Spring - Tokyo Drifter

TRACKLIST: 01. Shakin´will 02. Corrupted street 03. Viens 04. Matinées 05. Tokyo drifter [Michael´s Theme] 06. Black & blue 07. L´indifference 08. l.o.v.e

SPRING is a cool season. Days are longer, boys and girls seem prettier and the weather is warmer. Spring is also the name chosen by a French band. They formed two years ago, in April 93, a sunny sunday morning after a night spent in a small Parisian club where Alex and Jean-Baptiste talked about  perfect pop releases, from “Forever Changes” to Godard’s “Band of Outsider”, from “Some Velvet Morning” to “Blow Up”. They opened for LUSH, THE DIVINE COMEDY, MOOSE in Paris, travelled to London to play with REVOLUTION 9 and had an appearance at the first edition of Benicassim festival.

In June 94, SPRING first appeared on an Icerink compilation, the label ran by  ST ETIENNE’s headmaster Bob Stanley, with an instrumental called...”Bob Cool”. Soon after, they were signed on the tasty Spanish label Elefant Records. They released their first Ep in February 95, “Something Beginning”, a three songs affair described as a pastoral cross between FELT and Françoise Hardy. Then they collaborated with electronic avant garde geniuses Indurain and Extra Lucid to record the “Be my Star” Cd-Single, where pop and trip-hop go hand in hand, where dreamy grooves meet a bossa nova guitar.

Right now, SPRING is a proper five-piece band with a strange line-up... Alex was born in Madrid and lived for some time in London before she moved to Paris. She has big green eyes, dark hair and perfect lips. She loves Laura Nyro, Dusty Springfield and MOOSE, she thinks Mark E. Smith is a genius and Lawrence (from FELT/DENIM) is God. She sings and writes the lyrics and  melodies. Jean Baptiste has got some Italian origins. He’s tall and is fond of old movies, 60’s soundtracks and solo artists such as Nick Drake and Tim Buckley. He plays acoustic guitar and writes music. Christophe played in other bands before joining. Strangely enough, he swears he has never heard of Maurice Deebank. He adores late 60’s english pop. He plays guitar and writes music too. François is young and always happy. He is studying fashion design in Paris. Some of his friends say he looks like Marlon Brando. Hum, the young Marlon Brando anyway. He plays bass. Michelle is Alex’s sister. She’s got dark hair and big brown eyes. She was born in London. When she doesn’t listen to THE PALE FOUNTAINS, she designs dresses and bags. She plays keyboards and percussions.

Together, they went to London last summer and teamed up for eight days with brilliant producer Brian O’Shaughnesy who worked so far with Peter Astor, MY BLOODY VALENTINE, EAST VILLAGE and the largely underrated MOOSE. “Tokyo Drifter” is the title of an odd 60’s gangster japanese movie, which had an incredible influence on Quentin Tarantino’s work. “Tokyo Drifter” is also the title of the SPRING first Lp. Seven new songs, a Françoise Hardy cover and a duet with Kevin McKillop from MOOSE. An angel voice surrounded by 12 strings acoustic guitars and vibes, cabasa and crystalline electric chords. It’s a record about love, dreamy atmospheres and cool attitudes, continental feelings and imposible meetings. It’s the definitive soundtrack for late nights, when you drink wine and smoke cigarettes. Songs to chill out to or to fall in love with. And here you are, left on your own, with this impression that SPRING will never end.