Modern English Decoration

Recording information: KEN, London.
The sophomore long-player from the English psych-rock/dream-pop/post-punk/Krautrock outfit, Modern English Decoration delivers a hazy D.I.Y. batch of late-night/early-morning sonic emissions that invoke names like Deerhunter, My Bloody Valentine, and Can. There's a seamlessness to the ten-track set that suggests a narrative, but the concept is purely aural, and largely hypnotic -- despite the group's triple-guitar assault, the songs rarely gnash teeth, leaving ample room for frontman Rhys Edwards' spectral Thom Yorke-esque vocals. The album's most immediate moments are also relatively bucolic, with highlights arriving via the sleepy "Silvertonic," the fuzzed-out instrumental "Victorian Acid," and the motorik-fueled closer, "Protestant Work Slump," all three of which sound like they evolved out of rainy Sunday jam sessions. It's enjoyable yet familiar fare, and whether or not Ulrika Spacek bring anything new to the art rock table is certainly debatable, but with Modern English Decoration, they've definitely established themselves as reliable, and occasionally crafty, sonic spellcasters that reward a patient ear. ~ James Christopher Monger