listen closer

their less famous bands.

malcolm middleton "the king of bring"
malcolm is the guitarist for the much better known arab strap. his solo album is one giant sigh. it's resignation set to acoustic guitars and keyboard swirls. like aidan moffat who sings (or more often, speaks) for arab strap, he's got a thick scottish accent, and if there's something wrong with his life, you're going to know about it. "i don't lock the door at night anymore / i've no one to keep safe / pancakes, gone / kissing, gone / along with the smile on my face." feeling down? i'm sure malcolm's feeling worse, so give this a try... i think you'll find he's mastered a sort of triumphant failure.
--from 5.14 fluoxytine seagull alcohol john nicotine [2002]

hutch and kathy "half these tears"
before hutch harris and kathy foster formed the thermals and put out two stellar records on subpop, they were 'hutch and kathy'. and they put out a just as stellar folk record that not so many people seem to have heard. calmer and clearer than their thermals output, but with the same solid songwriting base that makes all the songs work in the first place. definitely definitely underheard. one of my favorites.
--from hutch and kathy [2002]