Things in Herds are Pete Lush and the enigmatically titled Miss Ping who make their music in Brighton. Initially starting out under their own label (G-Folk Records), debut album ‘I Can Walking And Dancing’ was picked up by the Norwegian label Trust Me in 2002 and in 2004 found a Stateside release courtesy of Undecided Records. They’ve now found a new home with Scotland’s Fence Records who will soon be releasing a 30 minute EP. Until then we have their own label’s sophomore effort ‘Everything Has To End Somewhere’.
The album is a fragile artefact with a number of its ten tracks threatening to break-down under the delicate weight of their sad but oddly comforting lullabies. For a reference point I’ll call this indie-folk, given the predominance of acoustic guitar and Lush’s hushed and quivering vocals across many of the tracks. However, there is also some of the glitter of the space-rock of Grandaddy, Mercury Rev and Sparklehorse in there that casts light in the shade of Lush’s romantic but often heart-rending lyrics. Whilst not actually “rocking-out” tracks such as ‘No One Said A Word’ and ‘I Thought You Were Waiting’ provide a welcome contrast to the claustrophobia of Lush’s musical and lyrical introspection.
Not that I’m complaining about the quiet moments that make up the bread and butter of ‘Everything Has To End Somewhere’. Lush is a gifted song-writer who bravely and resourcefully casts his songs in basic lo-fi arrangements; but he can do little to disguise their quality, despite the unadorned settings in which they are presented. The acoustic sparseness is punctuated at times by the occasional harmonising of Miss Ping and the addition of twisted electronica. On the beautiful ‘Like An Insect’ the acoustic guitar is ditched altogether in favour of a completely electronic backdrop that is satisfyingly warped without actually distracting you from the song’s affecting melody.
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Strangely enough, although this music is well-suited to its simple DIY presentation I feel that Lush’s songs are more than strong enough to withstand the further expansion that studio-based production would offer without destroying their intimate melancholy. It’s his willingness to distort the acoustic sound with well-judged electronic experimentation that offers him the scope for a wider musical platform.
Perhaps the first instalment from Fence Records will provide that further dimension in sound.
www.thingsinherds.co.uk
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