The 1900s - Plume Delivery EP

Artist: The 1900s Title: Plume Delivery Catalog#: Parasol-CD-100 Regular Price: $7.50 Official Release Date: MAY 30, 2006	Tracks on Plume Delivery:
	Bring The Good Boys Home [free MP3]
	A Coming Age
	Flight Of The Monowings
	Whole of the Law
	Patron Saint of the Mediocre
	Heart Props
	Stream the Plume Delivery EP (right click, open in new window or tab)

The 1900s are:
Edward Anderson, Mike Jasinski, Tim Minnick, Charlie Ransford, Nurse Murph, Murph O’Toole
New Photo


Praise:

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: "The 1900's have a terrific EP to their credit, "Plume Delivery" (Parasol), and a boatload of buzz built on live gigs. Their gorgeous multipart harmonies, swooning strings, indelible melodies and multipart psychedelic folk-rock songs suggest a cool, clear-headed update of the Zombies and Love. Yes, the future looks bright--if the band can keep its volatile chemistry in balance." (Greg Kot)

TIME OUT CHICAGO/SHOW PREVIEW: "Two of our favorite bands of 2006 headline this show.... The 1900s specialize in the kind of fragile pop melodies that bands like the Left Banke were known for creating. What puts them over the edge is the hypnotic keyboard sound that casts a delightful pall over their repertoire."

DAILY SOUTHTOWN-CHICAGO/INTERVIEW: link

SHAKE YOUR FIST/BLOG/INTERVIEW: "They've only released a single EP, Plume Delivery (Parasol Records), but The 1900s are one of the most talked-about young bands in Chicago. Fusing various pop and rock strains of the past 50 years, The 1900s deliver a delectable brew of infectious melodies, wistful lyrics and lush orchestration. Recently, bassist Charlie Ransford was kind enough to answer a few questions about the band's enigmatic name, myriad influences and plans for a full-length album..." (Amy)

NEWCITY CHICAGO/SHOW PREVIEW: "Two of the best new bands to recently emerge from the city, Office and the 1900s, bring their indie-pop to the Double Door stage, a sensible pairing of tarts that should play all their shows together..... The 1900s, one of my new favorites, fuses sixties-pop with a grand curtain of current indie rock glow - their six members create a wholeheartedly atmospheric experience on stage, each song a gem, each chord progression and vocal melody freeing and startling. Those harmonies astound. "The Plume Delivery" EP, the band's only release so far, is a prize local release from this year, perhaps the best." (Tom Lynch)

NEUMU: "The smartly sequenced Plume Delivery opens with its most readily appealing track, the jaunty, O'Toole-sung "Bring the Good Boys Home." The organs swirl in all the right places while a sturdy rhythmic undercarriage propels the song forward, O'Toole waxing poetic around the song's anti-war theme, a swell of trumpets and Anderson joining in toward the end to help fill in the blanks about the wide-eyed, posin' dupe who sent the boys out on a fool's errand. Sharing a title and a sentiment with the Only Ones (as famously covered by Yo La Tengo), "Whole of the Law" is a sunny, breezy piece of near-perfect chamber pop, O'Toole and Donovan harmonizing with Anderson to nice effect..." (Steve Gozdecki)

TIME OUT NEW YORK/SHOW PREVIEW: "Opening [for Midlake @ Mercury Lounge] are the 1900s, a sprawling band that recently issued its first EP, Plume Delivery (Parasol), and is talked about with dollar-eyed reverence in its native Chicago. As it turns out, the seven musicians stalk a middle ground ceded by Midlake, performing bittersweet pop with shades of both '60s London and '70s Los Angeles. Indeed, the 1900s have a scrambled sense of time: "Tomorrow," they song at one point, "has come and gone." (Jay Ruttenberg)

3HIVE/BLOG: "The bouncy organ riffs sold me immediately on The 1900's. Lines like "wrap them in licorice and tie them to stones" and the strings and french horn that close out the song complete the psychedelic smorgasbord from this Chicago sextet. Speaking of sex, it sounds like there's a few love triangles between band members. Keep those relationships in check kids! We wouldn't want to spoil the party before things get going. Their debut "mini-album" Plume Delivery has been out less than a month. They'd make good summer mix tape neighbors with The Zombies, Stereolab, and the ol' Elephant 6 crew." (Sean)

I'M SO SORRY ABOUT THIS/BLOG: "It's not a crime to sound Stuart Murdoch-ish if you can write a pretty song."

