Raves... og mere...

The internet is being incredibly slow, but I’ve been wanting to post this since Sunday… So… Apparently they have a version of the Grammis (The Danish Music Awards) in Denmark, too. Sune Wagner of the Raveonettes has been nominated for five of them -- practically the full number he’s eligible for -- and I must say he deserves it. Alright, there is a girl in the Raveonettes too (and I like her, also) but whatever.

Speaking of the Raveonettes, about a week ago, Hits in the Car mentioned the Copenhagen act Death Valley Sleepers, calling them/him “Raveonettes clones.” I consider this high praise (remember, the Raveonettes were the first Danish band I ever liked) and after a few listens -- my god, this guy does sound exactly like the Raveonettes. I mean exactly.

It's fairly regularly that I encounter some new band and shortly fall into love, only to shortly fall out again. Music is one of the only things about which I often speak too quickly. But in the case of Death Valley Sleepers, I feel that I can quite happily continue listening, with the same lovely effect, long past the so-called honeymoon phase. Drawing on some pretty exemplary influences -- from the aforementioned Raves to the rawer pre-pop of the Jesus and Mary Chain -- this is just what a band called Death Valley Sleepers should sound like. And what makes it even more remarkable is that this lushness -- the jangly guitars and the echo-y harmonies -- are all the work of just one person.

It's hard to pick a favorite track, but try She's In Control -- or listen to (and download) four other tracks at last.fm. Unfortunately, this seems to be the only current channel of distribution -- he doesn’t appear to have ever released anything officially; just demos. Hopefully that will change. Soon.

--DL--
She's In Control (Death Valley Sleepers)