Songs Of The Week #76: TCDroogsma & MinneSarah

Ryan Hemsworth, Syd Arthur, Milosh, The Low Frequency Of Stereo, & Web Of Sunsets...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #76!
 
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting

So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?

01. Ryan Hemsworth - Against A Wall (from the album Guilt Trip)

 
TCDroogsma:

     Partially out of timing and partially out of quality songs, I've really been enjoying Ryan Hemsworth's work lately.  I've been lucky that Hemsworth's rise in popularity has occurred just as I've really come to appreciate music made by producers rather than bands or singers.


     "Against A Wall" picks up nicely where his Still Awake EP left off. As I've mentioned many times before, I struggle to listen to strictly instrumental tracks without being somewhat informed by whatever the title of that track is.  I suppose it's possible that "Against A Wall" could have suffered the same fate ( though the song itself has a sort of "the streetlights look extra bright" sort of energy too it) but the addition of vocals turned out to be an awfully savvy move.  The mostly consist of, "I love you more than ever..." but Hemsworth chops them into a swirling hook that's easy to get lost in.  Instrumentals are typically more "mood" than anything else, but here the line "mood" and "pop" is straddled brilliantly, leaving behind more than just an impression.

MinneSarah:

     My first thought during this chill but upbeat love song was that it would have made a great soundtrack to Vancouver or Montreal.  Turns out, Ryan Hemsworth is a Canadian DJ (from the Maritimes) with a knack for mixing together catchy elements to ensure you'll remember his tunes.  Vocals by Lofty 305 are reminiscent of the warm hug of a Frank Ocean album, and at least as a woman, the positive lyrics about loving this girl and being there for her are comforting.  The beats are steady but delve into the periphery.  Left to my druthers, I'd listen to this song on repeat while walking through my city, though it's not as modern nor clean as any of the Canadian cities Hemsworth is DJing at any given night.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3/5
                    MinneSarah: 4/5

02. Syd Arthur - Ode To Summer (from the album On And On)

TCDroogsma:

     The first verse of "Ode To Summer" could lead anywhere.  It could turn into a prog-rock opus, it could turn extra fuzzy, the guitars could drop off entirely and we could enter into "indie power ballad" land.  Really, the possibilities are endless for the first 40 seconds.

     Fortunately, the folks in Syd Arthur take the song in a loungey, nostalgia-tinged direction.  Rather than getting loud, singer Liam Magill laments a lost summer fling over the most subdued world of guitars this side of "Girl Afraid."  Even though we here in Minnesota have reached the point of winter where summer flings are a distant, distant memory, the warmth that tinges Magill's delivery is palpable.  She may not come back after when winter ends, but even if she does, it won't live up to the memory.

MinneSarah:

     Perhaps it's because we are about as far away from summer as we are ever going to get, but this song doesn't necessarily scream "summer" to me.  The lyrics reference winter enough to remind me that the wind is howling outside my window and I'm bound to have some shoveling waiting for me once the sun rises after lunch.

     It is, however, upbeat and has the elements of a great summer jam.  The vocals sound eerily like Sondre Lerche singing for the Black Keys, but I guess that is what happens when modern Brits get into the Southern rock game.  The chorus sounds laid back, and this element above all others makes me long for long summer days the likes of which these Brits have never experienced.


Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                    MinneSarah: 3.5/5

03. Milosh - Hear In You (from the album Jetlag)

TCDroogsma:

     There's only about four things going on in "Hear In You," and yet it feels like a hundred.  Percussion is nearly non-existent, synthesizers about, and Milosh's warm, clear voice is sometimes accompanied by... um... a second Milosh voice.

     And yet, "Hear In You" is an incredibly well-realized song.  Milosh hails from Toronto, the city that gave us the blurred, dizzy, debauched soul of The Weeknd.  Milosh represents the other side of that coin.  Jetlag was an album created by Milosh & his wife, which gives lines like, "I'll untangle these dreams and dance toward you instead..." a certain warmth.   "Hear In You" is Milosh's letter to his muse.  When addressing someone so important, perhaps it's best to leave the bells & whistles behind.

MinneSarah:

     Two Canadian DJs in one week?  Maybe the polar vortex is actually Canada's plot to invade the U.S. - by next week we'll be reviewing "Oh Canada" as we reposition our toques.

