Wednesday 1 February 2023

The Orchids Striving For The Lazy Perfection



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When indie pop fans speak of the fabled Sarah label and its roster, it seems that the Orchids are rarely afforded the same hushed, reverential tones received by the likes of the Field Mice or Heavenly, which is a great shame -- the Orchids were one of the finest bands Sarah ever produced, and their masterpiece Striving for the Lazy Perfection is as good as anything in the label's storied catalog. Encompassing everything from dream pop to trip-hop, it's certainly a product of its time and place, yet it also possesses a certain timeless quality -- though seemingly incompatible ingredients, the album's shimmering guitars, soulful backing vocals (courtesy of Pauline Hynds), and programmed beats add up to something unique and compelling. Moreover, while tracks like "Welcome to My Curious Heart," "A Living Ken and Barbie," and "Lovechild" are so dissimilar in style and sensibility as to sound almost like the work of three different bands, Striving for the Lazy Perfection is never less than the sum of its parts, held together instead by the scope of its ambition and the uniformity of its excellence.

2 comments:

Pernt said...

I hope a lot of people discover the Orchids - and Sarah Records - through this post. One of the greatest things to happen to me this century was discovering the incredible world of Sarah's indie/jangle/twee music.

My biggest dream as a collector is that at some point, someone puts together a gigantic Sarah boxset, complete with a book detailing the history of the label, and the bands.

Rob M said...

A box set won't happen. Individual rereleases have dripped out over the years and will continue, but one major artist on Sarah is refusing to allow any reissues of their work. As for books, there's already "Popkiss" by Michael White and there's a forthcoming more in depth book next year by Jane Duffus. And the "My Secret World" documentary which is almost ten years old now. I went to the premiere in Bristol and it was fabulous, including the livr sets by Secret Shine and The Orchids.

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