Label: Emperor Jones
Like a handful of 90’s indie bands, American Analog Set plays quiet, moody music cut from the same cloth as bands like Velvet Undergrounnd and Galaxie 500. But unlike their spiritual brethren Low, Rex, Bedhead and Idaho, this Austin, Texas quartet has added a rich swirling Farfisa organ to their textural brand of dream-pop. Rather than relying only on clever lyrics, slow subtle building melodies and an overall quiet cool that most of the other like-bands have gravitated towards, American Analog Set has created a sound that shares as much in common with the spaceage Stereolab sound as it does the sleepier slow-core bands.
Led by the sweetly hushed vocals of Andrew Kenny, “The Golden Band” exists on a clean perfectly produced plane of calming space. There is an atmospheric richness to the precisely strummed guitar and other accompanying instrumental lines, covered by perfectly matched vocals. There is definitely an element of intense cool going on with American Analog Set, but there is also a patience and lack of overall resolve that reminds me a bit of the emotional intent of some movies. This is most evident in the specific kind of gentle atmosphere that hovers over the songs on “The Golden Band.” But unlike their two previous efforts the songs are shorter and easier to follow lyrically.
In a world filled with rapidly proliferating electronic music subgenres, it is always brings a smile to my face to hear a band like American Analog Set still being creative as indie rockers, growing older but not outgrowing the genre.
