The Child Readers tread the implied ground that lies somewhere between a music heard far off and a music finally pulled together. Active since 2000, Loren Chasse and Jason Honea, The Child Readers, present the disparate dualities of metaphysical improvisation and meticulous composition in their otherworldly recordings, an adventurous & dense take on art-pop songwriting unheard since the heyday of Cherry Red and 4AD (imagine Eyeless in Gaza nicking from the Xiu Xiu or Richard Youngs songbook).

Rather than solely draw from any musical discourse, The Child Readers found inspiration in the creative adventures of Rockwell Kent, Lawren Harris, Charles Burchfield and Sherwood Anderson in making their fourth & best album, Music Heard Far Off. Presenting music bathed in the beauty of everyday things, The CRs’ avant-pastiche approach touches upon musique concrète, pastoral pop, new romanticism, fractured folk & minimal techno with equal prejudice. Sonic prayers to country, wastes of sea, songs, drawings, particular times of day and different furs are all presented here as esoteric sing-a-longs. Aiding Honea & Chasse’s vision are three short films (the video album ‘Superstition Island,’ contained on the disc), eye-popping album artwork, and contributions from Mark Williams (Mirza), Rob Reger (Thuja) and Christine Boepple (Ov). Music Heard Far Off was recorded, played back, re-recorded and collaged in various locales, including the California redwoods and coastlines, Estonia, Berlin, Madrid and Portugal. The true stories contained therein unite listener and creator for a unique musical experience; the duo’s confessional torch songs offer an intimacy that may embarrass the untrue of heart.