'misadventures of the campaign kids,' by king of prussia
if there were ever a band seeming tailormade to join the ranks of the elephant six collective, it would be king of prussia. [they're even from athens, georgia, too!] given that the elephant six collective includes, among others, the olivia tremor control, neutral milk hotel, the apples in stereo, beulah, the essex green, and the ladybug transistor, even being mentioned in the same breath with those bands is pretty darn cool 'cos those bands, as you know, are amazing. if you'd like a little more info on the band, you can read a comprehensive bio here.
kindercore [also home to the essex green, of montreal, and ashley park] is releasing king of prussia's mini-album, 'save the scene,' on january 8, i think. it's some seriously good smack, i'm tellin' ya'. i've been listening to them all morning and it just gets better with every listen. i think king of prussia is poised to make some serious waves next year, so get on the bandwagon now.
→ king of prussia: misadventures of the campaign kids
→ king of prussia: spain in the summertime
→ king of prussia: terrarium
p.s. starting next week and continuing the following week i'm counting down my top favorite songs and albums of the year. then i'm taking a few weeks off to enjoy the holiday and learn some new adjectives.
SONG OF THE DAY (#240)
SONG OF THE DAY (#239)
'beatific,' by glass candy
i don't know about you all, but i'm going ape over this sexy, neodisco sound, or whatever you want to call it. it seems like sally shapiro kind of kickstarted it last year [i could be wrong, and probably am], or least gave it a bit of credibility. then you had chromatics get really favorable press, and rightfully so [their cover of kate bush's 'running up that hill' is still one my favorite things from this year]. then the other day i heard glass candy. at first listen i thought, 'wow, they sound a lot like chromatics.' [and i adore chromatics, so i was happy, to say the least]. so i did a little research and it turns out both chromatics and glass candy are from portland and glass candy member/producer johnny jewel also produces the chromatics. and not only that, they toured together. of course they came through salt lake city last june, but since i didn't know the first thing about either of them at the time, well...big bummer, to say the least.
from the opening notes, 'beatific,' is a worthy--and very sexy--addition to the neodisco canon. it's all acid-laced synths, undulating rhythms, pulsating beats, and ida no's detached, cool-as-ice vocals [i'm not usually a fan of vibratos, but ida's send chills down my spine]. 'beatific' is the kind of song you'd expect to hear in some sweaty italodisco, not something from a city known for its rose festival. but glass candy understands the paradox, as ida intones half way through 'beatific,' 'peoples' rules and what they do are often different things.' take that to heart [especially those of you who dismiss this kind of music sound unheard].
→ glass candy: beatific
→ glass candy: etheric device
→ glass candy: candy castle
SONG OF THE DAY (#238)
'on a saturday,' by jacob golden
during the past few weeks i've gotten to a few text messages from my sister telling me how awesome jacob golden is. so i finally took her advice and gave a listen. she was right! he is very awesome. and he comes comes from the golden state [gotta support my brethren], which may or may not have anything to do with his name. i'm guessing it might, 'cos honestly, who's named jacob golden?
jacob's been kickin' it solo since his previous band, birthday, went kaput. he's released to solo albums, the most recent being 'revenge songs,' from which these three songs come from. 'on a saturday' was also featured on the last episode of 'the o.c.' [i've been missing that show lately. i need me some more seth and taylor--but mostly just taylor--know what i'm sayin'?]. so if you like your elliot smith without the doom and gloom, your ray lamontagne, et al, then jacob is your golden boy.
→ jacob golden: on a saturday
→ jacob golden: shine a light
→ jacob golden: revenge song
SONG OF THE DAY (#237)
'a&e,' by goldfrapp
there are only a handful of bands that i absolutely obsess over these days: depeche, saint etienne, doves, asobi seksu, sophie ellis-bextor, and, drum roll, please [insert drum roll] goldfrapp!! i search out every weird b-side, remix, single, video, poster, tshirt, etc. i think i have an undiagnosed case of o.c.d. i really do. i really should get some help for that. on second thought, nah.
