Again, this is not a full return to form. But I’m feeling a bit of inspiration. Plus, I just got shafted by another automotive repair bill, which sent my mind uncontrollably spinning earlier. So I need a little sound therapy, via the written word, to help cool off.
First off, I’m not going to overthink this one. Tonight’s aural offering comes from Los Angeles-based indie outfit Tears Run Rings, and it’s a shimmery little ditty titled “Mind the Wires.” Maybe a warning. Or just a statement. Either way, it’s a fairly slick and straightforward (for the genre) shoegazed bit of hazy glazed dream pop. If you know the style, it’s got all the staples, reverb nooks and echoing crannies, an ethereal crawl of whispered lyrics and jangled guitars, a softly bedded wall of sound that sounds super great at just over peak volume.
I remember hearing about this SoCal five-piece a number of years ago, when I was curious about what happened with the evolution of the early ’90s shoegaze movement, popularized by such acts as My Bloody Valentine, Ride, and Slowdive, all of which have returned in recent years for live performances and new material. That listening expedition lead me to a little indie label named Clairecords, which specializes in contemporary shoegaze, dream pop, and all manner of sculpted feedback, volume, and guitar-based melodic discord.
That’s where I encountered Tears Run Rings. Other than that, I couldn’t tell you much more about them. In fact, I’m not even sure if they’re still active. They put out their third and latest album back in 2016, titled “In Surges,” essentially a slicker evolution of the band’s near 13 years in the running. I quite liked it at the time, and continue to do so on recent listens, particularly the tracks “Part of the Glass” and “Sine Wave Sleep,” which both flow in a similar vein as tonight’s featured tune “Mind the Wires.”
Anyway, I chose “Mind the Wires” for the unextraordinary reason that it popped on during a recent Spotify shuffle. Admittedly, I didn’t even remember who it was, despite sensing its familiarity. So here I am, waxing on about a near-forgotten track from 11 years prior. I guess that qualifies as a tad bit of an oldie, but who’s counting.
Here’s Tears Run Rings’ dreamy glimmer and shimmer of guitar-based ethereality, “Mind the Wires.” I’m also including, the two aforementioned numbers from their latest LP, “Part of the Glass” and “Sine Wave Sleep,” just because I can … plus, I don’t feel like drafting separate future posts for the pair. Enjoy!
“Mind the Wires” from the 2008 album “Always, Sometimes, Seldom, Never.”.
“Part of the Glass” from the 2016 album “In Surges.”
“Sine Wave Sleep” from the 2016 album “In Surges.”