     Some of the beats sound like they'd back up a good video game, but you can feel Milosh's classical influences throughout the song (so maybe this could back the new Tetris).  I detected harp strings, which may be a first instance in regards to any of the electronic songs I've reviewed. The vocals are smooth and lyrics aren't memorable, so the vocals are there to temper that electronic layer.  After a few listens, I'm surprised at how much I liked this song, given its downbeat melancholy feel.  I guess my will has been broken down by the cold and I'm ready for the Canadian invasion.


Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3/5
                    MinneSarah: 3.5/5

04.  The Low Frequency In Stereo - Colette (Subie Subie) (from the album Pop Obskura)

 
TCDroogsma:

     As a 32 year old white guy in the Midwest, I can't tell you the amount of sleep I've lost over the years wondering to myself, "I wonder what it would sound like if Stereolab covered 'Spiders (Kidsmoke)?'"

     Fortunately, there was a group of Norwegians over on their side of the Atlantic wondering just the same thing.  Voila! "Colette (Subie Subie)!"  I don't have any idea what this goddamn song is about, but I can't believe that's the point.  The Low Frequency In Stereo's rhythm section finds a groove and hold it steady for nearly 4:00.  Over that time we're treated to guitar stabs, keyboard squiggles, girl-group lyrics, surf guitar, & even a couple of choruses.  And yet that beat marches steadily on...

MinneSarah:

     The title says it all - this song is a sixties pop song at heart.  Where this song differs is the high pitched guitars and electronic beat.  The Low Frequency in Stereo is Norwegian, and they are playing this sixties surf pop better than most.  I'm not sure if we need to have a Europe vs. America breakdown of this genre, but if we did the Europeans would have a lot of sixties movies to pull from as inspiration.

     I find songs like this to be situational, perhaps not something for a daily rotation but fun to listen to when the mood strikes.  And that mood doesn't come around all that often, but when it does this song would hit the spot.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                    MinneSarah: 3.5/5

05. Web Of Sunsets - Foreign Bodies (from the album Room Of Monsters)

TCDroogsma:

     When we last checked in with Web Of Sunsets back in April I reviewed their song "Fool's Melodies," describing its "easy guitar strumming" & "airy vocals" as akin to song being sung around a bonfire at the height of summer.

     "Foreign Bodies" may have kept the easy guitar strum, but rather than drifting off into the nigh air, they oppress.  "Foreign Bodies" is a sad, claustrophobic song.  It lives well past the moment of loss and take us to a place where the memory has been distorted and nearly entirely forgotten.  Sara Bischoff's voice seems to echo that sentiment, abandoning any sense of longing or anger, but just hoping to hold everything together with a quiet, pretty resignation

MinneSarah:

     If you've read this column before, you'll know that I can't help it, I have a knee-jerk reaction to acoustic guitars.  This song took several listening attempts before I got through it.  But once I did a few times, I was glad I gave "Foreign Body" a chance.

     The vocals sound very reminiscent of what I've heard of Tegan and Sara, but I can assure you, that hasn't been much. This song sounds clean and simple, there are no drums, just acoustics and vocals.  There is a cowboy campfire element of the story telling with the slightest bit of twang set against the acoustic guitar.

     While this song has elements that I just can't make myself enjoy, when taken as a whole, I can appreciate it for what the band is trying to convey.  This song is a clean sounding, bittersweet narrative, and it's impressive how emotive it sounds without the use of a lot of instruments.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                    MinneSarah: 3/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  She can also be found right here on Newest Industry filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column 







For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Songs Of The Week #74: TCDroogsma & MinneSarah

Sebastien Grainger, Lord Echo, Milagres, & Buffalo Moon...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #74!
 
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting

So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?

01. Sebastien Grainger - Waking Up Dead (from the album Yours To Discover)

 
TCDroogsma:

     There's a lot to like about "Waking Up Dead."  Grainger sands off some of DFA 1979's rough edges (specifically the drum sound because, of course he played down the drum sound) and crafts a pop song that plays to his strengths.  He doesn't push his vocal range too far, writing hooks that he can deliver with a bit of belly fire.

     Where "Waking Up Dead" loses me a bit is in its lyrics.  In his DFA days Grainger was, as he put it, a machine.  That Sebastien Grainger would take God knows what and do God knows what with God knows who.  This Sebastien Grainger is apologizing for saying the wrong thing while he was "wasted" and having nightmares about his girlfriend leaving him (which, for the record, he doesn't think she should.  No, no, no, no, no, no, no...).  If Grainger sticks to this trajectory I fully expect him to be headlining the Basilica Block Party in 2018.

