Kane Strang
Blue Cheese
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. Strang amassed a band and has started playing his distinct psych-pop live. He will tour the United States in 2016.