Outerhope's Strangely Paired...Strangely Beautiful Bedroom P!O!P!

Just like the bedroom pop musings of The Kings of Convenience or the slow, brilliant moments of The Blue Nile or the twee girl fronted bands from the influential Sarah Records, Outerhope delivers soft, lo-fi indiepop melodies! Their self-produced, DIY album was released last year and the songs are lush, serene, beautiful and melancholy. You'd definitely want to listen to this album on a lazy, cloudy or rainy day when you need to get away from all the craziness and stress of your day...trust me it works.

Outerhope is made up of siblings, Michael and Michaela Benedicto, playing guitars and keyboards, respectively while alternating vocal duties in their songs. The last song, "Final Hour", sounded so familiar when I finally had a chance to listen to this album. It turns out that I've had this in my computer since about a year or two ago c/o A Shorcut of Mushroom's Soundclick website. One and only upbeat tune in the whole album, a collaboration with Joon (aka A Shortcut...) and Outerhope...more on him later on.

Say hello to the band and check out the their website HERE. You can also hear their album in streaming format, but what the hell, just go buy their album, ok?
It should give you some links on where it's available.

Outerhope - Strangely Paired (CD/Self Released/2005/PH)

*************************************

1. Learning to Rollerskate
2. Morning After
3. Race To The Sky
4. Boy Who Could Fly
5. Another Daybreak
6. Five Miles
7. Moving Away
8. Makisama
9. Sky High Blue
10. Nth Noon
11. Final Hour