merchandisereviewed

Here are a few of the reviews that have appeared reviewing our wonderful new record! For previous releases click here.

From Clash's website Jan '08

http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/city-best-rest 

Merchandise – Album Sampler (Cityscape Records)

Reminding me of Squeeze and The Housemartins, this slightly effete light jazzy pop might appear deceptively simple but it’s well arranged and produced, almost guaranteed to have the listener skipping down a sun kissed Summer avenue. It sounds totally ideal for the soundtrack of any Working Title romantic comedy and places itself right in the territory of Everything But The Girl’s early gear. Great vocals, even better harmonies, nice keyboard stabs and well structured songs, Merchandise’s soulful, fluffy-ness is backed up by being well crafted and measured. All in all, a very good debut. James Masters

Reviews of Lo-tech solutions to hi-tech problems

From Losing Today

www.losingtoday.com 

Another invaluable addition to any decent record collection. I first got wind of Merchandise (Bolton based duo Brad B. Wood and Conrad Astley) via a quite tasty three track pre-production teaser CD for "Lo-tech solutions to Hi-tech problems" a little while back, the sweet sound of rustic chords holding hands with dreamlike electronic backdrops on a bright spring morn that imagined the soft lull pop of China Crisis caressing with the folk-tronic fluffiness of J Xaverre and Tex La Homa. 

‘Lo-tech’ is the duo’s second full length outing and is as illuminating and joyful a listening experience as that earlier taster CD promised, if not more so. Twelve sparkling gems that briefly come into your life and quickly disappear as though like spirits. Overall so soft it’s easy to mistakenly pass over them, unobtrusive happy pop that has a willowy texture and an aching aftertaste ‘Beautiful morning for a bad day’ shuffles tastily and quite possibly stands as the most lazy eyed three minutes you’ll have all year but it’s still ’14:53’ that acts as the albums centre point. Gloriously fusing as it does the misty eyed memories of Moviola to touching fragile softening pop motifs and marrying the whole union to an airy dusty porch lit setting where endless suns set and the air is alive with the sound of natures dozing song.

Elsewhere the wonderfully lush ‘For the Shore’ treats us to a spot of idling picnic pop, the soft rustic textures exude the smell of the countryside and the warmth of a cooling summers day, in between the gentle fix of the Go Betweens and ‘Swoon’ era Prefab Sprout are teased and pulled gently by delicate cosmic clouds of Stereolab. Gane and Co pop up again, if only in spirit not in body on the dreamy ‘Charlie Parker was a Hobo’, fuzzing riffs get down and dirty while being wooed by the irresistible ‘Sound Dust’ cool as you like keyboard backdrops. Both the muscularly up-tempo ‘Albino Rhino’ and ‘Sunday Song’ reveal a crafted melodic brain at large that’s been taking notes from Archer Prewitt’s ‘White Sky’ while the drifting love sick collage found wandering on the wounded ‘Winter’ (in between playing word games with Shakespeare) will have you melting and begging for more while the hooks take up refuge in your head to bounce around for what seems like an eternity. The finale which is inevitable comes in the form of the snoozing ‘Morning After’ which dresses us up in our best pyjamas and packs us off to bed to the sound of toy musical boxes and night night strings. 

Simply perfect.

From Mana Mana (Hungary)

http://www.manamana.hu/kritika/kritika.html

Az angliai Bolton-ban tevékenykedõ Brad B Wood és Conrad Astley elsõ maxija furcsa mód még név nélkül jelent meg 1996-ban. Aztán végre sikerült valamit kitalálniuk, egy Fugazi szám címe után nevezték el magukat Merchandise-nak. 2000-ben a debütáló album is kicsúszott, amit még egy maxi követett. Zenéjük már akkor is az abszolút eklektika mintapéldánya volt és nincs ez másképp az új lemezen sem. Az elsõ szám egy rövid, instrumentális jazz, a következõ egy folkos pop dal, trip-hop ütemekkel megbolondítva. A késõbbiekben a pop balladák és fura elektronikus britpop fúziók váltják egymást. A zongora és az akusztikus gitár nagyjából minden számban jelen van. Nyugalom és pozitív életszemlélet jellemzi leginkább a Merchandise muzsikáját, amit az érdekes szövegek tesznek teljessé. Kora délutáni verõfényhez egy átbulizott este után ideális választás.

