Various - Little Darla Has A Treat Foryou V.19, Indian Summe

  by Laura Branch

published: 1 / 9 / 2002

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Review

I am blighted by procrastination and have been meaning to listen to these Darla samplers for literally years. Well, I’m certainly glad I have entered their world now. They’ve managed to get stubborn old me listening to bands I had foolishly dismissed or would simply have never thought of listening to – which is what I like about such samplers you really have to open your mind and take the wheat with the chaff. Darla, however, seems quite unique – I don’t think I have known one label to house such seemingly diverse bands. My first conversion is to Saloon – I absolutely love them! The vocals are truly gorgeous and treacle-rich – I would make them sing to me all day long! I heard a track by them a year or so ago and didn’t really think much, but I now worship freely at the font of their enviable lazy, hazy beauty. I’m afraid I’d also labelled My Morning Jacket as the emperor’s new clothes after hearing one track I didn’t like. Now I know , however, what all the fuss is about. Those expressive vocals – full of emotion. A guitar and that stunning crumbly cake voice is all that is needed to make a moving folksy song. Mus and their whispered, almost incomprehensible vocals, said upon a backdrop of a gently plucked acoustic guitar, were also new to me. The song struts along in a seductive, coquettish manner. Indeed! Calm yourself!  A delight! And whilst I’m not usually one to say that I “love” songs – I’m too much a victim of reason, there is something inherently charming about  'Thirty' by Dances with Wolves. It’s summery, sweetly naïve and happy – on the surface at least. The simple yet highly evocative image of “everything tastes like dessert” sums it up succinctly. And these are just some of the bands that made me sit up and listen. Seventy minutes and twenty bands that collectively defy categorisation (well, aside from that one!), that will hopefully introduce you to a wealth of new, slightly off the beaten track music.

Track Listing:-

1 Saloon– Free Fall
2 The Sinking Ships– You Can't Push Me Away
3 The Snitches– Right Before My Eyes
4 Crispy Ambulance– Loupgarou
5 Pfeuti– Surgeon's Daughter
6 Ludus– Let Me Go Where My Pictures Go
7 Mus– Al Debalu
8 My Morning Jacket– Bermuda Highway (Live At KVRX)
9 Lowlights– Lowlights (4-Track Demo Version)
10 Je Suis France– California Rules
11 The Photon Band*– Dreamin
12 The Stockholm Monsters*– Terror
13 Sprites– Following Her Around
14 Figurine– My First UFO (Left Here Remix)
15 Boyracer– The Warmest Hours
16 Sweet Trip– Chocolate Matter (Lo Fi Mono Edit)
17 Super Madrigal Brothers– Pastime With Good Company
18 Dances With Wolves– Thirty
19 Cath Carroll– Moves Like You
20 Color Filter– Shikisai No Mabataki (A Color's Blink)