New Music of the Day – CLXXXVI: Say Can You – Divisionists

Sometimes songs can be a peek into a bands record collection, which for a music snob and general nosey parker such as myself is never a bad thing. Whilst Divisionists are a current London outfit, their music skims sonic stones across a whole lake of earlier times and other places. Early 80’s California and the rise of the 60’s gazing Paisley Underground, the more muscular rock sound of Minneapolis, a Boston indie vibe, the alternative take of US college rock radio and hints of the more melodic end of Portland’s mercurial sound. You just know that after a hard day they relax with a bit of The Replacements, The Gin Blossoms or Green On Red…on vinyl of course!

But I’m not talking about plagiarism here, far from it, the sound that Divisionists make merely tips hats in these general directions, and why not? But it isn’t just about where they come from, it is about where they are going and I really like where they are going. It gives a new sense of direction for the non-fashion conscious (or possibly hyper-fashion conscious trend setter) indie kid, it offers an alternative to alternative…no-one really knew what that term meant anyway, it plays with pop infectiousness, psychedelic looseness, has edgy slashes of jaggle-guitars and travels with its foot very much flat to the floor right through the song.

In fact, I would be hard pushed to think of anyone who wouldn’t find their sound appealing and that’s not something you can say very often. Not all collisions, musically speaking at least, have dire consequences!