MinneSarah:

     My heart was a flutter when I saw that Sebastien Grainger was the Monday track last week.  DFA 1979 is one of my favorite bands of all time, due in part to Grainger's sexy, confident, and forceful vocals.  When DFA 1979 broke up and Grainger signed to Saddle Creek Records in 2008, I knew it wasn't going to have the same grinding guitar and edgy keyboards of his former band.  In fact, Grainger's first solo effort was awkward in comparison, using his unique voice to croon emo tunes.  I've avoided his solo music until this song showed up in my inbox.

     "Waking Up Dead" is bass driven and includes Grainger's vocals in full glory - even featuring some of the exasperated shrieks that made me swoon while listening to DFA 1979.  The lyrics are about drunken couple fighting, which is always relatable.  The only part that left me scratching my head was the guitar arpeggio, though if I played guitar, I'd probably add that in as well.  Though it's not DFA 1979, it's got some of the epic grittiness of Grainger's roots.  I for one am satiated.
 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                    MinneSarah: 4.5/5

02. Lord Echo - Digital Haircut (from the album Curiosities)

TCDroogsma:

     I'm a little bit biased toward "Digital Haircut" because it hits my iPod every morning as I'm strolling to work and, let me tell ya, few songs were made for strolling quite like this one.

     Lord Echo certainly isn't breaking any new ground with "Digital Haircut."  In fact, if you had me listen to this song and then told me it was a lost Dust Brother's beat from the Paul's Boutique era, I'd believe you without a second thought.  On the other hand, this song sounds like a lost Dust Brother's beat from the Paul's Boutique era!

MinneSarah:

     If robots had funky afrobeat clubs in the 70's (or on another planet), "Digital Haircut" would be their anthem.  This song is an instrumental, though there is a high pitched sound that fills in for the vocal interest.  If you didn't know the language, you wouldn't be any wiser.  While I love to dance around and anything electronic certainly fits the bill, I don't know that there are many situations that I would want to flip on this song.  Clocking in at under 4 minutes, it doesn't outwear its welcome, but doesn't seem to have a purpose larger than delivering joyful beeps and taps.  

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3/5
                    MinneSarah: 2.5/5

03. Milagres - The Letterbomb (from the album Violent Light)

TCDroogsma:

     Milagres is a four-piece out of Brooklyn who, at least as far as "The Letterbomb" is concerned, seem to have spent too much time with their David Bowie album collection.

     Now, as I've made perfectly clear over the years, I think spending any time with a David Bowie album collection is spending too much time with a David Bowie record collection.  Milagres don't quite hit their mark with "The Letterbomb."  If anything they sound like they were aiming for "Bowie meets The National" but landed on "Spacehog."  I mean, their were times this week when I couldn't help but chuckle at the amount of drama they were trying to force into this song.  After spending a week with this one I know a lot about what kind of music the guys of Milagres like, but no idea what kind of music they could write if they stepped into their own shoes.

MinneSarah:

     Where did Milagres come from, and why has nobody told me about them?  Throughout the week, this song grew on me immensely.  I have such a strong desire to see them live, I'm considering booking my vacation to SXSW.

     "The Letterbomb" features some of the commercial 80's Bowie gravitas, coupled with larger than life keyboards. I love the mix between light-hearted glam rock "ooohs" and lyrics delivered as deadpan assertions.  The mood of the song shifts between stadium rock to intimate as your living room.  The singer's voice confidently lifts the song through these wide transitions, never sounding out of place.  I've never yearned to see a band live based on a single song, but I'll be putting in the effort with Milagres.


Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2/5
                    MinneSarah: 4.5/5

04. Buffalo Moon - Machista (from the album Machista)

TCDroogsma:

     Remember everything I wrote last week about how difficult it is to review songs that are sung in a different language.  Well, all of that applies here as well.

     Part of the struggle of reviewing a song in which you can't understand the lyrics is that I'm forced to give extra consideration to the canvas of music built up behind the vocals.  In the case of Typsy Panthre last week, that worked out just fine, as the song consisted of lushly crafted indie pop.  "Machista," conversely, is built around Ecuadorian-influenced garage rock.  Basically, they take all the energy and rawness out of American garage rock and replace it with a layer of acoustic guitars and momentum-thwarting bongos.

     Don't get me wrong.  There's a lot to like about "Machista."  It's certainly delivered with passion to spare (with everybody in the band jumping into some group vocals) and, at times, not having any idea what's being said allows you to choose your own adventure with the lyrics.  Still, after spending the week with "Machista," I'm left with no real desire to return to it.

MinneSarah:

     Who knew the Minneapolis scene was so cosmopolitan?  After the Typsy Panthre track last week, I shouldn't be surprised.

