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August 31, 2005
A second cousin to nepotism
Rocking Horse Winner - Miss You
Besides being named after a D.H. Lawrence short story, Rocking Horse Winner was also superficially notable for the fact that the lead singer, Jolie Lindholm, sang back-up and was possibly romantically involved (that's as juicy as the gossip gets on Molars) with none other than Mr. Radio-Friendly Emo himself, Chris Carrabba, the man behind Dashboard Confessional. So yeah that pretty much makes J. Lindholm the Lady Macbeth of the punks-with-acoustic-guitars-and-poetry-notebooks set. As far as I can tell though, RHW is unfortunately broken up, most likely due (speculation on my part) to the diabolic influence of Carrabba.
'Miss You'- from the band's last album, "Horizon"- is just such a Hallmark-earnest guitar pop song, undeniably adorable really, and imbued with the kind of kinetic energy that attaches itself to love letters, nervous phone calls, and fractured first date conversations. Jolie Lindholm's voice is a shiny pink balloon set against a deep blue sky- the contrast with the music is stark and pleasant. There is a small surprise at 58 seconds, when one Jolie repeats another. It's both cute and annoying simultaneously (like being tickled to the point of physical exhaustion). Girl's got some pipes on her.
"Horizon" is the album, and you can buy it right here, luckily. I don't know if RHW broke up because they weren't selling well or what, but I can say the last (and only) time I saw them play live was in the ballroom of a local Omni Hotel. That didn't really bode well.
Posted by Kevin at 01:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 30, 2005
the role of excess in your aesthetics
So a lot of people have already written about Broadcast's forthcoming "Tender Buttons", but that's OK. Saying things like, "oh, the band only has two members now", and "yo this is so much awesome it's turning my tympanic membranes into some sort of edible jelly which is also kick-ass to the awesometh power", (that last one's probably not a direct quote), etc.
What this song reminds me of more than anything else is the ambiguously windswept scene in Michelangelo Antonioni's "Blow Up", where David Hemmings' Thomas character is photographing a quick and dirty meet-up between Vanessa Redgrave's Jane and some random tweedy businessman in the middle of the park. Thomas thinks that he's only capturing a sordid bit of outdoor lasciviousness, but when he develops the film and looks at it carefully, it shows what may or may not be a shooting taking place in the background, behind the embracing couple. 'I Found the F' is graceful and beautfiul, like any one of the many gorgeous models that Thomas photographs during the course of the film- but it has a sort of detached prettiness, uninvolved, just a displayed object. Maybe it has something to do with Trish Keenan's voice- she sounds like she's singing from underneath the folds of a down comforter, in a bed, in a room that's far too cold for her liking.
"Tender Buttons" is released on September 20th, and you can order it right here, soon.
P.S. This contest is giving me fits. I'm pretty sure I know what I want to give away as the prize, but I'm having a hard time thinking of exactly what I want to do for the actual process. Here's what I've got so far: the first person to send me a perfect replica of Abraham Lincoln's 'Discipline Brick', which he used as a sort of portable curb-stomping device, will win a gift certificate for something fun. The brick must conform to the dimensions specified in Lincoln's personal correspondences to Mary Todd. Extra points to anyone who can decorate the brick with fake teeth and/or blood. Or you could, you know, just send me a drawing of something crazy.
Posted by Kevin at 12:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 29, 2005
Postponement
Just finished watching about 5 or 6 straight hours of the Wire. As such, my brain's a little fried right now. Been thinking about the new contest though, so that should be up later today or tomorrow. Please consult the fine mp3blogs listed on the right though, all of which do an excellent job of posting thought-provoking, entertaining entries. More later...
Posted by Kevin at 02:55 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 26, 2005
Hottest Wolves in the Woods
I can't believe I forgot to mention this before, but word is that Dante DeCaro, the ex-guitarist from Hot Hot Heat, has joined Wolf Parade as a full-time member now. So, um, if you weren't convinced before that they were unstoppable, now you should be.
Posted by Kevin at 01:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Ways We'll Never Ever See
Sunset Rubdown - Snake's Got A Leg pt. 1
Spencer Krug's voice is a truly amazing thing; it makes everything he sings sound so desperate and wrecked and urgent. And the way he records it too- with tons of double-tracking- lends it an alien quality, but still gives it so much impact. A kind of back-of-the-throat mourning.
