Hits for Broken Hearts and Asses

Giardini di Mirò's eight-year band history is characterized by an urge for development and change. With each release, the Italians have moved on -- and forward. The past, especially their own, has never been important. Nevertheless, their "Hits for Broken Hearts and Asses" is not a new album, but a collection of earlier recordings. It gathers together all of Giardini di Mirò's songs that were recorded and released before their debut, "Rise and Fall of Academic Drifting." Interestingly, there is only a tenuous link between the tracks assembled on "Hits for.." and the band's current sound. A lot has happened between the first demo and last year's "Punk? not Diet!." The most glaring difference is probably the inclusion of vocals, already featured on two tracks of their debut album and almost ubiquitous on "Punk? not Diet!" (with only one purely instrumental track). In addition, electronic elements have joined the melee of Giardini di Mirò's music, including the collaborations with Arne van Petegem (Styrofoam), Thaddeus Herrmann (Herrmann & Kleine), and Christophe Stoll (Nitrada) on their current album. Nevertheless all of their releases -- whether instrumental or with vocals, whether recorded with just two microphones or in a 24-track studio -- have one thing in common: their beautiful, melancholic melodies suffused by true heart's blood.