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July 11, 2006
Summer Six Pack
'Tis the summer of my discontent. New York is evenly split between two wholly objectionable personalities: Sweaty and rainy. Long no-work weekends have come and gone, making the resulting week feel endless in comparison (Can I remind you that it's only fucking Tuesday?). Plus, musically, it's like we're in a bit of a lull. Now, I don't expect those blissful people not tethered to the whims of the blog world to think so. There were numerous notable records released only today. But since we always have to be so goddamned ahead of everything, most of the new crop of records have either been played to death or just enough to cement an earlier skepticism. So, while we wait for the leaking Fall records to intensify from trickle to flood, I give you a handful of refreshing tracks that have been sticking to my playlist upholstery.
These aren't all really thematically linked, or completely new, or even very Summer-y come to think of it, but what's a goth to do?
Frog Eyes - "Caravan Breakers" (Daytrotter Session)
The link directs you to the Daytrotter site, instead of directly to the song, because I have love for their attempt to fill the John Peel void with multi song studio recorded live sessions of worthy groups. Also, when a site actually makes something of their own, wills something cool into existence, and gives free downloads to anyone who wants them, it seems beyond the pale to swipe without props. You'll find a couple other Frog Eyes tracks on the site, and they're both good, but for now we rightfully focus on "Caravan Breakers."
Slated for inclusion on the '07 album, and a staple of the band's live set, "CB" is the Frog Eyes song. Carey Mercer's wildman persona is on display immediately, although man of the hour Spencer Krug lightens things up with some carnival keyboard embellishment. The music fits and starts, but is dynamic enough to prevent fatigue that can come with a continual Frog assault. 2 minutes and 14 seconds in, everything drops away except a lone drum beat as Carey, in clear, non spasming voice, croons the great line, "Caravan Breakers/ We fucking prey on the/ Weak, weak/ and the o-oh-oh-oold," cementing his crown as the best musical utilizer of the f-word currently on the books. After thirty seconds it gallops away again, with it's scraping guitars and lofty keys inching towards Sunset Rubdown sonics. Ironically Mr. Sun Rub pulls it back from the cliff at the 4:16 mark with a small, memorable piano hook, and acompanies it by himself with a higher register counter synth melody. So good. But, it's good and weird in equal measure, which is always my super favorite.
Appropriate Corresponding Summer Activity - Being pissed off at the world on a muggy morning subway commute, pretending you're a tough guy
the Long Blondes - "Fulwood Babylon"
This one was on the podcast, but I hadn't seen it individually posted anywhere. So here it is, all seperate like. The chorus is a little clunky I think, as it's hard to seemlessly encorporate the word "sycophant," but, there all sorts of little touches to like. There's Kate's breathy staccato delivery at the beginning, soon echoed by the bassline. The stick heavy percussion. The Siouxsie Sioux atmospherics on the vocals when the tempo picks up. But especially, especially the double tracked Jarvis Cocker-ish monologue about the dangers of Russ Meyer films and Kinks records.
Appropriate Corresponding Summer Activity - Drinking and making quietly mean comments about fellow patrons in a bar with an outside patio
Peter Bjorn & John - "Young Folks"
This is one of those songs, regularly coughed up by the internet, that goes from complete obscurity to twenty blog posts in the span of a week. Not to disillusion some starry eyed midwestern teen, but this probably has more to do with the timing and breadth of PR distribution and reactionary follower mentality than all of your favorite bloggers being totally plugged in to the zeitgeist. And what about those guys who post the song anyway, but then thinly veil it in pseudo analytical commentary to deflect the fact that they're just totally behind the curve? Yeah, we're the worst.
Anyway, I seem to always like this kind of song. Work out tempo beat, breezy vocals, some nice male/ female trade off, accents, whistling. When I first heard it I thought (with Camera Obscura in mind), "Man, alot of girls are sounding like the chick from the Concretes these days." Then I look it up and of course it is the girl from the Concretes.
Appropriate Corresponding Summer Activity - Pool Party, in shade with lemonade
Shapes and Sizes - "Oh No, Oh Boy"
This starts out like any number of faceless indie pop songs that I increasingly like to mock. You got the slight voice, the wimpy inflection, a limp backing band, and a totally suspect rhyme scene. I mean it's not terrible, but what's the point? A minute thirty in, this great lazy but nervous Meat Puppets-ish guitar line comes in, adding much needed tension. Ah-so, the point emerges. With just the one added element, the snooze factor is halved, and the following build up to a climax makes the weak beginning seem shrewd and necessary in retrospect.
Appropriate Corresponding Summer Activity - Wandering through a generic Italian street fair, losing hope, turning to go, at last finding Mozzarepa stand
Erase Errata - "Ca. Viewing"
When I last checked in with it, "Ca. Viewing" was the one focused mixtape worthy track on 2003's At Crystal Palace. Now, divorced from its clanging album mates, it sounds like a classic. Has any "girl group" ever sounded tougher than this (and please don't send me a roll call of Norweigan Black Metal vixens)? Tight, powerful, danceable, and surprisingly fun to sing along to. Dehydrated, shaky legs need conviction. The best remedy that doesn't come in lemon-lime.
Appropriate Corresponding Summer Activity - Bustin' heads
Pavement - "Grounded" (Session with original drummer Gary Young, extra track from expanded CR, CR re-issue)
We end with an old favorite, familiar as a pair of jean shorts. The pleasure's taken in slight variations thanks to the unearthed Gary Young sessions that highlit the most recent Pavement release. The song is the same, mainly, exhibiting how impresively varied and interchangeable Malkmus' stream of consciousness lyrics were, although we still get our vague medical theme. What's so cool about this is that it really does sound like Pavement mach 1, and not the line-up that would record it for their third album. It's a little faster and sloppier, less majestic than on Wowee Zowee but less straightforward, also. For all of his noteworthy antics, and alcohol abuse, that old hippie really was a great, original, rock drummer.
Appropriate Corresponding Summer Activity - In the hospital waiting room with heat exhaustion, nursing a Miller High Life
Tags: Summer in New York, Frog Eyes, Daytrotter, Long Blondes, Peter Bjorn + John, Shapes & Sizes, Erase Errata, Pavement
Posted by Jeff Klingman at July 11, 2006 12:16 PM
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