Sirs

Exciting, enigmatic debut album from Seattle's WELCOME, that sits somewhere between 'Revolver'-era BEATLES & THE BREEDERS. WELCOME are both distinct and familiar, at once drawing the listener in, and suggesting worlds of possibilities. An essentially traditional line-up of guitar, bass, drums, dual (often doubletracked) vocals and a couple of guitars (admittedly augmented by some unconventional home made pedals and FX), they manage to wrench or coax new shapes at will. Their sound is melodic, and rhythmically and sonically ambitious, sitting somewhere between the fractured, exploratory idealism of 60's psych pop (THE CREATION, 'Revolver-era' BEATLES, SYD BARRETT's PINK FLOYD), and such non-conformist alt-rock luminaries as UNWOUND, THE BREEDERS, DEERHOOF or LILYS. This release heralds the arrival of a distinct and fully formed talent - self-recorded by themselves in their basement (the majority of it recorded first take), it's an immediate and immensely detailed recording that manages to still surprise or jolt the listener many listens on. Lyrically cryptic but somehow eloquent, the band conjures uncertain, provocative imagery by combination of music, words and sheer gravity of intent. Dynamic, stunningly arranged, and prone to fly off at unpredicatable angles, 'Sirs' posseses a gnarled beauty very much Welcome's own; spiked shards of guitar offset against warm, bittersweet West Coast tinged melodies, underpinned by a driving, articulate rhythm section. At times cracked and claustrophobic, at others open, inviting or euphoric, Welcome cram more ideas into 'Sirs' brief time-span than many bands manage to purvey in their entire career.