     "Machista" is a foot tappingly catchy song, with unwavering female vocals and prominent guitars.  The vocal accents and driving guitars make this song fun and hard to get out of your head.  I'm not entirely up to date on my Spanish, but "machista" stands for male chauvinist.  Buffalo Moon, with its sixties-inspired guitar pop, is fighting sexism while buoying the mood of the frozen tundra.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2.5/5
                    MinneSarah: 4/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.   

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  She can also be found right here on Newest Industry filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column 







For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Songs Of The Week #73: TCDroogsma & MinneSarah

Andrew Bird, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, The History Of Apple Pie, & Typsy Panthre...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #73!
 
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting

So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?

01.  Andrew Bird - Pulaski At Night (from the album I Want To See Pulaski At Night)

TCDroogsma:

     "Pulaski At Night" presents a curious case for me.  Have you ever loved an artist and then, as they've toned down their weirdness/energy/exploration with age you find yourself losing interest as they settle into the "going through the motions" phase of their career (think Weezer or Jay-Z or Wilco)?

     Well, I've always wanted to like Andrew Bird, but I found his "artistic exploration" to be unfulfilling & his artistic quirks mostly pointless & annoying.  With "Pulaski At Night," all of that stupid bullshit has been reined in.  What we're left with is essentially Andrew-Bird-By-Numbers.  Now, for the type of awful people who enjoy Andrew Bird records, this is probably a disappointing turn.  For those of us who have never been able to sit throgh an entire Andrew Bird record without wanting to jam needles in our ears, "Pulaski At Night" is just the type of relatively straight forward pop song that makes the guy seem tolerable.  There's just enough quirky turns to keep the song interesting, enough hooks to keep the song kicking around my head for awhile, and not one moment that causes me to roll my eyes.   That's all I've ever wanted from the guy.

MinneSarah:

     "Pulaski at Night" is a commercially polished example of the acoustic indie that floods this podcast.  Mr. Bird has been the king of this genre since the aughts, and this song makes it clear why he is still reigning.  As any casual reader of my reviews can surmise, this genre does nothing for me.  Sometimes I turn on The Current and feel it has become an Andrew Bird marathon.  But, I'll give credit where credit is due, and "Pulaski at Night" seamlessly blends Bird's melancholy vocals with upbeat guitar and bass and playful violins.  The lyrics reference a move to/from Pulaski and Chicago, which affirms hipster cred as Pulaski is a tiny town in Virginia and Chicago is the comeback kid of metropolitan cities.  The song locks down night/day homesick yearning.  Would I listen to it on my own - never.  Will this song be on the Current the next time I tune in - we can start waging bets in the comments. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                     MinneSarah: 3/5

02.  Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - Ain't No Chimneys In The Projects (from the album Soul Time)

TCDroogsma:

     This is the second year in a row that MinneSarah & I have been tasked with reviewing a Christmas song after the holiday has passed.  Let me tell you, once Christmas has passed, the last thing you want to do is listen to Christmas music.

     "Ain't No Chimneys In The Projects" is pretty much every Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings song you've ever heard.  If you're already a fan then you know exactly what I mean.  If you're not totally buying the whole retro-soul package, "Ain't No Chimneys..." is nothing special.

     I tend to side with the latter.  Credit where it's due: Jones & The Dap Kings certainly give a hell of a performance.  Jones, in particular, handles the relatively pointless lyrics with such conviction that it makes me retroactively question her performances on non-Christmas songs.  Few musicians today are able to flip the "on" switch quite like Jones.

MinneSarah:

     It's the holidays! Well it was when these songs came out, and what better Christmas Eve song than Sharon Jones crooning a slightly unconventional Christmas tune?

     "Ain't No Chimneys" is a soulful lament to the Santa charade.  I'm a little confused as to whether her listener base is the 50% of Americans that grew up with a fireplace (I did my research) or the 50% that didn't.  I remember a Christmas in San Diego where I asked the same question of my dad, in his tiny bachelor apartment.  The questions stopped pretty quickly when Santa delivered the whole action figure set of She-Ra in one fell swoop from what I could only imagine was the patio doors.  Another interesting phenomenon was that reality at my mother's house, also chimney-less, was that Mrs. Claus was divorced from Santa and delivered presents to other divorced mothers on their front porches a week before the custody agreement sent them to their father's bachelor pads in San Diego.

     Jones claims that this Christmas helped her see what a superhero her mom really was - keeping up those Santa appearances to keep the dream alive in her daughter.  Everyone's holiday experience is different - just be happy that by the time you read this - the holidays are over.   

