As the world spins inexorably – and at 45rpm, of course - towards Armageddon, a man might get to wonder what he should be listening to whilst pondering the extinction of everything. I would hazard a guess that something spiritually uplifting would be appropriate. Something like the “Late Night Heart” EP from The Carvels NYC perhaps?
Perhaps is good enough for me and these three songs, while firmly based in the sounds of a time when music still contained a dash of truth, are also liberally infused with the kind of here and now energy that gets your feet outvoting your head. Energy is where it is at after all and, with Lynne Von Pang’s robust voice leading the band through anything but the motions, it doesn’t take long to figure out that all you really need to get through the apocalypse is a saxophone. Fortunately, the band have brought one along and use it to add a dash of downtown melancholy to the laconic “Sad Vacation”.
Job done, as they who know say, in less than eight minutes and The Carvels NYC head off into the sunset with me and my sunglasses in hot pursuit.
Naturally, this EP is available on vinyl.
Best song? The manic “Bitter Pill”.
The verdict? Loud and proud.