Saccharine indulgence

Lately, I've realized my propensity for saccharine instrumental music. Sweet melodies, sweet instrumentation. It's a plus if there's a hint of a disturbing element; a crack in the sugary world. Finnish post-rock group The Gentleman losers is the perfect example. As so few seem to know about them, I will write a little about their album here.

(I've found out about them thanks to Last.fm & well-stocked local library). I got a little bit suspicious when visited their Myspace page and find Jack Kerouac, Jean-Luc Godard & Arthur Rimbaud listed among their influences. But the album itself cannot be blamed for big gestures and pretentions.

Their eponymous album was released in 2006. Shuffling beats, electronics, glockenspiel and electric & acoustic guitar dominate the sound picture. I usually hate it when indie artists use flutes in their music, but here it actually sounds quite good (or maybe it's keyboard that sounds like flutes?). Some have compared their music to that of Vincent Gallo's When, and it's quite easy to see the link between them. However different in musical style, their wistful and somehow reminiscing music makes me think of Boards of Canada. Some of the songs create a country twang in the same way as does A small good thing - a similarly overlooked band whose music airs both Angelo Badalamenti and Enrico Morricone.

What is more, to my delight The Gentleman Losers do not make attempts at creating the kind of epic grandeur that so many of the bands in their "genre" seem so charmed by. No crescendos whatsoever. Everything is kept quiet, slow, funereal - however not feeling overly restrained because there are interesting twists in many directions. Neither do I feel they are feasting on Great Emotions in the way many post-rock bands do. I know the usage of metaphors and pictures in music reviews are usually quite unnervingly awkward. "As if walking alone in the deserted woods" "Sitting in one's apartment at night with headphones on". Yeah, you know. I'll shut up and spare you "poetical" digressions and weather allusions. Let me say this much: the album is in no way difficult to get into. I was in love with it from the first listening on. (Admittedly, I would say many good albums take a few listens to like)

There are many other bands I like that also have developed a dusty, haunting sound (a true indulgence of mine). Swedish post-rockers Library tapes & Porn sword tobacco are two examples, Murcof another. Dutch band Machinefabriek belongs here too, somehow, even though their music is much more abstract, quieter too (yes, it's possible), and some of their stuff is perhaps best labeled "ambient".

This album is so good I can hardly find words to describe what I hear. Listening to shit music can be depressing, but stumbling upon a treasure like this is great. I hope they'll be touring around here soon, so I'll get to experience them live.