Play Some New! Dept.

There's not much "new" (as in recorded this century) music played on the Isle O' Foam©. This is because it's the product of a mediocre, smug, self-obsessed generation utterly incapable of coming up with a tune as good as (say) I'm A Believer. But occasionally - so occasionally that it's statistically insignificant - I'll hear something that doesn't make me want to hold my breath until I pass out.

The Ruby Suns are obviously fans of Brian Wilson, which is fine by me. But their - his, whatever - music does more than just channel or reference [Millennialspeak for copy - Ed.] the Beach Boys. You won't find anything as glorious as Good Vibrations here, or even, God help us, I Wanna Pick You Up. What you do get are imaginative, thoughtful, sometimes beautiful little pieces, nicely played and sung, avoiding lo-fi pretension. Keepers.

Here's three of their albums, with the usual fake-charming homemade covers. Actually the zebra is okay. They slipped up with that one. If you have others, I'd be interested.

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