TRACK OF THE WEEK
Really Good Time – ‘Bob Dylan Was On Pawn Stars In 2010’
A post-modern dissection of culture and existence through references to telly schlock, grooving with a swagger and an energy that has made me send their press an email to cover their next gig. This control of concept is half-Byrne, half-Pynchon, and they deliver it with a mutant cynicism that’s neither cringeworthy nor, heaven forbid, trying too hard. Just a Really Good Time.
The Lemon Twigs – ‘I Just Can’t Get Over Losing You’
The princes of pastiche return with this ‘60s-infused, sway-your-Beatles-bob ditty. There’s not a jangle wasted, nor a twang misplaced. It’s pure songwriting class; had they been born half-a-century earlier, who knows what kind of fame they would’ve found. Who cares? Let us not wish away this talent to the gutter of history.
Lowertown – ‘Big Thumb’
Lowertown are masters of a genre I can only describe as ‘ugly twee’. It’s like they tune their guitars with their teeth, or make their tea with pond water. The result is ‘Big Thumb’, a slackish, fascinating snapshot of isolation, or boredom, or abandonment.
Chinese American Bear – ‘Mama (妈妈)’
‘Bubbly’ is a sickening word, but it’s hard not to apply it to a track as playful as this. A fairly simple song, with its disco beat and glossy finish, ‘Mama’ is kept interesting by sonic titbits – strings, warbles, etc – that whirr past Anne Tong as she delivers wide-eyed endearment.
Thomas Dollbaum – ‘Dozen Roses’
Is there something in how the title, when sung, sounds like ‘Cousin Rose is on the way’, as though a distant family member is returning home? Dollbaum’s southern rock charm is one deeply rooted in a homesickness, perhaps a timesickness, a song unwilling to contemplate the present yet dragged into it nevertheless by a driven beat.
Argo and the Violet Queens – ‘Casablanca’
I watched Casablanca a few weeks ago with a bottle of wine and some tiramisu – a life-altering experience. How does it relate to this song? I’m not quite sure, but the song does have a quiet defiance, stone-voiced and reluctant, not unlike Rick’s. It has a half-psychedelic, half-bedroom indie manner about it, but it captivates with a dreamlike grip.
Beabadoobee ft. The Marías – ‘All I Did Was Dream Of You’
An early 2000s throwback; ‘Bring Me To Life’ if the edges were sanded down, and the label didn’t force the inclusion of a male vocalist. It balances its more gothic elements with a pop airiness, though it does fall foul of a lazy “drink/think” rhyme. We can’t all be winners.
Iceage – ‘Star’
Isn’t it kind of Iceage to provide the lyrics? With abstract words and hi-hats relentless as a supernova, ‘Star’ has a strangely unmoving sadness to it. It occupies the space between a star burning out and the moment its last ray touches skin, unnoticeably grave and final.
beaming – ‘Stuck (here)’
I must admit that I was worried when the song started, and beaming’s dual vocals rose with a sad-boy patter. Not that there’s anything wrong with their singing, but certain vocal styles are typical of certain genres – obviously – and the quasi-emo detachment more often than not leads to something a bit too unsubtle for my tastes. Not ‘Stuck (here)’, thankfully. The song fills out with an alternative folk instrumental, replete with finger-plucked acoustic and musical saws, spinning the sadness into something more resilient, growing and fading with melancholic gusto.
Earl Sweatshirt, SURF GANG, MIKE – ‘Minty/Earth’
Two mini-songs, essentially. ‘Minty’ has more of a groove to it, but its dampened instrumental reminds me a bit of Biggie’s ‘Suicidal Thoughts, though less eerie. ‘Earth’ I prefer, mainly because of Earl’s delivery. It has a coy pace to it, one that contrasts the almost-biblically proportioned lyrics. I’m not as well-versed in modern hip-hop as I should be, and these tracks have urged me to, quite simply, be better.
Teen Suicide – ‘Spiders’
Sludging and sluicing, ‘Spiders’ is typically strange and sure-footed, crunching between quiet and loud like a pixie in heat.
Freya Ridings – ‘I Have Always Loved You’
A straightforward sad song, beautifully sung by Ridings, almost hymnic in its refrain.
Hector Gannet – ‘Seven Signs’
More horns please! Proper euphoria with a wit to match, ‘Seven Signs’ reminds me of vintage Proclaimers – a compliment of the highest order. It makes me want to put my fist through a mirror just to see if I can ride the seven years as gleefully as Gannet.
Brontës – ‘Wouldn’t Be Me’
If Chappel Roan were in The Beautiful South. Jaunty and jangly, the lyrics hold a naïve, brutish self-confidence, reinforced by the pop simplicity of the structure. Throw in a bit of McFly (who have a soft spot in my heart), now that I think about it.
CQ Wrestling – ‘Pacifico’
Pure post-punk – I’m surprised this isn’t a Chameleons track. Big snare smacks, plenty of tremolo, a well-postured vocal tone – all the hallmarks. I’m intrigued to see the full direction of their upcoming EP.
Gary Marks – ‘I Guess It Never Stops’
Marks delivers a hopeful sincerity over an 80s-inspired rhythm. You can’t keep him down, and the song urges itself on with this infectious optimism.
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