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The sceptre of the much-missed Sarah label clearly hangs heavily over the heads and hearts of a certain type of American songwriter. Jangly guitars, just the right amount of tweeness, the feeling of summer days being fondly remembered from a winter distance... Infinite August are a perfect example of this.
A Loss So Dear is a collaboration between Mike Detmer and Ben Walpole, two major figures in the Cincinnati indie/lo-fi/ singer-songwriter scene. As the album starts, the general feeling is of a more DIY Beach Boys. Loved Ones, the opening track, has brushed drums, acoustic guitars, tinkling pianos and is a piece of classic indie pop. It’s breezy but melancholic feel is similar to that of Australian band the Lucksmiths. Secret Service benefits from very dry, in-your-face vocals and more beautifully played guitar and piano.
This is the type of music that will probably get referred to as “lo-fi”, implying some lack of conventional aural quality, compensated for by feeling and atmosphere. However, this wouldn’t really do the album justice; it certainly touches the emotions, but it’s also a very good recording. Sarah’s Got A Headache Again is particularly worthy of mention, as it extends the sonic picture beyond the previous songs. There is a slight but haunting echo on the vocals and a mean and moody electric guitar.
Infinite August are more or less like their real-life counterpart, the month of August. There’s a hint of melancholia, it’s the end of the summer, you notice the nights gradually drawing in, but the weather’s still quite nice. Happysad, for want of a better word. And that word could be applied to just about every great band that has ever existed, so Infinite August are in fine company.
CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR
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