Tall Dwarfs
Artist Bio:
The opening liner notes of Weeville proclaim: “This is the first straightforward LP by Tall Dwarfs – uh… in terms of having the same number of tracks on each side – both of which play at the same speed and which ain’t a compilation.” The Tall Dwarfs are a partnership between New Zealand home-recording pioneers Chris Knox and Alec Bathgate. A duo, who have been making music together since 1977, first in New Zealand’s early punk band, The Enemy, followed by Toy Love. In 1981 Chris and Alec returned as the Tall Dwarfs, they purchased a four track, and over the next 30 plus years would release wonderfully demented records and go on to influence bands such as Pavement, Yo La Tengo, Neutral Milk Hotel and countless more.
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Their 1990 release, Weeville, is a highlight of that time, filled with the Tall Dwarfs’ eclectic mix of homespun psychedelia, densely textured pop songs and a wallop of hard nosed punk. Now, re-issued again on LP and CD with a 20-page booklet featuring the duo’s individual art and design, Weeville is wired with hypnotic tunes, weird and wonderful instruments and brilliant songwriting. Whether that be the raw spookiness and two guitar harmony of Breath and Crawl or the oddly compelling Skin Of My Teeth and Bodies all brushed with a scent of the macabre. Weeville is a fantasy land built on tape loops, feedback and distortion. It’s pop music just how they like it.
