#radiohead – Eyes Like the Summer

October 31, 2021

Fright Night — A Soundtrack to the Screams

In honor of today’s holiday, I thought what better way to celebrate than swooping in with a much delayed post (what better way to scare the bejeebus out of someone than seeing my face at your door/posts in your stream, right? “Oh god no — IT’S HIM AGAIN!!!) And to keep it festive we’ll run another round of everyone’s favorite game — SUNSHINE SPEED DATING! (Halloween edition) So without further ado, get your patented one-liners and heartbreaking nostalgia ready, cuz it’s time to roll!

DING! “Why hello there — look at all of you! You look like the sweetest group of grandmas and grandpas I’ve ever seen, with your pressed guayaberas and lovely dresses. You must be out celebrating the 25th anniversary of the amazing Buena Vista Social Club album! That album was SO good — I remember when I traveled there around that time, those songs were everywhere. Coming out of bars, the hotels, even random performers on the street would play some of the songs. Not that I’m complaining — those songs were and still are amazing and it’s nice to hear you all humming them still. Your voices harmonized together so beautifully. It’s really an honor to meet you all.

I have to admit, though, I’m a little surprised to see you all at a speed dating event. What’s that? Yes, I know 80% of those over 65 are still sexually active. And yes, I know I wouldn’t be here if folks like you didn’t “get your grind on” when your “plums were howling” back in the day. You don’t need to be so graphic, senor. I’m just saying, you gotta be careful — STDs are rampant in your age group. Like, out of control — historically high rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis! That sh#$ can drive you insane — it killed Al Capone, ya know. Napoleon too! Oh don’t get offended, I’m only trying to protect you. Just cuz you’re 90 doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wrap it up, that’s all I’m saying! Oh cmon, don’t be like that… Well, I still love the album and really enjoyed the extra disc full of unreleased songs. “La Pluma’s” one of my faves! Have a good day — stay safe!”

DING! “Oh hey! Kevin Morby and Hamilton Leithauser! So cool to meet you guys — you are two of my favorites! Did you guys come dressed as each other? That’s pretty funny — is that something you guys are doing as part of the joint tour you’re on now? Cuz that’d be pretty funny. Ham, you’d come out in a long, wavy wig and sing Kevin’s songs and he’d come out in a suit and tie and sing yours. And then in the third act y’all could switch back and just trade songs as yourselves and close things out with a bang. It could be pretty epic — really live up to that “Fall Mixer” title, ya know?

Speaking of — have you guys come up with a cool combo name now that you’re touring together? Like Bennifer or Morbzahatchee, like when Kevin was doing the weekly virtual shows/rodeos with Ms Katie? You could go indie band and be Leitby, or more ad slogany like 2021 — In Need of Mor Leit. Or play up the academic angle and call yourselves Morhaus University. OOH! Maybe go truly extreme and call it the Hammorb of the Gods. That’d be pretty sick. What’s that? No, you’re right — I guess Fall Mixer’s good, too… Just kind of… plain. Anyway — don’t get offended. I’m excited to see the show in a few weeks. Really like the new song — the intro reminds me of “Blackout” a little. In a good way!”

DING! “Hey! Eddie Vedder! SO cool to meet you — I LOVE your costume. Tom Petty from the Alice in Wonderland video! That’s so cool. I love Tom Petty. And that was such a fun/weird video. Yeah, can’t believe he’s been gone so long — four frigging years?! I don’t know how that’s even possible. What’s that? Oh yeah — I’m really looking forward to watching that new documentary on the making of Wildflowers. That was such a good album…

You know it’s funny you came dressed as him because the first thing that popped into my head when I listened to your new song from the upcoming album was that it totally reminded me of a Petty track. Just out on the open road, big hooks and melody — I really liked it. Eager to see what else you’ve got in store for us. Hey remember that time you climbed into the rafters at those early shows and were hanging there above the stage? You, like, totally could have died, man. Do you ever think about that? And now that dude who’s banging Megan Fox copied you and did it at a show recently. Does it annoy you that people like him are stealing your moves and not somebody cooler? Oh it does. And you didn’t know that’d happened? Oh. Ohhhhhhh now I feel bad. Oh man, um, don’t….don’t feel bad, I’m sure it was a sincere homage and not a desperate cry for attention. You still rule? Really! Ed Ved! Don’t despair!”

DING! “WHOA! Speaking of dudes who rule — the Coug and the Boss! You guys are legends! What’s that? Sorry, Mr Mellencamp, I know no one calls you the Cougar anymore. That’s just what I grew up knowing you as, didn’t mean to offend you. And I’m sorry Mr Springsteen, I know I should show more respect to you, too. Yes, I know you hang out with the former President, sir. No, I don’t think HE calls you the Boss (although to be honest, I’m pretty sure he could if he wanted to, right? Cuz he’s, like, THE Boss? And if THE Boss wants to call the OTHER Boss The Boss, theennnnnnnnn…. ya kinda just gotta go with it, right? Yes, I know I’m not the President. Yes, not even close, sir. And nobody cares that we’re from the same city — got it. Sorry to offend….)

AAAAANYway — off to a really good start here… I gotta say, it’s so funny you two came dressed as each other, too — did you see Leithauser and Morby did the same thing? Great minds, I guess. You should think about keeping your hair that way, Mr Springsteen — that upswoop looks really fun. Gives you a more lighthearted feel. Not that anyone would think you’re a bit prickly. Nooo….. Hey, I dig the song you two did together — really gives off a classic Mellencamp vibe. What’s that? No I don’t think it overshadows you, Mr Boss, your part holds its own. It’s just the music sounds more Mellencampy to me — not in a bad way, Mr Cougar! What now? No I don’t think the President overshadows you either — he just has a lot to say and kind of talks slower so it SEEMS like he might be taking more time. And you know, like you said, he IS the former President and all, right? So it’s kind of an honor to be cut off by him, right? Leader of the free world! Oh cmon, don’t be like that — you’re still the Boss, right? Bruuuuuuuuuuuce. BRUUUUUUUUUCE! Cheer up!”