lucky for me i got to hear the new goldfrapp album, 'the seventh tree,' yesterday [slated for a february 24 release on mute records]. it's a complete 180 from the delicious 'supernature.' and i mean a complete 180. where their previous effort was a blast of stompy and sultry electroglam, 'the seventh tree' is downright pastoral in places. what's this?! acoustic guitars? didn't see that coming. magnificent! this is what i love about goldfrapp -- they are completely unpredictable, and in a good way. whether it was the baroque pop of 'felt mountain,' the trashy 'black cherry,' or the aforementioned 'supernature,' you never quite know what you're going to get. you just know it's going to be awesome. 'the seventh tree' is no exception. it's an exquisite record [other standouts include 'happiness,' 'caravan girl,' and 'clowns']. alison and will continue to show why they're one of the most exciting things in music today. and oh, that voice... if i could pick one, just one, voice -- it'd be allison's. so pure, so effortless... *swoon.* she is exquisite! [must find a thesaurus, too].
man, i cannot wait for the regular release. two months and counting...
and oh yeah, this is post #100!
→ goldfrapp: a&e
→ goldfrapp: number 1 / video [from 'supernature']
→ goldfrapp: pilots / video [from 'felt mountain']
→ depeche mode: halo [goldfrapp remix]
SONG OF THE DAY (#236)
'broadcast to the addicted,' by drakes hotel
it turns out i didn't search out that owls album after all. why? i was too busy rocking out to 'broadcast to the addicted' to bother leaving the house. i strapped on guitar, lowered the mirrorball, turned on the strobe light, hopped up on the coffee table and strummed like there was no manana. must. get. out. more. or maybe i was still in my turkey/stuffing-induced coma and dreamed that entire scene... hmm....
so, amy drake and chris y. add their names to the ever-growing list of husband/wife duos making groovy music. i don't know that i can think of anything cooler than making music with your significant other. it's gotta be a lot better than making music with your insignificant others. they have a pretty cool story, so go visit their website and check it out. and while you do that, do your own version of rockin' out to this song. the more outrageous the better.
→ drakes hotel: broadcast to the addicted
SONG OF THE DAY (#235)
'duel,' by sophie ellis-bextor
ok, so i know i said that the owls post would be the last until monday. that was before i got to work this morning. man, this place is a tomb today. i think 80% of my department is out. i'm just sitting here with nothing to do except listen to music. thankfully i get to leave at 2pm, but that's 2.5 hours from now. tick tock, tick tock, tick tock....
so i got to thinking, on this thanksgiving eve, what i'm thankful. you know what i'm thankful for? that's right: sophie ellis-bextor. dang straight. aside from making one of my favorite albums of the year, holy frak she's so hot. i like beautiful women who sing perfect pop songs. sue me.
here are some rare sophie ellis-bextor songs for your thanksgiving enjoyment.
→ sophie ellis-bextor: duel ['today the sun's on us' b-side]
→ sophie ellis-bextor: dear jimmy [from the 'popjustice' compilation]
→ sophie ellis-bextor: move the music ['me and my imagination' b-side]
→ sophie ellis-bextor: here's to you ['me and my imagination' b-side]
happy thanksgiving. again.
SONG OF THE DAY (#234)
'air,' by the owls
do band pictures get any better than this one? answer: no.
the first time i heard them was this song on my friend honora's 2005 compilation. it's a tremendous little song, not entirely dissimilar from their compatriots, low [the owls are from minnesota, too]. the vocal melodies remind me a lot of mimi parkers--so much so that i actually wondered if the owls were a mimi parker side project. this, of course, is a huge compliment. anyone who's listened to low knows the power of mimi's voice. but i don't want anyone to get the idea this is a low wannabe band. nothing could be further from the truth. for one, there's a bass drum. see, they're different.
if you need proof, the owls are allison labonne, maria may, brian tighe and john jerry. and they make terrific music. and here's something for your gee whiz collection: vocalist allison labonne used to be part of the legendary jim ruiz band ['legendary' is part of the band's name, not an adjective ascribed by your truly, though the ARE pretty legendary]. those of you who've were on the 'song of the day' list when it was in email form will remember the legendary jim ruiz group from last valentine's day--or at least i hope you remember.
the band released their debut l.p. 'daughters and suns,' on october 23rd of this year. i don't know about you, but come black friday i'll be searching it out. i think you should, too.
this is the last post until monday, so have yourselves a happy, happy turkey day. may you imbibe on stuffing and turkey and take a four hour nap afterwards.
