[pic by Katie Harris]
A power trio of sorts, smallgang comprise of brothers Simon and Toshi Kobayashi with their friend Matt Atkins on drums. Their sound is curiously out of time in the uk at least, given that it owes a lot to American post-hardcore and indie-rock. Back in June we reckoned that their second full length 'san (三)' was "a more ambitious album than their debut 'Trespasses'" and that still holds - the songs are varied and there are a couple of female vocal guest spots too courtesy of Gill Sandell (Emily Baker and the Red Clay Halo) and Jen Macro (Something Beginning With L, My Bloody Valentine). It is an energetic and noisy album, with all the instruments sounding big in the mix and brutal and half-spoken vocals sometimes deliberately submerged.
Well worth hearing if you like Shellac, Wedding Present, Sebadoh, etc, which I reckon you do if you're reading this. More info (biog, audio, dates) from their label Damnably. London types should be aware that they are playing the Windmill in Brixton on the January 18th, 2015.
2014 CATCH UP no.1 : Holy Sons
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