Arches

As far as seasonal sounds go, spring and fall just don't get a fair shake. It's not entirely their fault, either; they're transitional, concerned more with shifting temperatures and changing landscapes than their specifically "hot" and "cold" companions. "Comin' Back Again", from fresh-faced New Jersey duo Arches, was featured on French blog Delicious Scopitone's Ecstatic Winter, Vol. 2: Under Your Scarf compilation, but don't let that fool you-- it feels just right for the new season. Over an endlessly descending guitar riff, fluttering horns, and deep drums, band members Tom and Jules reminisce about "Walking in a slow town/ Sidewalks way back/ To where I began" with airy yearning. Summer can wait. - Pitchfork Media

Arches respond well to the changing of seasons. Last year's Playlisted single "Comin' Back Again" effortlessly captured the breezily invigorating climate of spring; new song "This Isn't a Good Night for Walking", taken from the Philadelphia-via-New Jersey duo's forthcoming album, fits in with the foreboding, uncertain atmosphere that can often accompany the harsh temperatures and early darkness of winter. "Got my hood on/ To protect my ears," band members Tom and Julien sing over tumbling drums and piano, bathed by production so warm and deep that it sounds as if it was recorded in a giant furnace. As with "Comin' Back Again", there's a temptation to compare what Arches are doing here to Grizzly Bear's spacious, churchly style, but what these guys are doing here seems simpler and more elemental. They know how to put together a good song, and they make it sound easy - Pitchfork Media

Wide Awake, the debut full-length from Philly duo Arches, is a concept album about a character who escapes the "mundane routines" of city life to pursue an existence as a drifter. "Headlights" brings us onto the open road. Swirling guitar riffs give way to bursts of sound and crashing symbols, spanning the full spectrum of emotions one experiences during a long drive alone, where a quiet stretch can turn into a panic-inducing slosh down a snowy mountain road. The old adage goes, “It’s the journey, not the destination.” And yet, throughout this three-minute sonic road-trip, the narrator throws his hands up in frustration and begs for a “new place to be.” -- Marc Picciolo, Visitation Rites - Altered Zones

ARCHES
Le groupe prépare son premier album, mais son premier maxi se télécharge librement, ci-dessous par exemple, et les langues pendent déjà. De la pure élégance comme unique matériaux de splendides constructions mélodiques : cousines assez proches de celle de Grizzly Bear, les chansons de la troupe de Philadelphie ont la même classe instantanée, la noblesse admirable des vieilles lignées américaines, ses fantômes vaporeux aussi. Boisées, hantées, noueuses et belles : on a hâte d’entendre la suite. - Lesinrock