suefo

And the English translation from the writer himself:

Brad B wood and Conrad Astley who produce in Bolton, UK has strangely released their first single back in 1996 without any name. After a while, at least they have managed to work something out and named themselves to Merchandise after a Fugazi song. There was a debut album poped out too in 2000 followed by a single. Around this time their music has already been the exemplar of pure eclectica itself and this is not different on the new album either. The first track is short, instrumental jazz, the next one is folky pop song being hit upon by trip-hop beats. Later on pop ballads and funny electronic britpop fusions follow each other. The piano and the acoustic guitar appear basicly in every song. Calmness and positive way of thinking what typify the music of Merchandise which is being held in unity by the
interesting lyrics. Having partied over the night it is a perfect choice for early afternoon broad-daylight.

suefo

From Manchester Music

http://www.music-dash.co.uk/releases/release.asp?item=1265

Making summer a real possibility is the latest album from Merchandise creating a catchy alt-pop essence. 'Lo-tech Solutions . . .' - mastered by Brad B Wood and Conrad Astley - is ready to shine its bright torch over our souls to give us back the summer that was almost never there. Beautiful Morning for a Bad Day is the track that immediately brings you into the album. It has definitely been mastered to enjoy while sat in the tranquil surroundings of green fields, with blue skies watching the sun beaming down on some loud bass-y speakers - the light getting brighter when Brad's vocals hits the high and long pop notes.

The intro of 14:53 sounds like it could be from James' Laid album. This gorgeous tune feels like its warm hands have come straight out of the speakers to put its arms around you and rock you to sleep signing off with a lullaby piano tune. Following that the Sunday Song wakes you up screaming with electro squeaks moving into a funky keyboard sound complete with random beeps and blip sound effects. Echolalia is a strong contender as a future single - showing an aggressive side of the duo with the vocal rhythm reminiscent of Bowie's Ground Control. The piano balladry of Distil Disappointment and The Last Stand of Pucho Vasquez is in stark contrast to the much edgier Albino Rhino.

Lo-tech Solutions to Hi-tech Problems is rounded off with bursts of electro energy compounded with idyllic summer fuelled serenades. This album is not going to be enjoyed as much in 2004 though thanks to torrential downpours of rain spoiling our Merchandise enjoyment.

Anthony Murray

From UK Fusion

http://www.uk-fusion.com/content/view/297/31  

This is honestly the most extraordinarily amazing album that I have ever heard. With all twelve songs written and performed by multi-instrumentalists and musical geniuses Brad B. Wood and Conrad Astley (with a little help from some of their friends on the way), this Alt.-pop duo creates blissful music under the Merchandise guise - and there really isn't one dull track herein.

Opened by the melodic jazz instrumental of 'I Hate That You're Living,' given a song title like that these two guys might sound to be a little aloof, but they aren't… as 'Beautiful Morning For A Bad Day' follows through, being an exquisitely original and thoroughly charming piece of work with a fantastic chorus and clever lyrics to boot ('I'm stealing speed from gravity').

The album is a perfectly balanced mixture of slow & tender songs, ambitiously conceived instrumentals and bizarrely upbeat rock songs. Essentially, Brad and Conrad aim to marry acoustic-based music with music that is more Electro-orientated, with duties between the duo being equally shared out and well-defined: Brad sings and plays the guitars, while Conrad concentrates on playing all keyboard instruments and being in charge of the sequencers and samples.

