Nord Express

Named for the train line that once connected Paris and St. Petersburg, Nord Express formed in Baltimore as a joint effort between guitarist Robert Goldrick and drummer Ron Harrity. Their minimalist pop found the perfect label in Slumberland Records, whose roster included indie pop forerunners Black Tambourine. In fact, the band's first record, a folk-oriented self-titled EP, featured backup vocals from Black Tambourine's Pam Berry, and their follow-up LP, Central, featured contributions from Black Tambourine guitarist Archie Moore. The repetitive guitar patterns and brushed drums had one foot in the slowcore movement and another in '60s pop revisionism. Songs like "M. Row" and the wistfully upbeat "I'll Wait For You In Kansas City" demonstrated their hypnotic songwriting.