→ the owls: air
→ the owls: city girl
→ the owls: drop me a line
SONG OF THE DAY (#233)
'you got me wrong,' by biker boy
i'll give you one guess as to where biker boy comes from. need a hint? his name is peter lundbergh. if you still can't figure it out, well...
i know this isn't going to appeal to everyone, but i don't really care 'cos i absolutely love it. [you should all know by now that i have a soft spot, a love seat, an armchair, a chaise lounge, a papasan, and a futon in my heart for synthpop. and when it's done as well and as tastefully as biker boy, hey, all the better.] i kind of did a double take, or the audio equivalent, the first time i heard 'you got me wrong.' i thought, 'what's brett anderson doing singing over some pet shop boys-inspired synth songs? it's frak-tastic!' even after i did some research on biker boy and discovered it was peter lundbergh, i still wasn't completly convinced it wasn't brett anderson. some nine months on i'm still not 100% sure, but hey...
biker boy released the 'you got me wrong' e.p. back in '05, and i think 'heart' and 'i was only joking' have been released as singles, too. last i heard peter was working on his debut l.p. and i, for one, am stoked about it!
→biker boy: you got me wrong / video
→biker boy: heart / video
→biker boy: i was only joking
SONG OF THE DAY (#232)
'loving you hating me,' by soft cell
sure, marc almond and david ball are most known for their cover version of ed cobb's 'tainted love' [yes, it's a cover--and it wasn't even the first cover at that], but soft cell were a heckuva lot more than one-hit wonders. all you have to do is go back and listen to their first three studio albums to see what a terrific pop band they were. they had a slew of top singles in the UK ['torch,' 'bedsitter,' 'say hello wave goodbye,' among others] and courted more then their fair share of controversy--mainly for a highly publicized, highly protested and ultimately unaired video for 'sex dwarf.' i honestly don't think there's been a more hilariously unnerving song ever committed to tape than that one. listen to it--if you dare.
soft cell is a tremendous band. marc almond's over-the-top vocal theatrics and art-conscious image and dave ball's knack for alternately sinister and poppy pop songs made for an interesting and compelling marriage of sight and sound [you'd never guess they were both art students, right? gee, didn't see that coming], and gave birth to one of the UKs most sensational bands of the 80s and beyond. now i'm just worried that too many hipsters slag them off as so-called 'one-hit wonders.' memo to hipsters: there was a music scene before 2000. just because certain websites ignore that fact [you know who i'm talking about] doesn't mean you should too.
check yourself out soft cell. they're nothing short of revelatory.
→ soft cell: loving you hating me
→ soft cell: sex dwarf
→ soft cell: say hello, wave goodbye / video
→ soft cell: little rough rhinestone
→ gloria jones: tainted love [1964]
SONG OF THE DAY (#231)
'lost,' by the mary onettes
as i was trolling the itunes this morning i came across the mary onettes. i clicked 'play' and i was hit by right hook of pop perfection. i went to google and searched 'em, and lo and behold, they're swedist. of course they are. honestly, people, where would be without sweden? i think the audiophiles of the world need to give sweden a hug. we owe it so much.
i don't know if the mary onettes is a play on words or not, but it could be 'the merry ones,' or 'the marionettes,' or something else entirely. i'm leaning towards 'the merry ones' 'cos, boy, these guys write some great pop tunes--as does just about every swede with a guitar or a moog. what separates the mary onettes from their countrymen and women, however, are their influences. the mary onettes owe as big a debt to echo and the bunnymen and new order as they do burt bacharach. this is pure post-punk pop. and it's a dream. if you like the shout out louds, you'll flip for this. and it's yet another feather in labrador's cap. what a roster they have.
man, i love this song. the hook is so huge you could land a whale with it. what better way to start a friday?
→ the mary onettes: lost
→ the mary onettes: everyday and today
→ the mary onettes: explosions
MY BLOODY VALENTINE
i'm in tears. literally. hot, hot diggity! who wants to go?
��� my bloody valentine: only shallow
��� my bloody valentine: slow
��� my bloody valentine: you made me realize
��� my bloody valentine: soon
SONG OF THE DAY (#230)
'the mutineer,' by mojave 3
buried at the very end of mojave 3's 2006 album, 'puzzles like you,' is this little gem sung by drummer ian mccutcheon. it's noteworthy because not only is it a terrific song, but it's also the first time [to my knowledge] that someone other than neal halstead or bassist rachel goswell has taken over lead vocals on a mojave 3 album track. he's got such a nice, unaffected voice [and yeah, he does sound a bit like mark linkous]. i've always kind of imagined this song playing over the end of the closing credits to some movie. here's hoping ian rocks the mic on future mojave 3 albums.
as far as mojave 3, have very quietly made a very nice career for themselves. after slowdive [one of this kid's favoritest bands ever] was dropped from their label, neal started writing more 'traditional' songs. the new songs were enough of a depature from the trademark slowdive sound that it necessitated a name change. mojave 3 was born. and now 13 years and 5 studio albums in, they're still a tremendous band.
→ mojave 3: the mutineer
→ neal halstead: high hopes
→ slowdive: 40 days
SONG OF THE DAY (#229)
'tv,' by headlights
i'm just going to copy and paste this from their website: 'Following the demise of Absinthe Blind, Erin Fein and Brett Sanderson formed the short-lived guitarless band Orphans, which provided Fein a developmental first outlet as principle songwriter. Soon, Tristan Wraight returned to Champaign from a stint on the road as touring guitarist for Maserati and joined the band, invoking a startling change as he and Fein began a prolific period of songwriting together. The band changed completely, and in the thaw of the Illinois spring of 2004, Headlights was born in a farmhouse just north of Champaign.' so there you have it.
headlights is pretty new to me, but they've been around for the last couple of years. according to my itunes, i added them to my library last march, but ask me if i remember doing so [i don't]. i tell you, it's a good thing i was listening to heart ['til now i always got by on my own. i never really cared until i met you! and now it chills me to the bone. how do i get you alone?' belt it out, ann!] yesterday because headlights was right before them. i scrolled up, hit play, and was immediately taken by them. seriously, this is some good stuff. they remind a bit of stars, and erin's vocals remind me a lot of new buffalo's sally seltman [if that sounds like a great combo, it is!]. according to their website, they're working on the newest l.p. as we speak. this is very good news. their first l.p., 'kill them with kindness,' and an e.p. titled 'the enemies' are out now. check it out. great stuff.
'tv' is rockin' little tune. judging by the first strummed chord, you might think it's the open note to a sergio leone spaghetti western soundtrack [or a franz ferdinand song -- i'm just sayin'], but it immediately jumps into a tried and true chord pattern. throw in some funky piano, some video game sounds effects and you've got a super song. but don't take my word for it. listen for yourselves....
headlights: tv / video
headlights: put us back together right / live
SONG OF THE DAY (#228)
'annie, let's not wait,' by guillemots
anytime i can talk about, write about, or listen to the guillemots, it's a very good thing. yes, they were my favorite band of 2006, but that doesn't mean i stopped listening to them in 2007 [and i'm still swoon over aristazabal. and, let's face it, who isn't?]. quite the contrary, in fact. my love has only grown as has my disappointment that they've not reached a wider audience. these are some top tunes, kids. if you don't already have the album, buy it, steal it, download it, borrow it and rip it, whatever. just get it.
'annie' was kind of a suprising choice for a single [it's been out as a single for awhile now]. it's a fine song, even a great song, i just never imagined it as a single, especially since it's track #10 on the album and everybody knows that albums tend to be frontloaded with singles and potential singles. but no one could ever accuse the guillemots of taking the conventional route, so it really shouldn't be surprising at all. i don't know about you all, but i'm going to just listen and enjoy it. so please enjoy yourself some guillemots, too...
→ guillemots: annie, let's not wait [single version] / video
→ guillemots: photograph ['annie' b-side]
→ guillemots: my chosen one [from the 'from the cliffs' e.p.]
SONG OF THE DAY (#227)
it doesn't get much cooler than the story of vitesse. hewson chen and joshua klein collaborated on a piece of music for their 'intro to music composition' class as the university of chicago. after forming their band, they took a page from the led zeppelin school of recording and recorded their debut in a dazzling 36 hours.
they released their most recent album, 'you win again, gravity!' [from which this song comes from] back in 2002, but with hewson's commitments to alsace lorraine, who knows if and when we'll get some more vitesse. i, for one, have all eight fingers and both thumbs crossed [it's a nasty visual, so don't think about it] that we do.
fair or unfair, it's hard not to mention the magnetic fieldswhen speaking or writing about vitesse. as soon as joshua klein opens his mouth he sounds like a slightly more upbeat stephin merritt [it's kind of like listening to paul banks and saying, 'hey, he sounds like ian curtis'] and the majority of the songs on 'you win again' straddle the between holiday-era magnetic fields and architecture & morality-era o.m.d. it's the classic lo-fi, synthpop d.i.y. aesthetic. and it's awesome! it's not hard to imagine a room full of rolands and moogs and about eight miles of cables and extension chords. now that's an awesome visual. think about that one for awhile.
the beauty of the album is that despite the blatantly retro sound, it doesn't sound fixed in any one particular time or place. synthpop's been called many things [most of them disparaging], but with endearing lyrics like, 'when you speak the constellations swirl' and undeniably melodic tunes, this is probably the first time it can be called transcendent.
��� vitesse: out under stars
��� vitesse: of all the things that you've done wrong
��� vitesse: just for a night
��� the magnetic fields: strange powers [from holiday]
SONG OF THE DAY (#226)
'movie star,' by roisin murphy
it's a rare thing when the reality lives up to the expectation. back on august 12th i wrote of roisin's first single 'overpowered,' 'no street date on roisin's new album, but if this song is any indication of things to come, let's hope it's sooner rather than later.' well, not only was 'overpowered' indeed a harbinger of things to come, it was merely the opening salvo in a full-on frontal and aural assault.
'overpowered' smashed any expectations i had, which i admit were pretty lofty [i tried my best to keep those expectations in check, but wow, 'overpowered' easily made my top ten songs of the year]. i don't think it's a stretch to say it's one of the top, if not the top, dance album of the year. seriously, kids, it's stoopid good--which can only mean one thing: it won't get an official u.s. release. in the immortal words of g.o.b. bluth: come on!
'movie star,' which amazingly enough hasn't been released as a single yet [i imagine it's only a matter of time before it is], is a corker of the highest order. i think i might even like it more than 'overpowered,' which given my adoration for that song, is saying' something. if you haven't already figured it out, i can't recommend this album enough. i know it's not for everyone [especially you folkies], but give it a chance, expand your pallet, broaden your horizons, and any other cliches you feel inclined to add to the list...
→ roisin murphy: movie star
→ roisin murphy: let me know / video [the 2nd single]
→ roisin murphy: modern timing ['overpowered' b-side. how this didn't make it o the album is a mystery.]
SONG OF THE DAY (#225)
'kanga-roo,' by big star
the big star story literally the stuff of myth, the kind of story music goons like myself live for. a story so wonderfully strange and odd that you wonder if it actually happened. could it really happen? by all accounts it did and that makes it all the more compelling.
alex chilton, chris bell, andy hummel, and and jody stephens got together in memphis back in 1971. chilton and bell, the two principal songwriters, took the lennon/mccartney approach to songwriting, each singing his respective songs. the results are some of the greatest power pop songs to come out of the u.s.a. during the 1970s. never short of ambition or chutzpah, they amusingly titled their debut album, '#1 record.' the only problem is that it was nowhere near a number one record. big star, despite glowing reviews and critical accolades[rolling stone names all three big star albums among the top 500 albums of all-time], was a total commercial flop. as a result, chris bell, who suffered from severe bouts of depression, quit the band to start his solo career; later he lent a hand to big star's sophomore effort, 'radio city.' his song, 'you and your sister' is among the most lauded songs of the decade. chris bell was killed in automobile accident in 1978 at the age of 26. alex chilton carried on and released 'third/sister lovers,' easily one of the seminal albums of 1970s-a song so full of top songs that it plays more like a greatest hits. but outside a small circle of die-hards, big still labored in near obscurity.
fortunately, big star experienced a renaissance during the late 80s as a lot of up and coming musicians, among them r.e.m., teenage fanlcub, the replacements, matthew sweet, primal scream and the posies, all cited big star as a massive influence. 'thirteen' as been covered by elliot smith and garbage; the bangles covered 'september gurls;' this mortal coil covered 'holocaust' and 'kangaroo;' and jeff buckley covered 'kangaroo.' those are definitely some of big star's high points, but the sheer number of quality tunes in the space of three studio albums is astonishing.
it's hard for me to pick a favorite, but if i absolutely had to, i'd go with 'kanga-roo.' not only is an incredible song, it's got one of the single best production jobs i've ever heard. it straddles the line between beauty and madness, though you could argue they're one in the same. it's worth listening to simply for the background: the feedback, the electric bursts ofpercussion, the mellotron, the cowbell that appears out of nowhere. it should, by right, be a total disaster, but chilton miraculously keeps it together with that aching, yearning voice of his. and according to legend, it took all of 45 minutes to record. amazing. bill janovitz wrote an amazing review of the song here. i highly recommend reading it. he does far more justice to it than i ever could.
it wasn't until 2001 that i heard a big star album and i wonder how i ever lived without them. check it out. you'll be glad you did.
→ big star: kanga-roo
→ big star: stroke it noel
→ big star: thirteen
→ big star: my life is right
→ big star: september gurls
SONG OF THE DAY (#224)
'beautiful girl,' by the freelance hellraiser
the freelance hellraiser's debut, 'waiting for clearance,' was definitely one of my favorite albums from last year [despite gary lightbody's vapid lyrical contributions on a handful of songs]. it was a really great album full of snappy dance tunes. i'm really puzzled why it wasn't a massive hit. anyone know why? i don't think it was officially released in the US, which might explain, at last, a bit of the reason why. at any rate, if you've not heard 'waiting for clearance,' search it out. it's the perfect soundtrack to your next weekend out.
'beautiful girl' is the b-sides to 'you can cry all you want.' it's pretty typical freelance hellraiser fare--chugging basslines, screaming guitars, energetic vocals. it's downright funktastic. break out the mirrorball and strobelights for this one, kids, you're going to need them.
→ the freelance hellraiser: beautiful girl
→ editors: blood [the freelance hellrasier editorial]
SONG OF THE DAY (#223)
'schoolgirl psychedelia,' by fantastic everlasting gobstopper
i can't believe christmas is a mere seven weeks away. here's a question for you, where the bleep did 2007 go? another year has almost passed and that means i'm another year closer to a mid-life crisis, which, sadly, isn't too far off on the horizon...
but i digress. i love me some christmas. i love the smell of artificial christmas trees, the candy stomach aches, the sugar-induced comas, the old fashioned candy canes, watching 'a christmas story' 47 times, the tofurkey in the oven, and, of course, the loot. ah, christmas, sweet christmas. i love you.
last christmas i discovered this song quite by accident. i was listening to to a compilation called 'songs for the jet set: supreme edition,' that a friend of mine sent to me that the fantastic siesta records out of spain put together [their roster includes rita calypso, milky, beaumont, la buena vida, pastel vespa, etc]. i loved it instantly. it's unlike anything i've heard and boasts the fantastic lyric, 'oi, santa! get yr beard out yr face!' that's just awesome. no other way about it. i love christmas songs, but this one's shot straight to the head of the reindeer line. i have a feeling it will become a christmas staple in the lohrke household.
this morning i did a little research on fantastic everlasting gobstopper and best as i can tell, the band was created specifically for the compilation and the three songs that appear on it are the only three they've done. i could be wrong and i hope i am. if anyone can refute my research, please do. i'm dying to hear some more.
let the christmas season begin! hopefully this song gets you in the mood. but honestly, who needs music to get in the christmas spirit?
