Sparky Deathcap - Tear Jerky EP

Label: Nettlejem Release date: Out now! Website: http://www.myspace.com/sparkydeathcap You know those records? They wrap themselves around your brain as you hit play again and again, and all of a sudden it’s 3AM and you couldn’t imagine ever listening to anything else. Yeah, we’ve all had them. I think Midnight Organ Fight was the last one that got me like this, but now, well, god dammit Sparky Deathcap, let me go to sleep. Tear Jerky probably works better at night, anyway. Dense and introspective, it rumbles along in all its lo-fi glory, walking that line between cutesy and fucking devastatingly depressing. Each track has its own charm: ‘Glasgow Is A Punk Rock Town’ builds and builds with more and more contributing voices and instruments to a massive group-effort peak before fading away again, whereas ‘Winter City Ghosts’ is Bon Iver, with acoustic guitar and clattering drums that drive themselves right in to your brain with their repetitiveness – it’s the kind of song you actually miss once it’s finished. ‘September’ takes a more delicate approach at first with soft picking and less fuzzy vocals before banjo, chimes and rattling percussion kick in, backing whistles and oohs, whereas ‘Berlin Syndrome’ is relentlessly sad, barely changing as it drags you under. Closer ‘Send It To Oslo’ is the closest thing to an upbeat pop hit, with plenty of gang vocals, handclaps, sawing violins and a catchy hook, and fortunately leaves you with a smile on your face. Bon Iver is easily the most apt comparison, with its lofi warmth and charm, despite some seriously bleak songs. But it’s Bon Iver with a hot injection of Broken Social Scene-style community spirit, extra-curricular instrumentation and slightly off-kilter pop sensibility. This is probably my EP of the year. Oh, and Los Campesinos! like him, too: I saw them play as his backing band when he opened for them on his last tour. Does that convince you to try out something magical? Rating:9/10