Kid, You'll Move Mountains: Loomings

This record is a curious one.  I'd never heard of Kid, You'll Move Mountains before, and thus approached Loomings (their debut) with a completely "fresh" ear.  As I've learned from previous experience, first-time-listening with my "journalist" hat on is not really the best way to hear a new band: it encourages rushed, overly critical conclusions and sweeping generalisations.  In this case I wasn't "grabbed" by the record on my first listen, but decided to give it a second chance (mainly because the design work is really nice, both on the album cover and their website).  In the entire history of music there are only four or five albums that blew me away on the first listen and that I still like now.  The vast majority of records that make a great first impression hardly ever stick around for more than a month or so.  This is due to a sad fact that's been slowly dawning on me for a while now: in the current musical climate "accessible" is often synonymous with "shallow".  It's the dense, seemingly obtuse records that provide the most depth and reward.

Now Loomings is not exactly what I'd call "dense" and I doubt it'll become an all-time favourite, but after a few listens it certainly grew on me.  What I'd initially dismissed as amateurish scruffiness now sounds like taught and controlled aggression, which is most certainly a good thing.  The production on this record is really interesting.  It's slick enough to allow you to play the record in the background, but when you give it your full attention it's got just enough bite and edge to keep you interested.  One you've "got" their music, Kid, You'll Move Mountains walk the tightrope between accessibility and depth quite masterfully.

It's a very American record, so if you're addicted to the mockney stylings of the current London crop then I'd recommend you steer well clear of this.  But if, like me, you're partial to some rock from across the pond then I recommend you get yourselves a copy of Loomings because it's very nice indeed.

Kid, You'll Move Mountains - Wives Tale [sic] [audio //www.bearfacedrecords.com/EbMBlog_mp3s/KidYoullMoveMountains/KidYoullMoveMountains_WivesTale.mp3]

Kid, You'll Move Mountains - No Applause [audio //www.bearfacedrecords.com/EbMBlog_mp3s/KidYoullMoveMountains/KidYoullMoveMountains_NoApplause.mp3]