Pia Fraus: After Summer (Clairecords)
release: May 13, 2008
style: swirly dream pop
[rating: ****] Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub, among other bands) was the perfect choice for producer of Pia Fraus' latest confection. Possessing the ingredients for indie pop, twee and shoegaze, After Summer was right up Blake's alley. In fact, most any song from the Estonian group could have been on that famous C86 comp. Every segment, from the dizzying "Doctor Optimism" to the trippy "Mute the Birds," is soft as snow and warm inside. Allowing its instruments to flow on their own, Fraus has put together one of the most pretty, natural-sounding recordings of the year. A welcome addition to the Clairecords catalog. -Kenyon

http://www.clairecords.com/
http://www.myspace.com/piafraus