James Hoare delivers a second album of radiant pop, backed by a pared-down drum machine and battered guitars.
Do not underestimate the power of a pop song to evoke wonder. In the deft hands of Englishman James Hoare, a small, discreet gem can, in under three minutes, dispel even the most cataclysmic clouds. It’s precisely in a global moment that’s not very fun that we discover the second chapter of his solo project, Penny Arcade, two years after a debut that was already intoxicating.
One thing is certain: the former pillar of Veronica Falls, Ultimate Painting and The Proper Ornaments (three bands we already held in high regard) hasn’t lost his touch for radiant pop with psychedelic impulses.
Reminiscences of Syd Barrett and the Velvet Underground
Based in Marseille for a short while now, this devotee of Syd Barrett and the Velvet Underground pays homage to his heroes across twelve new tracks where a pared-down drum machine sets the tempo for jagged guitars.
We think of the balance between modesty and beauty practiced by his compatriot Studio Electrophonique, but also of Anton Newcombe’s unbridled imagination in this way of looking back to the retro (the superb Rear View Mirror, Memory Lane and Regrets) without dusty claustrophobia. The perfect soundtrack for opting out of daily torments and letting daydreams take precedence.
Double Exposure (Tapete Records/Bigwax). Release on April 17. Live at Le Chinois, Montreuil, on June 4; the Fury Défendu, Rouen, on June 5; Chez Bertille, Amiens, on June 6; the Ravelin, Toulouse, on June 18.
