The High Llamas

"'High Llamas"' is a London musical project created by Irish-English guitarist and songwriter Sean O'Hagan after the demise of his group Microdisney. Although he writes and arranges the music and frequently uses the High Llamas moniker for his own personal musical efforts (e.g. remixes), the High Llamas are nominally a group, which usually includes Microdisney bassist Jon Fell and a rotating cast of others including keyboardist Marcus Holdaway and drummer Rob Allum.

Although the High Llamas' output (including the debut eponymous album, technically credited to "Sean O'Hagan") shows influences ranging from 1950s American pop, Brazilian jazz and bossa nova, cinematic composers of the 1960s, and 1990s European electronic music, criticism of O'Hagan's work most frequently includes references to Brian Wilson's psychedelic period and/or kitsch lounge music. Although O'Hagan sometimes expresses discomfort at reviewers' claims of derivative works, he generally wears his influences on his sleeve, even naming several more recent songs after the composers and pop musicians who most inspired that particular track. (Examples: "Bach Ze", "Pat Mingus", "Shuggie Todd.") The musical arrangements vary according to album, but marimbas, nylon-string guitars, reverbed [[tack pianos\\ and various vintage keyboards and synthesizers (sometimes providing rhythmic or even seemingly random "space-age" noises and tones) are often featured.

The High Llamas' albums are also notable for frequent guest appearances and collaborations by members of Stereolab, with whom O"hagan once played guitar, and for whom he frequently contributes string and horn arrangements.

The band infrequently tours and only releases an album every few years; since the group was dropped by V2 Records they have made it clear that their records are personal projects that do not support them financially. O'Hagan frequently does arranging and production work for artists like The Boo Radleys, Doves and Sondre Lerche, and drummer Allum contributed to Turin Brakes's debut LP.