Chicago psych-pop septet the 1900s have enough members that their songs can effortlessly slide across styles (coke ‘n’ rhinestone country, urban pastoral garage, straight-up boy/girl belting), filling a room while remaining breezy ‘n’ easy, even when dropping lines like “You said you’d never want to take it from behind from boys / but pride starts wasting away before your youth” in the chiming, bouncing, tambourine ‘n’ piano tapping “Georgia.” The dozen tracks on Cold & Kind, the follow-up to last year’s Plume Delivery EP, layer strong harmonies over vintage keys, piano, strings, and the rest of the rock ‘n’ roll sink. Sometimes we hear Belle & Sebastian covering 10,000 Maniacs; at others their named influences Fleetwood Mac (in those swaggering, calming voices) and Velvet Underground (the guitars!) raise their royal heads. Or, how about Nico’s “These Days” sped and filtered through youthful Roky psych rollicking in “Two Ways”? (We’ve posted the track below along with the aforementioned “Georgia” for your closer inspection?)
Yup, the six EP songs hinted at something. This full-length debut should deliver the 1900s to an audience outside the British twee bedsitters. Or they’ll just have to get a bigger bed.
Cold & Kind is out 10/02 on Parasol.
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 Photos From ATP Bowlie 2 Curated By Belle & Sebastian |
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I agree, these guys are great. Caught them opening for Iron & Wine. Good Stuff.
Been on to them for over a year now. Great to see that they’re finally getting the attention they deserve. Guess that means I gotta’ find another band to call my own…
nice sounds but please no kissing in band photos ewwwwww
I saw them opening for Iron and Wine too! They’re fantastic and I’ve been trying to hunt down a CD for the longest time now.
“I’ll see you at the lights” is a great song, too
Holy Toledo! These guys are something special. Thanks.
Well done Stereogum! 98% of what you guys post here is risible undifferentiated indie-clone filler like Devendra Cab for Modest Social Scene, but the occasional winner like this keeps me reading.
They were selling “Cold And Kind” at Lollapalooza. I didn’t go, but a friend of mine who was bought me the album. It’s pretty fantastic. The harmonies in the chorus of “Cold and Kind” are worth the price of admission alone.
1900s? 1990s?
is 19__s this year’s “wolf”
There was another band from Illinois called 1997 who was just signed as well…
Chicago is producing too much talent right now. Soon, everyone will be over Illinois…which sucks because I live in Chicago.
@Ashley – you can get their records from Parasol Records or at their website here: http://www.the-1900s.com/store.htm
Thanks A. (!)
It is a 19_ _ s year. But…1997 is super lame. They’re half interesting at a first listen, and immediately boring afterwards.
1990s
What? No mention of their Franzy roots?
i thought this band was from glasgow, scotland?
i’ve seen them a few times supporting bands in belfast
Trev they are. Two of the band members played with some of the guys in Franz Ferdinand before forming this band.
This band is the The 1900′s and they are from Chicago…the 1990′s are from Scotland , 2 different bands…got it ?
and their names are no doubt just a coincidence , shit happens…
ok ..as you were….
This band is definitely different, but I love their sound. “When I Say Go” is great… I think my cousin is the long haired red head on the left!