'14.53,' while being quite a deep and dark song, is just as catchy as 'Beautiful Morning…' and hears Brad singing in a distinctive Steve Harley-styled manner ('I'll run through my excuses with a sword' is one word-perfect lyric that really stands out), as the lush sounds of his slide & acoustic guitar slink over Conrad's piano melody. Their 'Sunday Song,' meanwhile is far more Electro-orientated, 'Distil Disappointment' relies on Conrad's keyboard-playing grandness and the magical 'Winter' revolves around subtle melodics and a painfully sweet piano chord progression coupled with lyrics that insist all is great once true love is found.

Still, 'Echolalia' is the highlight. Initially a fingerpicked acoustic tune, it's not long before a great beat kicks in and an electric guitar starts-a-wailing. Boasting some truly abstract lyrics that concern themselves with the modern-day problems of seemingly making a simple phone call, the overall 'pop' vibes remind whole-heartedly of Pulp's overpowering style in such a field.

The music of Merchandise, whether introspective and melancholic or brilliantly upbeat, is always ultra-melodic and harmonious as though the likes of Belle & Sebastian and Fonda 500 have heaped all their catchiest and coolest cuts together. The song arrangements are startlingly complex and you really do wonder why the hell this duo isn't far more well known that it is.

You could live your life by 'Lo-Tech Solutions To High-Tech Problems.' And I know for a fact that's true - because I do.   5/5

(Steve Rudd)

From Supporti*Fonografici

Ecco i mancuniani Merchandise alla seconda prova discografica. Ricordo quel bel melting pot musicale che era il loro This Is Merchandise. Dentro ci potevi trovare di tutto: post-rock alla Mogwai, pop strampalato alla Fonda 500 e ritmi strani sempre altamente eterogenei. Pur mantenendo un’impostazione simile, i nostri hanno optato per un lavoro più organico. Il metro di paragone, che mi viene in mente al volo, è quello dei primi lavori di Babybird o anche del vario materiale di Badly Drawn Boy.

Capirete subito, quindi, che siamo orientati verso un sound particolarmente intrigante, un suono che amo definire pop “colto” forse anche “aristocratico”, un po’ per distinguerlo da tanta banalità commerciale. Lo-Tech Solutions, quindi, appare il lavoro “evoluto” di due genietti del genere (Brad e Conrad), capaci di spaziare da certa uggiosa folkotronica (neologismo usato per il misto tra folk ed elettronica), per arrivare fino ad un pop apparentemente (de)strutturato, ma sempre in grado di colpire con melodie semplicemente sublimi. 

Gran disco, gente.

Votazione: [5 di 5 Stelle!!]

Carl Villa

Translated into English by Google (great job lads!):

Here the mancuniani Merchandise to the second record test. Musical beautiful memory that melting pot that was their This Is Merchandise. Within you could find to us of all: post-rock to the Mogwai, eccentric POP to Deep the 500 and strange rhythms always highly heterogenous. Also maintaining un?impostazione similar, ours have opted for a more organic job. The meter of comparison, than comes to me in mind to the flight, is that one of the first jobs of Babybird or also of the varied material of Badly Drawn endured Boy. 

Capirete, therefore, that we are orients to you towards sound particularly an intriguer, a sound that I love to define POP?colto? perhaps also?aristocratico, a po? in order to distinguish it from much triviality they trades. Lo-Tech Solutions, therefore, appears the job?evoluto? of two genietti of the sort (Brad and Conrad), able to space from sure folkotronica uggiosa (neologism used for the compound between folk and electronics), in order to arrive until to a POP apparently (de)strutturato, but always in a position to hitting with simply sublime melodie. 

Great disc, people.

