The Smiles & Frowns
Label: Akoustik Anarkhy Recordings
Read Description:
Gently simmering folk-pop from Arizona tinged with psychedelic flourishes
Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, hotly-tipped duo The Smiles and Frowns put a fresh spin on old sounds. Theirs is a transatlantic vision – West Coast harmonies and Americana stylings spar with clear nods to 1960s British guitar pop, recalling the likes of The Kinks and The Zombies at their most contemplative.
An intoxicating brew of classic songcraft and woozy electronics, the pair pen songs which are earnest yet shot through with noticeably off-kilter touches, kindling thoughts of quirky indie-comedies in the vein of Wes Anderson, seemingly beamed from the offbeat end of suburbia while also evoking the dustbowls of America.
‘Cornelius’ channels Ray Davies with its loping melody and comes coated with sepia-toned nostalgia. ‘March of the Phantom Faces’ evolves from its trippy intro to a creepy carnival mood, all eerie and claustrophobic like an old episode of Doctor Who, and the wide-eyed strum of ‘The Echoes of Time’ is the musical equivalent of skimming pebbles across a lake.
Key tracks: Cornelius, Sam, The Echoes of Time
Releases we represent:
- The Smiles & Frowns | Album | Akoustik Anarkhy Recordings | 2010
Tracks included on the following samplers:
- The Smiles And Frowns Download sampler here
- New Music Vol 12 Download sampler here
