Secret Crush Records,Stamp Collecting (For Beginners)
Reviewed by f*vThe Secret Crush of a girl at a Bible College knows what it's like to be stalked by the feds. Phonecalls to roommates to find out where you are and what you're up to. The gnawing gaze on your neck during chapel. Forced mixer conversations. Helping a girl with her English in the library and having her tell you that her favorite verse is out of Song of Solomon and has to do with busy hands (if you get her drift). Little packages with candy and scented notes.
Years later I found a small package from Secret Crush Records on my doorstep. Far from creepy, the package contained some candy hearts, a few old stamps, and the Stamp Collecting (For Beginners) compilation, the label's debut release. An indiepop lover's dream come true, the collection features twenty songs from twenty bands chiming in from across the globe. The internationality of the disc appeals to the American music fan looking to discover great sounds from around the world. Every time I spin Stamp Collecting (For Beginners) I seem to find a new favorite track; the smooth breathy vocals and snappy strings help "It Only Takes A Flashlight To Create A Monster" by The Bear Quartet barely edge out the others this time around. Some songs jANGLE and sweet-talk their way into your head (Dorian, The Baskervilles, I'm looking at you!). Others, soft and dreamy, show off mellow perfection; Anthony Reynolds' "The Moon Will Never Lie" might just be my new "last song before I go to sleep." Some of my favorites (The Alps, Since November, Aerospace) don't hold to an easy definition, entrancing ears with creative pop both spacy and humable. And then there's the beautiful twee (Starlet, Ultrasport) custom-made for Belle & Sebastian fans. With Stamp Collecting (For Beginners), NYC's Secret Crush Records has assembled not only a brilliant first release, but the perfect addition to your record (and stamp) collection.