When Andrew Chalfen of the Philly power pop band Trollyvox decided to hit the studio in 2012 to record some tracks with his friends Dean Sabatino (aka “Dean Clean” from the Dead Milkmen) and J. Robert “John” Lennon he wanted to use a more loose approach than his usual. In his interview with the blog 53rd and 3rd, he says, “I wanted to try something different, leave more to chance and the input of others. Sort of a nod to Eno’s Oblique Strategies. I just brought some rough ideas into the studio really with few preconceived notions of the final outcome.”
The resulting album Warm Seclusion Structure under the moniker I Think Like Midnight would become a kind of tribute to Pell Mell. He continues, “Pell Mell are our spirit animal band. I’ve been obsessed with them for years, and I got Dean and John into them as well. Especially the last 3 albums. I love Pell Mell’s whole sonic and compositional approach. There’s something very architectural about their sound. They’re good with tension and release and drone. All the elements fit together in a kind of rarified balance, with either a sort of call-and-response to the various parts, or a really seamless weaving of parts. All highly melodic, rhythmic, and super-efficient. There’s no wankery. Everything sound is discrete and has a purpose. Kind of like many Beatles recordings that way. It’s a bit emotionally flat, with a kind of wryness, a raised eyebrow. I kind of joke that I wanted to make a Pell Mell record since there are no new Pell Mell records, and though that’s probably not even remotely possible, they do definitely figure heavily in ITLM’s aesthetic.
Indeed, the album carries the spirit of the later albums from Pell Mell, and anyone who is a fan of Pell Mell would love this record. Bob and Steve from the band exchanged comments on Facebook about the band and are into it, too!
While we all wait for the promise of any kind of news from the band, we can use Warm Seclusion Structure as the soundtrack of hope. You can download the album from Bandcamp, or purchase the physical CD from CDBaby or Bandcamp or from the band’s website.
Click Here for the I Think Like Midnight website.
Click Here for the I Think Like Midnight Facebook Page
Click Here for the I Think Like Midnight Bandcamp Page
Click Here for the I Think Like Midnight Soundcloud Page
Click Here for the I Think Like Midnight CDBaby Page