��� fantastic everlasting gobstopper: schoolgirl psychedelia
��� fantastic everlasting gobstopper: i am a kitten
��� fantastic everlasting gobstopper: my cutie
Oh, happy, blessed day...
man, he looks good in blue and white!
SONG OF THE DAY (#222)
'paper and glue,' by emma pollock
you can count me among the huge list of folks who cried more than a few tears when the delgados broke up back in 2005. they really were one of the truly underrated and under appreciated bands at the time of their amicable parting. i know those terms get thrown around a lot in the wake of band splits, but the delgados wrote some incredibly top tunes and a lot of people who should have heard of them simply haven't [i admit i was more than a little bit late to the party]. they inhabited a nice space somewhere between the flaming lips and belle & sebastian. even the great john peel once called them the 'best band in britain' [and this at the height of britpop, so, you know, that's really saying something]. so here's today's free advice: go back and discover the delgados back catalogue [five full albums--including the dave fridmann produced, 'the great eastern']. there's are untold numbers of gems in them there recordings.
emma pollack, now signed to 4ad, released her solo debut, 'watch the fireworks,' this past september and i finally had the opportunity to listen to it this weekend. it's just as electric as any delgados album, even if the electricity is turned down a few volts. in doing so she proves that dynamism is just as likely to be found in quiet corners as it is in amplifiers. ['watch the fireworks' has plenty of the former and the later.]
at her core, she's still a classic pop song writer in the truest sense, but she uses much cleverer chord changes and song structures than her contemporaries. [and dragging your husband former delgados drummer paul savage; your brother-in-law, jamie; and aerogramme bassist campbell macneil into the fray also helps.] and more importantly, she completely avoids all the quasi-nauseating female songwriter pop cliches that afflict the current brand of balladrixes [pianos, cutesy vocals, overly clever lyrics, etc, etc, etc.]. in short, she kicks significant amounts of a**.
hopefully 'watch the fireworks' is a portent of things to come. solo debuts just don't come better than this. go buy 'watch the fireworks.' now.
→ emma pollock: paper and glue
→ emma pollock: acid test
→ the delgados: all you need is hate
→ the delgados: is this all that i came for?
SONG OF THE DAY (#221)
'lying,' by martina topley-bird
after a musical and personal relationship with tricky that culminated in tricky's 'angels with dirty faces,' martina topley-bird struck out on her own. after one listen through her 2003 album, 'quixotic,' it's easy to see why she was his muse. martina's voice is as hypnotic as it is unforced, as pure as it is beguiling. and it's got a serious amount of soul. in a genre like trip-hop, that kind of voice is paramount in balancing out sparse, minimalist beats and 'gruff' production in tricky's songs.
'quixotic,' which was shortlisted for the mercury prize the year of its release and spawned four singles ['lying' wasn't one of them]. 'quixotic,' perhaps inevitably, exhibits some similar sign posts to tricky's album. but it's still martina's album through and through. it's a sort blend of classic soul, hip-hop, electronica, and a little good, old-fashioned rock & roll. and it sounds great. but it's her vocals that stand out front and center. she brings so much life and genuine emotion to her singing. it's quite a joy to listen to.
and in the interest of full disclosure, i'd never heard of her until this past weekend. and i call myself an a music fan. psh! well, better late than never [it's especially odd because i own tricky's debut 'maxinquay,' in which martina sings most of the songs. i guess i just never put it together].
'quixotic' also features guest appearances from mark lanegan [yeah, him again], josh homme [queens of the stone age], david holmes, david arnold, and, of course, tricky. those are some serious heavyweights, kids. if she's new to you, i highly recommend 'quixotic.' but if you do go looking for it, and you're in the u.s., looked for the album titled 'anything' [basically the adulterated version, redesigned and resequenced. blasted record companies!].
→ martina topley bird: lying
→ martina topley bird: need one
→ martina topley bird: i still feel
→ martina topley bird: carnies [from her upcoming album, 'blue god,' due out in 2008]
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