Blimey British Week Day Four: "Ether Song" Turin Brakes

This is actually the band that inspired me to do Blimey British Week. I don't think I've ever seen a blog post a track by them, and I don't think I've ever heard them on the radio, hell, I don't even remember how I heard of them, to be honest. To me, that is a travesty. I've been listening to them since about 2003, just before I took my fateful trip overseas. This album was my soundtrack on that trip - along with "Different Class" of course - and it was on that trip too that I picked up both the vinyl of "Ether Song" and a used copy of "The Optimist LP". I've seen these two incredibly nice guys twice, once opening for David Gray (that ticket was 25 dollars!) and once playing solo in Louisville, of all places. Turin Brakes, for me, are one of the most overlooked British bands of the 2000's, and I feel the need to share them with you all. This track was a hidden track on their 2003 album of the same name, and is perhaps the greatest hidden track of all time, if I might be so bold. Ages ago I even went so far as editing the track to the point that I'm posting tonight, just so I didn't have to sit through 10 minutes of silence just to hear this excellent song.

The song starts, fittingly, emerging quietly out of the ether with their trademark strummed guitars. When the ghostly distorted guitar swirls in, Olly's distinct vocals dance in slow rhthmic syncopation with the chords. The song builds so slowly it's almost imperceptible, but the crescendo, however drawn out and gentle, is certainly there. It's there with the first tinkling piano, it's there with the first hit of the drums, and it's there when the first squelch of an electric guitar gently intrudes and then immediately retreats. As the song builds, you can hear the tempo straining at it's reins, the boys keep it tightly in control until just the last second when the cymbals and guitars crash. Crash. Crash. Crash. Crash and it gives you crash chills crash each crash and crash every crash time. It's impossible to keep your head still as you bob and weave with Ollie and Gale and the crashing and the guitars and the ether. As the song fades, it's like smoke, sometimes black, then grey, then white, then nothing.

Turin Brakes Official Site
Turin Brakes on WikiPedia
Buy "Ether Song" on Amazon.com

"Ether Song" Turin Brakes