International Pop Exchange: No.3

The Heavy Blinkers have been creating increasingly sophisticated and orchestrated pop music since their 1998 debut Hooray for Everything! While this album hinted at what was to come, the Heavy Blinkers truly blossomed on their self-titled second record, The Heavy Blinkers, a record filled with 21 jubilant pop songs. Their next album, Better Weather, expanded the Blinkers' sound with additional strings, horns and choirs, collecting the group accolades in the British press and from fellow musicians such as Sean O'Hagan and Sondre Lerche. The band's fourth record, The Night and I are Still So Young, is a stunning melodic achievement and the group's best, and will be released on Endearing in early 2004. With the international success of bands like Air, Tahiti 80 and Phoenix, French pop has excited music fans all over the world. Orwell's debut album, Des Lendemains, is no exception. First released on Quince Records in Japan, releases in Europe (on Europop 2000) and North America (on Hidden Agenda/Parasol Records as Following Days ) soon followed. Featuring collaborations with guitarist Mederic Gontier from Tahiti 80 and multi-instrumentalist Mehdi Zannad (a.k.a. Fugu), the album demonstrates Orwell's sophisticated melodies and gentle baroque pop.