Tuesday, November 27, 2007

"Winged/Wicked Things" Sunset Rubdown














The next Wolf Parade CD will have trouble topping this. I haven't heard a record this integrated in a long while. Singling out a song feels like isolating a chorus or a verse. It lacks context. Random Spirit Lover progresses in movements; themes repeat, lyrical imagery returns. (certainly Spencer Krug's nagging worry over whether he's using too many violins is front and centre) It's so nice, in this mp3ed world, to hear a band thinking outside an ipod shuffle.

That said, I'm going to post a single mp3 here. This song seems to stand well enough on it's own.

"Winged/Wicked Things" Sunset Rubdown (mp3)

Buy Random Spirit Lover (amazon) (itunes)

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

"All I Need" Radiohead

I, like you, have a long and varied listening history with Radiohead. I air-guitared to Pablo Honey, in solidarity with my fellow 16 year-olds. I shed a tear to The Bends to let the world know that fake plastic trees, while sounding great as a rock lyric, symbolized the decline of western consumer culture. I got my calculator out for OK Computer, to identify obscure time signatures while smoking pot and debating the virtues of digital distortion filters. Kid A and Amnesiac were filed beside my Tortoise and God Speed You Black Emperor Cd's, affirming for me that my developing but already sublime musical taste was in sync with rock geniuses like Thom Yorke. Hail to Thief was not good enough for me. I didn't have time for it. I was busy. Didn't people know how many amazing bands were out there in need of fans? And now, as if to punish me for my hubris, they release In Rainbows, which has been on repeat for several days, despite my predisposition to indifference. Point taken, guys. Won't happen again.

Here's the embodiment of my current love-affair...

"All I Need" Radiohead

Tired of just pushing artistic boundaries, Radiohead are pushing the commercial envelope as well. In Rainbows is available as a direct pay-what-you-want download...

In Rainbows (pay what you want)

Friday, November 09, 2007

"Little Brother (Electric)" Grizzly Bear














Grizzly Bears aren't just cute and furry and nice. Sure, they are those things (I hear their paws feel like marshmallows and their fur smells like expensive fabric softener) but they'll also fuck your shit up if you catch them on a bad day. So make sure you let them smell your hand before picking up one of their cubs.

The new Grizzly Bear ep, Friend, is full of surprises, but none more exhilarating than the electric reworking of Little Brother, where they bear their rock n roll incisors. What can I say, the dudes have chops. (groan)

The ep sports new arrangements of some of the best tunes from Yellow House and Horn of Plenty, and some interesting covers by CSS, Band of Horses and Atlas Sound, no doubt intended to tide over hungry fans as we wait for the next lp. Seems to be doing the trick.

Here's my favorite track, the Zeppelined-out version of Little Brother, along with the original, if you like to contrast and compare...

"Little Brother (Electric)" Grizzly Bear

"Little Brother" Grizzly Bear

Buy the Friend EP (amazon) (itunes)

Or Grizzly Bear's first full-length, Yellow House (amazon) (itunes)

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

"Falling Slowly" Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová


In Hollywood, they pay people a lot of money to write this scene. It's the scene where the audience falls in love with the young lovers, falling in love. It sounds simple, but audiences are so familiar with this moment that, more often than not, it functions as information ("They are now Falling In Love.") rather than drama. ("Please God, let this work out for them...")

The hit Irish film, "Once", lets the music do all the work. Two struggling musicians meet in a busy Dublin shopping district. He's busking. She's selling flowers. She takes him to a piano shop where he teaches her one of his songs. When she finds the perfect vocal harmony for his lonely melody, the deal is sealed. If you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of a thousand screenwriters drawing a bath and opening a vein. (Go WGA)

"Once" might be the best film I've seen this year, in no small part due to Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová's beautiful songs. It's out on DVD so go rent it, or you can buy it here...

"Once" DVD (amazon)

"Once" Original Soundtrack (amazon)

And here's the album version of Falling Slowly...

"Falling Slowly" Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová


PS Hansard is the front man for The Frames, who are also worth a listen.