I’ve been sitting on this one for a while now. Note I say “sitting on,” not “sleeping on,” which is an important distinction because it means I’m more of a jerk than a slacker. Unlike many of the emails we receive in the ol’ suggestionbox(at)3hive.com, I actually downloaded these songs mere moments after Ryan recommended the Charlotte, NC-based octet. So here I’ve been, soaking in their smoldering, headphone-friendly country goodness lo these past couple months without even telling my closest friends about it. Please accept my apologies and let me make it up to you by providing you with a direct link to purchase their fine debut, The First American, as those Amazon and Insound links below probably won’t help much until they land a label or distribution deal.
The Deadly Snakes
Propers to Grant Lawrence for kicking off his latest CBC Radio 3 podcast with this sad, pretty gem from The Deadly Snakes. The format switch from honky tonkin’ garage to straight-up freeform is official with their latest, Porcella and I’m officially okay with it. On “Gore Veil” you’ll hear Donovan or Love or Neil Diamond, but what’ll stick in your head is that recorder (or is it flute?) melody line just begging for a Wes Anderson movie to call home.
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Ladytron
If Ladytron had gone to my high school, they would have been those ultra-stylish new wavers who never went to class and never associated with the decidedly less-stylish new wavers like me. So, I should have written them off as some aloof, unironic Human League tribute band just to make myself feel better. But the fact is, they’re more than that and even if they weren’t, we’re talking Dare-era Human League and, frankly, you could do a lot worse… If you can’t tell, I’m fighting back a bit of a crush and not just on the ladies of Ladytron, Helen and Mira, but the whole lot of them. Their latest, Witching Hour, features a lot more guitar than ever before, which is a welcome expansion to their sound. That said, I will always be a sucker for their soaring synths as showcased on the monster single, “Destroy Everything You Touch.” The video is nice, too. See what I’m saying, though? They’re ice queens/kings, even they admit it.
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Danger Doom
Danger Mouse, MF Doom, and [adult swim] — arguably the dopest producer, MC, and television block of irreverent cartoon programming out there — joined forces to create the ultimate theme album. Now, not all dream teams play out as well in real life as they do on paper (sorry, Yankees fans), but this one lives up to its full potential. [adult swim] players pop in and out of the album’s loose narrative while Doom and DM take their goading, goofing, and gabbing in stride. And what an ill stride it is…
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Paul Duncan
All I knew of this guy going into my first listen was his first and last name. After a few spins of “Oil in the Fields” — a eulogy which managed to break my heart by the end of the first verse — I feel as though I know volumes despite its sparing lyrics. Like any good songwriter, he understands the importance of the spaces between. His rich voice and talent for orchestration makes such studied restraint that much more enchanting. If the whole album (due November 8) is as good as these two tracks, I may need to make room on my “Best of 2005” list.
The Chicharones
The Chicharones — the Vancouver, B.C.-based duo of Josh Martinez and Sleep of Oldominion — are the self-proclaimed Simon and Garfunkel of rap. I can’t really argue with that description. This joint feels like that broken-in Stussy hoodie I just found at the bottom of my drawer: familiar and frrrrresh!