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Evil Tordivel | 4 Tracks And An Amiga (Ellet)
This vinyl-only, 8-track mini-LP, released on the increasingly hip Ã?llet Records is a lovingly crafted, hip-shakingly swinging, utterly lo-fi affair, bringing indie-pop back to the bedroom from which it came. With more than a hint of Frank Black 101 in its grooves, this is 60s surf pop, psychedelic whimsy, a late 80s bask in melody, and 90s DIY-ethics, all impressively blended for a debut, played on a guitar and an Amiga with surprising intensity. Opening track Let's Go Beach is 'Bossanova'-era Pixies teaming up with a feel-good Jesus And The Mary Chain, while Evil Is Evil Does puts Richard D. James of Aphex Twin behind the Amiga. A Fine Young Man is a highlight, all low-budget circus-style psychedelia, while True is the sound of a crazed Brian Wilson jamming with a saner Syd Barrett, (Good Vibrations gets a name check). Where The Sun Never Sets indicates that Evil Tordivel may find his musical soul-mate in Hawksley Workman, while the loose Saturday Night wouldn't have seemed out of place on any of Macca's pre-Wings solo albums.. If you think there are too few Frank Black's around, this is one to get.

Stein Haukland
November 2001

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