the perfect gift

The race's THE PERFECT GIFT weds an introverted quietude with a subversive sense of pop – new members and more seductive songs wrangle the spirit and panache of This Heat, the effulgent melodies of The Beach Boys and the unwittingly gothic heartbreak of Tim Buckley. The bright, shattered polyphonies of old have become smoothed and rounded, buffeted by new influence and old intuition. Imagine Smile-era recordings played in the woods alone rather than on the bright, populous beaches of California. But the ocean is miles away, and you can’t get there from here. "Attempting a fluid, freewheeling dream rock that evokes both Jeff Buckley and père Tim (circa Blue Afternoon), Chicago's The Race certainly aim high. Further, they fearlessly project musical ambition without succumbing to bombast." - The Wire (UK)