece "Walking on the Farm" that reveals White Sky's boldest ambitions, its bare-bones homespun melody blooming into an instrumental coda of magnificently pastoral grandeur. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide