This month's cover is from Partie Traumatic although Brain Heart Guitar was a close second. They were just too cute to not do. I'm a sucker for unicorns.
1. "Tina"/Louis XIV-these modern glam rockers are back, and they seem to have grown up. They've progressed from lyrics like "I said hey short girl you're like a midget/You can turn a phone cord into a widget/She said you son of a bitch you little bitch" to "well I saw you leaving the other night/with a dark haired guy on a motorbike/and all my friends say they saw you drunk in the clubs/talking really loud about how you're in love." They're one of David Bowie's favorite modern bands, and Bowie might as well be singing (although maybe he actually is since he has guested with them before). The tune is highly infectious, however, so I'd suggest talking it out.
2. "Impossible Germany"/Wilco-to switch gears entirely we have the most laid-back modern and somewhat popular folk-rock act of the era. Wilco delivers the comfortably mellow tones they're known for, and the lyrics are deliciously cryptic.
3. "Look At Me (When I Rock Wichoo)"/Black Kids-I'll end up reveiwing Partie Traumatic at some point, but for now I'll do the song that's been stuck in my head for five days straight. Black Kids have been nothing but wild, nostalgic fun throughout their short career. This song is no different, mixing lyrics which aren't particularly clever (or make much sense) but they're freakin' catchy for some reason (such as the girls singing "you say baby, we say bump it, all you wanna hear is Gabriel's trumpet). Dance beats are liberally layered over electronic guitars and sliding basslines for a very shiny, polished sound.
4. "Add It Up"/Violent Femmes-Here we have the exact opposite, a totally unpolished sound from a group that's been around forever but hardly gets recognized outside of Wendy's commercials. This garage-band misanthrope rite-of-passage music is lots of fun if you can get past the incestual themes.
5. "Cannibal Queen"/Miniature Tigers- They're back with a much pop-oriented sound than their earlier EPs, and I must say I'm not sure how much I dig it. But "Cannibal Queen" has clever enough, strange enough lyrics to merit a listen.
6. "Dropkick Queen of the Weekend"/The Dudes-They're as strangely addictive as ever with this alt rock confection. I mean, for starters what the hell is a "Dropkick Queen of the Weekend"? But it's still a damn good song with interspersion of some heavy guitars.
7. "Train in Vain (Stand by Me)"/The Clash-Ah yes, The Clash, one of the only survivors from the early Punk movement and just about the only band from that time period to produce songs with meaningful, political messages...except not this one. "Train in Vain" is just frickin' catchy, and it's about the same-old-same-old love and betrayal. I think it might be Strummer's howling vocals which actually lend qualification to the heartbreak, and I do love that harmonica.
8. "Dreaming of You"/The Coral-The Coral's music is anything but traditional; in fact, this song is a mixture between a kooky circus band and folk with doo-wop chorusing vocals. They had massive hype at one point, although that died away fairly quickly as they're not prolific by any means. Anyway, "Dreaming of You" is a gem of a song, with a range of eclectic influences packaged together neatly and beautifully.
9. "Talk Amongst Yourselves"/Grand National-From the sparse, pared down sound of The Coral we migrate to lush electronic collaborations. "Talk Amongst Yourselves" is a wildly addictive sort-of dance number which screams mellow but catchy. It's completely synth except for delicious strumming guitars, also electronic and not in the least bit acoustic. This is a very shiny song, and I wish I had better words to describe it.
10. "California (All the Way)"/Luna- It may take a while for "California" to grow on you, but it's a real treat once it does. Luna mixes classic california rock with a tinge of pop, and lyrically folksical words (I love making up words). The song is a slow build-up to the main guitar line, but seriously worth the wait.
-elln
No comments:
Post a Comment