| ARTHUR & YU | Discography | Press | Touring |
Leaving childhood memories behind can be a troublesome thing, whether it's a cherished object, a dream, or just playing around with friends. Given that their name is derived from childhood nicknames, it would be fair to say that Arthur & Yu know a thing or two about the process. Comprised of Seattle residents Grant Olsen and Sonya Westcott, Arthur & Yu have made an album that grapples with the idea of growing up and of letting go, creating a small space in which to drift away. With soft, layered vocals that float over textural acoustics, In Camera is an audible effigy of a time past, and an album made for forgetting and remembering.
Drawing sonic inspiration from the Velvet Underground as well as the studio experimentation of Lee Hazlewood, each track is a study in expansion, centered loosely around chiming guitars and swirling melodies. Olsen's hazy croon is lifted by the smooth harmonies of Westcott, and both reel in the influence of Nancy Sinatra between the familiar crash of a tambourine and layers of guitar. "Come to View (Song for Neil Young)" forms the pinnacle of this sentiment, while the sultry "Lion's Mouth" is a study in refined understatement, with Olsen's songwriting skills reveling in the spotlight. Westcott, who recently contributed vocals to a James Figurine album, takes the lead on "There are too Many Birds" - a fluidly tranquil ode to home and place.
Each track is a carefully crafted thing, meticulously realized and reminiscent of another time, filtered through perpetual memory. Cascading and building, the final result is the sound of a band realizing itself, or perhaps just growing up a bit. Built upon nostalgia and exuding a certain warmth that is undeniably earnest, In Camera is their debut, and Arthur & Yu's first release for Memphis Industries
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IN CAMERA- OUT AUG 20 2007
2. Come to View (Song for Neil Young)
3. There Are Too Many Birds
4. Afterglow
5. Flashing the Lobby Lights
6. Lion's Mouth
7. 1000 Words
8. The Ghost of Old Bull Lee
9. Half Years
10.Black Bear
Press
"Drowsily lovely country pop from this decades Nancy & Lee" Guardian Playlist
"A wonderful woozy debut" Word
"A hudden bite that creeps under your skin slowly" Flux
"It’s successful on pretty much every count for two main reasons: 1. It’s well-written and blearily produced; and 2. It's self-aware and not neurotic." **** Dusted Magazine
"This debut has a great deal of shadowy appeal" **** BBC Collective
"A beautiful debut" **** The Express
"These sounds are magical and mesmerising" Rock Sound
Touring
23 Sep 2007 Metro w/ Iron & WineChicago, Illinoisbr
24 Sep 2007< Beachland Ballroom w/ Iron & WineCleveland, Ohio
25 Sep 2007 Danforth Music Hall w/ Iron & WineToronto, Ontario
26 Sep 2007 Metropolis w/ Iron & WineMontreal, Quebec
27 Sep 2007 The Orpheum Theater w/ Iron & WineBoston, Massachusetts
28 Sep 2007 Tower Theater w/ Iron & WineUpper Darby, Pennsylvania
29 Sep 2007 9:30 Club w/ Iron & WineWashington DC, Washington DC
30 Sep 2007 Town Hall Theatre w/ Iron & WineNew York, New York
2 Oct 2007 Highline Ballroom w/ Great Lake SwimmersNew York, New York
3 Oct 2007 Middle East (upstairs) w/ Great Lake SwimmersCambridge, Massachusetts
4 Oct 2007 World Cafe Upstairs w/ Great Lake SwimmersPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
6 Oct 2007 Earl w/ Great Lake SwimmersAtlanta, Georgia
9 Oct 2007 The Cavern w/ Great Lake SwimmersDallas, Texas
10 Oct 2007 Stubbs BBQ w/ Great Lake SwimmersAustin, Texas
12 Oct 20072 Modified Arts w/ Great Lake SwimmersPhoenix, Arizona
13 Oct 2007 Spaceland w/ Great Lake SwimmersLos Angeles, California
14 Oct 2007 Cafe Du Nord w/ Great Lake SwimmersSan Francisco, California
16 Oct 2007 Holocene w/ Great Lake SwimmersPortland, Oregon
17 Oct 2007 Tractor Tavern w/ Great Lake Swimmers