Here's a local band who somehow bring back the sixties, to me at least, without sounding corny and dated. I'm really getting into their sound.
Fresh from the fields of Mystery Lawn Music, Bay Area indie-poppers The Corner Laughers invite listeners to gather in their summer-solstice 2012 release: Poppy Seeds. The record is a shimmering love letter to the Golden State, offering the clever wordplay, magical melodies and heartbreaking harmonies fans and critics have come to expect from the group while breaking new ground in focus, depth and texture.
The band is led by singer/ukulele player Karla Kane, with bassist Khoi Huynh, drummer Charlie Crabtree, and guitarists KC Bowman and co-founder Angela Silletto, who made the poignant decision to leave the band midway through the recording of the album to pursue a new path, away from her native California. Their sound defies pigeonholes but has been compared to that of Kirsty MacColl, XTC and, despite some sunshine-pop tendencies, the “rainy melancholia” of Camera Obscura (Magnet Magazine).
Gotta love this video, where they find out what we all know - the squirrels are friendly in London.
This is from their English tour of last year.
Ends up with a live performance from the 12 Bar Club in "Tin Pan Alley" aka Denmark Street. Oh the memories come flooding back of the swinging sixties and how cool London was back then.
Grasshopper Clock
Stonewords (Director's Cut)
I wonder if this is how El Camino Real used to look, cool video. And a great song too.
Bells of El Camino "Bells of El Camino" by The Corner Laughers, featuring Mike Viola. Mystery Lawn Music 2012 Video by Farbantlix
Here's a great performance from last month.
Midsummer "Midsummer" by The Corner Laughers, 06/22/12: Marinwood's "Music In The Park": An annual summer program of the Marinwood CSD's Recreation Department
And you just know you want to hear the rest of the album.
Poppy Seeds
All songs by The Corner Laughers (see track details for individual credits).
Produced by Allen Clapp / Mystery Lawn Music
Mastered by Marty Rudnick / Sandbox Records
Artwork by Anna Saccheri
Recorded by Allen Clapp at Mystery Lawn (Sunnyvale, CA). Additional recording done in Oakland, Redwood City, Novato and Los Angeles CA; and Cambridge, UK.
credits
released 19 June 2012
The Corner Laughers are:
Karla Kane (Vocals, Ukulele, Percussion, Bass, Bell Choir)
Angela Silletto (Guitar, Percussion)
Khoi Huynh (Bass, Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar, Percussion, Bell Choir)
Charlie Crabtree (Drums, Percussion, Vocals, Bell Choir)
KC Bowman (Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Percussion, Bell Choir)
Guests:
Allen Clapp (Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion, Glockenspiel)
Anton Barbeau (Vocals, Keyboards)
Mike Viola (Vocals)
Astrid Smith (Violin, String Arrangements)
William Cleere (Vocals, Keyboards)
Anna Saccheri (Accordion)
Jeri Sykes (Woodwinds)
Wazu (Persian Percussion)
Banner photo by Claude Cardenas
5 Bears