Voting: [ 5 of 5 Stars!! ]

Carl Villa

From Logo Magazine

http://www.logo-magazine.com/albums/display.asp?AlbumID=3344

As that title suggests, this is a musical marriage rich in contrast and one seemingly fraught with impenetrability. Yet somehow deep amidst the meandering six-strings and tinkering synth patterns Merchandise have pulled ‘Lo-tech Solutions To Hi-Tech Problems’ into an impressive and commercially vibrant rack of chill-out acoustica that splits its time nicely between The Beta Band and Rae & Christian. Psychedelic in tone, it sways between the two camps of lo-fi and electro-wizardry, never once toppling headily into either, instead it blazes through 12 songs of burnt sunsets and gentle comedowns. Subsequently ‘Lo Tech Solutions…’ paints Merchandise as a duo creatively sparking and with a pop-savvy second to none.

3½/5 Pete Steel

From This Is London 

Acoustic ambience meets the electronic age.                                   
                                                                               
                                                                               
'Beautiful Morning for a Bad Day' is without doubt the standout track on this highly progressive work. Lolloping drum loops and acoustic guitar riffs bounce around the room leaving you with a warming glow inside.                       
                                                                               
'14:53' is not far behind. Its tranquil idylls suggest this is the band that other contemporaries could be if they had the balls to sponge other musical influences.                                                                   
                                                                               
Merchandise are a band that can not, and probably have no desire too, be labelled under any particular musical bracket other than their own unique one.                                      

From Manchester On-line

www.manchesteronline.co.uk

LOCAL lads Brad B Wood and Conrad Astley are plainly a duo of the chalk and cheese variety, one supplying breezy, naïve guitar pop and the other jazzy rhythms and cheesy electronica.

That hi-tech, lo-fi collision is nothing new, but more often than not it is done here with flair, witness the engagingly simplistic 14:53 or the strange Winter with its quirky human percussion.

Only when they strive for more sophisticated results, such as For The Shore, do Merchandise miss the mark.

Otherwise, this is electronic music with evidence of heart and soul.

3/5

Paul Taylor

From BBC Manchester website

Not for them a musical template rendered dull by years of misuse, instead they've dragged in all sorts of instruments to create pared down movements with hints of Astrid Gilberto, The Go-Betweens and even a dash of St Germain.

And with liberal use of cheesy electronics, vibes, and George Benson-esque guitar, this strange hybrid has a surprisingly classy edge. It's the sort of music you could imagine accompanying trippy visions in a wooded vale somewhere in the Forest of Dean . Check out Albino Rhino for proof, or even the final guitar wig out on Charlie Parker Was A Hobo, with its ever so slight nod to Santana.

There's no doubt, Merchandise have got a touch of genius.

From The Bolton Evening News

BADLY Drawn Boy, Peter Kay, Sara Cox, Sam Allardyce… The list of Bolton 's cultural icons goes on, and low we have yet more claimants to the crown of the town's next big thing.  

Merchandise are Brad B Wood and Conrad Astley, whose forthcoming album Lo-Tech Solutions to Hi-Tech Problems is about to hit the shops.

And very good it is too, although comparisons with the aforementioned Badly Drawn Boy are perhaps inevitable.

That's largely down to the nice use of acoustic guitar patterns allied to intelligent drum loops sometimes sampled from vocals and the fact that Brad sounds not unlike Damon Gough. He's not a singer in the U2/Coldplay/Keane mould but his laidback approach has a warmth which suits the song fine.

There is some lovely craftsmanship at work here. Haunting melodies; stellar landscapes; scratchy samples from outer space... pick the cliches accordingly, but they aren't entirely inaccurate.

And accomplice Roger Williams' intelligent lyrics (Echolalia mourns the breakdown of a relationship over a trans-Atlantic phoneline) are striking and original.

Highlights include Beautiful Morning For A Bad Day, Winter and the blissed-out Morning After, but then the whole album is a seamless pleasure.

Lo-Tech Solutions to Hi-Tech Problems won't leap out and grab you by the vitals, but it might just creep up from behind and smother you with its fuzzy warmth.

Andy Scoble

From Angryape

http://www.angryape.com/reviews/329

Never has an intro been so deceiving, the skiffle-psychedelic-reggae-jazz fest instrumental promises things which don’t happen later. Instead the group opt for a laid-back, collection of lazy summer anthems.

