Bridal Shop "Bay The Moon"

Bridal Shop “Bay The Moon” (mp3)

(from the CD-r 3”, Bay The Moon, Cloudberry Records 2007)

I tend to listen to specific genres of music in bits and spurts, usually dependant on the type of mood that I’m in which, in turn, might be dependant on something as simple as the weather. Lately, my mood has been one of mainly whimsical reflection brought on no doubt by the fact that it feels like weeks since we’ve last seen the sun. A bit of a drag when you’re trying to move homes, sure, but made a bit easier as of late due to the fact that Cloudberry Records have been providing me with some great tunes for any such moment of whimsical consistency.

Based out of Miami, FL, Cloudberry Records are an indie pop label that specializes in three-inch CD-r releases, usually containing about three tracks (all purveying the sound of jangly guitars and such), that come out on the 1st, 15th and 21st of each month. It’s a pretty neat concept whose simplicity results in a very substantial-sized catalogue at a very quick rate; as of Dec. 15th the label will have sixty-nine releases to their name since the beginning of 2007. This alone would be no small feat but the fact that each release is top-notch, indie pop at its finest makes Cloudberry the frontrunner in the 2007 Label-of-the-Year award, if ever there is such thing.

Here’s one of my favorites of those above mentioned releases, from Sweden’s the Bridal Shop, whose blend of breathy male and female vocals backed by breezy synths is perfect for drizzly rides to and from work amongst quiet, almost peaceful, reflection. I imagine that this won’t be the last time we see a Cloudberry release talked about on these pages.