I'm almost positive that as I write this John Andrew Frederick is readying yet another album from his band, The Black Watch. He's in the midst of a creative spurt, this guy. And, thankfully, the fruits of his labor are both tuneful and full of dream-pop flavor. In fact, I'd almost hesitate to use that term, as this stuff is too meaty for such a casually-used genre label.
The group's latest, The White EP, is out now and it's concise and elegant, and still full of sharp hooks. There are two versions here of "Off You Go!", a number that sounds a whole lot like early Velocity Girl. Like those pioneers of American shoegaze, Frederick and his crew wisely focus just as much on the melody, and the spry guitar-figures, as they do on the effects and the pedals being pushed. "There & Here", a highlight here, mixes a New Order-in-the-21st-century-sheen with crunchy riffs, while "In Two Different Ways" continues this release's flirtation with electronic-based indie. Nearly an O.M.D. number, the cut is playful and as light as air, and one of the best things John Andrew Frederick's written. This year at least.
The White EP is out now.
More details on The Black Watch via the band's Facebook page
[Photo: The Black Watch Facebook page]