Spacecase is proud to release the debut 45 by New Zealand's The New Existentialists. Fronted by The Puddle (Flying Nun) mainstay George D. Henderson--formerly of eclectic, late-'70s DIY pioneers The Spies (Siltbreeze) and And Band--"Elton John" b/w "Mysteries of the Worm" is limited to 300 copies.
Growing up sorta in the middle of nowhere, Flying Nun bands were like getting audio pen pals from a place that was familiar yet so distant and mystifying. In the early 90's though, I'd had grown out of touch with the label's tangible dispatches so I can't really compare the differences and similarities between what New Existentialist George D. Henderson has going on here and what he was up to in his other combo the Puddle.
Sleepy eyed in tempo "Elton John" finds daydreams about listening to records and singing along in a wistful and maundering tone. Guitars sibilate a trademark NZ misshapen jangle that dates back to at least the Clean and while a synth emanates a blurting a wobbly mist.
The ghost of Syd and perhaps a specter of, say, the Television Personalities hangs over the band sound without intruding too much. Sure, there's a common whimsical melancholiness in the sort of psych-pop that no doubt stitches them all together, but the bouncing and squishy trip into the earth that's side two's "Mystery Of The Worm" has them loping down their own leafy path.
--Smashin' Transistors
The New Existentialists – one of a handful of terrific bands from George D. Henderson (The Puddle, The Spies, The Amps, The And Band) has a new single out. I was lucky enough to get a copy. Terrific gnarled and knotty guitars fight and spit and mumble-slur lyrics dip and droop and drop, spill from the mouth. Just a couple of tracks, one per side, as is the way…it arrived on just the right day, I had finally decided to go through my collection of 45s to try to make some sense of them…separating the crap from the great, making some sort of order. So I piled them up into little groups and ran through them, As and Bs and the good ones, the very good ones, got played again and again. Like this. Like this.
--Simon Sweetman