People like me: you have my sympathy. You should also read this recent Pitchfork column by seemingly erstwhile scribe William Bowers. You will recognise many of the thought processes, anxieties, petty rationalisations and antisocial tendencies contained therein. (You will also note, with misguided satisfaction, that you are not the only person to obsessively alphabetise your "collection", and to know who sits next to whom on the shelves.)
One qualification, though. In the case of Maggie Gyllenhaal, I think I could turn a blind eye to the occasional Jim Morrison poster.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Song of the day
"Trilogy", by Sonic Youth.
There can be nothing more pathetic than the sight of a wizened 47-year-old man in a nondescript gray suit, standing at a bus stop in Canberra, playing silent air guitar like his life depended on it, to a song that is going on 25 years old.
Reader, that was me.
Fortunately the bus arrived before things got too out of hand.
The first part of the trilogy you can see/hear below.
There can be nothing more pathetic than the sight of a wizened 47-year-old man in a nondescript gray suit, standing at a bus stop in Canberra, playing silent air guitar like his life depended on it, to a song that is going on 25 years old.
Reader, that was me.
Fortunately the bus arrived before things got too out of hand.
The first part of the trilogy you can see/hear below.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Song of the day
"Be All Be Easy", by Woods.
"Elegant Chaos" may have been a song by Julian Cope, but it also neatly sums up what you get with Woods: more or less classic pop stylings wrapped up in ramshackle instrumentation and deceptively absent (but in a good way) production, uh, "values". All of which is on offer here. What I like, in particular, are the keyboards that quietly sneak in towards the end of the song and then take over, like a benevolent dictator taking power in a bloodless, but rather exciting, coup.
Or perhaps you would prefer the live experience:
You knew there would be facial hair.
"Elegant Chaos" may have been a song by Julian Cope, but it also neatly sums up what you get with Woods: more or less classic pop stylings wrapped up in ramshackle instrumentation and deceptively absent (but in a good way) production, uh, "values". All of which is on offer here. What I like, in particular, are the keyboards that quietly sneak in towards the end of the song and then take over, like a benevolent dictator taking power in a bloodless, but rather exciting, coup.
Or perhaps you would prefer the live experience:
You knew there would be facial hair.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Song of the day
"Candyskin", by Fire Engines.
Where is the YouTube love for this song? Come on you guys. In the meantime direct download it here.
Anyway the lame excuse (if one were needed: NOT) for posting this song is that we had two fire engines at our house on Sunday night, on account of smoke in the living room and some kind of electrical smell. It must have been a false alarm (the house is still standing). One boy was understandably freaked out. The other was out there in his PJs staring in awe at the trucks. I had been, for a short while, in a state of desperate panic as I raced around the house looking for the flames I was certain I would find.
In hindsight it was probably my amplifier burning out. For the second time this year.
Where is the YouTube love for this song? Come on you guys. In the meantime direct download it here.
Anyway the lame excuse (if one were needed: NOT) for posting this song is that we had two fire engines at our house on Sunday night, on account of smoke in the living room and some kind of electrical smell. It must have been a false alarm (the house is still standing). One boy was understandably freaked out. The other was out there in his PJs staring in awe at the trucks. I had been, for a short while, in a state of desperate panic as I raced around the house looking for the flames I was certain I would find.
In hindsight it was probably my amplifier burning out. For the second time this year.
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Song of the day
"Come On", by Melted Toys.
There is something particularly endearing about this song. It's a bit like if you took The Cat's Miaow, added a couple of extra guitars and tripled the length of their songs. It has a bit of that good ol' understated charm about it.
Here they are doing it live:
Style note: it would appear that floppy fringes are back. Perfect for hiding behind if you are a reluctant lead singer uncomfortable with the idea of "projection".
There is something particularly endearing about this song. It's a bit like if you took The Cat's Miaow, added a couple of extra guitars and tripled the length of their songs. It has a bit of that good ol' understated charm about it.
Here they are doing it live:
Style note: it would appear that floppy fringes are back. Perfect for hiding behind if you are a reluctant lead singer uncomfortable with the idea of "projection".
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
YouTube of the day
This is a long clip of Battles doing a song called "Wall Street" live in a big old building somewhere in Paris.
Sometimes you have to watch a band in order for them to make sense. Battles on CD can be somewhat less than transparent. It helps to discover, or be reminded, that all that sound, with its fragile structures and thrilling runs, is being made by three guys. And man, that drummer.
The new album, "Gloss Drop", is well worth your time. I think we can safely say that, "Atlas" notwithstanding (easily the best song of whatever year that was), this is the Battles we wanted all along.
Sometimes you have to watch a band in order for them to make sense. Battles on CD can be somewhat less than transparent. It helps to discover, or be reminded, that all that sound, with its fragile structures and thrilling runs, is being made by three guys. And man, that drummer.
The new album, "Gloss Drop", is well worth your time. I think we can safely say that, "Atlas" notwithstanding (easily the best song of whatever year that was), this is the Battles we wanted all along.
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