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MOJO October 2001
The American Analog Set
Know By Heart
Tigerstyle
Fourth and finest album of twinkling Texan indie.
Treading the same careful paths as Yo La Tengo's recent turn of
mellowness, Know By Heart sighs the last breaths of summer into
shimmery tales like The Kindness of Strangers, or Aaron and Maria
running away to New York - each one told in hushed tones and set
among layers of vibes, brushed drums, muted guitars and electric
piano. In between the narratives and lullabies, Like Foxes Through
Fences takes a fluid, hypnotic instrumental train ride through
Can and Air's part of Europe, while Slow Company spends a sleepy
afternoon in the sun with maracas and a desert twang. Then, following
years of bad press at the hands of Bukowski, The American Analog
set put romance back into the Post Office with the lovelorn Postman
("I walk your streets like some kind of jerk in my grey clip-tie
and my pressed blue shirt").
Wonderful.
Jenny Bulley
ROCKSOUND October 2001
American Analog Set
'Know By Heart'
Formed in '95, the American Analog Set have quietly built a reputation
for beautifully crafted songs and tunes. This time, the vibe is
more chilled. You can get locked into the luscious grooves of
blissful tracks like 'The Only One' or 'The Kindness Of Strangers'
as quickly as you melt into the background of the slow-waltzing
'Choir Vandals'. Fans of Mogwai, Calexico, Versus or Stereolab
are going to get very intimate with this kind of music. It is
an album that rocks, but gently. More energetic moments like 'Million
Young' ruffle your feathers slightly with the change to a rougher
sound. The only other real surprise is when you hear how gentle
the straightforwardly-titled opening song 'Punk As Fuck' sounds.
Those in search of braincells rather than decibels should give
this a try.
Stuart Wright
3.5/4
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