Happy Families - New Forgetting

by Anthony Strutt

published: 13 / 8 / 2013

Label: Sonic Cathedral
Format: 7"

Excellent loud and classic-sounding shoegazing on first vinyl only single from London-based band, Happy Families

Review

'New Forgetting' is the debut single from Happy Families, the new band of ex-Bowery Electric front man Lawrence Chandler and art student Lucia Rivero. After his band split, Lawrence studied music at Goldsmiths College under the watchful eye of Philip Glass, and his last work was a 24 hour piece called 'Turning of the World'. Lucia studied first of all in Spain, and then at St Martin's, College of Art in London. 'New Forgetting' definitely ticks all the right boxes. It is blissfully noisy with Slowdive textures, and is loud as My Bloody Valentine. Lucia's continental vocal is layered over rich walls of crashing distorted guitars, and drum patterns that marry the guitar more than just well. It is also reminiscent of early Curve. Its B side is a cover of the Ramones 'I Remember You', which checks in at just under six minutes. It is again very trippy, but with much more delay. It is slowly paced but sharper in its detail. The vocals are cleaner, which are fed well with heavy My Bloody Valentine style guitars that bleed all over the track. Excellent!