Lions and Tigers and Bears! Oh My!

Probably my favourite pastime in the world (well, that isn’t R rated) is going going through bargain bins at record shops trying to find a rare (as in unknown to me, as opposed to collector) in there for under a fiver.

A few months ago on one of my discovery jaunts, I picked up Lions and Tigers and Bears by Victor Malloy.

The album blurb gives us the self-effacing measure of this Scots duo, neither of whom is called Victor Malloy: "Recorded in Russ's bedroom using one Minidisc mic, an Apple Mac computer and loads of instruments". The instruments include the definitive tools of tweeness - melodica, ukulele and banjo - and they come across as lo-fi/electro cousins of the template of tweeness; Belle and Sebastian.

Tracks such as 'Girl In The Hood' and 'Love The Rain' are gentle everyday observations of life around them. Layered harmonies and sometimes complex rhythms create something fresh and romantic. "Elephants", "Different Time" and "Could have been Anything" show the more abstract directions of the band - here they twist harmonies similar to The Beatles and The Beach Boys to convey child like fantasies, all quite surrealist and completely unique.

If you’re looking for a rainy sunday afternoon, you’d do worse than checking out Victor Malloy.

MP3: Victor Malloy – The Girl In The Hood (Expired)
MP3: Victor Malloy – Love The Rain (Expired)
MP3: Victor Malloy - A Night In Vegas (Expired)

Buy: Victor Malloy – Lions And Tigers And Bears