Creatures of an Hour, the debut full-length by Still Corners, glows with the delicate vocals of singer Tessa Murray and the atmospheric, cinematic influences of songwriter Greg Hughes. Still Corners capture both the youthful tone of French New Wave and the unease of Italian horror, from the projections (created by band member Leon Dufficy) that feature heavily in their live performances, to the free-floating grace of Creatures of an Hour. “There’re just certain things in certain movies, like older horror movies and other foreign films, that you see sometimes. They just have a certain vibe and atmosphere,” says Hughes. “All these little bits, these tiny moments. That’s what I was trying to go back to. To bottle that up and put it into a song.”

Recorded at Hughes’ own studio in Greenwich, the devil is truly in the details of Creatures of an Hour. Fusing whispered intimacy to the emotional expansiveness of composer Ennio Morricone, Hughes crafts deceptively simple songs that linger like half-remembered dreams. Lead single “Cuckoo” (SP928, released 6/28/11, still available!) shines in its simplicity, a single drumbeat, ghostly guitar, and distant organ highlighting Murray’s haunting soprano as she asks, “I’d like to read your mind/can you read mine?” “It’s about confusion,” explains Hughes. “It’s about being confused. Am I going crazy? Does this person like me? What’s happening? That’s the vibe of the whole record really.”

For the time being, Hughes is happy to maintain Still Corners’ musical mystery. “I don’t like to talk too much on decoding the songs. It takes the mystery away,” he says. Reviewers like Gorilla vs. Bear, Pitchfork and Drowned in Sound (Single of the Week!) however have proven more than happy to sing the praises of Still Corners’ pop beauty. So grab some popcorn and stick around – for Still Corners this is just act one.

These folks will be making a stop in Pensacola, Florida on Sunday, October 16th as part of the annual Deluna Festival. TheBlueIndian.com will be there to fill you in on everything you missed while you were sitting on your sofa and such. Still Corners play on Sunday, October 16th at Deluna Festival on the “Grooveshark Stage” at 1:30pm. You can check out the full lineup for any questions about how to best spend your time at the festival.