Harper Lee - Bug

matinée 019  /  October 2000
Harper Lee - Bug
7"   $5.00

digital   $2.00


Harper Lee - Bug

matinée 019  /  October 2000

Highly anticipated second single from Brighton, England duo featuring Keris Howard (formerly of Brighter and Hal; now also playing live with Trembling Blue Stars) on vocals and guitar, and Laura Bridge (formerly of Hood; now also in Kicker) on guitar, keyboards, and drums. A preview of the band's forthcoming debut album on Matinée, this double A-side showcases idyllic, earnest pop, beautifully layered keyboards and guitars, and tragic mournings of the Brighteresque variety. The band's debut 7" "Dry Land" is nearly sold out... get copies of this one while you can!

Tracklisting:
  1. Bug
  2. You Kill Me

reviews

In case the superlative police are in town, I have to be very careful with this review. It's just knowing there are people out there who make such perfect music - for listening to on your headphones as you walk over the bridge at night and the mist descends and you look down the railway line and London seems near perfect - and so it's such a privilege to be able to listen to this unassumingly-packaged 7", which only makes its way to England on import, despite being recorded in Brighton. "Bug" is a minimal meander, wreathed in warm, plucked guitar tones and pivoting on a single Brighteresque chord change. The lyrics are desolate and wonderful as he ponders the trapped-relationship protagonist - "you've walked away so many times in your mind" - hence it is everything an "a" side shouldn't be according to the sort of people who run the record industry. "You Kill Me" picks up the tempo ever-so-slightly by virtue of the trusty drum machine, but the lyrical mood is very similar: "don't bear me", Keris pleads - and the handkerchiefs are out by the time he sings "this was never going to work out", the continuing autumnal swirl of faint keyboards and semi-acoustic guitars punctuated by a simple and brittle melody line. Two songs of impossible beauty.   --In Love With These Times In Spite Of These Times
 
Two new songs from this band, and again I can't think of anything except for how much they sound like Brighter, with the gentle music and sad, but optimistic, lyrics. Actually, the chorus of "Bug" reminds me a bit of Velvet Underground's "Pale Blue Eyes". The sleeve is the same as the first single's, but with a new color scheme. MTQ=2/2   --IndiePages
 
Brighter was probably my all-time favorite Sarah Records band, so you'll really hear no complaints from me that Keris Howard (the guy who was Brighter) has continued to make records that aren't too dissimilar from what he used to do. Melancholic, introspective, simple, pop. This is a 7" to save for a rainy day, but why would you limit yourself?   --Light Rotation
 
Harper Lee are Keris, ex-Brighter/Hal and now of Trembling Blue Stars, and Laura from Kicker. The music is melancholy indiepop in the same vein as Brighter and is a must for Brighter fans.   --Aquamarine #20
 
Two more awesome slices of heartbreaking twee pop. I think the title track is from the album and “You Kill Me” is unreleased. Just buy everything with their name on it.   --Dagger