The High Llamas

Lately, I've been chilling with my good ol' buddies The High Llamas. No, not personally, but rather through the speakers of my computer.
The London-based hipsters are the creators behind some retro-tastic music that will have you imagining you're on Route 66 back in the 50s. Not that I know what that's like, but let's assume I do.

Their newest album Can Cladders is an amalgam of songs that range from lounge revivalist to Bossa Nova. Despite borrowing from older styles and genres, what makes this album unique is the fact that it combines these in a manner that hasn't been done before. shows a diverse musical palette on behalf of lead band member Sean O'Hagan, and the songs therein are simply a delight. Every song is a new adventure, a new trip to a psychadelic (yep, you read correctly) world of lillies and daisies--it's almost comical to a certain point. Can Cladders doesn't try to mask its fun nature by pretending to be something it is not. No false advertising.

Although The High Llamas are guilty of missing on some tracks of this album, there are certainly plenty of highlights to go around. "Clarion Union Hall" is a foot-tapping, head bobbing good ol' time that could only be better if you could actually see the background singers bopping along themselves. Of take a listen to "Rollin", which is certainly the most delightful song on the album, complete with one of the great choruses I've heard. The varied instruments are really my favorite part of the albums--at any one point, I may not be sure what I'm listening to, but I know it's damn good. I'm sure you'll feel the same way too.

So c'mon, and buy Can Cladders.
Listen to "Rollin" (4.78/5)
Listen to "Clarion Union Hall" (4.44/5)