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Scottish band Life Without Buildings broke up in 2002, before they could really benefit from being an early-adopter in indie rock’s renewed 21st-century postpunk arms race. But while the band expertly combined classic twee-era Brit indie jangle with cooler cardigan coordinates like Josef K and Orange Juice, Life Without Buildings fans were often really Sue Tompkins fans. Like the ebullient hoots and hollers of the ladies of Kleenex and Sugarcubes-era Bjork, Tompkins sang inscrutable–like Beckett-level inscrutable–love songs in a gust of childlike yelps. The band only released one proper album, 2002’s Any Other City, but the soon-to-be-released Live from the Annandale Hotel, a live show from Sydney, Australia, bristles with bouncy joy. Seriously, you won’t hear another record this year where the singer sounds so damn excited to be alive.
Life Without Buildings – Juno (Live) [MP3, link expired]
Life Without Buildings – The Leanover (Live) [MP3, link expired]
Life Without Buildings [Official site]
one of my top ten records of the decade so far. absolutely great that they’re properly releasing that Australia show. i’ve been subsisting on my 48kbps version of “New Town.”
You just made my day Idolator. I had no idea this live record was on the way….Any Other City is one of my favorite records ever. I always thought they were Australian, though?
Nope, all Scottish.
Any Other City is the 2nd best record of the ’00s. Everyone who hasn’t heard it should. Everyone who has knows (except Ned Raggett, who is inexplicably not down with it).
@brasstax: Just out of curiosity, what’s the 1st best record of the ’00s?
@fishnotfried: Since I Left You by The Avalanches.
@brasstax: Hey now, I don’t HATE ‘em. I just don’t love ‘em either. That one single that was their swansong was pretty sharp, though I like the Prince cover the best.
Thanks for this, amazing version of ‘Sorrow’ on this excellent live record and as Sue once said, ‘it’s the new past’…
http://suetompkins.blogspot.com/
We’ll be releasing this live album in North America on August 14. It’s available for pre-order now at http://www.absolutelykosher.com. You read it here first. Official press release going out next week.