Loading details…
Artist
The Kim Philbys
2+ albums
about
Euphemistically named after the brilliantly duplicitous British spy, The Kim Philbys (San Francisco) live up to their name. Frontman Dominic East engages in a strange kind of emotional surveillance. There is dark sarcasm but no grace period - these songs are stays of execution, negotiations for a walk halfway home, the break-up dress-rehearsal, the show, and the curtain call. But there is joking and laughter too. If only someone were watching you this closely, paying this much attention. The Kim Philbys formed when drummer/keyboardist Mie Araki joined with longtime band mates Dominic East and Andrew Gerhan to tour Our Lady of the Highway's “Kill You With Numbers” (2006). It went swimmingly, but as the trio coalesced and new songs developed it became clear this was really a new band. The classically trained Araki allowed a more daringly rhythmic music, and the band began to stretch their musical boundaries. The new band was given a new name – The Kim Philbys - and recorded throughout the spring and summer of 2007 at Closer Studios with Tim Mooney (American Music Club, Sun Kil Moon) yielding the full-length Whir Whir Whir. Dominic East writes nervous rock that bares his bleeding heart while he smirks behind his hand. East is a compelling front man who has been described in the press variously as “unfailingly polite” (East Bay Express), “weirdly giddy” and “positively manic” (Rob Harvilla, Village Voice). The songs on Whir Whir Whir span from expansive post – rock (Coral Canar