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2/5
                     MinneSarah: 3/5

03.  The History Of Apple Pie - Tug (from the album Out Of View)

TCDroogsma:

     I was actually kind of excited to see The History Of Apple Pie in this week's songs.  I'd never heard them before, but my Last.fm page has had them under my "Recommended Artists" column for quite some time now.  I was especially excited because they ended up said column "Because you listened to Veronica Falls."

     Well, that certainly turned out to be a mistake.  I suppose it's not totally THOAP's fault that I'm comparing them a group that is "similar" in the sense that they both play guitars & have female leads.  Veronica Falls thrives on bold vocals, power-pop hooks , and clever, self-deprecating vocals.  THOAP replaces all three of those things with a sheen of fuzz that leaves the song sounding half-formed and claustrophobic.  As much as I'm typically down for some good shoegaze, songs like "Tug" stand as a reminder just how difficult it can be to master the genre.
 
MinneSarah:

     This is the fuzziest of fuzz rock songs that I've heard in a while.  The sweet vocals are drowned out by all the fuzzy guitars - making it sound like a live show.  Not many songs have such prominent guitars, and this is both a blessing and a curse for "Tug."  Those missing the 90's may long for such guitar driven ode to the 60's.  For me, it crosses the line from nostalgic hum to constant and, at times, piercing, and while I can't say constant is a bad thing, it doesn't make for a lot of re-listens.  Pity, I always want to love guitar-centric British bands. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2.5/5
                     MinneSarah: 2/5

04.  Typsy Panthre - Claudine (from the album Korda Komp 2)

TCDroogsma:

     Trying to review songs that are sung in a different language is always a curious exercise.  Considering I don't speak a word of French, the vocals in "Claudine" essentially become just another instrument.  They're delivered brightly over a canvas of a humming bass, acoustic guitar strums, and some keyboard-based affectations, creating the atmosphere of a love song.  Of course, years of listening to clever songwriters deliver barbed jabs over upbeat pop leave me with my suspicions as to just what this "Claudine" is all about.

Still, the song is brilliantly executed (think The Magnetic Fields at their most fully realized).  Even if you have no idea what the song's about, "Claudine" stands up as an expertly crafted pop song, thoroughly enjoyable in any language.
 
MinneSarah:

     Local bands that sound like the bands I was introduced to on vacation in Montreal?  Did Minneapolis turn Quebec hipster over the past year?

     "Claudine" brings me back to my hearty Quebecquois phase - not just because the vocals are in French, but the slow keyboard build and upbeat yet sad feeling (is that just because the lyrics are sung in French?).  While nothing else I found from the band is sung in French, I think this song is a beautiful example of the band's range.  I love anything with keyboards, I love undulating pop songs, and I love songs that take you out of your present.  This song does all those things and is aurally gorgeous.


Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                     MinneSarah: 4/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands. 
 

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  She can also be found right here on Newest Industry filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column 







For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Songs Of The Week #71: TCDroogsma & MinneSarah

Painted Palms, Cut Copy, The So So Glos, The Moth & The Flame, & The Counterfactuals...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #71!
 
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting

So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?

01.  Painted Palms - Spinning Signs (from the album Forever) 

TCDroogsma:

     There's a lot going on in "Spinning Signs."  After a couple cursory drum beats we're enveloped in a world of bouncing synths, whooshing synths, and a vocal line fighting for attention.   The lyrics are a collage of psychedelic mumbo-jumbo like "lights spill out my mouth, it's in my hands, it's in the sky," but when the chorus poses the question, "Why can't any of the words get past my mouth?"  the answer seems obvious:  Because there's so many keyboards drowning it out.

     Still, at its core, "Spinning Signs" is a pop song.  I'm willing to bet the guys in Painted Palms own every Of Montreal album, but I'll bet "Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?" is their favorite.

MinneSarah:

     Have you ever thought, "The only thing that would have pushed the Beatles over the edge as best band of all time is electronic keyboards?"  I guess I've thought so once or twice, but not until I've heard "Spinning Signs" did I debate it earnestly.

     This song sounds like a party of Depeche Mode meets Tame Impala.  It's got a steady electronic beat, to be sure, but it retains the catchiness of songs you could actually listen to over and over - the use of the keyboards is not overpowering.  The vocals are confident and push the song forward with a sense of urgency.  Of all the songs on this podcast, this may win the award for most listens in a week.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3/5
                    MinneSarah: 4.5/5

02.  Cut Copy - We Are Explorers (from the album Free Your Mind)

TCDroogsma:

     One of my oldest and most beloved traditions here on SOTW is to hate on synth-pop songs.  I don't know if it's because I grew up on punk  rock or, more likely, it's because most of these songs are half-formed ideas wrapped up in synths and presented as fully-realized ideas, but they rarely speak to me.