The crossover of acoustics and electronica - it’s a tried and tested formula which hardly gets the excitement pumping, but Merchandise pull it off remarkably well, creating a sound they can distinctively call their own.

‘Lo-Tech..’ teases like a poppier, more chart friendly Simian, full to the brim with early Badly Drawn Boy oddities, and future-folk sensibilities. They combine lush melodies & grand technical capabilities with a refreshingly cute inventiveness.

Armed with a vocalist who is the spit for a young Sam Prekop, not to mention the constant swopping of instruments like they are going out of fashion, the album makes for an incredibly diverse listen.

A collage of sounds, varied genres and a flawless talent for writing brilliant pop songs. Summer is finally here and Merchandise are the soundtrack.

7/10

From Blowback Magazine

www.blowback.co.uk  

Merchandise is the kind of acoustic electronica that’d be the soundtrack to a summer picnic in Hyde Park , with cute animals frolicking in the sun. Two men’s reflections on everyday life has never been so glorious.  Sunday Song steps up the pace a little with a touch of Badly Drawn Boy had he ever got out from underneath his hat and, in Distil Disappointment, joined the Thrills. Totally pure, grandiose pop music that along with the title makes you wonder why we make our lives so complicated. The sound of pastoral idylls and eternal sunshine.

Credits: friends making records, modern life being rubbish, having a whole album of beautiful music.

From Diskant e-zine

www.diskant.net  

When there were a couple of days of sunshine last weekend, in amongst the usual drizzle and cold, this was the perfect album to listen to. Summery pop music, oh yes! This is really good - 'up' sounding tunes, based around the classic combo of decent songwriting/nice melody, bolstered with some subtle electronica which helps to fill out the sound and add a slightly odd edge to things. Merchandise seem to have a cheerily frank outlook on things, in the same way that the Flaming Lips do, with melancholic lyrics on remarkably good-natured-sounding songs. This falls short of becoming irritatingly twee or cutesy, and as such it's a perfectly-pitched collection of songs to play on a warm evening whilst not worrying about things.

From Tasty Fanzine

http://www.tastyfanzine.org.uk/

After last month’s wondrous single, comes the first long player from Manchester’s Merchandise. And it’s flippin’ good too. Far from going straight for the pop highway, Merchandise seem to content to lead you down a dark path marked 'jazz’ before you enter the wonderful garden of indie pop, much like The Real Tuesday Weld, and their ilk. So, whilst ‘Beautiful Morning for a Bad Day’ is a cracking little number it’s interspersed by some kind of free-form funky drummer boy, just to leave you guessing, like…

Onwards! And ’14:53’ could tug at even the most stale of hearts, with it’s simple, pleading guitar coda. Yes, even mine. And Pinkie meets perky in ‘Distil Disappointment’, which features, somewhere in the background, a – gulp – driving distorted guitar. But back to safety with ‘Echolalia’, a sort of latter day Sinatra number, but the best is saved for next. ‘For the Shore’ is simple as Sam Dingle, but builds and builds and goes around and around, leaving you quite giddy with excitement. Honest. I’m not making this up.

To say Merchandise are a band of some quality is to understate this hugely enjoyable album, which has been spinning round, right round, baby, right round in t’ cd player for some time now. I suggest you buy this little beauty and try and make a worse Dead or Alive pun than that. Off you go.

Sam Metcalf

From Vanity Project

www.vanityproject.co.uk

Skewed pop music marrying the gentleness of acoustic blues and beat-pop, with some spirited electronic action. A lot of invention is shown on this LP, and there’s a lot to like, and I’ve a feeling this could turn into love if you take the time to develop a meaningful relationship with Merchandise. While the electronica removes a shade of the normal warmness you might expect, in places, such as ‘Winter’, there is an intimacy in which you can comfortably wrap yourself up. Skif

From Kittenpainting

http://www.kittenpainting.freeuk.com/recordrevs.html 

This is one perfectly named album. Merchandise (named after a Fugazi song, coo-ell) have married electronica and acoustica into a collection of gorgeous pop wistfulness.

