-=- SHGZ -=- * Shoegaze * Indie * Post-Rock * Grunge * Dream Pop * Psych-Rock * Ethereal * ARTIST..: La Casa Al Mare ALBUM...: This Astro GENRE...: Indie STYLE...: SHOEGAZE YEAR....: 2015 LABEL...: ENCODER.: LAME 3.98.4 -V0 BITRATE.: 271 kbps avg QUALITY.: 44.1kHz / Joint Stereo SOURCE..: CDEP TRACKS..: 7 SIZE....: 56.50 MB URL..: http://www.facebook.com/La-casa-al-mare-240822186006795/ - TRACKLIST 1 I Don't Want To 2:58 2 Sunflowers 3:35 3 M 5:25 4 At All 2:41 5 Tonight Or Never 3:58 6 CD Girl 5:14 7 This Astro 5:01 Total Playtime: 28:52 Self-Released Numbered Limited Edition of 300 * I first came across La Casa Al Mare after the release of their double A side single 'CD girl / M' back in September 2014 & their blissful sound had me hooked instantly. Their walls of reverb laden guitars enticed me in and welcomed me with open arms. They have a distinct sound that harks back in parts to the hazy shoegazing sounds of the early 1990's. Full of expressionism & psychedelic influence La Casa Al Mare create a maelstrom of lucid but emotive shoegaze that transcends most modern day shoegazing bands but they don't showboat or gloat about it in any way. They are reserved in their songwriting ability but can bend & twist frequencies at a whim to manufacture a sound so addictive that it will have you yearning to hear more. I firmly believe that listening to them will transport you to another sonic plain û a higher plain, where psychedelic Shoegaze is king! Hailing from Rome, Italy û La Casa Al Mare are: Marco Poloni û Bass & Vocals, Paolo Miceli û Drums & Alessio Pindinelli û Guitars & Vocals and they have just released their epic debut first full EP entitled û 'This Astro EP'. This is a magical EP full to the brim of what modern day shoegazing should be about. Emotive, awe inspiring & addictive tracks that open up your senses to every single blissful note. Do yourselves a favour & go and get a copy of this release. It is simply stunning . This is only a starting point for 'La Casa Al Mare' & I now urge them as a band to go & write a full album of new material & unleash it on to the world because I for one will be top of the Q to buy it when they do. * Having popped up out of almost nowhere in September of last year, Italian shoegazers La Casa Al Mare have released their debut EP. Titled 'This Astro', the EP features four tracks that have previously been released online as well as bringing with it three previously unheard tracks (one of which only appears on the physical release). Hailing from Rome, the three piece is made up of Paolo Miceli on drums, formally of Sea Dweller and My Violent Ego, Marco Poloni on bass, former member of La Calle Mojada and Alessio Pindinelli on guitar and vocals. I'm sure this prior experience that two thirds of the band hold goes a way to explain how La Casa Al Mare have been able to make their first EP such a strong debut release. You can't really listen to La Casa Al Mare without mentioning the quintessential shoegaze bands of the past, especially My Bloody Valentine. It is easy to hear the definite inspiration that they must have brought to the band, but their ability to avoid sounding like an exact carbon copy is what, in my eyes, makes this such a huge accolade and achievement. What is important and noticeable as you listen is that they haven't copied they've been inspired. There are moments of knowledge of the past and of remembrance to the innovators and from this La Casa Al Mare have created an EP that has taken in that early 90s ideal and out of it they have made something that sounds modern and fresh. It is an excellent release for new comers of the band such as myself, with it presenting everything that the band has released so far. Those who are aware of the band's prior output may be slightly disappointed that there is only three new tracks, but those tracks are definite reason for those who are already familiar with them to get involved too, especially the experimental title track on the CD release. 'This Astro' proves to be a truly astounding listening experience and is an astonishing first release for the band. I found it to be one of those records that gives an almost visual listening experience, as every sound plays out in front of your eyes with an almost physical three dimensional depth to every song for you to explore and move around. What guys from La Casa Al Mare have achieved with this debut EP is shoegaze perfection. 