The Idyllists

THE IDYLLISTS will donate all proceeds from Friday, October 2nd, 2009 show at Hotel Café to the Los Angeles County Firefighters Memorial Fund. Captain Tedmund “Ted” Hall, 47, of San Bernardino County, and Firefighter Specialist Arnaldo “Arnie” Quinones, 34, of Palmdale, died August 30th when their truck fell 800 feet into a ravine during their battle against the Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest. Both men were trying to find an escape route for fellow firefighters. Hall was married and the father of two grown sons. Quinones' wife is expecting to deliver their first child any day now.
- CULTURE MOB

From England comes The Idyllists, a six piece 60's inspired Indie band. The Idyllists have just released their album "The Long Hours Between Sunset & Morning"; I've picked a few songs that I really liked from this amazing album, hope you all like it.
The Idyllists - I Think is going to rain
The Idyllists - You are gonna break my heart someday - BLOG REVIEW

The name The Idyllists sounds vaguely familiar to me, but I can't exactly place why. I'm guessing that they were backing a concert I heard about but didn't go to, or that they're signed to a label I've seen, but never paid attention to. But I know why their sound is familiar. And that's because they're all over every indie station.

You ever have one of those "Gotta dance, Mike, gotta dance" moments? Tune into The Idyllists. Their catchy mod-squad dance pop proves that the handsome American quartet (and dashing British singer) have done their music history homework, and most of their album sounds as if they were Smiths cuts that got lost in time. Add in a little Prozac to the melancholy heritage, and The Idyllists will have even the most morose of hipsters grooving in no time.
- UNKNOWN

The Idyllists seem to have forged out a very British indie sound from their American location. With guitars like that of The Coral and vocals like that of The Lightning Seeds, The Idyllists are something very special indeed. There are hints of country in “Crowded Room,” which show how this band are happy to tread slightly off the beaten track while still maintaining their principle ideas. Blues, indie, country and rock all mingle in the beautifully constructed pieces of indie pop rock that The Idyllists specialise in. All tracks are beautifully mixed with the vocals slightly distorted to give another layer of sound in the overall mix.

All in all, this EP is a truly spectacular effort by a band that should rightfully be a British band! - SCREAMLITE RECORDS

The Idyllists, “The Idyllists” (self-released) — What if Morrissey had moved to Malibu at a young age and become a Ritalin kid? He might have sounded like the Idyllists. The L.A. septet’s sophomore effort, brims with crisp, breezy Britpop that makes sonic brethren of several decades of U.K. guitarmen, from the Beatles to the Kooks. Other transplants have found more poetry in “Pacific Highway Blues,” or have brought more eloquence to the “Empire State,” but the Idyllists’ jaunty optimism makes them a pretty nice crew to spend 38 minutes with. And, possibly, a great candidate for resident band at Club NME, if there was such a thing.
- BUZZBANDS L.A

the idyllists were voted la band of the month for oct 09.



The Deli is an independent publication and Web site that focuses on local indie music scenes and emerging artists (from rock to folk, from electronica to "avant-inde", with a little bit of hip-hop). It currently publishes a printed magazine about the NYC and L.A. music scenes and has daily updated, separate webpages tackling new emerging music in various cities, including NYC, LA, SF, Chicago and Nashville. - DELI MAGAZINE

Whoa there... What have we here?

* 7 dapper young men (6 parts American, 1 part British)
* 6 nice jackets
* 5 pairs of Chuck Taylors
* 4 pairs of Jarvis Cocker glasses
* 1 swanky hat

Dammit, I'm already sold but you just keep selling! I've latched onto The Idyllists as one of my favourites for 2009, and I swear it's not just for aesthetic reasons. It's for their wonderfully ear-pleasing blend of new and old-timey britpop, even though they're based in LA.

The Idyllists released their debut The Long Hours Between Sunset & Morning earlier this year and it's eleven tracks about love. No kidding, I think they use "love", "loving", "lover" or another variation of the word at least once in every track. Even so, I wouldn't have it any other way. It's really all those details in youthful love sickness and longing that make this album as good as it is.

On their press release, they're described as the sound of Morrissey having a drink with Elvis and Johnny Cash at a Buddy Holly show. But all name dropping aside, the Idyllists are instantly charming and smile-inducing, even if they do tend to remind you of the one that got away. You're Gonna Break My Heart Someday opens the album, and is really a perfect introductory song to the band and what they're all about. They're the culmination of bright acoustic guitars, jaunty keyboards and pianos and group harmonies. They're infectious hand-clapping and catchy pop choruses topped with puppy-dog-eyed vocals. The bittersweet track I Think It's Going To Rain solidifies my belief that a lot of the best songs in the world are about rain and tracks like The Long Way make me actually miss the feeling of being lovesick. Yes again, this is an album of love songs. So it's something incredibly hard-hitting when the final track on the album, A Different Affair, keeps insisting that there's nothing in a love song that I could say or do. The power of persuasion never worked on you.

The Idyllists - You're Gonna Break My Heart Someday (mp3) (amazon) (iTunes)

The Idyllists - I Think It's Going To Rain (mp3) (amazon) (iTunes)

The Long Hours Between Sunset & Morning is a short and sweet. It totals to just about forty minutes, and most tracks are under three minutes long which leaves us wanting more. Luckily, the boys waste no time because according to their facebook page, they're finishing up the sophomore album already. Fantastic! I can hardly contain myself. I hope I'm correct to assume that Sweet Loretta will be on that track list.



Happy days lie ahead, readers.

Oh, and for anyone that might be interested, I've done a proper tally now. Ten out of the eleven tracks on the The Long Hours Between Sunset & Morning use "love" or another variation of the word in the lyrics. But don't go thinking that the one outlier song isn't about love. Because it totally is. - Impressionable Youth

The Idyllists: This Musical Millennium’s One True Love

Hollywood was filled to the brim with concert attendees and bar-hoppers on the night of October 2nd. Everyone seemed fueled by the love of music, vodka tonics, and often times, both. Hotel Café, a small venue surrounded by chic taverns and record stores was occupied by a fun-loving crowd, all grasping their drinks and waiting for that night’s act to fulfill their musical cravings. The Idyllists, a band consisting of four musicians from Los Angeles enthusiastically performed their set list with sheer ardor and California love; their ticket sales going directly towards LA County Firefighter Memorial Fund. Wearing skinny black suits and 50’s spectacles, The Idyllists opened up with “Honey Please,” a song more delectable than any drink offered at Hotel Café. The crowd, steadily growing as the night went on, sang along with the crowd-hitters, “Sweet Loretta,” an Irish-inspired lament, and “You’re Gonna Break My Heart Someday,” a sweet and short ballad that focused on the jarred equilibrium relationships seem to bring; the crowd sang along to the bitter-sweet lyrics and danced to the toe-tapping tunes. Dancing with fellow crowd-mates, I felt as though I was transported back to a time where all anyone focused on was all the jubilation that pop music had to bring; The Idyllists performed in a manner that was derived much from The Beatles and Buddy Holly but within their own innovative millennium sound, a sound so addicting and optimistic, that no one could dare to sit down.
- PERFORMER MAGAZINE

This outfit sounds like they’re from 1960’s Britain; their percussion is loose and peppy, the guitars jangly and the lyrics uncomplicated. They are, however, actually from modern day LA – well, lead singer Ian Webber is a Brit but a US based one- and they’ve just released their second album The Idyllists and a new free EP Les Singles. If you like a your music sun drenched and surfy with a hint of rockabilly then do yourself a favor and check these guys out. The go beyond your typical retro leaning group by including elements from an interesting cross section of musical history. You’ll hear some lone twangy guitar line reminiscent of early classic country, B3 organ solos straight outta dingy blues clubs and even some crisply plotted piano solos. Give both the new album and new EP a spin to find out what other musical influences the Idyllists have repurposed to create their own sound.

