Eponymous

VINYL FORMAT. A supercombo team-up between Simon Lord (ex-Simian) and Rafter Roberts, the Roberts & Lord duo present their Asthmatic Kitty debut, Eponymous. Roberts' rough and grimy (yet complexly arranged) analog backing tracks paired with Lord's clean, digitally-recorded vocals, gives these songs a tricky kind of depth that is immediately engaging. This effortless juxtaposition reigns throughout these 35 some-odd minutes. The album begins with "Mosquito," a perfect example and touchstone of Roberts' loud, garage rocky, blow-outness paired with structure well-thought-out (but never lingered upon). Simon's lyrics tell the story of a man's love for a mosquito, his vocals backed by a crunchy oil-drum thunk of beats (a theme of this record). Simon's lyrics on "Mosquito" set the tone for what's to come – and the tone is fun! Influenced by nonsense verse poets like Ivor Cutler and Edward Lear, Lord gives us a simple, light-hearted return to innocence, a goodly love for good love, the capital F feel-goodness compressed into a chorus, the sweaty exuberance of a solid dance party with all your friends around you. And thus we present Roberts & Lord's Eponymous!