Tiger My Friend

Psapp | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 2, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Leaf Spain
• ASIN: B0006G8VWW
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,046 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Those who are intrigued by electronica but find it's too chilly for their tastes would be wise to check out Psapp. Londoners Carim Clasmann and Galia Durant's full-length debut is rife with nagging melodies and warm production touches that belie the kind of minimalist experimentalism they explore. Deftly intertwining the organic with the electronic, the pair concoct music that may be colored lyrically by romantic disquiet and musically by studio trickery, but nevertheless feels inviting and cozy. An acoustic guitar weaves through the stuttering percussion before folding into a tweaked break on "Cornucula," while "About Fun" adopts a tropicalia air, "King Kong" is powered by a suitably tribal rhythm, and "The Counter"'s delicate melody and smoky vocal posits it as electronic cabaret. The unexpected gradually becomes the norm over the course of these 11 songs, which quite a feat. --Steven Stolder

Product Description

" ORIGINALLY RELEASED IN 2004, DOMINO IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE REISSUE OF PSAPP'S EXCELLENT DEBUT ALBUM, 'TIGER, MY FRIEND'. SINCE THE RELEASE OF 'TIGER, MY FRIEND', PSAPP'S MUSIC HAS BEEN FEATURED ON US TV SHOWS NIP/TUCK AND THE OC, WHILE THEIR TRACK 'COSY IN THE ROCKET' WAS THE THEME SONG TO GREY'S ANATOMY. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Casio minimalism with heart., January 11, 2005

By 

skytwo "skytwo" (Boston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tiger My Friend (Audio CD)

OK, that isn't entirely fair. The instrumentation is more complex than that might lead you to believe. The chimes and simple keyboard arrangements (often reminiscent of a music box) are accompanied by a host of other sounds, not least of which are the warm vocals. Very melodious, and with a definite 'little girl' sound, they fall somewhere between Pram and Mum. In fact, some of the sounds-of-childhood themes are reminiscent of Pram as well, but without the sinister undertones. And the sound isn't as slow or ethereal as Mum.

Psapp doesn't really break new ground here (although the addition of the cat's squeaks on the track 'About Fun' are worthy of special mention), but fans of the other groups mentioned should be pleased, and "Tiger, My Friend" is a very agreeable album with lots to like. But maybe you should consider it a three-star review if you haven't heard the other groups mentioned...

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Experimental Music Made For A Pop Audience, December 9, 2005

By 

J. Fowler (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tiger My Friend (Audio CD)

This group is way more than what some are calling 'toytronica'. What Nine Inch Nails did for industrial music, this group may just well do for experimental electronica. Part of it is pure songrwriting prowess; part of it is Galia Durant's smooth, sensually faux-naive vocals; and part of it is Carim Clasmann's production quality (Clasmann's production credits include experimental artists Einstürtzende Neubauten as well as transglobal chantreuses Natacha Atlas, and Susheela Raman). Fused, the result sounds like Stereolab and the Books got together to make music for the 22nd Century. Yet, somehow, they managed to score the theme song for ABC's Grey's Anatomy, despite their completely ahead-of-their-time sound. Yet, somehow, they manage to sound not made for the dancefloor, despite their heavy use of electronic bleeps and blurps that sometimes incorporate moments of glitch, sometimes reminiscent of Tweaker. Yet, somehow, this music sounds like it belongs in its own space, apart from any national or international origin. These songs are at once spastic and relaxed, hyper and tranquil. Yet, somehow... you should find a way to listen to this album. Meanwhile, check this group on their deep-water records site --> [...].

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a little gem, October 12, 2006

By 

Joseph Geni (Evanston, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tiger My Friend (Audio CD)

This is a delicate, inventive and appealing record all at once. Psapp, they of the unpronouncable band name, love their trinkets, shakers, rubber duckies and finger pianos almost as much as they love cats. The latter love becomes extremely apparent if you view their website, their myspace page, their music videos or the cover art of their second album "The Only Thing I Ever Wanted" (which is also a quality release, though I slightly prefer this one). The former affection is eminently apparent just from listening to this record.

"Tiger My Friend" is built upon soft, whimsical vocals, intricate but unassuming arrangements, light percussion, catchy melodies, and some blip electro which is way more accessible than your usual blip electro. The variety makes it a winner across a broad spectrum of music listeners. I've played Psapp tracks for indie fans and folkrock fans and electronica fans (and, of course, Grey's Anatomy fans) and they've been a hit everywhere. This is kinda the Princess Bride of albums. Nobody hates it, and for some people it quickly becomes just about their favorite thing out there. Psapp has carved out a very distinctive niche in the music scene--something that's not easy to do these days--and you should give this record a whirl.

Album highlights: Rear Moth, Calm Down, Velvet Pony, About Fun, and the title track.