DING! “Oh wow, Mr Yorke, I didn’t expect to see you here! You flew all the way over here just for the event? That’s pretty impressive. They don’t have things like this back in the UK? Oh you just love costumed celebrations? I guess that makes sense. Only — what are you dressed as? You just look like a random mix of words on a poster. Kind of like someone swirled those magnetic poetry things around on the fridge into an unintelligible mess. Oh it’s a protest board. Got it. So all the things you despise. Makes sense. Ah yes, I see now — capitalism, technology, government… Definitely picked those up from you over the years.

I gotta say, there’s a LOT of words on here, Mr Yorke — almost too many to make sense of them. What’s that? Yes, I know there’s a lot to be upset about these days. Yes, the past five years HAVE been exceedingly difficult. Almost overwhelming at times — completely agree. Hey I was glad to hear the band was releasing a bunch of unreleased tracks for the anniversaries of Kid A and Amnesiac next month! That’s got to be pretty exciting right? “If You Say the Word” was really good — really excited to see what else is on there. What’s that? Yes, I know it doesn’t make up for all the things we’ve got to fix in the world and at best offers “scant few seconds of solace,” you’re right. I gotta say, though — some of these things on your board seem sort of trivial. Like wearing black socks with gym shoes? Or white bean chili? None of those things seem worth losing sleep over. And cargo shorts — are they really that offensive? I mean seriously. Oh alright — there’s no need to shout, Mr Yorke. I can see you feel strongly on this issue. “Unholy abomination” seems a LITTLE excessive, but let’s agree to disagree here. I still love your guys’ music (even if the last album was a disappointment — that’s right, I said it! Stick THAT in your single set of pockets and sulk!) Byeeeeeeeeee!”

DING! “Oh wow, Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon! Cool to see you guys here! Did you….BOTH….come dressed as Bruce Hornsby? Wow. That’s, uh….a weird choice, but yeah, I guess it makes sense. Yes, I know he’s a huge influence and you love his music. Can TOTALLY tell. (Particularly you, Mr Vernon… Yes, I did see you had him come onstage to play a song or two with you on your last tour. That….rocked?)

Um anyways… so I saw you two recently released the second album under your Big Red Machine moniker. Some nice stuff on there. Now that you mention it, I actually think you might have more guest stars than tones on the album! What’s that? I mean — Sharon Van Etten, Fleet Foxes, Michael Stipe, Ben Howard, Taylor Swift… All give nice contributions, it just sounds a little….monotone after a bit. Kind of like….no — I won’t say it… No, don’t tear up Mr Vernon, I just don’t like him as much as you two do. He’s fine in small doses — I just wouldn’t have used him as the template for like half of my recent material. But that’s just me — what do I know?! It’s fine — you two have fun out there. I bet you’ll get a ton of candy. Nothing gets the people pumped like midtempo piano crooners….

DING DING DING!

We’ll close with a couple live tunes, since I’m slowly filling the biggest hole I’ve had for that stuff since I started going to shows ~25 years ago. The first one comes from hometown hero Jeff Tweedy, who recently did a solid Neil Young cover with his sons and a few other musicians at the beloved hole in the wall the Hideout back home. It’s this super weird/cool bar that’s basically in a house in this industrial part of town — totally out of sorts with its surroundings (“one of these things is nooooot like the other!”), but also totally cool. You can sense the warm, welcoming vibe in the clip — check out Tweedy doing “Old Country Waltz” here:

Lastly wanted to highlight a show that My Morning Jacket did the other night as part of its ongoing tour. I’ve been obsessively listening to the album since it came out a week or two ago, and each day or two a new song gets lodged in my head like an unrelenting earworm. They played a couple of the tracks when I got to see them recently (pretty much the best return to live music I could have expected after all this time away), but this set has several more I didn’t get to hear that night (including current faves “In Color,” “Complex,” and “Never in the Real World.”) They also deliver some scorching versions of old favorites, such as “Mahgeetah,” “Evil Urges,” and “Lay Low.” They even did a ripping version of “Dancefloors,” which they haven’t played regularly since like 2015! You can watch the entire ~2.5 hour set here — it’s definitely worth your time.

That’s it for now — hope everyone enjoys their circus peanuts and Almond Joys! Until next time, amici!

–BS

July 4, 2021July 4, 2021

Celebration Day — Stripes, Shins, and Radio(head)

On the country’s big day I thought it was only appropriate to highlight a couple albums also celebrating anniversaries, in this case a trio of them turning 20 this month. They’re from an interesting mix of acts — two of the three are still around, releasing music as a unit on a somewhat reliable basis (as reliable as 4-5 year gaps between albums can be). The other called it quits years ago, much to the chagrin of their faithful fans (myself included).

Two of the albums mark the beginning of the releasing band’s rise to stardom, rocketships they would ride into the relative stratosphere (at least for indie-loving music nerds), and both would follow this release with what turned out to be their best album. The other maintained its global recognition while continuing to explore their odder, more isolating impulses, with this album essentially serving as the start of their strange new chapter. Each are worth remembering, though, and giving a listen on this long holiday weekend — especially if, like me, it’s been a while since you last did so.

We’ll start with the two star makers, the first of which comes from the White Stripes, and their third album, White Blood Cells. This was not the band’s masterpiece — that would arrive two years later in the form of the aptly named behemoth, Elephant, the perfect blend of the band’s blues/garage sound, their quirkiness, and mind-melting levels of power. (Although I can make a pretty good case for this album’s predecessor, too, which may have lacked Elephant’s swagger, but had arguably higher doses of the first two elements.) This was the album that made them famous, though, as its run of singles were plastered everywhere on MTV and the radio.

In part this was thanks to some incredibly creative videos (Michel Gondry’s Lego-laden treatment for “Fell in Love With a Girl” being but one great example) and a case of great timing — this was right as the early-aughts rock renaissance was raging, with bands like The Strokes, The Hives, and so many others stoking feeding frenzies at the labels, as recently recounted in Lizzy Goodman’s excellent Meet Me In the Bathroom. It would never have mattered, though, if there weren’t some really great songs to latch onto, too, which this album has plenty of.

Truth be told, I remember being a little disappointed with this album — I’d fallen hard for De Stijl, which I’d stumbled onto at some point in my Napster-fueled explorations and still consider a close second for their best album — but there’s a lot to love here, as lovingly recounted in this piece by Stereogum. “Expecting” and “I Smell a Rat” were always deeper faves, but the oddball aside “Little Room” still grabs me by the ears and slaps me around today. Give it another listen here:

The other star-making turn comes from an even more unexpected corner, a batch of New Mexicans playing pretty pop songs sung by a falsetto-flashing frontman. This, of course, refers to the Shins’ debut Oh, Inverted World, and their singer/songwriter James Mercer. I discovered these guys the same way I think a lot of folks did, when Natalie Portman told Zach Braff “you gotta hear this one song, it’ll change your life” in the movie Garden State. The song was “New Slang” and while it may not have changed my life with the magnitude of other big life events, I did immediately fall for this band and scour the internet for more on who they were.

This was still early days interweb — no Shazam or Google to instantly answer the question — but in relatively short order I was able to find this gem of an album and begin indulging my obsession. At this point it turned out they’d already released a second album, too — the slightly superior Chutes Too Narrow — and the gleeful, glowing songs from both quickly became favorites. That movie undeniably took the band’s popularity to far higher levels, boosting them from relative unknowns to mid-tier festival faves for several years after, but each subsequent release saw that initial shine dim a little more.

For me, they never quite recaptured the joy and brilliance of these first two albums (although there’s still some really good stuff on 2007’s Wincing the Night Away), but that’s OK — two damned near perfect albums is something most bands would love to have even half of, particularly when they’re as good as these. The opening track has always been one of my faves (and its title a personal mantra), so check out “Caring is Creepy” again here:

Last but not least comes Radiohead’s Amnesiac, the fast follow-on to the more famous forebear, Kid A, and in conjunction with that one, the official start of the odder, more electronic (more esoteric, more eclectic…) version of the band that continues to run to this day. Recorded at the same time as that seismic sister album and released less than a year later, this wasn’t just an odd collection of outcasts from those sessions, this was another cohesive (and slightly less combative) album from the band, one that continued to challenge its listeners without as overt an isolationist bent this time around.

These songs were nowhere near as jarring — maybe that’s by design, or maybe it’s because the fans’ foundations had already been shaken and readjusted by Kid A. Whatever the reason, this album has always been more embraceable for me and is the half of the pairing I more frequently return to. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a lot of good stuff on the other one and I do enjoy it — I actually had it slightly higher in my Radiohead rundown a few years ago, surprisingly — but this one has some of my absolute favorites on it. “Packt like Sardines,” “Knives Out,” and “Dollars & Cents” are all killers, and the closing duo of “Like Spinning Plates” and “Life in a Glasshouse” became sleeper faves over the years. “You and Whose Army?” remains a top ten fave for me, though — an undeniable highlight on an often overlooked album. Give it (and the album itself) another listen here:

Insta Replay

It’s been a while since we captured some of the discoveries from the sister site, so thought it was worth a rundown to round out everyone’s weekend playlists. Here’s some highlights from over on the ‘Gram!

Gaspard Auge — I had previously highlighted the lead single from Gaspard’s solo debut, which found him continuing to mine the disco vibe, similar to his full time band, Justice (as their mentors, the now defunct Daft Punk, had been before their demise). Listening to the entire album you catch glimpses of that band, little riffs or sequences that sound familiar and momentarily excite, but those quickly disappear like an attractive stranger seen briefly across a crowded dancefloor. It’s almost like he took those early Justice albums and ran them through the disco filter, similar to photos on the ‘Gram. What he’s made is well-crafted and achieves its goal of ephemeral, gossamer delight, but I still miss the glorious thunder of his band’s early work, fusing electro with metal. Good background/atmosphere music, though. I like the new “Belladone,” as well.

The White Buffalo — I’d recently discovered the debut from gruff-throated Californian the White Buffalo, aka singer/songwriter Jake Smith, which is a good mix of uptempo country rockers and more staid acoustic folk. Smith’s lyrics roam from apparent personal/childhood memories to more fictional fare of folks from the titular locale (shootouts and dice games and the like). The aforementioned rockers burst forth on the back his quavering voice, which calls to mind a chicken-fried Frank Turner, shaking with sweat and emotion. Songs like “The Pilot, “The Bowery,” and “Hold the Line” are all good examples, while tracks like “Sleepy Little Town” and “Wish it Was True” showcase his softer side. Both work well – current fave is “How the West Was Won,” one of the former category, which you can picture Smith using to whip the crowd into a lather onstage. It’s a fun track and there’s plenty of comparable quality on the album.

Coachwhips — I was powering through a meltdown a while back and the sole album from early ’00s San Fran noise rockers Coachwhips provided the perfect soundtrack, 2003’s brilliantly named Bangers vs Fuckers. Packing in 11 songs in a blistering 18 minutes, it doesn’t give you much time to think (or breathe for that matter). Do I like this? Which ones are the bangers and which ones the fuckers? Can I tell what the hell frontman John Dwyer (also of Thee Oh Sees and their myriad variants) is saying? Do I care? The immediate answer (for me at least) is no. Fast, hooky, and loud, it comes in with an urgency that’s tough to ignore. The result is an album that’s sweaty, frantic, and a little uncoordinated – just what you want sometimes. This one’s a fun, messy bash.

Fat White Family — was listening to the London-based band’s third album, Serf’s Up!, lately, a ramshackle mix of moody noise, slow burn atmosphere, and grooves you could almost dance to. It’s a little like Arab Strap, Scissor Sisters, and Massive Attack got together for an album and decided to leave out the lyrics about sex and death and tone down the unhinged energy (while throwing in Ross from Friends on keyboard to round out the sound). It’s definitely an interesting listen as a result, covering a lot of ground over the course of its 10 tracks. On the whole it works pretty well, though. Songs like “Fringe Runner” and “Tastes Good with the Money” are midtempo movers, while “Kim’s Sunsets” and “Bobby’s Boyfriend” are slower burners that draw you into their fog. My favorite is the opener, though, which captures all the elements of those aforementioned bands and turns the energy up full blast. It’s an infectious track and sure to get you moving.

Arab Strap — speaking of, the latest album from the aforementioned Scottish duo is an equally interesting listen. True to form the songs are miniature movies — narratives that spool out in frontman Aidan Moffat’s deadpan brogue while Malcolm Middleton’s music provides the soundtrack. The lyrics are the band’s signature mix of sex, death, and dark, dry humor. The music is at turns eerie film score and 80s pop song. But it somehow works – it’s almost hypnotic. The best of the bunch for me so far is the opening track, the one that has all these elements and was the first one that grabbed me at the album’s release. There’s nothing else that sounds like it out there.

Julien Baker — had listened to her recent album a bunch when it came out, but kept neglecting to say anything about it for no real reason. I had initially been impressed with the epic, swelling vibe she captured for the lead single, “Hardline,” and discovered she manages the trick several more times on the album on tracks like “Faith Healer,” “Bloodshot,” and “Repeat.” The quieter songs work well too (“Song in E” is a hushed little devastator), but the swelling, surging ones are what keeps me coming back. I know I’m not the intended audience for this stuff, but I like it nonetheless.

John Andrews & the Yawns — the latest album from Andrews, Cookbook, trades in the late 60s psychedelic vibe of their first two albums and shifts forward to the following decade, almost verging on yacht rock territory at times with its soft edges and warm, steady pace. Nothing’s going to startle or endanger you here and that’s OK — Andrews retains his knack for digging up pretty melodies and scattering them throughout the proceedings. “River of Doubt” and “Try” are but two of many examples, and even the more easy listening AM radio tunes win you over once you settle into the new mood. (Their titles aptly reflect the vibe – “Easy Going, “New California Blue…”) Current fave is the hushed gem “Early Hours of the Morning,” which also perfectly reflects the vibe within – you can picture Andrews playing it on his couch before sunrise, softly strumming his acoustic while the rest of the house sleeps. Is a lovely track on a solidly pleasant album.

Night Shop — another recent discovery getting solid airplay is the 2018 debut of Night Shop (aka Justin Sullivan). Sullivan cut his teeth drumming for a bunch of bands, including Babies where he worked with fave Kevin Morby before jumping on the road as part of his touring band when he went solo. It appears that time had a positive influence on his songwriting as this album repeatedly calls to mind his former frontman. Sullivan’s more uptempo tracks get the blood flowing (“The One I Love,” “Road to Carolina,” “I Was Alone”) before settling into a blissful groove on slower tracks that make you lean back and drink it all in (the title track, “If You Remember,” “On the Island”). It all adds up to a really good listen/debut.

Arlo McKinley — I recently discovered the debut by Arlo McKinley while spinning through clips on Oh Boy’s website. McKinley was the last artist signed to Prine’s label and similar to that departed giant he walks the line between country and folk, making sure the stories and melodies of the latter balance out some of the good ole boy twang and imagery that could drive some folks away. McKinley has a nice, warm voice, which he twins on most of the tracks giving them a rich sound and feel, and while the stories may be country standards – heartache, loss, and addiction – they’re solid and sincere. Really enjoy his 2014 debut!

John R. Miller — I’ve been working the 2018 debut of West Virginia singer/songwriter John R. Miller hard lately in anticipation of his upcoming new album. (Depreciated, due out July 16.) Miller packs a LOT of goodness into the album’s brisk 30 minutes, shifting smoothly from standard roadhouse shitkickers to more serene, contemplative songs several times. What sets the album apart for me is Miller’s ability to strike that balance in the lyrics too, offering both vivid imagery and honesty across the album’s 10 tracks. They paint a rich picture, one made more resonant by Miller’s warm, somewhat forlorn voice. The first few singles from the new album have been good, so excited to hear the rest in a couple weeks!

The Bones of JR Jones — also been listening to the latest EP from the Bones of J.R. Jones (aka singer/songwriter Jonathan Linaberry) a ton lately. In the run-up to recording Linaberry decided to leave his place in New York and venture into the Arizona desert for inspiration and the open air seems to have made him want to lean more into the quieter, folksier side of his sound. (All but one of the tracks – the TV on the Radio reminiscent “Bad Moves” – would be perfect to hear while sitting around the campfire.) It’s a strong decision as they’re some of his most affecting songs yet. The title track, “Keep it Low, and “Like an Old Lover” are all lay on the ground and just LISTEN level pretty while the opening “Stay Wild” has a lush, pastoral feel that’s perfect for a drive to nowhere with the windows down. Nothing tops “Howl” for me right now, though – beautiful melody, haunting vibe, and when the steel guitar comes in at the end it almost breaks you. Beautiful, beautiful stuff.

Boo Hag — I’ve been listening to South Carolina duo Boo Hag a lot lately, whose self-described sound is “voodoo inspired rock ‘n’ roll… [with] an emphasis on the sinister,” which gets it pretty well. There’s bits of Bass Drum of Death, White Stripes, and Black Pistol Fire in there, as well as Squirrel Nut Zippers, which strikes me just fine since I love all those bands. Their albums are brisk, chameleonic affairs and the songs switch tempo and vibe frequently, giving things an urgent, irresistible edge. Frontman Saul Seibert sounds positively unhinged on some songs, shredding his guitar while drummer Scotty Tempo bangs away beside him. The image that keeps coming to mind as I listen is of these two busking in some subway station, making a tremendous noise while more and more people stop and stare, unsure of exactly what they’re seeing/hearing (is this guy an escaped mental patient? Am I in danger?) but unable to leave the glorious racket behind. Might have to make a trek down to see them if they don’t come through soon…

Glorietta — three years ago a group of six friends from Austin, led by Matthew Logan Vasquez of Delta Spirit, retired to a house in Santa Fe and holed up for the weekend, recording anything that came out while the tequila and camaraderie flowed. What they captured perfectly reflects the vibe in which it was created – a warm, loose collection of songs that alternately bears the imprint of its creator’s distinct style. There’s country (“Hard Way,” “Easy Come Easy Go”), straightforward rockers (“Mindy,” “Heatstroke”), and several hushed ballads (“Friends,” “Sinking Ship,” Lincoln Creek”), which end up hitting the hardest, despite their slower pace and softer sound. (The harmonies on “Someday” being just one of many excellent examples that’ll stop you in your tracks.) It sounds like it was a blast to record – the rough edges and high variety make you feel like you’re in the room listening to six different sensibilities take turns at the record player — and the vibe was so good Nathaniel Rateliff even showed up, as on the funkier “I Know,” another standout. It’s a fun listen – here’s hoping they try the trick again and give us 12 more songs soon!

And we’ll close with five one-offs to round things out — a nod to the passing of Gift of Gab (of Blackalicious fame) and one of my faves:

Another posthumous nod, this time to DOOM (along with Your Old Droog):

Another slice of happiness from two of Atlanta’s finest, Big Boi and Killer Mike:

A fun surprise from an equally unexpected collaboration, that of Damian Lazarus, Diplo, and Jungle:

And the latest single from the beloved Jetpacks:

That’s it for now — hope everyone enjoys the long weekend and holiday (now with real human beings again!)

–BS

February 20, 2021

Reading Rainbow: Anniversary Blend

There’s been a flurry of solid writeups from the Stereogum staff lately on some excellent albums celebrating their birthdays, so thought I’d share before they stack up any further and give folks something to read with the morning paper tomorrow. First up, appropriately, is this one on the 10 year anniversary of Kanye’s masterful monolith, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The ‘meds are on fire right now with the news that he’s getting a divorce from Kim Kardashian, so it’s only fitting to start here, looking back on an album that was a chaotic mix of love and hubris that was (and still is) his crowning achievement.

The article does a good job walking through both the music and the surrounding context — always a knotty affair with Mr West — and speaks nicely about the album’s importance (particularly in light of the subsequent decline). It was an absolute beast, landing at #4 on my 2010 list, and it’s held up well in the intervening years. As I wrote then, “In other hands such a variety of thoughts and styles could come off as cluttered, cloying, or catastrophic — every song has numerous guest stars, from rappers, to pop stars, to comedians, spoken word rebels, and indie boner-inducers like Bon Iver. Each song could have failed multiple times over their 5-9 minute lengths from all the dissonant styles packed in, let alone the album as a whole. And yet with Kanye they are a delight — a flawed, over-reaching affair at times, but one that’s quickly and consistently redeemed. In a word, pure genius.”

In light of the pair’s unfortunate separation, pop on the beautiful “Blame Game” as a soundtrack while you read:

Next comes this writeup on the 20 year anniversary of the New Pornographers’ classic debut, Mass Romantic. The article does a fantastic job trying to capture the utter joy and revelation that this album was. For me it’s always been the epitome of delirium, the equivalent of that unwieldy shot of adrenaline from Pulp Fiction, only being driven straight into your brain this time. It’s that instantaneous, that irresistible — the second you hear some of the songs, you bolt upright gasping like Uma off the floor.

“My Slow Descent into Alcoholism,” “Jackie,” “Letter From an Occupant,” the title track — there’s so much goodness here I defy people to listen and not succumb to their powers. I used to listen to this album religiously back in college, driving around with the songs blaring from my windows, singing like I was trying to be heard from space (which is where I’m sure most of the pedestrians I passed wished they were to be out of range of all the noise). I just didn’t care — the songs were (are) so good, you couldn’t be unhappy when listening to them and didn’t feel like hiding it (or trying). The band has never come close to recapturing the pure joy of this album and I’ve subsequently lost the bead on them as an act, but I’ll always have this to go back to and revel in, daring the neighbors to call the cops. Try “The Body Says No” for a taste and see what I mean:

Next comes another 10 year anniversary, this of Radiohead’s ninth album, King of Limbs. The article makes this out to be a more divisive album than I knew it to be (or think it is now), but agree it has aged even better since its release. As I wrote then, when the album landed at #11 on that year’s wrapup, “[the band] sent forth their ninth disc in a similar vein to their previous two albums, In Rainbows (I & II). Those albums built upon the elements of their predecessors — lots of nervous energy and twitchy electro beats intermingling with Thom Yorke’s ethereal moan — while cutting in a new-found warmth and sexiness. This album continues the trend, combining that sensuality with an ever-intensifying complexity as the band piles layers upon layers to their songs, leading you incrementally towards that glorious moment where it all snaps into place.”

Interestingly, when we did the fan favorite “WHO’S ON TOP!” segment for these guys I had this album towards the bottom of the list, just above the disappointing A Moon Shaped Pool and their middling debut. When I think of this album, though, I always do so in positive terms — I like this album, while disliking those other two — and am always reminded of the aforementioned moment when it finally made sense. For me that came while watching the Live from the Basement DVD of the sessions, which absolutely blew my mind — it was the first time I fully appreciated how much went into these songs and how important it was to really listen to them, as I watched them quietly layer instrument over instrument until that lightning striking the clocktower moment when they all line up and ignite. It was (and is) one of my favorite music DVDs and one of the times I’ve been most impressed watching a band. Check out one such example from the Colbert performance I referenced back then, “Little by Little:”

We’ll keep the indie stalwart trend going and shift to Spoon’s fantastic third album, Girls Can Tell, which recently turned 20. This has forever been my favorite album of the band — and I’ve had a number of them show up on year-end lists over the years — but there’s just something about this one that keeps it arm’s length from the rest. As the article says, it just SOUNDS cool. The attitude is palpable, Britt’s voice sounds wonderfully weathered and worn, and the playing is surgically precise — guitars growl, drums pop, but not a single note is wasted. To paraphrase the previous band, everything is in its right place.

Thanks to this and Britt’s lyrics, the album feels almost cinematic, more a collection of evocative short films than a series of “rock” songs. This isn’t a surprise — Spoon songs regularly show up in TV and movies (hell, sleeper fave Stranger than Fiction has almost nothing BUT Spoon songs — but that vibe began here. Songs like the opening “Everything Hits at Once,” “Me and the Bean,” “Lines in the Suit,” and “The Fitted Shirt” are all excellent examples, cramming a lifetime into 3 or 4 brisk minutes. Even the album cover rules, just a blue-green photo of a spinning record with the name and title marching single-file — it could be the poster for any self-respecting indie flick, then or now. Besides the above songs, one of my perennial faves is the penultimate “Take the Fifth,” which grabs you by the ears before the album rolls credits with the aptly named instrumental “This Book is a Movie.” Give it a listen here:

We’ll close with a couple quick notes to balance all the reading — first, Atlanta faves Manchester Orchestra recently did a livestream of their excellent 2017 album, A Black Mile to the Surface (which landed at #8 on that year’s list). They went back to the church they recorded at in Carolina for the performance and played the album start to finish, sounding great as always. (They also teased a new album dropping in April — yippee!) Give it a watch/listen here:

Lastly, we started a new segment this week at the behest of my social media manager, Fuddge. In a fiery series of text messages she told me, “Sunshine, everybody loves your insightful and engaging posts, but there’s not enough of em — people need more of you, only with less words and less time required.” Thus were born Fuddge Pops — daily (or near daily) posts on the official Sunshine ‘Gram account where I’ll throw up the song of the day. Some of them might end up meriting fuller engagement here on the site, others will just be random passing thoughts or jams to get (or keep) the day going. We’ll experiment with other material on there in the coming months — she’s got a very expansive campaign in mind — but for now figure a few songs should keep things going in between posts. So check it out and see what you think — in the meantime, stay safe, stay sane, and stay separate.

Until next time, amici…
–BS

February 15, 2020

…And On — Six More Weeks of Winter

Like Punxsutawney Phil (or the furry groundhog asleep on my lap now in his spastic explorations of the couch each night) I’ve been burrowed deep in my hole since you last saw me, hoping for a reprieve from all the cold and nonsense swirling at the surface. And while Phil seems to think it’s going to end soon, I’m not as convinced thanks to several spontaneous home repairs, interpersonal spats (fuck you, Socks, I’m still angry), and that never-fallow font of fabulousness, work, recently. Hopefully that hibernating hero is right, though, and we can find our way into brighter, warmer times soon. In the meantime, here’s some things that’ve caught my eye since the annual year-end post.

First, we’ll stay in Phil’s realm to catch the latest from the legendary electro outfit bearing its name, Underworld, and the first of two treasure troves from the land of our former masters. This one captures an entire year’s worth of work from the duo and its ambitious Drift project where they aimed to record and release a new song every week last year. The Raveonettes tried something similar back in 2016, releasing a new song every month (compiled in the mostly ok Atomized), but doing so every week definitely represents a level up difficulty-wise. And while they may not have hit their initial goal (there’s “only” 40 songs and alternate mixes packaged in the release), what’s impressive is both how close they came and how good the overwhelming majority of the songs are.

Well over half of them are really solid, from the opening “Another Silent Way” and “Dexters Chalk” to later cuts like “Universe of Can When Back,” “Soniamode,” “Appleshine (All of the Lights),” and “STAR.” I’d dipped in and out of this project over the course of the year and kept meaning to write about it, but its inherently ephemeral nature (new shiny object each week!) meant I never spent as much time with the material and the topic always got forgotten in the flurry of the norm. Now that it’s packaged in one place, though, you’re immediately able to appreciate both the size of the effort and the quality of its results. The pair have always oozed sensuality — from Rick Smith and/or Darren Emerson’s languid beats and musical influences to Karl Hyde’s voice and colorful, cryptic lyrics — it’s why they are synonymous with the dark, be it of the club, the bedroom, or the car you’re using to drive in between. They do nothing to change that linkage here, giving us close to six hours’ worth of work to explore here, and it’s definitely worth the effort. (“Mile Bush Wide” can almost bring you to completion in a scant 90 seconds.)

The pair are doing a rare and extremely limited tour of North America this summer, which might be worth a roadtrip to catch a peek of the human versions of Phil. I was out with forty percent of my readership when this came up last night and they informed me a broader playlist of the duo’s work would be helpful — primarily because none of them had heard of the duo (they also hadn’t seen Trainspotting, with its classic use of the group, which is a double dagger) — but that’s an injustice I’ll seek to correct in a future post. In the meantime, give a listen to some of the choicer cuts from Drift below and get ready to bliss out.

The other bounty of riches from our friends in the UK comes from the perennially persnickety lads of Radiohead who recently announced the launch of the Radiohead Public Library, which is an amazing compilation of rare tracks, live performances, photos, and merchandise dating all the way back to the band’s formation. Essentially the band has curated the best of everything they’ve done, sifting through the oceans of poor quality copies and nonsense available on the interwebs, and given us high quality versions all in one place here. It’s pretty amazing — there’s full festival shows never publicly available, copies of the beloved “From the Basement” DVDs showing how the band meticulously assembles their songs, shirts and merchandise that hasn’t been available for 15-20 years — all sorted by the album the band had recorded at the time.

There are hours upon hours’ worth of goodness here — I’ve particularly been enjoying the numerous live performances, which aside from full concert sets also include the band’s TV performances, including this Limbs-era one on the Colbert Report I’d forgotten about. (I remember seeing it at the time, but didn’t realize they’d played 3 or 4 unaired songs too.) Similar to their aforementioned countrymen of the underground, it’s a testament to both how much work the band has done over the years, as well as how good it almost all is — so hop in your time machine and start your surfing now!

We’ll stay on the island for one more offering, this one the latest from Gorillaz, Damon Albarn’s hit or miss cartoon collective, which is gearing back into action after a couple of years of quiet. Similar to Underworld’s Drift, it sounds like the band plans to release a series of “episodes” over the course of the year as part of its Song Machine project, with each episode detailing the fruits of a new collaboration. First up is Albarn’s pairing with rapper slowthai on the song “Momentary Bliss.” It’s a pretty solid outing — I’ve cooled on these guys a ton since their magic self-titled debut in 2001, but Albarn always stumbles on a couple interesting things on the albums, so credit him for continuing to keep things fresh and mine new terrain. We’ll see how the rest of the project turns out — in the interim, give this one a spin:

Next we’ll depart the island, but stay within the kingdom, jetting over to check on the latest from Silverbacks, the promising new five-piece from Ireland who’s been putting out some really catchy singles. I’ve posted about these guys before — up and comers from the island sporting a triple guitar attack and some jittery, catchy riffs. Still haven’t found much more on them online, still waiting on their debut release, but if they keep releasing singles like this I won’t complain too much. It’s another winning affair — lead singer Daniel O’Kelly does his best Julian Casablancas impression while name checking another of that era’s giants, LCD Soundsystem, as the propulsive bass riff drives things along. The band’s on quite a roll — let’s hope they keep it up (either on that much awaited full length or its continued string of singles) in the coming months.

Speaking of triple guitar attacks, we’ll continue our island hopping getaway and fly a little further afield, this time to the outback to check on the latest from the lads in Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. I’ve written about these guys a bunch, having been a favored find since Shaky Knees and their landing on my year end list in 2018. They’ve released a string of solid singles in the interim, including this latest one, the oddly named “Cars in Space.” (Shout out to Elon Musk?) It’s another vintage turn — as much as a band this new can have a vintage — full of swirling guitars and melodies that builds to an invigorating crescendo before leaving you thirsty for more, much like the waves of their eponymous coast. These guys really are an exciting new outfit, so let’s hope they keep the hot streak up for years to come. For now, check out [cue echo] “Caaaaaaaaaars! Iiiiiiiiiin! SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!” here:

We’ll head back to the mainland and the safety of North America, stopping first with our friends up north to hear the latest from Wolf Parade. It’s their first outing since 2018’s Cry, Cry, Cry and the first since bassist/guitarist Dante DeCaro (of former Hot Hot Heat fame) left the band, closing a run of three excellent albums with the group. (At Mount Zoomer, Expo 86, and the aforementioned Cry.) Left in his wake is the original three-piece and the band sounds little worse for wear on its fifth, Thin Mind (which is no knock on DeCaro and the importance of his previous contributions). Released just last week I’m still delving into the album as a whole, but the first couple singles have been strong, including this latest, “Julia Take Your Man Home.” Similar to first passes through the album, what stands out is the clarity and muscle of Spencer Krug’s and Dan Boeckner’s guitars. They’d always been there before, but they feel more prominent here, like abs after you lay off the sweets and start running. It’s a welcome reappearance, writ large and on “Julia,” a catchy little tune that’s all bright and shiny (and filled with shapes that look like dicks) — give it a listen here:

We’ll close with a couple solo outings on our return to the states, the first from Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli, who’s set to release his first solo album next year, Random Desire. He’s been working on songs the past three years, since the Whigs’ last album, In Spades, in 2017, during which time the band’s guitarist Dave Rosser passed away. We’ll have to see how much of that shows up in the album’s lyrics, but there’s nothing overt in the first single, “Pantomima.” It’s a good listen, marrying that sultry swagger Dulli’s known for with some muscular guitar — hopefully the rest of the album matches this one’s fire. Give it a ride here:

Lastly we’ll visit our old pal Hamilton Leithauser, the former frontman of the beloved Walkmen, who’s back with a new single, “Here They Come.” Ham’s been largely invisible since his last major outing, 2016’s I Had a Dream That You Were Mine, which landed at #6 on that year’s list. (He did a one-off single with Angel Olsen in 2017, but not much else.) There’s nothing concrete yet in terms of release dates or titles, but it sounds like he’s got a new album almost ready, of which this would apparently be the first glimpse. If so it seems like it’ll be comparable to his previous two albums, with Ham belting out emotional Walkmen-style wallops and balancing those with his Sinatra-inspired crooning, which is just fine with me. Yes, I miss his former band (possibly moreso than any other disbanded unit of recent years), but Ham’s voice remains a singular delight, capable of hitting the stratosphere at a moment’s notice after lancing your heart with similar ease. Same recipe applies here — give it a listen while we wait for more company for it here:

–BS

May 4, 2019May 4, 2019

Everything In Its Right Place: The Invasion of the Islanders (Plus the National)

Now that most of you have had time to recover from the War of Winter’s Bone or whatever the clash of dragons was called last weekend, wanted to pop in to give you some tunes before you have to go back to the realm on Sunday. Most of you probably missed it, between the Avengers opening and going full Yeezy to watch the aforementioned Throne, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony was televised last weekend, which for music nerds like me is an annual anticipation along the lines of Christmas (though with less socks and Poopourri). Unlike other “big nights in music” like the Grammies or the Super Bowl, though, this one doesn’t suck. I might be in the minority here, but I’ll take performances from bands that’ve been delivering for decades over the latest K-pop “sensation” or montage of 30-second snippets sung by a shirtless dude with a tattoo of his home state on his belly in case he gets lost on tour. Add in the speeches about (and by) the band, as well as the video retrospectives spanning their careers, and it’s always a great watch. Whether you know (or like) the inductees, it’s the perfect place to learn a little about them, hear why you might want to pay attention (the speeches are often given by previous inductees or other music legends), and then watch them perform three of four of their biggest hits.

I always come away with a new appreciation for someone I might’ve followed on the margins (if at all) or a deeper love for bands I follow avidly, so it’s always an enjoyable time. This year’s crop included acts like Roxy Music, Stevie Nicks, and Def Leppard in the former camp, along with The Cure and Radiohead in the latter. NIN frontman Trent Reznor’s speech inducting The Cure was good and Robert Smith was endearing as always in his response, and the band was sharp as ever in their subsequent performance. (It remains a bucket list moment getting to see them live years ago, walking up at sunset amidst a sea of people in my beloved city by the lake while the notes of “Pictures of You” rained down on us like dust from a comet. I could have laid down and never gotten back up.)

Radiohead being Radiohead, though, was a different scenario. Each of the members has made comments in the past of indifference verging on dismissive towards the Hall and their possible (and then actual) induction, so it was unclear who (if anyone) would show up and what level of shit-talking (if any) they might undertake. Thankfully it wasn’t that bad — they weren’t no-shows (guitarist Ed O’Brien and drummer Phil Selway were there) and there was no shit-talking to be found (O’Brien and Selway seemed genuinely pleased to be getting inducted and were consummate Brits with their charming politeness). Unfortunately since it was only the two of them that meant there was no performance, so we were left with the video montage spanning their career to satiate us.

That wasn’t enough for me, though, so thankfully for the nine of you out there I’m here to fill the void if you find yourself in similar straits. Now that we’ve launched Sunshine Radio to popular acclaim (#73 on the Lithuanian Top 100 station list!), I decided to start bringing back one of the things I used to do on the old site, my periodic “One You Should Know” posts profiling bands that — as the title implies — you should know. Those were always better (in my opinion) than just popping a band into YouTube and listening to things on shuffle because these songs were hand picked by yours truly as the best they had to offer. (And if there’s one thing I think we can all agree on it’s that I have infallible taste — it’s why I associate with you clowns!) So we’ll revive that series here, combining my impeccable selections with the technology you kids know and love. (Similar to what we did last time for Wilco.)

In the coming months I’ll continue to dust off old OYSK posts and create substations for you on the Spotify so you can listen in ease (the old Sunshine was such a jerk — he made you look the songs up yourself!), but we’ll begin with one I created for the inductees. It spans each of their nine albums, as well as many of their EPs and singles, so should give you a good sense of why so many people love this band (including yours truly), even if they seem intent on driving you away some (most) times. At sixty-plus songs and nearly five hours in length, it should give you more than enough to chew on, charting their growth from more straightforward rockers to experimental cacti — and help you unearth at least one thing to enjoy. So fire it up and give it a spin:

While you listen I figured since we set the interwebs on fire when we did this the last time, my “friend” named “Gabriel” and I would jump in again for another spirited debate of “WHO’S ON TOP!” (cue applause) Last time we were debating the rankings of Wilco albums, so thought we’d go back to the well this time to examine the aforementioned inductees, Radiohead. Similar to last time we’re mostly in line with our choices, preferring earlier stuff to more recent material, quibbling over minor differences for what’s at the top, while agreeing (mostly) about what undeniably belongs on the bottom. (NOBODY likes Pablo..) Also similar to last time, though, when I showed him my list he reacted like I took a dump on his porch and flipped out. (Side note: I DID take a dump on his porch — Summerteeth forever!)

My rationale for the top pick is similar to what made me pick the aforementioned album for Wilco — it was the last album of the band’s early period, before they shifted from a more unvarnished, open style of music to a more jagged, opaque one, and that direct, earnest approach still resonates with me all these years later. The album that followed my top pick stylistically mirrors the one that did for Wilco — the first album of the new era, one where the band fused in electronic sounds and dissonance and delivered an instant classic, taking the band off on a new direction that they’ve never topped however many albums later. (Everyone seizes on how different/great Kid A was — well, almost everyone: Melody Maker called it “tubby, ostentatious, self-congratulatory, look-ma-I-can-suck-my-own-cock whiny old rubbish” in my hands-down favorite quote from an album review EVER — but they’d previewed the break in Computer and perfected it there.)

For Wilco the title fight (and resultant ranking) was between Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel — for Radiohead it’s The Bends and OK Computer. Both amazing, both albums I’ve listened to hundreds of times since they came out, so picking between them is sort of like deciding which of your lungs is more valued — I kinda love both of them, but if you force me to choose…I’m going with My Iron Lung. (That’s my left one, if you’re curious.) See what you think as you listen to the mix — but here’s my list for how they stack up:

The Bends
OK Computer
In Rainbows
Kid A
Amnesiac
Hail to the Thief
King of Limbs
A Moon Shaped Pool
Pablo Honey

And here’s “Gabriel’s”:

OK Computer
In Rainbows
Kid A
The Bends
A Moon Shaped Pool
King of Limbs
Amnesiac
Pablo Honey
Hail to the Thief

Clearly he’s an idiot for putting Moon so high and Thief so low (what do you expect for a corn-eating mouthbreather from the Midwest?), but otherwise we’re pretty much in sync. As I hinted at above, at a certain point arguing over where to rank these albums very much is like arguing over which of your organs you like more — there’s no right answer and ideally you’d like to keep all of them in place, but it’s what the interweb is for — pointless arguments and fleeting senses of superiority. So take that, “Gabriel” — I win again!

We’ll close with a couple one offs that crossed the threshold the past few weeks to round things out. First comes the latest single from the Aussie Oddge, Courtney Barnett, back with another lovably languid little gem (replete with another laughably snarky title). She released it in honor of Record Day, so no word on whether she’s recording another full length yet (her last one landed at #14 here last year), but in the meantime we can still enjoy this one, “Everybody Here Hates You:”

Next is the back end of the single released a few weeks ago by fellow Aussies Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and it’s another shimmering, sunlit float down the river. These guys continue to drop solid track after solid track, so hopefully they keep the streak going in the coming months. (Their debut landed one slot higher than Barnett’s here last year.) Check out “Read my Mind” while we wait:

Speaking of streaks, next comes the latest in a long line of winners from the beloved National, back with another dour, lovely march through the darkness on “Hairpin Turns.” It’s the third single from their upcoming I Am Easy to Find (both of the previous songs, “Light Years” and “You Had Your Soul With You,” have shown up here) and it doesn’t do anything to shake the expectation that should be another year-long favorite. We’ll find out for sure in a couple of weeks (it’s due out 17 May), but in the interim bliss out in the blackness here:

We’ll close with a brash little attack to get us off the floor and thrashing around a bit (we gotta get you nerds ready for battle again Sunday night SOMEhow!) and this punky little gem from A. Swayze and the Ghosts, our final batch of Aussies whose debut single I stumbled on a few weeks back. There’s not much out there on these guys — they’re four Tasmanian devils from the town of Hobart (which is here, if you’re curious like me) and this song is one of a whopping three they’ve released on the interwebs. They’re all pretty catchy, but this one’s the definite winner — we’ll have to keep our eyes out for what comes next. For now, though, crank this puppy up and get movin’:

Until next time, amici!

— BS