Carla J Easton and Simon Lidell can be considered authentic Scottish indie royalty. She was a member of TeenCanteen and The Vaselines, has penned songs for Belle & Sebastian and BMX Bandits and has several accolades under her belt as a solo artist. He was the guitarist in the seminal indie band Frightened Rabbit, as well as Olympic Swimmers and Owl John.
Together they are Poster Paints, a match that feels so natural that it seems they were best pals in primary school. Formed during the pandemic out of a misunderstood request for feedback, the collaboration took on more and more steam eventually becoming a “proper” band.
On the duo’s debut “Falling Hard” single Carla‘s singular delivery soars, all the while Simon‘s guitars appear constantly on the verge of spinning out of control. The song still maintains that bedroom demo charm without not sounding fully fleshed or poorly produced. Not a bad way to introduce yourself.
The ‘Blood Orange‘ EP is the duo’s most recent release and further shines a spotlight on just how well the two work together. Taking inspiration from a certain 90s sound without losing out on authenticity is no mean feat. Tracks like “Never Saw It Coming” do just that, sounding like a brilliant yet hazy dream you try to recall the next morning over breakfast. Elsewhere the EP’s title track is built on a laid-back bass riff that allows the track to grow and grow. It is utterly enthralling and just melancholic enough to keep you guessing.
With a solo tour already under their belt as well as dates with the likes of Teenage Fanclub, Admiral Fallow and the aforementioned Belle & Sebastian, I can imagine that these songs are particularly great in a live setting.
The band’s self-titled debut album is due out later this year and it is one I can’t wait to hear.
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