I first heard Sky Larkin in New York late last summer. They just signed to Witchita and their lead singer Katie Harkin, nervous that she’d break a string at her first New York show, asked us if she could borrow a guitar as backup. Since then, they’ve toured the UK with Conor Oberst, released their stellar debut The Golden Spike and toured the US with friends Los Campesinos! Somehow, they’ve still managed to escape major notice stateside.
The Golden Spike opens in triumph: Harkin’s melody is propelled skyward by a choir of disembodied harmonies, laced with piercing guitar work and a pounding rhythm section reminiscent of Dinosaur Jr‘s Barlow and Murph. To further the Dino Jr comparison (and sustaining my rabid Dino Jr. obsession), Harkin plays in the vein of J. Mascis, channeling his sparkle/sludge dynamic but with more emphasis on chords rather than ear-shattering guitar solos. Not that she can’t have those; the lead in “Antibodies” is graceful in it’s calculated dissonance and the hook in “Molten” is a reach-for-the-sky’s piece of guitar work (which would have fit quite nicely on You’re Living All Over Me).
Like the Walkmen, Sky Larkin make me want to believe in things. Not so much in fantastical creatures (although I do have great faith in their eventual emergence/hidden existence) but more so in ideals, or just ideas. Love, life, hope, honor. You know, all that romantic bullshit. Listen to Sky Larkin and go sprinting through the streets. Clothing optional.
I did an interview with Katie last fall. Read it here.
Sky Larkin have three videos out right now, here’s my favorite:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70eYJAworoc&feature=PlayList&p=CCE2CBFB75C69840&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=55[/youtube]
do they have any new albums out?