Like The Clientele, Merchandise create pattering, caressing, daydreamy music that conjures up an England of rain-washed colours and pale sunlight. Cymbals snick, pianos tinkle meditatively, odd beats and samples give the sound a bit of a roughing up behind Brad’s gentle, reproachful vocals. According to the sleeve-notes, featured amongst the instruments is a ‘trazoo’. Qué??

The songs are divided into short trips into a pensive mind via narratives bathed in lyrical melancholia (perfect example, ‘Beautiful Morning For A Bad Day’) and curious, memory-triggering instrumentals. ‘Sunday Song’ is the sound of whisking along on a train (hey, it might happen), on a Spring morning, luxuriating in the feeling of being nowhere. Small but perfectly formed instrumental ‘The Last Stand of Pucho Vasquez’ sneaks in like an out-take from the Midnight Cowboy soundtrack. ‘Winter’ is layers of susurration floating down to build up like snowfall. The perfect music-box delicacy of final track ‘Morning After’ leaves you gazing into the middle distance, spaced out on your own introspection. 

Always a good way to end.

From The Exclusive Fanzine:

http://www.exclusive2freeserve.co.uk/   (it's in the printed version and not on the site until the printed version is sold out!)

I’ve written about Merchandise – the Bolton duo of Brad B Wood and Conrad Astley - before (#8) when I reviewed their ‘Swallowing Curses’ single. I liked it, but I mentioned that it took a while for me to get into and also mentioned ‘Drum and Bass’(!). I think I must have been having a strange day when I reviewed that, as this, their album, is truly a thing of beauty. 

The title hints at their sound: gorgeous lo-fi pop acoustics melded perfectly with the hi-tech sounds from the gentler side of electronica (think Boards of Canada or something from the Morr Music label rather than Venetian Snares or Squarepusher). 

On first listen, while working on my laptop on a Saturday afternoon, the sounds and the feel of the album as a whole got me, passing through and calming me. Afterwards I was able to appreciate the lyrics and the more intricate nature of the music, to see just how many genres and different beats and moods (pretentious I know, but that is the best way to describe it – uplifting, melancholy, comforting…) were in these twelve songs. I kept thinking of Hood, or a more consistent Stereolab. 

DIY indie pop, back from when indie meant something, mixed with the best of the modern day electronica scene. Worth it for the great ‘Beautiful morning for a bad day’ alone, but every other song here can match that. A gem.

From Tasty Fanzine: 

(review of 4 song sampler for Lo-tech solutions)

 http://www.tastyfanzine.org.uk/singles%20feb04.htm#Merchandise

I just love it when this happens. I don’t really know how this cd reached me, but I’m so glad it has. Merchandise come to us from the north-west of the UK, and mooch a fine line between the sophisticated pop of Baptiste, The Real Tuesday Weld and Tears in X-Ray Eyes. 

‘Beautiful Morning For a Bad Day’ kicks off with the sort of song that The Liberty Ship seems to specialise in these days, in that it sounds like it was knocked together whilst laying on the bed, staring out of the window. And that’s a wonderful thing. 

’14:53’ cleverly takes the same guitar motif as it’s predecessor to offer another lounge classic. The tempo’s upped a bit with ‘Echolalia’, which could easily be a Fosca track, and has a rather snazzy guitar solo half way through. 

Finally, ‘For the Shore’ comes over all Pipas on us. 

Fantastic pop music.

