The Child Readers - Music Heard Far Off

The Child Readers
Music Heard Far Off
(04.2008, Soft Abuse)
Verdict = Music made of items found around the house

The Child Readers are doing the current wave of low fidelity recording one better by not only recording crappily, but in those recordings using instruments that are falling apart, and when they do fall apart, finding the best aural equivalent among the cluttersome toys and appliances around the house to finish the job. At least that is what it sounds like. There are, at the least, two different kinds of music listeners in the world of independent music nowadays; those that get excited about a description of purposefully terrible production and those who groan about it. I guess now is the time to assure both camps that Music Heard Far Off isn't going to send either type into the other camp. Those hating on the "noise trend" can feel free to keep on hating while those indulging can add another worthy title to their vaults. However, The Child Readers don't fall easily in line with the fuzzy Siltbreeze rock of Times New Viking and Psychedelic Horses Hit :), but more in line with label mate Pumice. In this way The Child Readers manage to even make forays into folk gritty and obtuse. I can't say that the vocals here are my favourite, but I don't hate them either. In fact, they have been steadily growing on me. However, it is the shambling instrumentation that's grin inducing here. Oddly pastoral, Music Heard Far Off is filled with enough ear crunchy candy to feed an elephant - Gets better with every listen!

-Mr. Thistle

The Child Readers - Fortune (Incl. The Morningnight / A Hated Art)