winsome/loathsome

Painted Palms -...

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:49:16 -0500

Painted Palms - “Click”

dancedancedancedancedancedancedancedancedancetokenminorchorddancedancedancedancedancedancedancedancedancedancedancedance.

Bibio - “You” From ‘Silver Wilkinson’....

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:06:04 -0500

Bibio - “You”

From ‘Silver Wilkinson’. Sounds like many things, but mostly nice.

The Hidden Cameras — “Ban...

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:52:08 -0500

The Hidden Cameras — “Ban Marriage”

Minnesota!!!

Love is the law. My love is not bigger than your love. Ban marriage for no one.

Rufus Wainwright, “Complainte de la Butte” Another...

Thu, 09 May 2013 21:21:47 -0500

Rufus Wainwright, “Complainte de la Butte”

Another Baz Luhrman experience is set for this weekend. Moulin Rouge! was not my cup of tea, but it was a spectacle. This Rufus cover of Georges Van Parys and Jean Renoir is enough to make me want to learn French — and then you see the English translation and it makes you sick.

The moon, all too fair, in your russet-red hair sets a sparkling crown
The moon, all too red with glory, is spread on your poor, tattered gown
The moon, all too white, caresses the light in your world-weary eyes
Princess of the street, do allow me to greet you, my broken heart cries

The steps of Montmartre, all uphill, are hardest on the poor
The sails of the mill, like wings, shelter all paramours

I feel, beggar-girl, your fetters, they curl as they seek out my wrists
I feel your young breasts, your thin little waist
I lose my regrets
I taste on your mouth the feverish breath of a half-starving waif
And with your caress I sense drunkenness erasing my life

The steps of Montmartre, all uphill, are hardest on the poor
The sails of the mill, like wings, shelter all paramours

And see how she skips, the moon how she drifts,
The princess in tow
Da da da da da da da da da da
My reveries grow

The steps of Montmartre, all uphill, are hardest on the poor
The sails of the mill, like wings, shelter all paramours

Dammitall, anyway.

High Highs — “Open Season” Pianos! Beaches!...

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 11:38:39 -0500

High Highs — “Open Season”

Pianos! Beaches! Crowds of people! Manpris! I don’t care. This is how Sunday is supposed to feel. Enjoy the sunshine.

katherinestasaph: Remember when Ace of Base had their own...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:41:53 -0500

katherinestasaph:

Remember when Ace of Base had their own amazing pop-house track?

I don’t know what it means to be a singles band. Every...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:47:01 -0500

I don’t know what it means to be a singles band. Every group has catchy songs that can’t help but stand out. New Orleans’ Generationals didn’t have too many singles on 2011’s Actor-Caster — which was more than a bit of a bummer after their 2009 debut, Con Law, and the Trust EP seemed to build up to a payoff that just fizzled out into layers of whatever Actor-Caster thought is was.

Heza makes you wonder where they’ve been, but glad they’re back.

Chvrches are an electro pop thing that (supposedly) pales in...

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 22:43:42 -0500

Chvrches are an electro pop thing that (supposedly) pales in comparison to the Knife. But then, what doesn’t? There is so much less lurking or menacing in their songs — “Recover” in particular — I don’t see the likeness or validity of the comparison.

The pixie vocals (with slight Scottish accent slips) aren’t quite syrupy or even sweet, but the bouncy synth line and plaintive delivery sell this as a Springtime thaw.

They’re coming to the Fine Line in June.

Thee Oh Sees - “Maze Fancier” off of Floating...

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 22:48:27 -0500

Thee Oh Sees - “Maze Fancier” off of Floating Coffin

Turn it up and dance your ass off. This sounds like school’s out and it’s summer. It also sounds like Krautrock compared to how unhinged Thee Oh Sees usually sound.

Jason Molina died the week before last. I was not a huge fan of...

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 21:31:38 -0500

Jason Molina died the week before last. I was not a huge fan of Songs: Ohia, nor am I a huge fan of Will Oldham or Magnolia Electric Co., with whom he was associated. Somehow combining the slowest of slowcore with the saddest whelp of a vocal — it’s all the epitome of anti-folk to me (if anti-folk were about the worst qualities of folk instead of the quirkiest). Somewhere along the line I caught the wail of the outro and was hooked, at least by this song…

Laboring, I first chose you for my all-star team
And you have been advised
Where power and rich kids find ways to unite
It is virtue who’s sitting the bench
By not talking, I shouldn’t have to say it
I said get out, I mean get out this minute
I don’t trust you more than
The weight of your shadow
Rich kid I’m talking to you

Not sure how I feel about the bench line, but I read of derivatives markets ballooning while banks and lobbyists work to gut the meager efforts to regulate them, the Steubenville texts that led to the rape convictions, and the sentiment rings true enough.

