With ethics that even Igor Stravinsky would be proud of, 'Our Bed is Green' was originally released by the Charalambides on cassette way back yonder in 1992 before it made it onto CD then vinyl and now back onto double CD as part of Kranky's reissue series. Comprised of heavy-psych veteran Tom Carter and Christina Madonia, Charalambides are an aural vulture that picks through disperate genres and styles to find the sound that best matches that in their heads. Opening with the overt fragility of 'Tea', we immediately have a glimpse into a possible influence for Karen O's (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) less racous vocal perfomances. The tone is sutibly flipped on next track 'The Treadmill' wherein a whole turbine hall of smudged sound rains down on you, even making room for some Wyld Stallion guitar riffs towards the end. Elsewhere on Disc 1 there are some marked post-rock dalliances with the Mogwai-esque title track and the Slint (albeit guesting on Bagpuss) echos of 'Take the Pointing Finger For the Moon'. Although it's always easy to read influences into peoples work retrospectively, I'd be gobsmacked if'I Don't Know You' couldn't be found amongst Billy Corgan's record collection whilst Disc 2's 'Cosmic String' could provide the missing Americana link people have been seeking in The Killers work. Elsewhere there is the country twang of 'The Core' and the pysche heavy throb of album closer 'Finale', presided over throughout by Madonia's Zoe Johnston-esque vocals. Much more than an historical document and another excellent re-issue from the fabulous people at Kranky.
