Various - Playing the Indie Game

by Mark Rowland

published: 26 / 9 / 2004

Label: Suiteside
Format: CD

intro

Enterprising and entertaining compilation from Italy's "best indie label", upon which each artist had to use a toy instrument in their song and draw upon childhood influences

It has been a while since Italy’s best indie label, Suiteside records, released an album, but they’re back with this interesting concept of a compilation. The artists on the compilation are from all over Europe, including Britain’s Brave Captain and King of Woolworths, France’s Wilfried, and Italy’s Pecksniff and Lo-fi Sucks!. There’s one catch to appearing on the record – every artist has to use a toy instrument in their song, and be influenced by an aspect of their childhood or alternatively by children that they’ve seen around them. It’s a great concept, and one that really suits Suiteside. Depending on your taste, you’re bound to find something you like on this compilation, which is mainly comprised of laid back lo-fi, folk and ambient music. My personal favourite is King of Woolworths’ ‘Dog Cat Game’, a fun instrumental track with a great sample of an old kids’ radio broadcast from the 60's. The rest of the album is more song based. Often acoustic guitars are accompanied by toy instruments. Morose’s ‘How I killed Leonard Cohen’ is one of the best songs in that style. Elsewhere, things are a little stranger. Holland’s Blimey! sound like they only used toy instruments for their song ‘Sexy’ which is a hilarious tribute to one hit wonders. Lo-fi Sucks! and Anorak take a more electronica influenced direction, which the toy instruments fit into seamlessly. This is a great album to have at an indie party, with genuinely funny moments and a concept that will inspire long drunken conversations in the wee hours of the morning. Worth it just for the King of Woolworths and the Blimey! tracks.

Track Listing:-

1 bravecaptain- The Little Girl Who Waves At Trains
2 Wilfried- I Made Love With Pussy Galore
3 Anorak- Microphone
4 Mantler- Shadows And Counterparts
5 King Of Woolworths- Dog Cat Game
6 John Wayne Shot Me- A Song About Fishing
7 Morose- How I Killed Leonard Cohen
8 Pecksniff- I'm A Sailor
9 No Through Road- The Singing Donkey
10 Blimey!- Sexy
11 Lo-Fi Sucks!- Cookie Jar