Lovers of great songs with inventive and honest sounds can take heart. Setting Sun’s third record, ‘Children of The Wild’, really delivers. This new record has been best described as “an odd atmosphere, probed by twizzling sounds, and the feeling that this is the soundtrack for the aftermath of a crash landing.”

Setting Sun’s heartfelt and interpersonal song-writing style is sure to win over fans of the bluesy folk of Elliott Smith, Conor Oberst, and Simon Joyner. With an intimate lyrical delivery, each word is slowly tasted before being spoken and is set against driving beats, lashing cellos, soothing instrumental interludes and a rich cortege of violins, synthesizers, and homemade sounds. Amidst the layers of edgy counterpoint melody, lifting harmonies and soundscapes, the song is still the focus.

Setting Sun began in 2001 in a San Francisco apartment as some good old fashioned soul-searching by Gary Levitt where he wrote and produced their aptly titled debut CD holed up. Having lived and created in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, Setting Sun’s sound bears the mark of them all: The grime and grit of New York, the quirky artiness of San Francisco and the lilting sunshine of LA.

Check out the fantastic animated video for “No Devil Me No More”:

Listen to Setting Sun’s touching and breezy folk singles:

Download “How Long” MP3

Download “Carry Me Away” MP3

This third record was self-produced by Gary Levitt with many friends lending their playing skills. Most noticeably on the record are all the strings, expertly played by band and label-mate Erica Quitzow.

‘Children of The Wild’ was recorded entirely in a 19th century Victorian house, where Quitzow and Setting Sun share a home recording studio.

Levitt also plays bass and sings harmonies in Quitzow. While covering different styles, Setting Sun and Quitzow’s current national tour now is sure to be a real musical treat for electronica and folk fans alike. Check out the full tour dates below:

(Dates subject to change)

07/09/08 Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland
07/10/08 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
07/11/08 Santa Cruz, CA @ The Crepe Place
07/12/08 Arcata, CA @ Jambalaya
07/13/08 Olympia, WA @ The Royal
07/14/08 Seattle, WA @ Hi Dive
07/15/08 Portland, OR @ TBD
07/16/08 Boise, ID @ Neurolux
07/17/08 Salt Lake City, UT @ Boing! Collective
07/18/08 Denver, CO @ The Lions Lair
07/19/08 Omaha, NE @ Oleavers
07/20/08 Chicago, IL @ Ronny’s
07/21/08 Lansing, MI @ Mac’s Bar
07/22/08 Detroit, MI @ Smalls
07/23/08 Pittsburgh, PA @ Howlers Coyote
07/24/08 New York, NY @ The Annex (Club NME)

“Setting Sun is a quintet led by front man and producer Gary Levitt. The band’s third album, Children of The Wild, evokes the laid-back simple life of Levitt’s upstate New York home. Driven by simple acoustic guitar lines, Erica Quitzow’s graceful string orchestrations, and Levitt’s hushed vocals, Setting Sun’s arrangements are dramatic and poignant. Levitt’s whispery vocals might remind listeners of a less depressed Elliott Smith… Levitt the storyteller is immediately alluring, offering an inviting closeness in the whisper and croon of his honest lyrics. Along with Setting Sun’s characteristic guitars, cello, violin, drums, and backing singers, the band also travels with a synthesizer. Unobtrusively, the band mixes synth experimentalism in with its folky, string-band sound — at times to great effect. ‘No Devil Me No More,’ Children of The Wild’s second track, takes blue-note melodies and a driving beat and sets them against scratching violins and ambient electronic feedback. The resulting gloominess well-emphasizes the track’s melancholic lyrics.” – NPR

Young Love Records

Myspace
Setting Sun Official Website

Well, I had mentioned this to “a friend” and they immediately dismissed the name The Aliens as not good and because of their name, they don’t have any interest in hearing their music. Of course now that I have looked up The Aliens and have now become familiar with them and their music, my friend will just have to grin and bear it when I do go on to play their music for him.

I can’t help but want to share their sound with him. And before I play their music to my friend, he may change his mind about them when I tell him that the members of the Scottish band The Aliens – John Maclean, Robin Jones and Gordon Anderson were also in The Beta Band.

When The Beta Band split up 2004, the following year The Aliens were formed and then in 2006 they released the Alienoid Starmonica EP in the UK.

Their latest single, “Setting Sun” sounds familiar in the sense that there are sounds reminiscent to “All Along The Watchtower” and “California Dreamin’”. However, what I like about “Setting Sun” is it does carry a vintage 60’s sound and it stands out amongst other new releases as of late. They seem cool and listening to their other tracks, “The Happy Song” and especially “Robot Man” (love that song) proves that they’ve got quite a few tricks up their sleeves and I’m looking forward to hearing more.

Watch the video for “Setting Sun”

Following are The Aliens tour dates for March 2007:

*Dates could change! Go to The Aliens Official Website for the latest tour dates and information:

Mar 14 2007 LEADMILL SHEFFIELD
Mar 15 2007 THE SOCIAL NOTTINGHAM
Mar 17 2007 NIGHT & DAY MANCHESTER
Mar 18 2007 FLEECE BRISTOL
Mar 19 2007 ULU LONDON
Mar 20 2007 FAVERSHAM LEEDS
Mar 21 2007 CLUNY NEWCASTLE
Mar 23 2007 CLASSIC GRAND GLASGOW
Mar 24 2007 SPEAKEASY BELFAST
Mar 25 2007 CRAWDADDY DUBLIN

The Aliens
The Aliens on Myspace

By: Jenny May