Crossing The Pond #2: Ice Black Birds

Our inbox is always runnething over here at Les Enfants Terribles. It’s terribly exciting to open up our inbox and see what goodies have been sent to us. Most of what we get is pretty good, but every now and again, my loves, every now and again we get a little something sent to us that really tickles our fancy. And Brighton’s Ice Black Birds, well, they tickle my fancy, float my boat, and shiver me timbers. And then some.

My love for Ice Black Birds was nearly instantaneous. From the sunshine-through-the-clouds, bluesy guitar riffs that serve as the introduction to the band to the slightly theatrical, insanely captivating vocals of “As Birds We’d Be Fine”, I couldn’t tear my eardrums away. It’s a song that feels nearly anthemic at times, so big and broad and bulky is the sound. “I love love love the things that you do,” sings, nay croons, Sam Denniston, and I boomerang that sentiment right back at them. “As Birds We’d Be Fine” is nothing short of fantastic, and could very easily turn into one of my favorite songs of the year. But they’re not done yet. “Doors” is a distinctly sassier, though equally catchy, little number, calling to mind shades of the naughty cheek of bands like Mott The Hoople and Slade (maybe it’s all that cheeky, bombastic falsetto in the middle of the song?), but without all that flouncing and glitter and with a whole lot more of the raunchy Northern Soul, underground kinda vibe. The gist is that they're fucking fantastic, and I was powerless to resist them.

Ice Black Birds has totally, utterly, and completely beguiled me. I’m a smitten kitten over them, and if they don’t somehow come over to the US of A in the near future I’ll be totally heartbroken. They’re definitely my newest objects of sonic affection, and I can’t recommend them enough.

mp3: As Birds We’d Be Fine (Ice Black Birds from As Birds We’d Be Fine)

mp3: Doors (Ice Black Birds from As Birds We’d Be Fine)