There was birth in all this groundwork

orangery cropThe Avalanches have been out of the spotlight for much, much longer than they were ever in the spotlight. But let's try to remember that they were capable of creating moments of magic, on a pretty consistent basis, and that they can still do so, when they want to. This is an edit they released two years ago that I only just discovered, and it's disgustingly good. Whatever talents they have, the passage of time and an unwillingness to exhibit them in public has not dulled them at all.

The aura of an heirloom tomato

A tin of pencils