Album Notes

ONLY POP MUSIC CAN SAVE US NOW!

"...these wild song birds make a mean track. Bandmate Ian Roure plays a masterful guitar..."
- Loud and Found.com

"The Larch's well-crafted songs have a distinctive British guitar-pop flavor -- no doubt due in large part to the lead vocals of guitarist Ian Roure, a New York transplant with British ties, although the harmonized female vocals courtesy of keyboardist Liza Garelik give the music a quirky, distinctively American (think the B-52s) edge.

Only Pop Music Can Save Us Now! touches on a number of musical subgenres. Opener "Is It Over Yet?" has a subtle Pixies influence, especially in the heavy guitar chords that open the song. Immediately following this, however, is "Central Station", which owes more to the Byrds than any modern material. "Cure My Life", in contrast, sounds like an early Elvis Costello recording. Ska and rockabilly (the latter mixed with jazzy horns) flavor the remaining tracks; these influences, like the others, are carefully and tastefully integrated into the band's general approach, so The Larch never sound like they're in the midst of a personality crisis."

- Garrett Splain
Splendid ezine


"Shake me and reassure me/these aren't the dark days that I dread," sings Ian Roure at the start of an EP filled with the hope that the G.W. Bush years will soon be over. Power-pop with a touch of the Byrds and a hint of ska, The Larch's songs are melodic and hopeful, even as the lyrics reflect the sad reality of living in a country ruled by people you despise.

-Dave Heaton, Erasing Clouds


The Larch "Only Pop Music Can Save Us Now!" (Dent Resistant Music, 2003)

Listening to The Larch feels like an American must feel listening to The Arlenes. Hearing your native music presented back to you by your cousins across the pond is slightly surreal, no matter how well its done. And The Larch do it very well. They call themselves witty and subversive powerpop, and that's pretty much what they are. This 5 track EP skates from the anti-Dubya ditty "Ultra Zero" to the drunk-and-depressed "Cure my Life". Light and air and led by the high floating vocals of Ian Roure, they owe a considerable debt to the late lamented Washington Squares. In fact they owe considerable debts to Squeeze, The Barenaked Ladies, The Buzzcocks (you get the idea). Is it Americana? Only if you pull the boundaries so tight you can twang them. Is it any good? Absolutely, and there's always room for the good. More info from www.thelarch.com

-Americana UK ezine

"It's a sort of feel good record that one can bob their head to. The highlight of the record is "Cure of My Life", which can't help but put a smile on your face. "

-South of Mainstream.com 11/9/03

Five new laser guided Larch-n-Roll broadsides, aimed squarely at beating back the evil forces of mediocrity (of all sorts).
-The Larch.com