Sam Metcalf

From I Really Love Music:

http://website.lineone.net/~ireallylovemusic/ireallylovemusic/current.html 

interesting debut album from this duo (conrad and brad) with musical toys, who have a nice way with their samplers/guitar/drums and talent for simply structured pop songs.

most of these songs could be easily classed as lo-fi perhaps, but give the songs a little time and attention and you could find yourself drawn into the bands vibe.

the jazz drum groove opening of 'i hate that you're living' is an interesting start and sets the scene well as this flows well into the athlete-style melody strong chorus of 'beautiful morning for a bad day'. too damn catchy by half. next up is '14:53' a fine track, but this is just a run up to the fuzzed driving electropop of 'sunday song', with its wonderful interaction between the quirky real world instruments and simplistic dr rhythm beatbox noises - a personal fave. following this uptempo fun is the autumnal piano/vocal pleasantness, but fear not, the album does not descend into depression setting moods as the guys have a wicked sense of humour shown in the acoustic guitar strum for 'distil disappointment' with its barbed lyrics ('catapult your feeble words back at you'), processed beats, fuzzed guitar lines, excellent stuff.

even twisted romantic acoustic 80's pop gets a nod with 'for the shore' with sweet backing vocals recalling terry halls colourfield times - though i suspect brad and conrad have never heard of them! this is good stuff. as is the funked up instrumental 'albino rhino' sharply distorted guitar lines clash with glockenspiel type noises .. and thats always going to raise a smile in my house. lovely lovely.

the rest of the album passes by with all manner of nice sounds and sweet melodies, there are times that a little tighter production would iron out some of the vocal limitations that are apparent (especially on 'winter', 'charlie parker ..') but sometimes mistakes (read budget restrictions ?) make a track more natural appealing and the addition of the melodian on 'winter' wipes out these minor niggles, and as for the epic guitar part on charlie parker feel yourself gently drift into the 70's mor world.

all in all a fine album that will appeal to fans of ingo star cruiser, matt harding, m.craft, old school indie days pre-oasis creation releases, and the world of twisted nerve fans. followers of the darkness and grime and other scene-slaves need not apply. though i suspect merchandise care not. they have their own little world and seem quite content within it.

good luck to them.

From Release Magazine (Sweden)

http://www.releasemagazine.net/Onrecord/ormerchandisehsthp.htm 

An interesting proposition this one; taking the traditional acoustic sounds and marrying them with all the possibilities that electronic music can provide. So here is the evidence: an album of largely interesting, highly melodic, and at times, quite quirky electropop by Cityscape's own Merchandise.

The band consist of just two members, but manages to create a quite convincing full sound, that could deceptively make you think there are more than just four hands at work. The sound is largely based around genuine song structure, comprising of drum, vocals and slightly less favourably (in places), acoustic guitar; then bulked up with vintage, warm analogue drones and tweaks. There is a genuine warmth to be found in these tracks, almost as if they had been baked in a musical oven, on a fairly low heat to let the contents gently meld together. The album manages to stretch between a number of tempos, without affecting the overall dynamic, and best of all, sounds remarkably fresh and interesting.

Stand out songs in this set have to be "Distil Disappointment"; a simple song heavily based around an insistent jangly guitar riff and drum beat, with stunningly bizarre lyrics, and one of the shortest ever endings to a song I have heard for a long time - just one chord! Also check out the opening instrumental "I Hate That You're Living" and the brief but wonderful "The Last Stand of Pucho Vasquez".

The vocals and guitars can sound a bit raw at times - but somehow this all adds to the fun. This is an album of ideas, and just like seeds planted in the earth, not all of them are going to bare fruit. Some of the song parts are not quite hitting the mark - but still as a whole, this album is relatively successful.

A pleasant enough sound from a promising duo; it might not set the world on fire, but if you like your pop with a sprinkle of electronics and a slightly bigger dash of wackiness (try "Winter" on for size!), you could do a lot worse!

MIKE WHYTE

From Losing Today: http://www.losingtoday.com/tales.php?id=31

Merchandise ‘Beautiful morning for a bad day’ (Album Sampler). 

Both dippy and classy, how could we resist. Merchandise are duo Brad B. Wood and Conrad Astley who hail from Bolton who some where out there have already graced the good record buying folks with an album and a smattering of singles, none of which I’ll state categorically right here and now, that I’ve ever seen or heard. 

