A Fading Summer

First issued in 2000 as a brief U.S. introduction to one of the U.K.\'s most promising new bands, *A Fading Summer* features two of The Clientele\'s early singles, along with two unreleased tracks. Most of the songs here appeared on the U.K. version of their spectacular EPs-and-singles collection, *Suburban Light*, while U.S. fans are best served by picking up this EP and the U.S. edition. This is the band showing its lo-fi roots. The obscure \"Driving South\" is nearly five minutes of crawling, \'60s-styled psychedelia, reminiscent of Belle & Sebastian on a rainy day. Each track shimmers with a sense of The Byrds, Chocolate Watchband, Rain Parade, and other groups that took folk-rock and added their own degrees of lysergic acid to the mix. These are songs long on atmosphere and strong (but subtle) on hooks. \"An Hour Before the Light\" captures the haze of a new day, while \"Saturday\" sports a leisurely pace perfect for a day of rest. \"Bicycles\" plays out like a long-lost b-side from 1966.