Don’t worry about the bitrate on these, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference. Ariel Pink is all about lo-fi, right down to the crappy Angelfire website (yes, that’s his official website oops, it’s a fan site — see comments). His songs start with classic pop music forms — here we have psychedelic doo-wop (“Jules Lost His Jewels”) and new wave romanticism (“For Kate I Wait”) — then warp them to the very brink of listenability. But they are listenable, even enjoyable, because they’re like that favorite mixtape that you left in the car on a hot summer day: you still listen to it through the warble and hiss, because you know the music well enough to tune into its essence. “C’est la vie, c’est la vie, comme çi, comme ça…”
Stereo Total
Fool that I am, I spent 11 years of schooling and two years of on-location training to become more or less fluent in French…only to fall in love and want to spend the rest of forever with a woman who thinks “French sounds stupid.” Of course, this only fuels my desire to play musique en français around the house. Even better if it’s catchy enough to get The Mrs. dancing in spite of herself. So, the giddy, candy-like pop of Berlin’s Stereo Total — featuring the coquette-ish vocals of Françoise Cactus — provides the ultimate weapon in our little civil war. (Cactus also sings in English and German, and sometimes about serious topics, just not when my wife’s around.) The band’s website features a ton of rarities with downloadable art so you can make your very own CD and join the good fight.
The Movies
Something about the way The Movies play a fast beat real slow-like just gets the “they sound like” comparative juices flowing. The guitar chimes and backbeat are what The Promise Ring would sound like if you played their 45s at 33 and a third. Their wistful vocals are what the Tindersticks would sound like if they were from the Midwest. Their wail-and-repeat lyrics are a bit like The Fall without the dissonance, or like Fugazi fronted by Jonathan Richman. And yet, the newest of these tracks, “Rock in the Slingshot,” picks ups the pace ever-so-slightly – “they sound like” Gang of Four in the chill-out room.
Laura Cantrell
Laura Cantrell’s third album came out about a month ago, and I finally got around to ordering it. I’m excited to hear her latest collection of genre-crossing originals and well-chosen covers (check out her version of Elvis Costello’s “Indoor Fireworks,” available on her website along with many more downloads). I’m guessing it will be rich and subtle, if “14th Street,” the first MP3 released, is any indication. If you’re looking for a bit more twang, check out earlier tracks like “Roll, Truck, Roll,” released alongside albums full of trucker songs on the Diesel Only label. Finally, if you really enjoyed Ballboy (posted on 3hive in May), you might enjoy the gentle ballad “I Lost You,” recorded live and loose with Ballboy-er Gordon McIntire for John Peel.
Mus
Please do not confuse Mus, the delightful Spanish duo of Fran Gayo and Mónica Vacas, with MUS, short for Memphis University School, the all-boy prep school I attended from 7th through 9th grades. First of all, Mus has a female, and there were no females at MUS. Mus use the soaring female voice as an instrument, highlighting their minimal approach, be it coolly electronic or calmly acoustic. And that voice sings in Asturian, from the Principality of Asturias in northwest Spain, making Mus as mysterious as a girl at an all-boy prep school.
Dressy Bessy
I don’t use the term “hit of the summer” lightly, so believe me when I say… Dressy Bessy’s “Side 2” with all that sass and swagger, not to mention Tammy Ealon’s sexy rasp of a voice, is the perfect accompaniment for pool swimming, steering wheel drumming, corn-on-the-cob grilling, limeade swilling — all your favorite warm weather activities. And once I’ve worn that track out, I’ll just move on to the next one. ‘Cause the new album, my friends, is a veritable “hit parade” (another term I don’t use lightly, if at all). “Just Once More,” from their self-titled 2003 release, ain’t half bad either.
The Volebeats
The venerable Volebeats have been around since I was in high school (which is long ago enough to warrant the term “venerable”). They were the default local opening act for every tour that came through Detroit. They were alt country before alt country was cool. Their old singer, Terry, had black teeth and sang songs about dating women in their 50s. So they were doing that before it was cool, too. Anyway, their new album, Like Her, demonstrates even greater confidence and maturity, even if their teeth are a bit whiter. It comes out on July 15 or you can download it now through eMusic. (These tracks are from their Country Favorites record, just so’s you don’t get it twisted.)
Sparrow
Time for some band genealogy: more than a decade ago, drummer Jason Zumpano stole singer/guitarist Carl Newman from a covers band and formed, simply, Zumpano. Their debut album, on Sub Pop, Look What The Rookie Did, is pure genius. Easily one of my favorite records of the past ten years. See, while too many bands haphazardly claim to be influenced by The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, Zumpano is one of the few that make the influence count. After two records Newman and Zumpano went their separate ways and formed The New Pornographers and Sparrow, respectively. It took me a while to track down Sparrow, but it’s been worth the wait.
King Apparatus
It’s a perfect time to post the pleasant early-’90s ska-pop of Toronto’s King Apparatus. For the past few days, we’ve been lounging on the lovely shore of Lake Huron, pushing my daughter and her cousins around in the kayak and threatening to send them across the lake to Canada if they didn’t eat their hot dog buns. Assuming we ever did manage to send the kids that far in the boat, just like “Michael and Anne” we’d have to come up with a seriously good story for the cops.
Forest Giants
Just because we all contribute to 3hive doesn’t mean we like the same bands. Jon’s got a thing for prog rock that I just don’t quite understand. Sean has his SoCal punk roots, but these days how bland is that? Joe, a Northerner, likes country! As for Shan, don’t get me started. That leaves Sam, and his lifelong obsession with Billy Bragg (likeable enough, as long as I don’t have to listen to him). But we all share common loves. Sam and I, we loved the Beatnik Filmstars. Forest Giants is the new band of Tim Rippington, formerly of the Beatniks, still cranking out beautiful noise, a la the Beatniks’ Laid Back and English. Mundane Sounds’ Volume Four Sampler includes Forest Giants and 14 other bands, all available for free download. And as for me, well, I’ve got impeccable taste!