Kim Philbys / Whir Whir Whir

Evangeline

The KIM PHILBYS (formerly OUR LADY OF THE HIGHWAY) have a new name and a truly brilliant follow-up to 2006’s Killing You With Numbers. The three piece, consisting of frontman and songwriter DOMINIC EAST, bassist and drummer and keyboardist MIE ARAKI have created their best album to date with Whir Whir Whir, recorded by TIM MOONEY of AMERICAN MUSIC CLUB fame. The band is reminiscent in many ways of AMC’s moodiness and of Tim’s work with Mark Kozelek on their more hushed and haunted numbers. However, their influences are so diverse and East’s songwriting is so achingly personal that they are beyond categorization. The arrangements are spectacular in their depth; ranging from minimalistic pieces to fuzzed out numbers. Often the band builds the arrangements within the structure of the song allowing Mie Araki’s oceanic drum sounds to soar alongside the analog keys, fuzzy no-wave basslines, East’s circular guitar parts, and his manically personal and painfully universal lyrics. East is the touring guitarist for San Francisco stalwarts ROGUE WAVE and there are comparisons to be made there, as well, but this record must be listened to in order to be understood. It is in a league of it’s own.

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