So nice to have Spoon back in the mix. Dig the thick groove and soulful vocals on “I Turn My Camera On,” a cross between Prince and Gang of Four. How can that be bad? Not much more booty-shaking on the album (with the exception of “Was It You?”), but lovely nonetheless.
Hayden
Yes, it was 70+ degrees yesterday in southeast Michigan, and yes, my daughter was playing in the sandbox in the park in short sleeves and no shoes or socks. Yes, the crocuses are in crazy bloom, and yes, the daffodils are ready to break free at any moment. The melancholy trio of songs below are for all of you who know, like me, that it will surely snow one more time this year. (Hayden is Canadian, after all. He knows this to be true, too.)
The Cars Are the Stars
Kicking off like The Notwist’s “Pilot,” “Helikopter” starts with the sparse kit and then takes a deep breath. There is beauty in the silicon: mixing Mogwai, Boards of Canada, The Merkin Dream and even a pinch of Postal Service. This is one of those tracks I’ll listen to over and over and over and in three years when I hear it again, I will be reminded of this time in my life.
South Ambulance
That Sambassadeur post sent me on a Swedish shoegazing spree. That’s right, a spree. In case you doubt there is such a thing, I present you with South Ambulance. Also Swedish, also shoegazerly. When their press frequently references Ride, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Television Personalities (and I’d add Galaxie 500 just to sweeten the deal), you know you’re in for a dreamy, melancholy treat.
13 & God
Remember the old Reese’s commercials? A woman holding an open jar of peanut butter turns the corner and runs into a man with a chocolate bar. “You got your chocolate in my peanut butter!” Tragedy is avoided when the two taste their happy accident. 13 & God is just as happy an accident. Formed when German glitch-popsters, The Notwist, and No. Cal.’s avant hip-hop duo, Themselves, were stranded while touring Canada. With time to kill and a penchant for collaborating, well, they made beautiful music together. On this track The Notwist flavor is dominant, but I expect Doseone (Themselves) a bit more on the mic for the album. “Two great tastes that (surprisingly) go great together.”
Benzos
It’s been one of those weeks. The kind of week you can only get through thanks to beautiful pop and/or German ska. As for the German ska, I’ve been relying on the Ska..ska..skandal series from the ’90s. And for the pop, there’s Benzos. They play a soaring, shimmering pop (they even say so on “Glass Souls,” off the soon-to-be-released Morning Stanzas) that’s somewhere between Radiohead and The Autumns. And to get me through coaching my first peewee soccer game today…well, I’m not sure anything can do that.
Sally Crewe and the Sudden Moves
Anyone remember The Housemartins? Musically, Sally Crewe and the Sudden Moves are the various children they left scattered across England in the hedonistic ’80s, united to resurrect the pleasantly pointless pop of their parents. Nothing too complex here, just cleanly written songs with straightforward guitar hooks and smooth backing vocals, mostly about cars (and most songs barely making it past two minutes).
John Vanderslice
When she graduated last year, Martha gave me a mix CD without a track list. For some people, this would be considered a form of psychological abuse as opposed to a kind gesture. For others, like me, it’s a pleasant excuse for wasting an hour playing on Google. Investigating “Me and My 424” (one of my favorite songs on what turned out to be a great road trip mix, with the likes of Iron and Wine and Nick Drake) led me to John Vanderslice and about a dozen MP3s, half of which are provided for you below. The marriage of his macabre narratives and nasal vocal whine is infinitely better than the description sounds — trust me. Also, if you’ve got the time, check out Tiny Telephone, his SF recording studio. Thanks, Martha!
Sambassadeur
I can’t figure out how this band landed on my iPod. I checked the usual suspects (can’t believe Jason isn’t all over this one). I scoured the suggestion box. I asked Jeeves. No dice. So I’ll just assume it’s a sign that I should spread word of their sweet (and Swedish!) shoegazer folk. The breakdown on “Between the Lines” — the snare hit, the ethereal “ahs,” the chord progression — is completely irresistible to simple minds and hearts such as mine.
Between the Lines [MP3, 2.4MB, 128kbps]
Whatever Season [MP3, 2.9MB, 128kbps]New Moon [MP3, 3.2MB, 160kbps]Days
Lismore
Briefly: Lismore skillfully mixes electronics and analog instruments for a sound that hits somewhere between The Postal Service and Portishead. On a side note, the guitar riff in “Tremelo” sounds like a sample from some schlocky pop tune that I can’t put my finger on…Anyone?