LA CASA AL MARE – THIS ASTRO EP (CD, D/L).

25 years on the influence of Creation Records late 80s early 90s “golden age” of innovative guitar bands now seems to be more evident than it as ever been..... what was once a snide jibe aimed at callow youths trying to pick out effects pedals on a darkened stage and mocked as “The Scene That Celebrates Itself”........ Shoegaze is back and this time it’s not going to go away in a hurry. The last few years has seen many of the bands from the original scene reform to play to a brand new receptive audience around the globe and in some cases are probably now more popular than they ever were back in the day……… It’s like Brit Pop never happened.

One of the great new bands that have been heavily influenced by the original UK Shoegaze scene are Italian Shoegaze/Noise Pop trio La Casa al Mare, on their recently released 7 track EP, This Astro (a collection of previously digital only releases and 3 new tracks), they so expertly recreate the My Bloody Valentine dense, twisted wall of noise you would think that Kevin Shields is considering getting on the phone to his lawyer. La Casa al Mare have lovingly crafted a set of songs of pure beauty that mix together the essence of the best parts of classic Shoegaze albums like Loveless and Souvikia and although you can hear their influences loud and clear, the sheer class of this EP transcends any accusations that they are mere copyists. The songs on this EP are a mix of heavily distorted classic MBV like drone attacks…. ‘I Don’t Want To’, the stand out track ‘Sunflowers’ and sounding something like MBVs ‘Blown A Wish’ on steroids, the excellent ‘M’...... with the more neo-psychedelic swirl of Slowdive with tracks like ’CD Girl’ and the stunning ‘Tonight Or Never’ having a lighter feel about them. This EP is essential listening for fans of the classic Creation bands and is also one of the best Shoegaze records to be released this year……give it a listen, you will not be disappointed (you will however feel the need to dig out your MBV and Slowdive records and give them a spin after hearing this).

This Astro is out now and is available as a limited edition 7 track CD or a 6 track download from the La Casa al Mare Bandcamp page. The CD is also being distributed in Japan by Hands And Moment records.

Watch Sunflowers video here

THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN