2011 is the year I decided there’s no more place for Liam Gallagher in my world.
The 19 year old me is stood with mouth gaping wide open, slopping snakebite onto her shoes at this statement. I want my musicians humble, intelligent and poetic. Bon Iver, Beirut, Lanterns on the Lake tick all my boxes. Liam’s aping is redundant to me. Step forward Real Estate.
They haven’t deviated far from what the listeners would expect, but Matt Mondanile has managed to tag the chillwave genre to surfer pop via heartfelt teenage angst. In this they have distanced themselves from their debut in 2009 but not so they’re complete strangers.
6 Music have championed single It’s Real frequently these past weeks, its radio friendly and transforms your bleak surroundings to beach huts and toes in the sand, catching glimpses at the person you fancy while the sun is in their eyes.
In fact the whole album is like a mellow heat wave, had it been released at the height of our fleeting summer I imagine it would of found its way to be a lot of lovers soundtracks.
Upbeat All The Same and Green Aisles have a beautiful naivety of youth, that utter belief that everything is always going to be ok “Our careless lifestyle, it was not so unwise” laments Monanile on Green Aisles.
Perhaps the most confusing moment on the album is the uncanny resemblance Out of Time has with Seu Jorge’s cover of Rebel Rebel, famous from Wes Anderson’s Life Aquatic. Even on the fifth play I still found myself humming Bowie.
Domino Records haven’t taken a huge risk on Real Estate, the band exude a nonchalant confidence in their music. That “difficult second album” sounds so connected, complete and effortless I can’t imagine they felt any pressure in recording Days.
Overall the album sounds like someone has bred shoegazing with The Beach Boys. It works. Its warm, melodic, charming and feels vintage.
Days by Real Estate is released on October 18th, 2011 via Domino Records
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