Imaginary Pants - Channels/Seacliff 7"
(Rok Lok 2013)
"Delivers twee dreaminess in spades"
If you've heard songs by any of the many bands she's been in, or have read issue one of Half-Gifts, you'll expect great things of a record when you see Rose Melberg's name in the credits. Her newest project, Imaginary Pants, is a collaboration with Jon Manning, founder of Seattle's Lost Sound Tapes. With its wintry sense of tranquility and simple song structure, the duo's new single, Channels/Seacliff, fits right along with the rest of Melberg's discography, which spans an impressive two decades. There's a sense of timelessness to be found in this record, faintly fuzzy atmospheres that brighten the pastel tones of the perfect pop it delivers.
"Channels" is the single's A-Side, a track lacking in percussion, yet delivering twee dreaminess in spades. Warm ripples of acoustic guitar wrap around whirling keyboards. The gentle and sparse aura emits the same vibe as the Julia Brown tape that came out earlier this year. The B-Side, "Seacliff", brings drums into the mix, and is a fast-paced and upbeat supplement to "Channels". It delivers the pop-punk energy of past Melberg ventures like Tiger Trap and Go Sailor with great vocal harmonies and frantically strummed guitars. Whether you're a diehard fan of K-Records releases from the 90s or a frequent consumer of brand-new punk cassettes, this record is worth a listen. Sample it below.
