(2000) - Produced by Cocteau Twin Simon Raymonde, the second full-length from The Autumns marks a significant departure from their earlier sound. Stark, angular, and - by most accounts - dark, Russet Gold is a beautiful, sophisticated collection of songs. High points include "Bicycle" and live favorite "Boy with the Aluminum Stilts." "A heady mixture of textured guitars, string sections, and earnest lyrics." (Alternative Press) " ...moody, quiet, and lovely...a very worthwhile record." (MTV Online).

REVIEWS

"In The Russet Gold is a sumptuous album, recalling Radiohead's OK Computer with its dark, gloomy melodies and disturbing, abstract imagery. Guitarist/vocalist Matthew Kelly further presses emotional buttons with a voice that's both painfully delicate and warm."
CMJ

"Simon Raymonde, former Cocteau Twins bassist, produced this fine album... a memorable sonic assemblage... moody, quiet, and lovely... the sheer lack of vapidity of In The Russet Gold of this Vain Hour feels like an elixir for those looking for more meaning in their music... a very
worthwhile record."
MTV ONLINE

"A heady mix of textured guitars, string sections and earnest lyrics."
ALTERNATIVE PRESS

“...a sense of modernity amid the classic melodic melancholy.”
LA TIMES

"With the release of In The Russet Gold of This Vain Hour, the band is poised to leave a lasting imprint upon the independent music world... Waves of shimmering guitars build gently, eventually transforming into a tidal force that nearly washes away the listener... a sea of moody psychedelia with a voice that defies modern rock conventions.”
OUTBURN

"In The Russet Gold may not quite outbleak the Cure, but it comes close with its chilling swells and washes of guitar. Kelly's vocals, a hushed falsetto filled with longing, adds a dreamy quality to the gloom..."
NEW TIMES LA

"In the Russet Gold of This Vain Hour lacks its predecessor's sense of bombast, instead opting for a much more delicate sound, one of finesse and filigree... [a] haunting tapestry of sparkling guitar notes and ghostly vocal tendrils that intertwine like strands of ivy... The vocals are so beautiful that I'm not sure any lyrics could do it (or the song titles, for that matter) justice... Music this fragile and beautiful should not be subjected to questions like "How?" and "Why?". It should just simply be."
OPUSZINE.COM

"It's almost unimaginable that a band of this beauty could possibly hail from the materialistic world of Los Angeles, but it's happened. Bringing back all the class of This Mortal Coil-era 4AD with the creative fury of shoegazing at its prime, The Autumns exist in a world all their own, where words like "crossover potential" have no meaning. The Autumns immerse their music in whirlwinds of ethereal, wall-of-sound dreamscapes, letting their tunes cascade in a manner that can only say, "Why, yes, a former
member of the Cocteau Twins DID produce this."; Simon Raymonde, in fact, is the man behind the helm of the most recent Autumns full-length, "In the Russet Gold of This Vain Hour." Delicately forceful and gorgeously fragile, The Autumns remain among the upper eschelon of American talent in the eyes and
ears of the dreampop-loving community."
EXCELLENT ONLINE

“The end product of The Autumns collaboration with Raymonde is an honest, introspective expression that reverberates as a welcome change to the shallow pop and macho rock that saturates mainstream radio.”
DETOUR

"[The Autumns] have convincingly created their own sound... [Kelly] shifts from low-range growls to falsetto trills while dragging every bit of his heart in between. With carefully layered melodies and a free
rhythm, the music provides effective accompaniment without interfering
with the band's greatest asset: Kelly's voice."
MEAN STREET

"The Autumns seem to be the love child of Morrisey and Jeff Buckley with a little bit of Cocteau Twins on the side. Not a strange combination, but a beautiful one... [Kelly's] amazing voice almost carries you
away until abruptly, he pauses, then dives full force into another verse. Emotionally-charged lyrics backed with spacey rock make this outfit come together."
DALLAS MUSIC.COM

"Listening to The Autumns is akin to peering into a kaleidoscope - there are often colorful shifts in mood and texture within the same song. The LA-based band's entrancing music draws a legion of fans to the Brit Pop nights held at Cafe Bleu in West Hollywood and the Glass House in Pomona. Their forthcoming sophomore disc, In the Russet Gold of This Vain Hour, was produced by Cocteau Twin Simon Raymonde, who definitely had an impact of the sound. His influence can be felt in the gorgeous but fragile "Boy with the Aluminum Stilts," gauzy "Lotus Leaves" and the solemnly sweet "Mistral Chimes at Nightfall".
OC WEEKLY

"The Autumns' intricate instrumentation and crisp sound reflect their recent
work with Cocteau Twins' Simon Raymonde. They were far more than Cocteau
Twins pretenders, though. Their set had emotion, style and a sense
of urgency that transfixed the crowd and drew the strongest response
of the evening."
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SUN

(ON THE AUTUMNS PERFORMACE W/ SIMON RAYMONDE AT SXSW)
"Probably one of the best performances of the night, these guys were excellent. The crowd seemed to respond the most to this band... The absolute highlight...was when Simon appeared onstage with them to sing Kangaroo and to play gutiar on the Coctear Twins song Garlands. It was simply stunning. There are very few moments in a live performance where you feel so...mesmerized. This was one of them."
80MUSIC.COM

"The Autumns have indeed delivered their best work to date with this new magical set... chill-bound-relentless-pure-pop-rock-perfection."
SAY WHAT

“...awash with lovely layers and gorgeous guitars that run away with your emotions...simply brilliant."
THE TIP SHEET

“...the airy, insistent guitar lines weave an equally evocative spell...complicated arrangements and inspired lyrics...a must see for lovers of rainy day emoting.”
BIG BANG BABIES

"In The Russet Gold Of This Vain Hour is a sublimely beautiful album."
EVILSPONGE

"Having made their fascination for U.K. post-punk rock in the 4AD and shoegaze vein clear on their earlier work, it was perhaps no surprise when the Autumns scored a pretty good coup, getting Cocteau Twins bassist Simon Raymonde to produce In the Russet Gold of This Vain Hour. Reasons to listen in go beyond handy connections -- Raymonde's skill as a producer has been proved a number of times over on other releases, while the Autumns themselves continue in the vein of The Angel Pool with a couple of slight twists and turns. The excellent single "The Boy With the Aluminum Stilts" kicks everything off, singer Matthew Kelly's voice soaring with a sweet falsetto over a slow, deliberate cascade of digital delay guitar with just enough heft and implicit drama to impact."
ALL MUSIC GUIDE

"Every track on this disc is a gem...Do yourself a favor and pick up this little masterpiece - you'll certainly be glad you did."
DELUSIONS OF ADEQUACY

Technically a 2000 release. I had never heard of The Autumns before earlier this year, but immediately fell in love with their swirling, atmospheric breed of neo-shoegazer pop. In the Russet Gold of This Vain Hour is one of those rare records that works really well as ambient background (very important for people like me, who like to have some music on while they’re working), but also rewards closer listening.
LULLABY PIT