VENUS: "Chicago seven-piece the 1900s won a record deal after their first show; since then, they’ve quickly catapulted into the hearts of pop critics nationwide. Their six-song EP Plume Delivery reveals a psych-pop vision marked by baroque orchestration and charming vocal harmonies... An impressive first EP." (Anna Breshear)

PIONEER PRESS/SUBURBAN CHICAGO: "This Chicago septet belongs to the school of mini-orchestras playing pretty pop ditties, with guys and girls sharing the vocals as violins and keyboards lift the songs into sunny skies. Fans of Belle and Sebastian won't be disappointed -- except perhaps by the short length of this six-song EP. It whets the appetite for a full-length 1900s album." (Robert Loerzel)

RELATIVE THEORY RECORDS: "I use the term “lush vocal harmonies” far too often- most rock critics do. But I’ll have to work on relying less upon it after I review Plume Delivery, because the debut EP from The 1900s is coated with lush vocal harmonies. It’s sweet pop in the vein of Essex Green or Chelsea Hotel circa 1964. Plume Delivery is intricately layered with all of the chamber pop essentials- harpsichord, violin, organ and rhodes- played tenderly and sweetly. The 1900s jump seamlessly from bouncy rock to fragile ballads and only lose their footing once (the aptly titled “Patron Saint of Mediocrity”). It’s summer, put your top down and enjoy these melodic indie sing-alongs while you can."

TRIPWIRE/SOMETHING GLORIOUS/EDITOR'S PICKS: "Beautiful British Invasion-era '60s sunshine pop -- another Chicago band to watch out for." (Ari Bendersky)

A BEEF SANDWICH/BLOGGER: "If your a fan of that semi-psychedelic POP sound of the early California 60's pop ala Mamas and Papas or Sonny and Cher, The 1900s are really for you... Like Tilly and The Wall, The 1900s are creating a scene and sound like Neko Case using an amazing era of 60's pop that has been hard to come by as of late..."

SABAS.JUD.AS/BLOGGER: "Beautifully orchestrated song 'Bring the Good Boys', consisting of heavenly violins and finest folk-rock sounds, changes our state of mind. 'Plume Delivery' EP is the perfect combination of songs to put a smile in your face."

TIME OUT CHICAGO: " Chicago's eight-piece pop ensemble is on it's way to Next Big Thing status.. Delicate harmonies hover over glassy keyboards, and the melancholy vocals of O'Toole and Anderson blur with strings and strummed guitars" (Matthew Lurie)
Feature-Page One
Feature-Page Two

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: "A surprisingly fragile and breathtakingly beautiful sound...a fresh, hook- and harmony-laden take on '60s influences, such as the Zombies, the Incredible String Band, Donovan and the Velvet Underground circa its quiet third album..." (Jim Derogatis)

THE ONION: "The 1900s' debut EP Plume Delivery is an impressive sample of what the band can do, full of evocative song-snippets like "Heart Props" and "Flight Of The Monowings," plus multi-part psychedelic folk-pop songs like "Bring The Good Boys Home" and "Whole Of The Law." The Chicago collective finds the connecting point between Stereolab, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, and high-lonesome bluegrass…" (Noel Murray)

MTV.COM: "Debuting Chicago sextet the 1900s are more than happy to be lodged in the last century. The band's Plume Delivery EP calls to mind the New Pornographers and the Kinks and boasts "Bring the Good Boys Home" and "Flight of the Monowings"."

NEWCITY CHICAGO: "One of the finest new bands I've heard in a long, long time, local sextet The 1900s celebrate the release of their debut EP "Plume Delivery" this week, a blissful six-song collection of sixties pop-inspired treasure, fueled by delicate songwriting and elegant vocal harmonies, graceful string accompaniment and sturdy use of keyboards..." (Tom Lynch)

POSITIVELY YEAH YEAH YEAH: "My pick of the week is this sunny cobblestone stroll from an infectious Chicago sextet, carefree with a cool Velvet Underground sleepiness, all sharing a bed together like Fleetwood Mac." (John James/syndicated)

ERASING CLOUDS: "As a '60s-inspired, freedom-touting, seven-member pop-rock collective, the Chicago-based group The 1900s definitely earn the comparisons that they'll likely receive to The Ladybug Transistor, Essex Green, Of Montreal, etc. But they've also got their own keen sense for melody, one that makes the majority of the songs on their Plume Delivery EP quite enjoyable, making the comparisons to other groups not unwarranted but somewhat beside the point... Plume Delivery is quite a joy."

CHICAGO READER FEATURE: “The band’s sweet, keyboard-swathed pop shows a strong 60s influence and puts co-ed vocals front and center...like the New Pornographers, Belle & Sebastian and Broken Social Scene...” (Bob Mehr/The Meter)

THE TRIPWIRE: "Chicago is a veritable hotbed of great new music and The 1900s are just one more example of that fact. Their retro pop psychedelia sound has this band literally on the tips of every indie-centric Chicagoan's tongue at the moment, and with good reason. Their debut "mini-album" features six tracks of glistening, sun shiny pop music filled with boy/girl harmonies and a whole slew of non-traditional rock & roll instruments. It's bombastic and fun, with a "hooray for summertime" vibe that will have the kids shakin' it till the wee hours of the AM. Though the mini-album comes in at just under 24 minutes, songs like "Bring The Good Boys Home," "A Coming Age" and "Whole Of The Law" are enough to get anyone legitimately excited about this band. A few people outside of Chicago have been talking about these guys (Gorilla Vs Bear, for one), but if word hasn't reached you yet, consider this your warning. The 1900s are coming. Get ready." (Matt DuFour)