     However, every now and then a synth-pop band will just nail a song (think M83's "Midnight City" or Yeasayer's "Ambling Alp").  When that happens, not only is it great "for a synth-pop song," it jumps ahead of indie rock, hip-hop, old 90's shit that I love, and becomes just a perfect track.  "We Are Explorers" is that moment for Cut Copy.  Everything about this track is perfect.  The keyboards bounce, the vocal melody is incredibly catchy, and, most importantly, the song pushes into the stratosphere for the chorus.  It's good enough that I would slog through an entire Cut Copy show just to see a venue go bananas during "We Are Explorers."  Definitely a late entry into the "2013 Best Of The Song Of The Day" contest.

MinneSarah:

     Cut Copy were one of my favorite bands when I lived in Canada.  While they aren't from Canada (they're Aussies), they have a sound that isn't quite Euro-electronic that I've dubbed "Commonwealth Electro."  Honestly the word "trash" can often follow that phrase, but "We Are Explorers" is certainly the former.

     This song is unabashedly electronic - it even features mini sirens.  Despite the discoteque vibe, the singer's mellow voice is used to temper the heavily electronically enhanced music.  This band has always made me feel like I'm on the cutting edge, and true to my "Commonwealth Electro" tag - we are exploring together when you pop this tune on your stereo.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 4.5/5
                     MinneSarah: 4/5

03.  The So So Glos - Lost Weekend (from the album Blowout)

TCDroogsma:

          The So So Glos are an indie rock band out of Brooklyn that's fronted by brothers Alex & Ryan Levine.    Like all great New York bands from The Velvet Underground to The Strokes, "Lost Weekend" finds the band taking their turn writing the "anthem for the morning after."

      "Lost Weekend" rumbles about on a simple-yet-effective bassline while Alex Lavine snarkily lets a compatriot know that it's time to grow up.  He cuts the deepest with the lin, "Don't cry, you did it as much as I, and I'm not gonna be the one to bail you out this time..."  The energy that fueled this "lost weekend" seems as though it's being channeled into more worthwhile pursuits (like, say, The So So Glos), and he's run out of time to suffer those around him who refuse to read the writing on the wall.  Certainly a sentiment that anybody on my side of 30 can relate with.

MinneSarah:

     How many of you can honestly say you've planned a lost weekend?  I've had plenty of weekends where Monday rolls around and when people ask how my weekend was, I can't remember - knitting, entire series of TV shows, ramen noodle sampler packs?  Well, this passionate guitar driven ode to being forgotten puts my former definition of lost weekend to shame.  The vocals are excited, and vacillate between "ooooh ooooohs" and gutteral screams.  While this song does have a West Coast vibe, it is different from what I would consider the indie rock norm at this point. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 4/5
                     MinneSarah: 3/5

04.  The Moth & The Flame - Sorry (from the EP & EP)

TCDroogsma:

     Speaking of sentiments that anybody over 30 can relate with, here we have "Sorry" from Utah's The Moth & The Flame.

     The song rides a bass hook that seems to continually push the song upward while Brandon Robbins laments the mistake of staying in a relationship that's run its course out of a desire to protect somebody's feelings.  When the song drops out with under a minute left and the spotlight is left on Robbin's howling, "I'm sooorrryyy..." it's the perfect embodiement of what I'm assuming is a universal regret.  There's almost nothing as painful as trying to make amends for this type of mistake, and The Moth & The Flame do a great job of making that feeling both palpable & danceable.

MinneSarah:

     I know a kid who has a tattoo on his neck, at his collar bones, that reads, "I'm sorry."  He says it's just easier that way.  It doesn't hurt to own up, and this earnest song puts the listener at ease with an unsolicited mea culpa.  I couldn't quite put my finger on the distinctly British sounding vocals, but realized it reminds me of The Doves (though many may say Coldplay).  The lyrics are about bad relationships - but rather than point the blame - he is just sorry he didn't realize it sooner.  This sentiment sounds genuine and not at all sarcastic.  The drumming parts were so catchy I couldn't stop from stomping my feet on the light rail or clapping my hands when my nails were wet.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                     MinneSarah: 4.5/5

05.  The Counterfactuals - If You Go Then You Go It Alone (from the album Minimally Decent People)

TCDroogsma:

     Much like I took a moment last week to acknowledge the beautifully Minnesotan sentiment of Red Mountain's album title Scowling Lightly, I think it's important to acknowledge The Counterfactuals Minimally Decent People album title.  Not "bad" people.  Nobody in Minnesota assumes that someone is "bad."  "Minimally Decent" is about the Minnesota Nice-iest way of putting it.