Perhaps on the evidence of this four-track taster for their forthcoming album I ought to investigate, because this really is delightfully airey stuff, that’s quick on the ear and, if your not careful, one of those CD’s that’ll pass you by given that it so soft and un-intrusive in texture. 

Merchandise’s sound is stolen from sunny days serenely idling in the shade, with the gentle trickling sound of a nearby river for company and the colourful magnificence of England’s green quilted garden for a spectacular visual feast, in terms of wayward nimbleness it’s a subdued and loving Pavement being suggestively caressed by the Boards of Canada. The parade of noodling rustic chords swan elegantly in their own daydream fashion while the rustle of shuffling beats happily kick their feet in the shallow end of the lakeside causing shimmering ripples. 

Best cut of the four is the dreamy candour of the lively ‘For the Shore’, reminiscent of J Xaverre being brushed by the sugary floating space pop of ‘Sound Dust’ era Stereolab yet possessing that exquisite glaze of Cinerama as though force-fed on a diet of speed. If it’s something more blissful and willowy you’re after then ‘Beautiful morning for a bad day’ might be a perfect three-minute distraction, happily trippy and so impeccably fluffy and summery you can almost smell nature’s early morning countryside scent. Remember very early innocent sounds of China Crisis and the Pale Fountains well ’14.53’ does, undulating rhythms sensually stretched by delicately arranged tinkling ivories and subtle slide guitars combine to provide a warming and timeless take on Moviola. 

Dare you resist, somehow I think not.

From Planet Sound, Channel 4 Teletext

Bolton DIY lo-fi due Brad B Wood and Conrad Astley take their name from US punk rockers Fugazi but their acoustic reflections are far more whimsical.

With he kind of guitar noodling not heard since the last Stereolab album their sound is at times so delicate you feel they're about to break.

But the gentility always stays on the right side of "coffee table."

Not a review but a description we liked from Gill Rickson of SBN Radio:

I love the way they mix the samples with the guitars and delicate vocals. Nice one. It's like someone got hold of Kings of Convenience and made them cut up a Rae and Christian album.

Hooray for Merchandise!

From www.kidjuxta.tk (also check out for an interview with Brad)

Merchandise - Album Preview

Before you even hear these guys you’ve probably got hoodies, skin-tight T’s and CDs on the mind.

The clever ploy of actually calling your band Merchandise aside, these guys are so chilled, so sweet and so arty it’s a given that you have to stop whatever you are doing and listen.

All four of these tracks are exclusive previews set to appear on their forthcoming album, and the premier track is ‘Beautiful Morning For A Bad Day' that’s subtly sensational what with its cute drum loop, the poetically shy and retiring lyric ‘There’s a lot of people in this world that do not want to be known’ - and not forgetting a general Alt.-pop sound that isn’t that far removed from Badly Drawn Boy’s lo-fi genius.

Indeed, these are lo-tech solutions to hi-tech problems as '14.53’ has the frontman reminding of Steve Harley with his accentuated vocals, leaving the distinctively chilled guitar line to frame the greatest lyric I've heard in a long, long while: 'I'll run through my excuses with a sword.'

Their acoustic-based  'Echolalia' sucks out even more lo-fi charm from their endearing masterplan, the sheer bliss and heavenly natured atmospherics reminding of Hull Alt.-pop experimentalists Salako and Fonda 500, Merchandise ominously reckoning that 'Dreams are made of water.' Which is as weird as 'For The Shore' is subdued yet soothingly reminiscent of the Super Furry Animals and even Pulp's finest lo-fi moments of quirky reflection.

The softly narrated vocals literally sound to be a God send, and this is further proof - and now all the proof we will ever need - that Merchandise are a genuinely special band to hear at all costs…    5/5    (STEVE RUDD)

 

welcome to merchandise  - where were you last night?