Been aware of the Cindy Lee project of Pat Flegel’s since around 2015 I’d say when Gorilla vs Bear started posting a ton about it out of nowhere. Hasn’t stuck with me until now on their new album What’s Tonight To Eternity, out now on W. 25th / Superior Viaduct. The album is a blown out straddle between old ballad pop music and screeching noise. Part of it reminds me of The Caretaker project, as it’s a take on a style of music but heavily obscured by noise and purposefully damaging the music itself to achieve an effect.

The whole record is great, but this song in particular “One Second To Toe The Line” both reminds me of the shining, brittle guitar tones as heard on old Women records and employs an Ethiopian jazz-like groove and chord progression. The plunky piano and and chunky guitars really emulate the sound and approach quite well, fitting in nicely with all the other Hailu Mergia I’ve been listening to lately. You’ll be seeing this record on this blog a lot more as the year progresses, I’m sure.