Pitchfork

The School hold class outside in the video for "All I Wanna Do", the Cardiff, Wales-based septet's recent single for Spanish indie-pop label Elefant. Like the group's "Let It Slip", which we posted last year in demo form, "All I Wanna Do" is a swaying, winsome tune with some of the Phil Spector lushness of Lucky Soul, the Belle & Sebastian-style modesty of Camera Obscura, and the airy, girl-group vocals of both. Something about the lilting melody and lyrical theme here also brings to mind Kirsty MacColl's 1979 Stiff Records single "They Don't Know"; like that song, the School's latest glows with the crush-like euphoria of new love, helped by production from Ian Catt (Saint Etienne, Field Mice, Trembling Blue Stars, Stars). All singer Liz wants to do, in case you couldn't guess, is "hang around with you." The David Smith-directed clip follows umbrella-toting young couples around South Wales as they frolic by the pier, watch the ships come in, buy ice cream, and other stuff guaranteed to make the grumpier among you blanch-- at least until the ending, where I did. An EP featuring "Let It Slip" is set to follow, according to the label, along with a full-length album later this year.

[from the "All I Wanna Do" single; due 04/14/08 on Elefant]