Singing Animal Collective sure was a good idea, and it looks like it made lots of fresh air enter Fat Cat's offices, as their latest releases sound less intellectual, more organic and affecting.

This split 12" features 5 songs by The Ivytree, who happen to be a Californian psych/freak-folk project with just one guy who is also part of the Jewelled Antler Collective. It sounds focused and beautiful, reminiscent of Vetiver's debut album released sometimes last year, and also of a billion records released between 1965 and 1971 as one my my aquainttances would say. I don't really pay attention to history and chronology so i'll just say that i really dig this side of fat cat's 17th split release.

Now let's flip it. Of course, i don't really flip it because it's all on one promo cd but hey, i'm trying to show a little effort here. Chris Smith is Australian but please don't run away. He's more into experimentation. It sounds like static, drone guitars and sometimes a melody hidden beneath it all. In the end it sounds like field recordings, except that it isn't really field recording. you hear that airplane? These bells? this vacuum cleaner? well it's all guitar. yes. This side of the 12" as you might have guessed is closer to what can be expected from Fat Cat's notoriously experimental split releases. It's not a bad listening experience though.

- Barbara H

/apr 1st 2005/