     The song "If You Go Then You Go It Alone," as you can probably imagine, is a bit more direct.  It opens with the line, "'Go on.'  That's the final word from over the phone..."  and only gets more resigned from there.  The song isn't angry, necessarily, but strikes a very matter-of-fact tone.  In a way, it almost seems like the conversation that would end the sort of drawn out goodbye The Moth & The Flame were referencing above.  If there's on thing Minnesotans do well, it's hold a grudge, and reminding that no-longer-special someone that if they go then they go it alone is basically a statement of intent to file somebody away into the "Grudge" file. 

MinneSarah:

     I can't think of a better song name for an Americana-inspired song. "If You Go Then You Go It Alone" is filled with metallic acoustic sounding guitar and full-bodied percussion.  It doesn't quite fit the stereotype of Americana - but seems to rely heavily on the influences.  I like that the sound is more modern and developed.  The vocals are filled with sadness and passion, sometimes you just have to put your foot down even if it's not entirely what you want to do.  If this were the trajectory of folk-pop, I wouldn't be worried and I'd embrace it with open arms.

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3/5
                     MinneSarah: 3.5/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  She can also be found right here on Newest Industry filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column






For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.   

Songs Of The Week #15: MinneSarah & TCDroogsma

Menahan Street Band, Body Language, No, Ben Sollee, & BNLX...

Hello again, MP3 junkies! Welcome to Songs Of The Week #15!

For those of you who are still somehow unfamiliar with the SOTW posts, each week we ask a couple of our contributors to give us their thoughts on the previous week's songs given away by MPR's The Current. To download the Song Of The Day podcast for yourself (which we highly recommend), click here. Playing along at home is fun for the whole family! Especially if your family likes pretty average indie music!

Make your voice heard by voting in the poll on the right of the page. This is serious, serious business people. Whoever wins the contest gets... er... some level of validation, we suppose.

This week we asked MinneSarah & TCDroogsma to have a go at the songs.

Kids, what'd you think?

01. Menahan Street Band – The Crossing (from the album The Crossing)

MinneSarah:

     So this band is an instrumental soul group complete with horns and an organ.  The absence of vocals is actually refreshing - as it's hard for a lot of these soul funk revival bands to pull off all the elements - adding a singer is just another thing to have to worry about fitting in to the mix.  This song features some prominent string plucking over the top of signature horns and downtempo funk, which makes the song seem a little more modern than revivalist.  Also, this group has been sampled by Kid Cudi and 50 Cent, so there is a slim chance Kanye is sampling this song as you read this review.

  
TCDroogsma:

     Honestly, when I saw "Menahan Steet Band" in the downloads this week I set my expectations pretty low.  Even though I've really been into instrumental music lately, that tends to be more in the hip-hop instrumental vein and not, y'know, a "supergroup" form Brooklyn consisting of Antibalas and The Dap-Kings.

     And yet, I loved "The Crossing."  Instead of using the "MSB" moniker to indulge in musical masturbation this song is actually tight.  None of the instruments go off on their own and the whole thing is held together by a pseudo-hip hop rhythm.  The horns are bright but reserved.  The guitar is somehow both celebratory and mournful.  This is a perfect soundtrack for strolling around downtown MPLS on a brisk November night.

Final Score: MinneSarah -3/5

                   TCDroogsma - 4.5/5

02. Body Language – I'm A Mess (from the EP Grammar)

MinneSarah:

     This song is an example of the funk/soul revival that is not really working.  The cadence of this song reminds me of that Mayer Hawthorne hit a few years back, so if you liked that song, you won't be disappointed by an even more hipster version.  The singer's voice is not faux soul, and thus stands out by not trying to be something it's not - however, the lyrics are cloying and hackneyed.  If you like to hear pining lyrics served over electronic soul revival lite, this song is a ten. I'd like to make a joke about how this song was written without you and is a mess unto itself, but that's just not true.  It's pretty tight yet overly pedestrian.

TCDroogsma:

     I know I spend a lot of time here making fun of synth-pop bands, but know that those jokes have more to do with how many are in MPLS and not the genre in general.  So, that being said, I really did enjoy this one.

