Pasteboard was a very short lived shoegaze duo. Formed around 2001, Makoto Igarashi and Mihoko Tanoue stuck together for a few years before the release of what was to be their only album, Glitter, in 2005.
Yet the real story is that the band never really broke up. Not exactly. Both Makoto and Mihoko were actually working together as Roly Poly Rag Bear for a while before they released their Pasteboard material. Since they are still releasing material under the RPRB banner, it would seem as though Pasteboard was only a sort of side project. The material on Glitter seems to prove this theory, as most of its nine songs are very short, almost unfinished at times, mere sketches of songs that never really came to fruition. On the other hand, songs like "Shoegazer," "Slowdive" and "Squall" are truly great, blurry pop gems.
In a way, it's a shame that the duo doesn't continue to peruse the more rock-oriented sound of Pasteboard in lieu of the more stylish, though no less muzzy bossa/Shibuya-kei style of RPRB. That project is a bit less unique and precious, instead being slight more run of the mill and bland overall. Not that Pasteboard is groundbreaking in any way, but in that case the songs have a stronger presence and a more earnest feel. Of course we can still hope that the duo takes the time to release another batch of hazy, dreamy rock some time down the road.
Slowdive
Official Site
MySpace
Members:
Makoto Igarashi
Mihoko Tanoue
Releases:
Glitter 2005
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