25 Jul 2014

7" Singles Roundup - Paul Messis / Groovy Uncle & Suzi Chunk / Forever Pavot


Paul Messis "Nightmares" b/w "Penny Arcade"
Paul's material always sounds like it's ideally suited to the one-two punch of single format to me, and his latest is no different. A-side "Nightmares" continues the moody minor key approach of his last album "Case Closed" with visceral garage-punk undertones aided immeasurably by jagged slashes of well placed tremeloed guitar chords. "Penny Arcade" on the flip is the real winner though, with a more buoyant melody belying its melancholy lyrics - dreamy and quite lovely with a lonesome, wailing harmonica solo. Definitely one of the best deliberately vintage garage practitioners out there. Fans of the Dovers, Byrds, Nuggets comps etc need this immediately.
Available now from 13 O'Clock Records or directly from Paul below:

 
Groovy Uncle & Suzi Chunk "Wet Weekend" / "Barefoot In The Carpark"
Following on from last year's marvelous "One Vowel Away From The Truth" album, Glenn Prangnell's fab Medway geezers Groovy Uncle have once again joined forces with the wonderful Welsh pipes of Suzi Chunk. A teaser for an upcoming album (called "Persuaded" I'm told), this double a-sider allows both parties a chance to shine, with the aching melancholy of Prangnell's "Wet Weekend" acting as a perfect counterpoint to Chunk's storming "Barefoot in The Carpark", which benefits immensely from some of the best vintage horn charts that you'll hear this side of a James Hunter session. Ridiculously good.
Available from State Records. 
Brief sample below which should be enough to get you reaching for your wallets:

 
Forever Pavot "Le Passeur d'Armes"
Great new 7" from Parisian Emile Sornin. Recorded in his home studio, the door of which must resemble a time machine of some sort. Immaculately produced and beautifully arranged, the title track is a marvelously sinuous piece of cinematic, psychedelic giallo funk ala Ennio Morricone, while the flipside "Farfichat" is a fabulous slice of whimsical baroque pop - again of a convincingly vintage design, and bound to appeal to fans of likeminded souls like Jacco Gardner and The Violet Swells. Looking forward to a full album from Sornin - this is going to get plenty of repeat plays in the meantime.
7" available here, digital available below:

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