MUNDANE SOUNDS: "In the coming months, I predict you're going to hear a lot about a little band from Chicago named The 1900s. You'll probably see their named mention along with comparisons to Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura, Donovan, Nick Drake, and The Velvet Underground. These comparisons will arise for several reasons, the lesser of which is the fact that their press kit references most of these bands and music writers are, for the most part, rather lazy individuals who will take hand-fed comparisons at face value. The primary reason for such comparisons, though, is quite obvious; The 1900s definitely sound inspired by Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura, Donovan, Nick Drake, and the Velvet Underground..." (Joseph Kyle)

ALL MUSIC GUIDE: "Plume Delivery, The 1900s' debut EP, is an intricately arranged, sweetly sung and tenderly played gem of a record. The Chicago sextet lovingly coat their songs with the finest chamber pop accoutrements (harpsichord, Rhodes, violin, organ and most importantly, lush vocal harmonies.) and come up with a rich and organic sound reminiscent of arrangement pop heroes like the Heavy Blinkers, Ladybug Transistor and the New Pornographers. As those bands do the 1900s have many voices taking the lead, seemingly a different one on every song, each equally gentle and sweet. The songs here stack up well next to the competition; "Bring the Good Boys Home" is a bouncy rocker done in a fine approximation of the Vancouver pop sound, Whole of the Law" is a lilting ballad with truly transcendent vocal harmonies and the kind of soaring chorus that might lift the spirits of even the most curmudgeonly of listeners, "Coming Age" is a fine pastoral ballad with a fine mid-60s Kinks feel. The only track that fails to impress is the overly long and proggy "Patron Saint of the Mediocre" which doesn't fit in with the other tracks at all and suffers from too many keyboard solos and unusually forceful vocals. It breaks the spell the rest of the record casts and while it doesn't exactly spoil the proceedings, it does cast a long shadow. Still if you are a fan of the bands mentioned above or of well played and sung, insistently melodic indie pop, the arrival of the 1900s and this disc is cause for quiet satisfaction." (Tim Sendra)

CENTERSTAGE CHICAGO: “…Their debut EP “Plume Delivery” (out on Parasol Records in late May) should help to define The 1900s' sound for anyone who hasn't caught one of the group's live shows at Schubas or Empty Bottle. While there are nods to the oeuvres of Stuart Murdoch and Lou Reed, fans of '60s psychedelia will find plenty to love with skittish guitars and "96 Tears"-style keyboards that stretch out on a bed of sun-kissed harmonies…”

THE CRUTCH: "When you frame a stage crowded with seven members of a rock troupe, the picture rarely has balance, but Chicago septet, The 1900's, beautifully orchestrate such colorful arrangements that your ears can't help but hear a unit of sound rather than multiple parts. It's straight pop and conjures thoughts of Belle & Sebastian or even Fleetwood Mac, but several layers lay beneath and on top, splashed with psychedelia, garage, and British Invasion – all of which are exemplified in the first single, "Bring the Good Boys Home", off their forthcoming debut, Plume Delivery, out on Parasol Records in May. The subgenre labels, however, fall short of capturing that Velvet Underground "Sunday Morning" feeling of serenity that The 1900's evoke – and even that reference is insufficient. To describe it simply, it will put a smile on your face. Try to picture it, and then go listen." (Chad Cheatham)

NEWCITY CHICAGO: "The 1900s, a dare-I-say totally perfect band of low-key pop and melody, acoustic guitars, strings, and vocal harmonies. Evoking both The Velvet Underground and Belle and Sebastian, The 1900s should be in everyone's head all the time." (Tom Lynch)

NEWCITY CHICAGO: "Combining the most infectious Belle and Sebastian and the melancholic ambience of the Velvet Underground, The 1900’s could potentially become one of Chicago’s best bands in the next few years. Carefully mixed organ and distorted guitars, along with Nico-like vocals and simple, beat-happy drums make the “Plume Delivery” EP quite unforgettable." (Tom Lynch)

NEWCITY CHICAGO: "A total throw back to sixties pop - think The Zombies and the lighter side of the Velvet Underground - this Chicago sextet makes the most of all their instruments on "plume Delivery," the band's debut EP on Parasol Records. The vocal harmonies make the pop pop with almost mathematical precision, all the while seeming as laid back as a Sunday afternoon at the ballpark. The band is immensely likable and during the too-brief EP never strays from what it does best, leaping from tartness to hypnotic jam interludes and back to tartness again. "Whole of the Law," with its gentle, dreamy keyboard work and fiddle, is faultless in its innocence, innovation and thick summertime haze. The fantasy-like, cloud-hopping weightlessness that the songs inspire is frighteningly joyous and strange, pulsing and sweet." (Tom Lynch)

More hi-res: 1900sA|1900sB|1900sC|1900sD|1900sE|1900sF|1900sGuys|1900sGals|1900sLive


Visit the 1900s Home Page
and then check them out at MySpace.com

(back to Parasol Home Page)