I can’t remember the last time I stumbled across an EP as good as the debut release from this Oslo-based trio… if ever? With Distant Star, Spielbergs have captured more brilliance in just five tracks than many bands could manage across five whole albums. There’s a curious conflict at work here. This is a release that has emerged fully formed, all the insecurities that new bands usually face seem to have been cast aside, as they offer up nothing but the best for that all important first impression. Yet at the same time, you have a sense of where there’s room to grow, of how this stunning first release is just the steadfast foundation for something even greater.
The cheerfully titled ‘We Are All Going To Die’ is utterly relentless with its machine gun percussion, while the effervescent ‘Daisy! It’s the New Me’ bounds around with all the energy of a rabbit on a can of Red Bull. The expansive eight minute ‘Ghost Boy’ showcases the band’s more expressive and experimental side, while the calming closing track ‘Setting Sun’ feels like a more mature and heartfelt new direction. It’s the title track however that stands as the highlight. Capturing that universal desire of youth to break free with its sublime bass lines and spirited riffs, before concluding with retro 80s synths bursting straight out of the soundtrack to a John Hughes film. This feels like the start of something special.
Fans of Pixies, Titus Andronicus, Sonic Youth, Beach Slang and Black Foxxes should check out Spielbergs new EP Distant Star.
Americana is a curious one. It’s a difficult genre to put into words, yet you know it instantly when you hear it, as though it’s naturally ingrained in your spirit. Even more curious is the fact that much of the best Americana doesn’t even come from the states, it’s something you find the world over. Stray just over the border into Canada for instance and you’ll find incredible artists like Delta Jackson who offer heartwarming heartland vibes that are up there with the best of them. The wanderlust inducing ‘Willin’ sounds like it was pulled straight from The Last Waltz, while ‘Rise & Fall’ showcases the timeless beauty of Delta’s voice. The chilled out ‘Gimme One More’ is like the soundtrack to a summer daydream, ‘Blue Ink’ recalls the likes of Joni Mitchell, while ‘It Comes Down’ offers a more contemporary twist in the vein of Ryan Adams. Songs like this, that capture the Americana sound so keenly, have an ageless feel. They could have been big hits 40 years ago, and 40 years from now they will be just as potent and heartwarming as they ever were.
Edenthorn – Exist
Belwood Music 