     "I'm A Mess" is an ode to co-dependency soundtracked by Paul McCartney's keyboards from "Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time."  I mean that as a compliment.  Although, if you're a co-dependent guy who spends his time listening to old Paul McCartney records I would imagine the only body language you're used to is crossed arms and rolled eyes.

Final Score: MinneSarah -2/5

                   TCDroogsma - 3/5

03. No – What's Your Name? (from the 7” What's Your Name?)

MinneSarah:

     

     Is this The National?  This band has gotten that question so many times, they just named themselves No. They then named their single - What's Your Name, as that is the question they got after they responded that they weren't The National.  Okay, maybe that didn't happen, but then again maybe it did.  

     While I feel like this is a National song when I listen to it, it does evoke a little more optimistic moodiness.  The song is broken up a little with bouts of whistling, and punches of percussion.  The lyrics talk about what people are wearing, which is pretty much what caught my attention.  Although I feel like the singer sounds a bit generically indie, the song is interesting enough to get catchier the more often you listen to it.

TCDroogsma:

     This song is like indie rock Madlibs.  Kind of a piano song, kind of a guitar song.  None of the lyrics add up to any kind of coherent whole, but rather they all sound like the first line from a different band's song.  "See the sun turn round and run away..." is Lou Reed.  "Turn around now, I can't stay" - Julian Casablancas.  "Shut the gates if I don't show, I'll send dogs to let you know..."  Paging Paul Banks.  Paul Banks, please pick up the red phone.  What's your name, indeed.

Final Score: MinneSarah -3/5

                   TCDroogsma - 3/5

04. Ben Sollee – Unfinished (from the album Half-Made Man)

MinneSarah:

     So remember last week when I said that I was born in Kentucky?  Guess who else was born and raised in my birth town?  Why Ben Sollee, of course. This music isn't bad, but once again, it's not really my style.  The song is alt-country nouveau, with the inclusion of the cello - which does add quite a depth.  Ben's vocals sound almost Bruce Springsteen-like.  Overall, hometown be damned, I am extremely conflicted whether or not I can recommend a song by a singer/songwriter who has done a bike tour of Kentucky.  Seriously. That could be the most awesome and inspiring or soul-crushingly hipster thing I've ever heard.  Can't decide.  Luckily, as the song indicates, this isn't the last we've heard from Ben Sollee.

TCDroogsma:

     I guess I wouldn't think you could build a whole career around recreating the Billy Bragg tracks from Mermaid Avenue.  I learn something new every day.

Final Score: MinneSarah -2.5/5

                   TCDroogsma - 2/5

05. BNLX – Vibrant (from the album BNLX)

MinneSarah:

     Upbeat guitars, hyper-enunciated vocals, slight electronic backdrop.  I like how clean the song sounds amidst punctuated rouge (or not) guitar.  There is a lot of order in this song, almost formulaic but in a way that works! Basically I love anything upbeat and eighties sounding and will justify that any way I see fit.  Although this isn't the most exciting song I've heard this week, there is something comforting in its design.

TCDroogsma:

     I went on an extended rant about BNLX earlier this week when I reviewed their track "1929." (cough... Singles Mixer #3... cough... scroll down... cough...)

     Oddly, I don't necessarily like this song as much as that one.  My point in that review was that getting a slightly political angle out of Ed Ackerson made for an interesting listen.  It gave me a fuller picture of who he is regarding his Polara/BNLX bands.  "Vibrant" is a pretty great track, don't get me wrong, but this one sounds more like Polara with a drum machine.  Still, you all know I'm a sucker for boy/girl hooks and really, who's arguing with a song that sounds like the love child of New Order & Dinosaur Jr?

Final Score: MinneSarah -3.5/5

                   TCDroogsma - 3.5/5

Blaow! There you have it, everybody! Another week of songs listened to, reviewed, and filed away.

As always we'd like to mention that neither this blog nor its contributors is in anyway affiliated with MPR, The Current, or any of the artists reviewed. We're just people with iTunes & free time.

For more of the always charming MinneSarah give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah). For even more MinneSarah be sure to mention nail polish & vegan donuts.

For more TCDroogsma he can also be followed on Twitter (@TCDroogsma). He seems like he should probably eat more vegan donuts too.

Of course Newest Industry is also on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1). Give us a follow to stay up on all the work being done by our contributors. More importantly, we also have a Facebook page here. Stopping by and giving us a “like” is genuinely the best way to support this blog short of buying us donuts.