Also: alcoholism leads to major organ failure.

RIP Jason Molina

Photo

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 12:02:10 -0500

“They’re busting unions in Wisconsin/They’re...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:36:34 -0500

“They’re busting unions in Wisconsin/They’re praising Jesus in the schools” — Whitehorse, ”Wisconsin”

Not that I’m seeking it out, but protest music or just topical political songwriting shouldn’t have such a stigma attached to it. ‘Walker Busts Unions’ should be great material for anyone with skin in the game or anyone remotely paying attention. Did Bright Eyes ruin it for everyone? Instead, this song is mostly about a population driven to distraction. Apathy makes material, too.

James Blake, “Retrograde” The minimalist white boy...

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 16:11:48 -0600

James Blake, “Retrograde”

The minimalist white boy R&B thing did nothing for me with his first record. I didn’t see the songs. I mean, just because it’s a slow jam doesn’t automatically mean we have to call it ‘soulful’ but that’s how the buzz buzzed last time around and for me it poisoned the James Blake well.

This time? That vocal hook is it. Simple beat. Fuzzy synths. The way the first verse hits. The way the fuzz drops out just as the hook echoes and plays out. Sexy and sinister.

Very nice.

Fol Chen, “In Ruins” From Part II: The New...

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:53:43 -0600

Fol Chen, “In Ruins”

From Part II: The New December off Asthmatic Kitty Records in the Summer of 2010. This was my favorite track. They have a new one coming at the end of the month.

Not bedroom pop, but definitely intricate. Pointed, but not aggressive. Not dance floor material. Seductively Middle-Eastern tinged, maybe. Whatever. It moves.

I love that piano line.

UUVVWWZ, “Open Sign” I don’t really know how...

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 20:53:00 -0600

UUVVWWZ, “Open Sign”

I don’t really know how to define post-punk. I don’t necessarily think this is, but that’s mostly because of the video trying so hard. My favorite thing about post-punk is its assault on song structure — there can be an A part and a B part and you may or may not hear it again. It’s jarring in that you expect traditional bridge and chorus, but you’re left frustrated and exhilarated, second guessing everything you hear and, unless it’s truly unpleasant, wanting to replay the song just to make sure you heard it right. I believe the word I’m looking for is nonlinear.

Anyway. This song is solid until the final 45 seconds.

Also: Winners of the most obnoxious band name go to UUVVWWZ — pronounced: “Double U Double U Double U Double U Z” or just not at all.

“House of the Rising Sun” is all I hear by the...

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 20:53:26 -0600

“House of the Rising Sun” is all I hear by the outtro. Love the production, her voice and the treatment of it.

Sizable bank of references listed…

Recommended for fans of:

Portishead, Neko Case, Cowboy Junkies, Lana Del Rey,
Tom Waits, Lovage, Aimee Mann, Mates of State,
Lucinda Williams, Mazzy Star, Black Keys, Dr. John

Foxygen, “San Francisco” It’s not often a song...

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:18:46 -0600

Foxygen, “San Francisco”

It’s not often a song waits 1:15 to get to the point. If you wait until the :50 mark, you’ll feel it creeping and then the bottom almost drop out before the nonchalant chorus — which I didn’t take to immediately — “I left my love in San Francisco (that’s ok. I was born in L.A.)”.

The Wes Anderson-ish is everywhere. It wears you down.

Not nearly dramatic as Animal Collective or as obnoxious as...

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 17:23:40 -0600

Not nearly dramatic as Animal Collective or as obnoxious as Danielson, the vocals would likely be an obstacle for most. The driving beat, dumb chorus and cheerful disdain for ambition get me.

Lyrics:

Know I feel the purpose of your art, buried in books that try to stay anything but outdated
All the pushers trying to leave their mark, every single suited man, vile and red-faced

It’s a little much, gotta filter out the mush

Smile and face the modern tyranny, monetary gain was never on your list of needs in the first place
Trying just to speak authentically, putting out your feelers, wheeling with the dealers, cutting out your own way

It’s a little much, gotta fiddle with the slush

Know we can’t be anything but inextricably linked to the spots upon your soul
Every time I see you sitting in your giddyup blue jeans, I feel you needing something after all.

Know I feel the purpose of your art, buried in books that try to stay anything but outdated
All the pushers trying to leave their mark, every single suited man, vile and red-faced

It’s a little much, gotta filter out the mush

The Growlers, “One Million Lovers” Produced by the...

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:33:12 -0600

The Growlers, “One Million Lovers”

Produced by ~~the Black Keys Dan Auerbach~~ themselves, Hung at Heart is out January 22nd. They hit the Entry on February 2nd.

Casey Weldon

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:39:40 -0600

Casey Weldon