Vernon-based instrumental duo, Landing on the Sun’s debut record is a cinematic extravaganza of fuzztone and twang.
The group, Billy Haner and Eric Hutton, use their guitars like loud, live- wire paintbrushes to produce some industrial strength surf sounds and hard-driving daydream travelogue.
Their iconoclastic approach is a fresh take on the notions of performance and recording in general, putting creativity and energy to the forefront while making the pursuit of vibe the driving force.
That focus on atmosphere and ideas gives the record (and band) an underground spirit. Being instrumental, its identity is elusive and that character is played upon.
The album is propulsive background music laden with driving riffs, conversational note passages and a committed noir-ish direction, which gives the songs a soundtrack soul.
It’s a strong aid for repeated play long distance driving through high altitude passes, where the twang and thump can take hold through the night.
Key tracks for the hypnosis are: Pangolin, A Certain Type of Implosion and The Mustard. They’re on to something mysterious and unique.
– Street Sounds, featuring music reviews by Dean-Gordon-Smith, runs every Friday in The Morning Star.
