Came across this bit of guitar pop gold over the weekend while surveying the latest summer sampler from Nice label Beko Disques. Back in June Sevilla based dream pop quartet Terry vs Tori delivered their debut record in the form of their self titled EP. Reverb drenched guitars and strong angular bass lines abound across the four quite different pop oriented tracks.
In a recent interview with the a Spanish blog*, guitarist and dual vocalist Manuel Jimenez spoke of their wide ranging influences and their love of the various pop blueprints laid down by bands like Juan Wauters, Beach Fossils, DIIV and Wild Nothing as well as long term influences from the 80s like The Wedding Present, The Smiths and Beat Happening and the twee pop of Donnie and Joe Emerson.
That Jimenez and fellow vocalist and now guitarist Erica Lender came from a background of playing bass and drums respectively in less than serious harder type incarnations in a city and only picked up the guitar just over a year ago makes the end result all the more impressive. The fact that they only enlisted Joe Preto to play bass a few months before the recoding and he’s actually a guitarist makes their new drummer Rosa the only person now playing their original instrument. Lender actually played drums on the recording with Jimenez playing all guitars
The EP begins with the two Jimenez sung tracks. The first is ‘Dream Wild’ which sports a classically relaxed rhythm that sits nicely underneath an enthusiastically played array of reverb driven melodies before the jaunty jangle pop of ‘Cool It’ takes court with more than an air of Melbourne pop luminaries The Ocean Party about it.
Lender takes the vocals in classic style for the EP’s second half, ‘Like Always’ has a hazy nostalgic feel to it while the gorgeous driving luminescence of 80/90s shoegaze/pop crossover ‘Hit And Miss’ finishes things off perfectly. While the influences are clearly worn on their collectives sleeves, the impressive aspect overall is how well they have delivered them. The complete care and respect for the music they love illuminates each note, line and beat rendering this a powerful first effort.
The EP is available here from their bandcamp page for a name your price arrangement. If you’re a pop fan of the above variety get it yesterday. Listen to the guilty pleasure that is ‘Hit And Miss’ below.
*The Spanish blog in question is the awesomely named The Blog That Celebrates Itself.
Hit And Miss
Terry vs Tori (SPA)
From the EP, ‘Terry vs Tori’, Self Released.
Terry vs Tori Facebook
Audio Stream