'This Astro' is a real triumph in the genre; a noisy, effect-laden triumph and I can't wait to see what the lads have in store for the future. * With This Astro, the kids in La Casa al Mare have captured the zeitgeist of the shoegaze era. One of the issues we wrestled with when reviewing this album was how to give it the praise it deserves without making it sound as if La Casa a Mare is straight aping our favorite sounds of the early nineties. You see, one could be forgiven for thinking they're listening to a My Bloody Valentine B-side when they hit play on this EP. The opener, I Don't Want To, sets the tone with atonal guitar stabs straight out of Only Shallow soaring over a densely textured wall-of-sound and simple, low-key vocal melody. But damn, it's really good. And a perfect complement to this six-track digital EP (the physical CD comes with a seventh bonus track). Of the six, four had been previously released/given away online as singles. Only I Don't Want To and At All had not seen the light of day until now. But as a collection, this EP serves as a coherent reincarnationûnot so much a tribute to the great shoegaze acts of yore as it is a child claiming their birthright. To listen to This Astro is to cut through the bullshit self-indulgence of a Kevin Shields and the monotony that could be Slowdive. It's ok, shoegaze fans, you can admit that, sometimes, it was just a little boring. To listen to This Astro is to jump the line and get to the fun stuff: MBV's wall of sound, Hum's pop vocal sensibilities, the Cocteau Twins' dreamy reverberated guitars. Give it a listen and see for yourself. You won't regret it. * La Casa al Mare's debut EP 'This Astro' has landed, and it's every bit as magical as we expected. The newcomers appeared (seemingly out of nowhere) last September with the 'M' single, a beautifully polished shoegaze anthem that plays out like an unearthed classic. Of course, it helps when the band features former members of Sea Dweller, My Violent Ego and La Calle Mojada (which explains their veteran sound). The EP release features five songs (including the two singles), with a bonus track ('This Astro') on the CD. It's a good opportunity for those who haven't picked up the previous singles to jump on board, and provides three extra songs (for those that have). The trio (Marco Poloni on vocals/bass, Paolo Miceli on drums, with Alessio Pindinelli on guitar and vocals) don't hide their influences, 'This Astro' overtly borrows from the 90s. The My Bloody Valentine influence is clear, however they do add enough of their own charm to make it their own. It could also be argued that La Casa al Mare have much stronger vocal chords than their forefathers *dodges rotten tomatoes*. I suppose that's how the sound has evolved, 'This Astro' capitalizes on the gorgeous sonic swells but supports them with catchy melodies (that aren't overdone). The EP doesn't bury too many sounds in the mix, you can still make out what's going on, and there's not an over indulgence in lo-fi aesthetics either. 'I Don't Want To' gets the EP off to a punchy start. It's a short blast of swooning tremolos and melodic haze which runs into 'Sunflowers', a reminder that, all this distortion and naval gazing doesn't have to be depressing! Its choruses are light and positive, one of the highlights. 'At All' (first public stream above), is a straight ahead indie rocker that bridges into the sedate 'Tonight Or Never', a dream pop lullaby that shows us what La Casa al Mare sound like without all the fuzz. 'CD Girl' is an unassuming song, it washes over you without the same hooks as the other singles but is still a strong entry. The CD bonus cut 'This Astro' is their most experimental work yet, a five minute instrumental. It's filled with reverb heavy sounds jutting into the mix. It forms a dissonant cacophony mid way, and almost falls into a heap before wondering into the fade out. It's difficult to fault the EP, but like many of you, I'd really like to hear what they'll do on a full length. That's my only complaint! If you're a fan of the genre, 'This Astro' is a must listen. It's a pleasure from start to finish (first listen through), and it's one of the most exciting EPs I've heard in years. And to think, this is only the beginning. -=- SHGZ -=- P.S. ** Thanks *** *** BCC FNT IPC SSR *** *** For Knowing Where The Music Is At *** --===-- ********************* * NuHS we miss you! * *********************