Arrivals

[commonpeople1]

Crystal Stilts, Departure, Feb 2009
We are barely into spring and I'm already bracing myself for autumn, thanks to the Crystal Stilts. There must be something in Brooklyn's water because great bands keep coming out of there. This one barely has space on its sleeves to hang its Joy Division, Jesus & Mary Chain, Velvet Underground and House of Love influences, but it somehow pulls it off in the most charmingly nostalgic way. The single "Departure" even reminds me of (obscure to you) post-punk Brasilian band Violeta de Outono in its dreamy melody, 60s LSD victim lyrics and dark bass. B-side "Prismatic Room" goes deeper into what went wrong with the Flower Power generation, via Mazzy Star and The Doors. I imagine the whole band wears severe black bangs.