PARLOUR are another London quintet who like capitals to emphasise what it
is you're actually listening to. There's no simple: 'oh, it's Parlour' here,
it's all about PARLOUR, and how LOUD they can GO! That's the general theme to
their music anyhow. They take an influence from a range of sources, some
obvious, others more obscured through the stained glass windows. Just from
viewing the above image, it's clear what PARLOUR's sound will be, and their
intentions in creating this sound - like VISION FORTUNE who continue to
astound listeners with their krautock fuelled noise rock. PARLOUR are no
different, they will know of VISION FORTUNE, especially the knowing of bands
creating psychedelic noises in London like Novella, who PARLOUR have a
connection with through guitarist and producer Rory Attwell. Is it written in
the history books already? that PARLOUR are indefinitely going to share their
noises with the world on a major scale? Probably not - but they just might with
the strength of their discography so far.
When listening to psychedelic music, I’m always listening to it in the dark
(or a dimly lit room,) especially when it's raining outside and it's pitch black by 4pm... It's a perfect time to listen to psychedelic music, there's a more
surreal moment than the vision of potheads listening to Hendrix in a field full
of poppies in mid-July. The rain crashing down on the roof of your house, the
grey clouds taking over the blue, creating this grim Banksy look, and the
flicker of a lamp in the corner of your eye, waiting to be joined by the
ceiling light come 6pm.
PARLOUR's "Devil's Eyes" is great for this turbulent
listening experience. The swirling Attwell guitars keep the listener in check,
who are sitting on the edge of their seats in fear he will break in to "Your Biggest Mistake" at any given moment. His
production under the moniker Bratwell has certainly aided the overall sound and
feel of "Devil’s Eyes". There's tinted distortion throughout, with
smooth bass, regurgitated with the soft, minimal percussion. Shoegaze is the
genre most linked with PARLOUR, though the post-shoegaze term 'nu-gaze' would
be more applicable. It's the stitching together of psychedelic pop, noise rock
circa 1980s New York, and shoegaze circa Fender Jaguar. This is not to be
dodged or forgotten about, but to be joined by the growing psychedelic artists
in a waiting game - it's just a matter of time before PARLOUR, Attwell's
production, and the 10s shoegaze artists blow up and dominate the alternative.
~Eddie Gibson