[MP3]Great Love Story - The World In A Paper Cup

The Idyllists
HC mentioned the entry fee would be $5, so we were a bit shocked when we were asked to pay $10. Then the shock instantly turned into excitement when we were told we could use our ticket to redeem the band's new self-titled album AND a button! Now this wasn't just a burned CD in a paper bag (you may think that sounds ridiculous, but I've actually received one of these before), it looked really well made and professional. I would have been happy with just the CD, but the addition of the button really made me feel like The Idyllists cared about their fans. I think a free CD with admittance fee is something bands should really consider doing. It makes the fans feel special. If a band charging $10 can do this, why can't a band charging over $100 do this?

Before the show, I had only listened to a few of the songs on their MySpace page. They played a catchy brand of Brit Pop. I thought Let's Fly Away was particularly addictive and even better live. I loved every single song. Head bobbing could not be prevented. Here was the set list for the night:


I love how much effort they put into set list, like the use of different kinds of font and shiny paper.

My favorite tracks were / are:
Let's Fly Away
Sweet Loretta
Empire State
Come On Home
The Dreamers
Butterflies

They sounded so 50s on some of their songs that I kept picturing them playing on stage at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance in Back to the Future where Marty McFly's parents hooked up.

source

The lead vocalist had a Buddy Holly look about him, while the piano playing of Matthew Barge reminded me of Jerry Lee Lewis. I loved the semi-matching blazers (but still keeping their own style) they wore on stage.

They really surprised me with how many band members they fit on stage and with how talented they all were. I don't think their style of music will see the light of day on mainstream radio. However, I can see their music vastly increase in popularity as soon as someone has the foresight to put them on a soundtrack for a future indie darling, such as (500) Days of Summer or Juno.

I have to say that it's been two weeks (I know, I know, I got behind on my blog posts), and I've been listening to their album almost EVERY day. It's ridiculously catchy and instantly puts a smile on my face even when sitting through traffic. - Hey Hey Scenesters!

Britpop might be long in the tooth, but the Idyllists deliver a fresh, sweet take that's easy on the ears. - Indie Feed

(Translated from French via Google Translate)

Ils ont tous essayé de faire revivre la pop-rock épurée des années soixante. They all tried to revive the sleek pop-rock of the sixties. De retrouver cette fraîcheur perdue, l'insouciance mélodique d'une pop vintage prêchant la joie. Girls avaient réussi à remettre cette esthétique au goût du jour, avec un certain succès. The Idyllists , six Californiens qui vénèrent le goût et la classe des bons vieux temps, vont bien plus loin. To regain this lost freshness, carelessness melodic pop vintage preaching joy. Girls have managed to get the aesthetic taste of the day, with some success. Idyllists The six Californians who worship the class and taste good old time, go much further. Déjà, la voix du chanteur est parfaite : un peu adulte, un peu jeune ; un peu rangée, un peu désinvolte. Already, the singer's voice is perfect: a little adult, a little young and a little row, a little flippant. C'est le parfait équilibre ; j'aime la comparer à celle de Damon Albarn ( Blur ). It's the perfect balance, I like to compare it to Damon Albarn (Blur). Cet album éponyme est leur second, et même si je n'ai pas écouté le premier, je vénère ces « idyllistes ». This is their second eponymous album, and although I have not listened to the first, I revere the "idyllic". C'est le rock d'antan avec l'expertise et la richesse sonore des temps modernes. This is the rock of yesteryear with the expertise and wealth of modern sound. Ils sont six : je n'ai rien à redire sur les accompagnements, qui sont tout simplement irréprochables. They are six: I have nothing to say about the accompaniments, which are simply unbeatable. C'est du grand art ; tout est pensé, tout est pertinent. It's great art, everything is thought, everything is relevant. Ils ne cherchent pas à expérimenter, mais ils ont indéniablement de l'inspiration. They do not try to experiment, but they certainly inspired. Plus british qu'Américains dans l'âme et dans le style, ces artistes modestes et talentueux sont totalement dans le vent. More Americans in the British soul and style, these artists are totally modest and talented in the wind.

9 / 10 - The Music Rainbow