Pastels/ Tenniscoats 'Two Sunsets' (Domino) Released 07/09/09

As stalwarts of the indie scene before it was actually known as such, The Pastels have little left to prove in terms of ensuring their legacy is pretty much assured as one of the most innovative outfits of their generation. Stephen Pastel (nee McRobbie) and Katrina Mitchell, the two remaining permanent members of the group haven’t spent the last few years rehashing the past. Instead, they’ve helped springboard a host of new artists into the spotlight, the most recent of which, Tokyo based duo Tenniscoats feature on this dually collaborated long player.

The initial recordings for ‘Two Sunsets’ took place in Glasgow at the back end of Tenniscoats 2006 European tour, and its fair to say that the Japanese twosome figure more prominently on here than their more feted Scottish counterparts, and for the most part at least, come out of the whole affair smelling of roses. The fact this record has taken so long in the making probably says more about the complicated structures and array of guest accomplices garnered to create such a diverse collection of songs, and in true Pastels style, it certainly lives up to their non-pretentious vow to always expect the unexpected.

Comprising twelve pieces in all, the opening instrumental ‘Tokyo Glasgow’ feels like a title sequence put there to introduce the next act, and as the title track and ‘Song For A Friend’, impeccably delivered by the sensual hushed voice of Tenniscoats vocalist Saya, recent single ‘Vivid Youth’ is perhaps the only time the more traditional Pastels sound (jangly guitars, Pastel’s unmistakably drawled vocals) comes to the fore here. The short interludes of ‘Yomigaeru’ and ‘Modesty Piece’ following in quick succession, ‘Two Sunsets’ then unleashes its ostensible highlight in the shape of a poignantly melodramatic cover of The Jesus & Mary Chain’s ‘About You’ that for all the world, thanks in no small part to the joint arrangement, sounds nothing like the original and for those not knowing any better, probably believing it to be the most inspired moment of songwriting genius on the entire record.

However, those of you thinking that this mid-point pinnacle should induce repeat plays of said song would do well to continue all the way to ‘Two Sunsets’ finale, as the three songs that bookend the record, the jauntily upbeat ‘Sodane’, gorgeous six-minute opus ‘Mou Mou Rainbow’ and closing gambit ‘Start Slowly So We Sound Like A Loch’ each tell their own peculiar, yet engaging story and when combined in successive order, help create possibly the most ambitiously creative record Pastel and Mitchell have put their names to in well over a decade. With December’s All Tomorrow’s Parties appearance also high on the agenda, 2009 looks like it could be one of The Pastels most successful yet, which after twenty-seven years of continuous guile and graft, couldn’t be more richly deserved.