Daniel Land and the Modern Painters - The Space Between Us
by Anthony Strutt
published: 13 / 9 / 2012

Label:
Club AC30
Format: CD
intro
Enticing second album from Manchester-based shoegazing/ambient act, Daniel Land and the Modern Painters
'The Space Between Us' is the follow-up to Daniel Land and the Modern Painters' self-released debut, 'Love Songs for the Chemical Generation'. While 'Love Songs for the Chemical Generation' was essentially a solo album for Daniel, 'The Space Between Us' is more of a band record. The lyrics are more deliberate, while the music is influenced by the novels of Milan Kundera and Stephen King, and also Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'. On 'Echo and Narcissus' Daniel's vocals are golden silk, while the backing is also reminiscent of the Cocteau Twins, being gentle on the ears and pure heaven. 'The Silver Medal'is played out elegantly. The vocal is almost husky, the words falling out like melted snow. It is a chill out number of widescreen quality. 'Starcrossed/Butterfly Lovers' is as smooth as Slowdive, but more gentle in its ambient like textures. 'Love Life' has soft acoustic guitars, while Daniel's vocal is self-confessional. 'Cherry Bark and Almonds' is gentle again, and shimmers softly, being easy on the ears and a perfect late night chillout number. 'Sleeping with the Past' is like a soft Kitchens of Distinction number, while Daniel's vocal gently swims on top of it all. 'Eyes Wide Shut' is soft and lush, almost has a rolling like feel, gentle and elegant. 'The Hawk and Nightingale' has more mellow waves of layered texture. 'Starfish Fucking' ends the album, is again soft on acoustic guitar, very sorrowful sung almost as if in tears, more miserable then Radiohead could ever produce and wonderful. A work of great beauty.
Track Listing:-
1 Echo & Narcissus2 The Silver Medal
3 Starcrossed/Butterfly Lovers
4 Lovelife
5 Cherry Bark & Almonds
6 Sleeping With the Past
7 Eyes Wide Shut
8 The Hawk & the Nightingale
9 Starfish Fucking
Band Links:-
http://danielland.bandcamp.com/https://twitter.com/DanielLandMusic
https://www.youtube.com/user/danielland/videos
https://plus.google.com/101526691901053363755
Label Links:-
http://store.clubac30.com/https://www.facebook.com/clubac30
https://twitter.com/clubac30
interviews |
Interview (2011) |
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Anthony Strutt chats to shoegazing artist Daniel Land, who fronts the group the Modern Painters, about his band and their forthcoming second album |
soundcloud
reviews |
Within the Boundaries/Benjamin's Room (2008) |
![]() |
Perfect double A sided debut single from Daniel Land, who formed his shoegazing group, the Modern Painters, after seeing a Ulrich Schnauss DJ set in Manchester last year |
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