100 Pets

Pickled Egg, in conjunction with Rewika Records of Germany, are proud to release Easter Songs, the debut album from Brighton-based 100 Pets. The group began life as a solo project by vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Sam Dook (also of alt.guitar-tuning chime unit, Lure Luxx), but soon evolved into a four-piece ensemble. Influenced by the likes of The Palace Brothers and Nick Drake, comparisons have also been drawn with Galaxie 500, Low and Robert Wyatt. Previously they've released a split single, Wise Old Cat, on the Awkward Silence label. Another 100 Pets 7" is planned for release on Becalmed Records in the autumn.

Recording of Easter Songs began in the winter of 1999, in a flat above a Brighton funeral parlour, using pea-sized mics and a 4 track porta-studio, safe in the knowledge that the only neighbours to be disturbed were less than likely to complain. Despite the setting, Easter Songs is far from morbid: melancholy at times, perhaps, but overall an optimistic sentiment is firmly rooted in the uplifting melodies. The album features fragile acoustic arrangements, alt-country tinged shanty pop, guitar chimes and twinkles of travel collage, all sewn together into digestible songs ripe for the listening pleasure.