Crumby Lovers: A New Weird UK Sampler

Brand new and available on all sides of “The Pond” is a unique compilation that has just been unveiled to the world via the Last.fm music community.  It is not only a great idea, distribution method and free (currently), it is simply an amazing collection of songs, period.

Description from creators & promoters:

Crumby Lovers: A New Weird UK Sampler is an online compilation offering up a peculiarly British response to the new weird america phenomenon. It also represents an exciting new chapter in the ‘social music revolution’ kick-started here at last.fm. All the tracks on the album are, for a limited time only, free to download exclusively here at last.fm.

While I am familiar with the “New Weird” concept, it is more and more becoming the norm in many music circles.  What was once “avant garde” or even “ahead of it’s time” in relation to independent music is simply becoming independent music (and in turn, just music).  I like this trend, as I tend to like the slightly off the beaten track genre.  While it can be described as lo-fi, indie, singer-songwriter and even Anglo-Americana, you can trust it is a warm yet sober journey through the current(s) of today’s congested musical seas.  It could possibly be considered the music of today with tomorrow’s thinking when it comes to promotion and distribution.  I guess it may still be ahead of it’s time…

More from the release notes:

Characterized by honest, stripped-down song writing the album includes ten quirkily accessible compositions from:
Thom Piddock from York, Nottingham’s The Heaving Seas, London based Sarah Lain and Klak Tik, Edinburgh’s Eagleowl and Mount Analogue from Glasgow, Birmingham’s Tom Peel, Norfolk based Jack Mountain, Ellie Walker from Cambridge and the reclusive Anton Rothschild from somewhere on in the South West peninsula…

I have been listening for a few days now and I am very impressed with the quality of music that is included in the compilation.  While all artists and tracks being unique, they are threaded together with not only how they were compiled, but how they flow between each other.  They say the art of the “mixtape” is at an end, but I beg to disagree.

While I have heard and listened to a few of these great artists previously (Eagleowl, Mount Analogue and Tom Peel), I have included three tracks that I had not heard prior and really are perfect examples of what this sound is about:

• Anton Rothschild’s “I Give In” – This Dainty Records artist brings a track that at it’s heart, an acoustic track with piano accents, peppered with Anton’s fragile voice.  You feel like the song is tragic, but is doing it’s best to keep it’s head up (and possibly above water).
• The Heaving Seas’ “Portland Street” – This is a lo-fi gem.  The classic strumming, gritty and intimate vocal recording quenches your “bedroom folk” thirst.  It is as if its a literal reflection of a rainy day Portland as seen by anyone, anywhere.
• Sarah Lain’s “Floating” – This song is ethereal and stunning.  Sometimes you just know that the voice is meant for literally floating over melancholy.  This one is a highlight of the album for me and IFF Transponder has a real talent on their hands.

Please consider visiting and joining the new Last.fm group “New Weird UK“, joining and picking up the rest of the tracks for the release.  While there, do not forget to check each artist for more music – listen to it, share it and plain and simply enjoy the great sounds of New Weird UK.

~Smansmith