I first saw The Kingsbury Manx in a support slot for Calexico, and I was intrigued. I wasn't incredibly impressed when I heard their first album, though, so I'm glad to be given a cool smack upside the head by this accomplished follow-up disc. The album cover shows nighttime clouds, possibly bearing rain -- and the music is a perfect accompaniment to such a setting.
Let You Down is what you'd get if you tied the Beach Boys to chairs and force-fed them sleeping pills -- assuming there's a difference. There's no cheese here, just gorgeously understated harmonies, conveying a lyrical simplicity that would chafe if it were handled with any less finesse. "Rustic Stairs", for example, describes rain-induced sleeplessness, yard tidying and waiting for a chance to talk, with such blatant honesty and -- yes -- tenderness that you'll wonder why more bands don't drop the metaphysical bullshit and say what they mean. The attention to detail, the somnambulist's-friend melodies -- everything here seems to work. The risk of coming across as twee is great, but it's sidestepped easily; there's nothing here that sounds half-hearted or ill-conceived. There are quirky tunes, to be sure -- "Et Tu Kitté" sounds like there should be a tapdance accompaniment -- but these are never less than diverting, and certainly don't fall into the joke-song trap that ensnares so many other artists.
There's a laziness at work here that warms my heart. The Kingsbury Manx are knocking out fantastic tunes without raising a sweat. There's no absence of rockin' moments; "Patterns Shape The Mile" has enough slinky keyboard ass-shakin' grandpa moments for anyone, but it's not these forays into action that'll make you cherish Let You Down. Calling to mind the stillness at the heart of Low, though without their perennial cloak o'gloom, the album's subtle details are its true selling points -- the sound of fingers sliding on guitar strings, and the sound of lips closing between sentences. It's a personal touch that increases the connection between the band and the listener; it sounds like The Kingsbury Manx are singing in your ear, just for you -- and it's wonderful. Find yourself a couch, a bottle of wine and a lamp with a 40-watt lightbulb. Those, and this album, are all you're going to need for a great evening.
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