So, what do we know about the surreally-monikered Soft Picasso? Well, songwriter Nik, formerly bassist with John Peel session regulars Ella Guru, is from Morecambe and provides the musical foundation for the band’s sound. The release is accompanied by a photo of his standing in front of a record collection around half the size of mine, shaven-headed and sporting a T-shirt with tits on it. They’re clearly not his tits, and I’m not about to pass judgement for this dubious fashion statement. What’s important is that the records all appear to be housed in PVC sleeves, and I’m pleased they’re being properly looked after
The other half of the band, who recorded these four minimalist lo-fi indie tracks in a bedroom in Liverpool, is Clare Jones.
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The duo first performed together at the wedding of a friend and are named after a Vic Chestnut song, and their twin vocals wrap sweet melodies around sparse but superbly executed pop tunes built around jangling guitars and a simple, old-school drum machine sound that evokes Young Marble Giants. Their methodology is simple but effective, and the quality of the songs shines through as they create brilliantly poised musical nuggets with a dreamy atmosphere.
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