This title track, which is actually on the album twice, has probably the strongest melody on the LP (with the possible exception of 'I'll Believe in Anything, You'll Believe in Anything', which, hey, the Sunset Rubdown version is way more, hm, intense than the Wolf Parade versions, I'll tell you), and some of Spencer's best lyrics. As I mentioned a while back (at the bottom), there's something oddly compelling about the way Krug exploits the nouns in his sentences for all their worth (as accumulated shorthand or abbreviation for longer, more unwieldy connotations), but without resorting to any kind of easy symbolism either. For example, "I got a jacket/it's a coat full of contraband/and I got/I got so many high heels to sell/and I got/I got so many hands to hand 'em over with." It's such a neat and absurd image (based mostly around just things, not descriptions), and it works so well in the context of the song.
'Snake's Got A Leg pt. 1' also has one of the best arrangements of any of the songs on the album, with it's sweet saloon-washed piano and cartoony one-man band percussion (which sounds fantastic), plus a semi-creepy ending that's got some great lonesome handlcaps (like Radiohead's 'We Suck Young Blood'). Just a classic and beautiful song.
Also talked about before- but out of context- was the fact that Sunset Rubdown is now going to be a full band, and Spencer hopes to release an EP of more solo recordings before putting together an LP with the newly revamped and more populous Sunset Rubdown band.
In the meantime, you can buy "Snake's Got A Leg" from the cool folks at Global Symphonic, for about $9 or so.
Posted by Kevin at 12:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 18, 2005
absentee landlord
Jets to Brazil - Perfecting Loneliness
Well, here is some emo hot fiyah for you all. Jets to Brazil. What can I say about them? Second cousins to Jawbreaker. Enjoyed by yours truly from the end of junior year of college until approximately two months after graduation (highly correlated to a relationship with a spectrally thin scenesteress who loved JtB). Also adored by a certain someone, I repeat, someone (Matt) who, if memory serves me, had a window decal of the band's name on the rear window of his car.
Course this was back in the day, round about aught-two or so, when Jade Tree could do no wrong. Releasing album after magnificent album of hard, unyielding punk. Punk that jumped down your throat, stomped your esophagus along the way, paused to sharpen it's chompers on your duodenum, and then went about the business of kicking your ass. Punk that was like rusted rust. That fucking hard. And the emo. My god, the emo. You don't really know what feelings are until you've felt them through the voice of a member of the Kinsella family, preferably Tim.
But I kid Jade Tree; I will go on black-on-pink record as saying that I actively enjoy the following J.T. artists: Despistado (v. much), Turing Machine (v. much), and Jets to Brazil (medium much). Check out this song for Blake's excellent vocals and the band's general snappiness (note the first 'n'), plus the most astute use of astronaut noises, ever. They're broken up now, unfortunately (they were pretty great live). 'Perfecting Loneliness' is from the album of the same name, which you can find right here.
P.S. I'll be in Virginia for the next, oh, six days or so. Old job needs me to come back and consult. Apparently the new guy is having a hard time with the unions. Talk of strike. Feathers are ruffled, hackles raised. Should be fun. Although since I'll be rounding up new friends (scabs), I won't be able to update for a while. Please please all of you 53 loyal readers, hold those tears. When I come back, there'll be a new contest, really this time I swear.
Posted by Kevin at 12:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 17, 2005
TTIKTDA got the red card. Again.
Beulah - The Rise and Fall of Our Hero's Own Reward
Beulah is a frequent guest on this program, so to speak. But that's just because they were so damn good. I'm having trouble letting go of them; in the stages of grief process, I've run past acceptance and come all the way around to denial again. Such strong melodies! Such amazing arrangements! Such concentrated Californianicity! It's enough to bowl you over. If this song doesn't get stuck in your head, I will personally draw you a picture of me caricaturally eating my own words. Promise.
If "The Rise and Fall of Our Hero's Own Reward" had somehow existed back in 1957 or so, and in the fictional San Francisco of Hitchcock's "Vertigo" (double contrary-to-fact), and had, by chance, been played on the radio when Jimmy Stewart's Scotty and Kim Novak's Madeleine/Judy were driving down to the San Juan Bautista mission for the final time, I can't help but think that Jimmy Stewart would have realized the grave mistake he was making and would have forsaken the psychotic dickheadedness that resulted in poor Kim Novak's death. In this alternate ending, Scotty and Judy move up to the hills near Muir Woods and embrace the real estate market with open arms, making millions. Or something.
Anyway, Beulah's got a DVD out, "A Good Band Is Easy to Kill", which, judging by the trailer, looks pretty great. A worthy investment.
Posted by Kevin at 12:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 16, 2005
next stop: business analyst
Ada baby makes some sweet velvety music, you might know her from the whispy and distended cover she did of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's 'Maps'. 'Our Love Never Dies' is a more serious beast though, judging by the sound, it's more like a hellicoptery animal that likes to take long, indulgent bubble baths. Really soak it out, you know? 3 out of my 4 younger brothers approve of this song, and they can barely wean themselves from the nasal dialects of Blink 182 and their ilk, so you know it's got to be good. Ada, you temptress. Download it and love it, then perhaps buy it.
Posted by Kevin at 12:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 15, 2005
An absolute value of engine [updated]
Feathers - Grandmother Constellation Fade Away Into the Earth
Based on a recommendation from Orbis Quintus a little while back, I went into Philly to see Feathers play on Saturday night. They did not disappoint. 7 people on stage (there are 8 in the band, apparently, not sure where the other member was), swapping instruments on every song, 5 of them harmonizing together at different points, songs a mish-mash of late night outdoor hymns, Espers-ish lace-lined ballads, deep and entrenched Southern rock, noise and metal flourishes just for the fun of it, hot sitar riffs (!), and all of it gorgeous and very moving. The song they played at the end of their set just killed- it was ten minutes long, started off as a tender acoustic number and ended with ecstatic waves of noise washing down over the crowd. The band all seemed to be having a great time, smiling and laughing- it would have been nice to hear what they said between songs but 1) the sound wasn't great and 2) there was an industrial fan right behind my head and a bunch of drunken jackasses braying on about some company party they went to. Plus this couple in front of me (like pretty much standing on my toes) who felt the need to kiss and fondle each other every 2.5 seconds was a little distracting. There would be a small respite for beer drinking (they barely watched the bands), then the girl would stare longingly (piercingly, psychotically) at the guy's neck or ear or whatever until he looked at her. Would've been a little easier to ignore if the girl's hair didn't keep whipping around and hitting me in the face every time she so much as exhaled. Anyway.
'Grandmother Constellation Fade Away into the Earth' is pretty representative of Feathers' sound, as much as any one song can be really. They're extremely versatile (obviously, with almost 10 members playing like 5 different instruments each), turning on a dime from Incredible String Band cooing to Amon Duul-esque headfucking jams in the space of a minute or two. 'Grandmother Constellation...' definitely reminds me a little bit of the more explicitly melodic songs of Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice (or esp. of the Wooden Wand solo album), in that it's got that same wide open feel to it, running down hills, rolling around in the dirt, yelling out for friends to come play. They're one of the most exciting bands I've heard/seen in a while, and I'll bet their debut album becomes a big hit with the Banhart + Newsom contingent; they're a little bit more into their own thing than either of those two, but they've definitely got loads of songwriting talent too. Their LP should be pretty wild...
For now, Feathers only have one really available release (the Gnomeozoic EP is waaaaaay out of print), and that's what this song is taken from- the "Tour Paint" EP that the band's been selling at shows. So go see them on tour- they're playing next with Sufjan on 8/20 at the Bowery Ballroom. P.S. Greg (sitar player) from Feathers stopped by to say their album will be released very soon, on vinyl, in an edition of 1000. I know Time-Lag usually carries their stuff, so look out for it there!
Posted by Kevin at 01:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 12, 2005
The only way out of this is free jazz.
"Shoot Me First" is a perforated groove. JFR's, Calder's (maybe) and Caitlin's voices punctuate the descending static-encrusted synth lines with alternating tones of triumph and sorrow. Someone lets go of the cymbal's leash at 2:55, but no harm comes of it. "Self Destruction" is not quite as dancy* as I was expecting, but it is poppier than usual, at least relative to the rest of their discography (at three minutes and 17 seconds, this baby could be on the radio!). The most impressive thing to me about Excepter is that it seems like they will make music by any means necessary- it is something they need to exhale from their bodies. Their music always strikes me as primal, wild, and urgent (like this song and maybe 'Shattered Skull' from KA both sound like they could be examples of the earliest known funeral hymns: no hard lyrics, just voices intertwining with beats and whatever sound can be wrangled up for the event). I sort of love this band.
"Self Destruction" is available from the great people at Fusetron right now, along with Excepter's first t-shirts (S-M-L), which are white on black, and pretty much feature what looks like the devil chewing slowly on the word "EXCEPTER". Good fun.
*according to John Fell Ryan, the forthcoming (winter) "Alternations" on Kill Rock Stars will feature a lot of the more beat-heavy stuff they've played live.
Posted by Kevin at 01:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 11, 2005
condensed version of what would normally appear
Interpol makes music. 'Precipitate' is one of the songs that make up their music, and here it is for your enjoyment. From the "Precipitate" EP. Featuring the name 'Daphne' in prominent declarative sentences. A little more jaunty than what you might be used to in an Interpol song. But that's fine. Who can't use a little jauntiness?
Posted by Kevin at 01:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 10, 2005
One more thing- and one more after that
So Wolf Parade are on their way and don't really need the support of mp3blogs anymore, but hey for old time's sake, here's the cover art for "Apologies to the Queen Mary", in case you haven't seen it yet. Buy it hard when it comes out on September 27th. Also, here's a lengthy and fantastic recent interview with Spencer.
Posted by Kevin at 10:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
the rhinopotamus speaks for the final time
Radiohead - The Thief (Can cover)
When will people give this band the attention they deserve?! Poor English bastards. Anyway, this cover they did of Can's 'The Thief' (from "Delay") was almost played live at the Amnesty International Festival in December '98 but replaced at the last minute with 'Street Spirit' (this was sort of a big deal at the time, if I remember correctly, because in those pre-Can-is-awesome-and-everyone-knows-it-days, people were under the quite mistaken impression that 'The Thief' was going to be a new song, and this, whew, was during the extreme drought of new Radiohead material which itself would not break until the release of Kid A in October 2000- point being that the disappointment among Radiohead fans when they didn't play 'the Thief' was both intense and near-palpable). But hey, Radiohead did eventually play this tune (obviously) in September 2000, in Copenhagen (good things happen in Denmark, viz. that Mt. Eerie live triple-LP). And it was good. Thom says, "this is a song by Can we're gonna do. It's called the Thief. I hope you like it." And he means it.
One thing I was reminded of the other day, having been given the DVD of 'Meeting People is Easy' (my VHS copy has been somehow digested by the piles of junk in the attic of my parents' house), was how many amazing unreleased Radiohead songs have been documented, either live or in a sort of half-existence (e.g. Follow Me Around, Big Boots/Man O'War). Although some of you might remember (or not) that when RH did those webcasts back in the day during the recording sessions for Kid A/Amnesiac, they played a pretty developed version of 'There There', and that song wasn't released for another 3-4 years. So there's always hope- maybe songs like 'Lift' and 'Reckoner' will show up on the inevitable Radiohead box set(s), 10 or 15 years from now.
P.S. If anyone can send me the acoustic versions of Big Ideas, Motion Picture Soundtrack and Man O'War from the '96-'98 era, or that one live version of True Love Waits with the keyboard line in it, I would be extremely grateful. Those songs formed a large chunk of the soundtrack to my freshman year in college = guess who spent a lot of time pining for certain girls and reading lots of Russian poetry (Pushkin) and being sangry [sad + angry] in general? After that I discovered beer and was straight-up ROWDY (was a philsophy major, afterall, it kind of comes with the territory), sort of like the kid in PCU but without the guiding wisdom of Jeremy Piven.
Posted by Kevin at 12:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 09, 2005
iced-up tabletops
Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom - Relevee
"Days of Mars", Gonzalez and Russom's Octoberly issued full-length is going to feature 'Relevee' as its third track, which is a little surprising, at least to me, since it was first released on the "They Keep Me Smiling" compilation (which I realize I just culled a tune from yesterday; hell, at least I'm consistent) almost 2 years ago. Maybe the LP edition of 'Relevee' is extended or remixed- even if it's not though, Gonzalez and Russom have mentioned that they're preparing a visual accompaniment for the track, which is exciting news indeed (remember: these are the people responsible for Black Leotard Front and the insane 'Casual Friday' single, anything that comes from them is bound to be interesting).
'Relevee' evokes nothing so much as the artificially blue and red neon landscapes seen in the movie Tron. It has the same claustrophobic and smooth feel to it- the synths all undulating and rubbing slightly against each other, creating a kind of heatless friction. Gonzalez and Russom are able to make music that lends itself very easily to pleasant visualizations, i.e. much like Boards of Canada, falling asleep to a D&G track is a nice way to start your dreams. Their music is just ruthlessly pretty.
Although they don't have a website up yet, D&G have a little section on the DFA messageboard devoted to their efforts right here, with links to a bunch of pictures and a short clip of them playing 'Relevee'. So you can check that out, if you're curious. [BUY]
Posted by Kevin at 12:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 08, 2005
All-time most famous squids
U W Owl's 'White Mountain' follows two different paths. One is very much like sitting in your best friend's dad's den, enjoying the wainscotting and beige carpet (which together comprise approximately 95% of the visual aesthetic of the room) from the comfortable vantage point of an old [distressed] leather chair. You're sipping on a glass of flat soda and waiting for your friend to return. You begin browsing some tattered back issues of "Reader's Digest". Someone or something has imbued the room with the distinct smell of lacquer. You sneeze twice and then leave.
The second path begins at the 184th second: it is a slope, a downhill snowy slope which you recklessly ski the shit out of. Cutting, weaving, turning, shooshing. Giving the thumbs-up to less-skilled skiers, lesson instructors, pine trees, whatever grabs your fancy. At the bottom of the hill, someone slowly whispers a line from a Phil Collins song into your knit-capped ear. You sell them your ski-poles for some hot chocolate money.
'White Mountain' is actually carefully sequenced rhythms (arranged like porcelain thimbles and other tiny, incongruous knicknacks placed upon a mantle) wrapped around two extended drip-drop Dopplered breakdowns (you'll hear what I mean). Sometimes the song is unpredictable and lashes out with bursts of echoed vocals. Other times it is smooth and worn, like an old bedroom rug. Make it part of your home.
This track is from the oft-mentioned (at least here) "They Keep Me Smiling" compilation, which was assembled by Hisham Bharoocha (aka Soft Circle), available here. The only other info about U W Owl that exists (as far as I can tell) is that you can contact the band, if you'd like, at whaleswan@hotmail.com.
Posted by Kevin at 01:55 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 05, 2005
Arbitrary prettiness
Hey peeps. I'm starting to get settled back into my boyhood home in PA, a small cabin nestled in the foothills of the Poconos (which are themselves just glorified foothills). As the oldest son in a family of coal-miners, I'm also expected to 'set down into the mines' and 'earn my way by taking pick to rock', while I desperately try to get my rocket-powered flight experiments to work. Or maybe I've just been unpacking all my clothes and random crap for the past few days. It's hard to tell.
Anyway, the normal Molars 'service' will return on Monday, with a little track by a little band called U W Owl. Have a good weekend.
Posted by Kevin at 01:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 02, 2005
Caught in the Hollow of Your Cheekbone
Childballads - The Onion Domes of Tallahassee
!~~!~~! This song is the first from Stewart Lupton's new band, the Childballads, to surface anywhere, and it was actually distributed by the band via email. If there was anything that could cajole me out of heat and exhaustion-induced apathy, it's a tight little jam like this, something that I've been anticipating and wondering about for almost the past year, since word came down from the man himself (Lupton) that he had been playing with a new group (with Betsy Wright and Hugh MacIntosh [of the Recoys and French Kicks]) and performing occasional live shows.
'The Onion Domes of Tallahassee' sees the former Jonathan Fire*Eater lead singer working similar lyrical themes, or at the very least, constructing songs around narratives filled to the brim with poetic imagery viz. "Circle round a fort made of animal bones", "I bought a painting off the street of a haunted lake", "a shadow that's caught in the hollow of your cheekbone", "when you walk into the room, all the wallpaper comes in bloom" (that last one's my favorite). Musically though, this song reminds me a lot of the Rolling Stones- and while Lupton has been compared to Jagger before, it's really just a perfectly apt reference for 'The Onion Domes...', and if you want to get really fine-grained about it, start talking about "Beggars Banquet"-era Stones, specifically 'Street Fighting Man'- 'Onion Domes...' is the dense and bright-shining binary of that song. When Lupton harmonizes with Betsy Wright though, it rivals or even surpasses the best moments of Jonathan Fire*Eater- the wonderful theatricality is still there, the urgency and passion, but everything's rendered so much more subtly.
So, as far as I know, the Childballads have neither signed to a label nor have they released anything yet (although apparently this track is taken from something called "Dried Bee Necklace"). They don't even have a website that I'm aware of- however, they are playing the Knitting Factory, this Thursday night, August 4th. Go out and see/listen/enjoy!
Posted by Kevin at 12:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack