Sexy Kids – “Sisters Are Forever” b/w “Drown Me” – Slumberland

Slumberland resurgence as a powerful record label in the latter part of the last decade warmed my little pop-loving-heart. While the label never really went away after their 90’s heyday (they never stopped releasing records), they really didn’t seem to put out much that was noteworthy until the “Searching For The Now” series of singles they started releasing in 2008. There are a few really obvious standouts since the label restarted: the early Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Crystal Stilts, and Brilliant Colors records. There are also quite a few flops, and then a few records like this Sexy Kids single, which never really went anywhere, but contain totally amazing music.
The unfortunately named Sexy Kid released this single in 2008 and I never heard anything else from them or about them. I know that they were part of the band The Royal We, who put out one forgettable record, and an alright single that I think I sold soon after hearing it. The Sexy Kids might have some similarities to their previous band, but the execution is so much better. The first song is a straight-up Raincoats worshipping pop monster of a song. If Sexy Kids weren't from the UK, it would be easy to accuse them of ripping off the Silva/Birch vocal harmonies, but because of their Scottish accents, I’m willing to excuse it and enjoy how seamlessly they pull of the jangle guitar harmonies. There are also some pretty clear lines drawn to the almighty Black Tambourines but it’s impossible to ignore The Raincoats influence (or even Dolly Mixtures). It’s definitely Twee.
The flip side, “Drown Me,” could very well have been in an Wes Anderson montage, right up to the “hahahaha” bridge, bass fills, and hand-claps. There is a certain Belle and Sebastian quality to the chorus that again, I might only be attributing because of where they’re from, but the whisper guy/girl vocals don’t shy away from the comparison.
A follow up to this single would have surely made some important Top 10 lists, but again, another band that released one record and disappeared before anyone had time to take in how great it was.