Kingsbury Manx

The Kingsbury Manx return after three years with their sixth album, pushing their unique blend of folk-pop melodicism farther out into the reaches of psychedelia and even '70s prog rock territory. "Bronze Age" is their most diverse record yet, striking a nice balance of uptempo rockers soaked with Mini-Moog and effects-drenched guitars ("Future Hunter", "In the Catacombs", ''Custer's Last"), alongside the more acoustic based ballads augmented by the warmth of trumpets ("Handsprings") and strings ("Glass Eye"). Their sound has gone wide-screen yet still focuses on the plaintive vocals and fragile melodies of main songwriter Bill Taylor. The beautiful packaging features the paintings of M. Scott Myers, whose stark Iceland paintings series perfectly captures the feelings of universal loneliness and longing evoked within these 11 songs.

Kingsbury Manx: Ascenseur Ouvert! [CD]

The Kingsbury Manx return after three years with their sixth album, pushing their unique blend of folk-pop melodicism farther out into the reaches of psychedelia and even '70s prog rock territory. "Bronze Age" is their most diverse record yet, striking a nice balance of uptempo rockers soaked with Mini-Moog and effects-drenched guitars ("Future Hunter", "In the Catacombs", ''Custer's Last"), alongside the more acoustic based ballads augmented by the warmth of trumpets ("Handsprings") and strings ("Glass Eye"). Their sound has gone wide-screen yet still focuses on the plaintive vocals and fragile melodies of main songwriter Bill Taylor. The beautiful packaging features the paintings of M. Scott Myers, whose stark Iceland paintings series perfectly captures the feelings of universal loneliness and longing evoked within these 11 songs.

The fourth full-length release from The Kingsbury Manx features 13 songs showcasing a different sonic side of their indie folk pop. The spare, acoustic arrangements and innocent, sing-along codas of The Fast Rise and Fall of the South recall the hushed, early UK psychedelia of Pink Floyd before they lost their Crazy Diamond, The Kinks circa Village Green Preservation Society and the vivid musical snapshots of Simon & Garfunkel. Their new album couples that with the haunting time compositions of mid-period Elliott Smith and the soaring melodic pop of The Shins and The Radar Brothers. Recorded outside Chicago at Key Club Studio with producer/longtime band friend Mikael Jorgensen (Wilco).