Spring is here. So why is it raining? I don't know.

Have you ever tried to describe in words something as abstract as sound? It's really hard. Music reviews tend to fall into two categories: first, excitable exclamations about how this band will change your life coupled with equally excitable comparisons with other bands. Second: earnest descriptions of the music coupled with equally earnest comparisons with other bands. The first is  the policy of the all-new Jackie-lookalike NME, and the second is the policy of weirdy-beardy types at The Wire. (Just thought I'd get those stereotypes out of the way.)

MeandthetwinS are a four-piece from dear old not very sunny quite rainy and cold Newcastle upon Tyne, and as far as I know this minialbum is a demo. They like guitars (who doesn't? Oh yeah, Milan Kundera - nobody's perfect I suppose) and this demo features seven instrumental tracks which are by turn melancholy, whimsical and - well, kind of rainy.

The likelihood is that you haven't heard MeandthetwinS music before, so I'm going to give you some clues about how they sound to my sensitive ears. A little like the Velvets after John Cale left them (think Foggy Notion); a little like early New Order circa Power, Corruption and Lies (think Leave Me Alone); and a little like the Durutti Column.

It's just a demo; it's not great, but it's good, and I think MeandthetwinS could produce something special. Maybe they could get a singer occasionally too!

It's still raining - summer in Newcastle eh? I like it.

-Andrew Russell

/may 15th 2004/