Pitchfork

Just when we could all use the gentle, wistful strumming and pastoral croon of Welsh darlings Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (not to mention a few extra L's and Y's), the band has up and cancelled their month-long stint with Superchunk, which was scheduled for November. They've given no explanation whatsoever. (To forestall confusion, and just so you know, Superchunk is going ahead with all dates.) The band's website promises an early 2002 tour, however, so we have that much more time to digest the comfort music on the band's latest, How I Long to Feel That Summer in My Heart.

The prolific young Gorkys burst on the English indie scene in the mid-90s, releasing a set of acclaimed albums of psychedelic whimsy on the Welsh label, Ankst. After signing to Mercury in 1996, the band released a US compilation, Introducing Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, which compiled stalwart tracks from their Ankst catalog. Following their two-album major label dalliance, which ended in an unceremonious dumping mere days after the release of 1998's Gorky 5, the band resurfaced on Mantra, evolving their sound from ebullient, chaotic prog-pop to more serene acoustic folk. Their new record was released earlier this month.