« Retrohump: I Know Where Dan Treacy Lives... | Main | Denver/Boulder: Shows this week | 1.19.2009 - 1.25.2009 »
January 19, 2009
Ripping Vinyl, part 8
After many years of musical obsession completely removed from a record player, my pile of vinyl now grows incrementally, aided by the quality LP sellers of New York City. Baubles from the treasure chest will be posted here whenever it seems appropriate...
DFA Records did the world a service in '07 by re-issuing Gyrate by Pylon, a true gem of the early 80s Georgian renaissance in angular pop music. There were whispers that the label would double down in '08 with newly accessible copies of the band's 1983 follow-up Chomp. It's 2009, and the record remains out of print, which I believe is my cue.
The original LP sleeve features a serrated top edge, theoretically a victim of the fearsome pictured predator and his desire to perform the titular function on each record's cover. At best it looks like it was nibbled by some unusually uniform squirrels. The art inside is more successful. Produced by Gene Holder and Chris Stamey, members of North Carolina's the dBs, and assisted by their own producer Mitch Easter (whose credits would eventually include R.E.M. and Pavement), the record is slightly warmer, less caustic and austere. Which is not to say that it's all hugs and harmonies; It's still plenty brainy and aloof.
Some hits...
A title track for their debut LP, held mysteriously in reserve. While it could have fit there, nestled among odes to volume and learning to drive, this nervous call to shimmy might be Chomp's best moment (R.E.M. supporters might claim the track they covered, "Crazy," but I've never been on the same page as that mass). It's not afraid to ask the big questions, or rewrite restrictive conventional alphabets.
2..4..6..8/ Why do we gyrate?/ 1..1..2..3 / We don't need a recipe/ A..B..C..D..E..F..G..Y..R..A..T..E/ Gyrate! Gyrate!
Michael Lachowski (bass) and Curtis Crowe (drums) take your bows. While Vanessa Briscoe's switch from gravel-throated authority to whimsical whistle emulations are exceedingly odd/rad, its the rhythm section's relentlessness in this song that gives it the necessary forward motion. It starts as a, "How could you leave me?" type, with Vanessa left heartbroken by a rail-bound ex. But as the song gathers its locomotive force it becomes clear that its more of a "Get the fuck out of town!" anthem. Not sure we've got enough of those enshrined in the canon. It's further proof that Pylon never quite act in ways you might expect. Despite ridiculously hip-swagger basslines, it never feels right for a dancefloor. Despite goofy pop "whoos" it never feels very light hearted. And in the end, they completely refuse to indulge us...
Now that the song is over/ You're just a cassanova/ And there's no refrain/ Just the sound of the M-train/ aaaaaaaaaaah...."
Refusing to leave you with one last "whoo-whoo!" after telegraphing it like that is a great little bit of perverse pop denial.
Previously:
- the Raincoats, live @ the BBC
- Linear Movement play "the Game"
- A hole where the Romeo should be
- Pete Shelley, also a homosapien
- Not nearly the only Stereolab tour-only 7"
- Monochrome Set transcend the singles scene circa '82
Posted by Jeff Klingman at January 19, 2009 02:15 PM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.merryswankster.com/movabletype/mt-tb.cgi/1951
Comments
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)
