Wednesday, May 23, 2007

When you moved in, you still had your looks

I’ve recently come across a rather self-consciously cool magazine called Kruger, which I think I picked up at the Novacaines gig. It’s all clever graphics and experimental typographical effects and is clearly aimed at your discerning NME types. Based in London, it’s clearly too cool for us West Country inbreds, but it’s a worthy little project.

Anyway, the Kruger website is worth a visit and has a Singles Club (not that sort of club) that I’d recommend you joining (although if you choose not to, it’s a pretty fair bet that some of the featured records will be appearing here too…).

The first record features Cardiff band, the Toy Band, and is a really good start for Kruger – someone there clearly has good radar. All jerky, “new wave” riffs and catchy hooks, it’s a real grower.

The Toy Band

The Toy Band are Jamie, Joe, Jim and Pete and are, erm, from Cardiff. And that’s about all I’ve managed to find out so far about them. I’ll let you know if I can get in touch with them. Did I say they’re from Cardiff?

Anyway, what you need to know is that both the tracks posted here are good but I particularly like the first one, “Anthony’s Legacy”, which has these rather sad lines:

We gathered round in the playground
To watch you win all the fights
Oh how it’s changed
Now you’re stuck in the mud
And we’ve all lost our confidence.
I think these songs are among the strongest I’ve heard for a long time and I shudder to think that we live in a world where songs like these make little impression but Radiohead albums sell by the lorryload…

What’s the matter with you guys?

Anthony’s Legacy

The Riff Song

Good work Kruger!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Toy Band are brilliant! Have they made an album yet?