Tonight’s post comes from Los Angeles/San Francisco shoegaze outfit Film School, titled “Ms. Connection.” This one’s a strange cocktail drone of humming reverb and tubular supperclub bells. It’s loungey and reserved, a slowburn lo-fi affair fit for smokey, dimly lit environs, slightly out of step with time and place, yet seemingly revving to break loose and achieve some manner of peak that never quite comes. It goes without saying that there’s an underlying tension simmering beneath the mellowness. It’s also a hair wisp on the dreamy side, with some soft whispery vocals and more than a few feathery shades of echo space.
I stumbled upon this one last night, and almost posted it right there and then. But the Renaissance Pleasure Faire nudged me in a different folkloric direction. So I set “Ms. Connection” aside for another day … which just so happens to be today.
Film School’s one of those bands I’ve sort of followed out of the periphery of my ears and eyes. Their name would arise, and I’d like what I hear. Then it would subside, and I would move on to other aural pastures. Their music sort of fits the bill of the moment, lasting at a subliminal subconscious level. In other words, I like it. But I don’t always frequent it. And it doesn’t always frequent me. Yet when it does, all is as it should be.
Turns out Film School separated back in 2011 and reunited in 2016. I think I totally missed that hiatus/break-up, assuming they were just taking their time crafting new material. Shows what I know. That said, they resurfaced again late last year with a new album, their fifth, titled “Bright to Death.” I’m guessing that’s worth a visit or two, now that my interest has been stoked once again with “Ms. Connection.”
Speaking of which, I’m not exactly sure I’ve heard “Ms. Connection” prior to yesterday. If I did, I don’t remember. It’s not a new one. In fact, it dates all the way back to 2003 from the EP “Alwaysnever.” It’s not Film School’s earliest material. But it’s close, only preceded by their 2001 debut LP “Brilliant Career.”
Anyway, that’s the nuts and bolts of it all. “Ms. Connection” is essentially my latest reintroduction to these California natives. And now that I’m in full revisit mode, I’m liking their sunnier dream-pop slice of shoegaze heaven from their latest material. It’s a far cry less moody from tonight’s selection. But that’s okay. I don’t think I’d want it to be more of the same. There’s a track playing right now called “Bye Bye Bird” that I’m kinda digging. It’s from the latest “Bright to Death.” I’ll include an embed for this one as well, just because it feels right.
But for starters, since it was the impetus of tonight’s post, here’s Film School’s earlier effort “Ms. Connection.” I’d say enjoy. But I think this one’s more of a sink into, chill down, and zone out kind of affair. At any rate, let this one do its ethereal thing with your headspace.
“Ms. Connection” from the 2003 EP “Alwaysnever.”
And here’s “Bye Bye Bird,” the newer track from Film School that caught my ear as I was composing tonight’s post. Since this one shines from the bright side, I can definitely recommend you enjoy this one.
“Bye Bye Bird” from the 2018 album “Bright to Death.”
