Bear-Garden

There can on occasion be considered a taint of condescension in Western appreciation of Asian pop artists, particularly when the artists involved are woman. (Not absolutely all intended followers of Shonen Blade were sincere within their gratitude, and a amazing number seemed unacquainted with how much from the band’s songwriting and picture was a deliberate stylistic choice.) Nevertheless, for all the unapologetic cuteness in Bear-Garden’s music, this twee pop take action from Bangkok, Thailand, led by vocalist/songwriter Somsiri Sangkaew, does not have any feeling of amateurishness or “therefore wrong it’s ideal” strangeness in its expertly deployed indie pop. Some factors of comparison consist of Structures in Helsinki, Sufjan Stevens, the Envelopes, the Proceed! Team, as well as the Flaming Lip area, most of whom talk about Sangkaew’s sonic playfulness and disinclination toward easy stylistic pigeonholing. Sangkaew’s 1st major musical encounter was as bassist in the all-female trio Subnai, who experienced a string of pop strikes in Thailand in the past due ’90s. Pursuing that band’s separation, Sangkaew began Bear-Garden (her personal phrase for any messy, lived-in space) like a single task with 2001’s I’m a Gardener, accompanied by 2003’s Mercy Getting rid of, 2004’s Blue Tourist, and 2005’s Like Is Nice Suicide.