The Brunettes - Small Town Crew

What this video is

Released in mid-2007 as part of Structure & Cosmetics, The Brunettes' Sub Pop debut and first North American release, 'Small Town Crew' sits at the convergence of New Zealand's thriving Lil' Chief Records indie scene and the broader mid-2000s international indie pop boom. The Brunettes — core duo Jonathan Bree and Heather Mansfield, formed in Auckland in 1998 — built their identity in deliberate contrast to their…

Why it matters

A key artifact of mid-2000s international twee/indie pop, demonstrating how New Zealand's Lil' Chief Records scene exported a joyful, Phil Spector-influenced DIY aesthetic through Sub Pop's distribution muscle. The Brunettes' blend of 1960s girl-group harmonics, glockenspiel-laden arrangements,…