Kane Strang "Blue Cheese" LP (Ba Da Bing)
Kane Strang’s first proper album, Blue Cheese, picks up on the
rough disaffection of his earlier demo collection, A Pebble and a Paper
Crane, which he recorded in a WWII bomb shelter in Germany. Back in his
hometown of Dunedin, New Zealand, Strang spent two curious months alone,
housesitting for his parents. Re-nested, yet still isolated, Strang
composed all of Blue Cheese over those quiet days. Lead-off track “The
Web” channels pummeling bass lines punctuated by a twinkling synth that
calls upon microscopic pop principalities of restlessness (“Yeah, I met
someone else / Without leaving my little house / No, I haven’t held her
yet / I met her on the internet”). Its abrupt ending parallels Strang’s
own disconnect.
“She’s Appealing” weaves
Day-Glo guitar motifs into distant, detached ’80s garage pop vocals.
“Never Kissed a Blonde” is driven by a slapping delay on both vocals and
guitar. Strang’s path toward a melody is always surprising, and he
never misses a hit-on-the-head-obvious-in-retrospect memorable line.
Tracklist:
1. The Web
2. Things Are Never Simple
3. Fool Moon, Hungry Sun
4. Run Rings
5. What's Wrong
6. The Canyon Her River Carved
7. It's Fine
8. You Think
9. She's Appealing
10. Never Kissed A Blonde
11. Scarlett King Magnolia
