Headphones On

Once upon a time I used to buy all the odd one-off singles released on a little record label from Detroit. Let's call this label... The Large Office¹. Through this label I discovered many a new band, not all good but most. A few, in particular, stand out for the leaps and bounds they've made since they began on this little record label.

Let's focus on number two²... Memphis. I didn't know who was behind this record when I bought it but after one listen to...

Memphis - 06/21/00

I was lost in a hazy dreamworld I could have wandered around for days staring at the reflection in the cobwebs. It was as if someone had taken Torquil Campbell from Stars, hopped him up (or down rather) on tranquilizers and let him meander through a recording studio with his best friend. Well, what do you know, they did!

Memphis - The Second Summer
Memphis - East Van
Memphis - I Dreamed We Fell Apart
Memphis - I'll Do Whatever You Want

Torq and his long-time musical collaborator Chris Dumont have been recording under the moniker of Memphis for years now. One single and two full length records worth of years. The lush world they create of jazzy noodling has always seemed like a perfect place to escape to...

Memphis is a band, not a side project. Memphis is a resurrection of a dream thought dead long ago. A dream where you're alone having left everything behind, and it's just you and a friend, high on your bicycles, staring into a sun that keeps trying to break through the clouds.

Over the years I've kept up on the band's progress whenever Stars or Metric³ make it to Chicago. Well finally, Memphis will be playing outside of Canada. If you are in New York, you should be getting yourself down to Union Hall in Park Slope TONIGHT and plopping down your cash for what is sure to be an incredible experience⁴. If you're like me and living in Chicago though, no worries... at long last⁵ they will be playing Schubas in two weeks (with Apostle of Hustle). If you're somewhere else in the world... check the Memphis tour calendar. I hope they'll be finding their way to your town soon.

¹ That's not it's name but after it's proprietor interrupted me mid-convo last week I'm not telling you the label's name.
² Number one being Canadian popsters Stars.
³ I once heard James refer to me as "Memphis girl". I stopped asking about if they were ever going to tour after that.
⁴ I don't have any sort of inside information but smart money says stick around after the set as Torq has been known to play his hand at DJ when in Brooklyn.
⁵ Alright I've only been waiting five years or so, it could be worse.

Buy some: Memphis