Heroes of Switzerland

If you are a regular visitor to MML who shares our penchant for shoegaze and some of the related music that followed during the early 1990s, please don't think for a second that we've forgotten what often has us listed as a shoegazey-type music blog. Today's featured artist goes a long way in restoring our place in the footwear fetish department and the music might just make your must-have list this week. Heroes Of Switzerland is the Nottingham, UK four piece of Ian Lockwood (vocals, guitars), Jon Crannage (bass), Jez Sullivan (guitars) and Matt Power (drums) who originally converged in 2003 under the band name Monaural. Since their current incarnation as HoS, a debut EP, titled Disposable Fiction, has been made available, and now the full length release, Comfort In Fear, is set for distribution on February 29. Both can be purchased/pre-ordered if you visit the Heroes Of Switzerland website. Of course there is also a Heroes Of Switzerland MySpace page where you can do the same and add a new friend in the process. Here is a first listen to one of the many shoegaze-infused indie rock tracks from the upcoming release Comfort In Fear.

MP3: Wonderland



Aside from the obvious, what impresses us most here is that Heroes Of Switzerland employ a clean sound that stays away from the peripheral noise many other bands misuse/mistake as some sort of traditional wall of sound. An added result of being able to hear basic song structure is that a number of pre and post-shoegaze era artists bubbled up to the surface while listening. It is possible, and quite probable, that you will be able to hear the influence of anything from Ride to Amusement Parks On Fire to Buffalo Tom to Swervedriver while taking in the track Compliancy from Comfort In Fear... have a listen.

MP3: Compliancy

The next live performance will take place March 13 as HoS pays a visit to an über trendy area of London to take the stage at Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen.