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November 15, 2005
put on your sailin' shoes, the waves are coming
Venice Is Sinking - Pulaski Heights
There's a comparison here, but it only struck me after a dozen or so listens: 'Pulaski Heights' has the same type of restless, world-weary beauty as Knife in the Water's 'Watch Your Back', but where the latter turns into a neapolitan swirl of jealousy, heat, and disgust, Venice Is Sinking take inspiration (on this track) from cool breezes and small caresses. They take a tiny shape and let it billow out into something extremely bright and colorful.
Two of the best moments in 'Pulaski Heights' are contained in the interval from 2:00 to about 2:45. This middle section of the song is when Karolyn's violin fully hijacks the track, with assistance from some thin and precise guitar lines- this mini-explosion gives way to an amazing little harmony-denouement from Daniel (lead singer) and Karolyn, which stays constant as the other instruments peel away slowly from the song. This vocal conjunction at the end sounds like walking away, like resignation (but a kind of optimistic resignation, if that makes sense).
Venice Is Sinking have a split EP (with fellow Georgians What We Do Is Secret) out now (available from their site), and will be releasing a full length on One Percent of One (Malkmus reference?) sometime in March of '06. Definitely something to look forward to.
P.S. Kelley Polar's exquisite "Loves Songs of the Hanging Gardens" is out today- go pick it up.
Posted by Kevin at November 15, 2005 12:13 AM