Halcyon Melodies from the Indie Pantheon

The High Llamas just friended me on MySpace!

I've been a Llamas fan since the late 90s, and they've been around even longer. I'm not exaggerating when I say they're one of the best, most underrated pop bands of all time.

I'm including three of their older songs to give you some perspective on how awesome they are. You'll recognize the influence of 1960s sunshine pop/baroque pop (esp. Brian Wilson) and jazz (Herbie Mann-style).

Sean O'Hagan is the man behind The High Llamas, and somehow, he manages to consistently pump out album after album of perfectly-crafted pop. He's worked a lot with Stereolab, another great pop band that I profiled here awhile back. As you'll hear, O'Hagan's a master of catchy, sing-song melodies and fantastic string and horn arrangements.

Soak in the good vibes of The High Llamas!



The High Llamas - Checking In, Checking Out

Moment of Pop Bliss:
01:03.89 - Vocal gliss = pop bliss!




The High Llamas - Painters Paint

Moment of Pop Bliss:
00:31.54 - Vocal glissando (+ harmonies!)


This is a long one! So so good:



The High Llamas - Track Goes By

Moment of Pop Bliss:
01:15.61 - Vocal glissando harmonies!
03:38.92 - I could listen to this loop forever.
05:33.14 - The flute is a bird from HEAVEN.

Official site:http://highllamas.com

MySpace: http://myspace.com/thehighllamassongs