I am (thank God!) constitutionally superior to reason. This enabled me to hold firm to my lady’s view, which was my view also. This roused my spirit, and made me put a bold face on it before Sergeant Cuff. Profit, good friends, I beseech you, by my example. It will save you from many troubles of the vexing sort. Cultivate a superiority to reason, and see how you pare the claws of all the sensible people when they try to scratch you for your own good!
Tame Impala – “Island Walking”
Innerspeaker
Saw these guys on Pitchfork and thought I’d give them a go. It’s pleasantly surprising — with the feeling of both a throwback and a modern album. This is one of the more modern songs, an instrumental with shades of Tortoise and maybe even a little Mogwai. But the rest of the album sounds a bit like psychedelic-era Beatles meets Japandroids or No Age. That’s way too many name drops already, so I’m just going to stop.
Broken Social Scene – “Meet Me in the Basement”
Forgiveness Rock Record
While I doubt BSS will be returning to the supreme glory of You Forgot It In People, one of my favorite albums of the last decade, this new album is at least better than their muddy and directionless self-titled sophomore effort. They haven’t let go of the terrible vocal harmony style they introduced on that record, though, so this instrumental track makes for a nice break. Dynamic, punchy, and triumphant, this reminds me of the fun all-out jams they used to break out into during live performances.
If you haven’t seen this yet… it’s cry time.
Field Music – “Precious Plans”
Measure
This is a track which, like “Darker Still,” seems to slip by and be done before you realize you’ve been listening. I couldn’t even really describe “Precious Plans” to you, but it’s really easy to like, and keeps elaboration to a minimum. (insound)
Tricky – “Pumpkin”
Maxinquaye
Like many people, I had a trip hop period – during which time I only listened to Tricky, Massive Attack, and… that’s pretty much all. Dark days indeed. It didn’t last long, but the early 2000s were a golden age for the much-maligned genre. Maxinquaye would have caught my attention regardless, with tracks like “Pumpkin” and “Hell is Round the Corner” to its credit. Maxine’s voice in the former, making nonsense syllables out of actual lyrics, is so smoky and mysterious that it completely overshadows the slightly underwhelming backing track.
The soundest fact may fail or prevail in the style of its telling: like that singular organic jewel of our seas, which grows brighter as one woman wears it and, worn by another, dulls and goes to dust. Facts are no more solid, coherent, round, and real than pearls are. But both are sensitive.
It makes your sin no worse, as I conceive, to do it a la mode
Heading South so I can go North
Guided by birds but drifting off course
Read the tide-table before starting out
But 30 years old with chapters torn out
You, waking up from a dream of the sea
Safe in the harbour from sailors like me
You, in the kitchen, waiting on tea
Whilst I lose the compass to a trick of the sea
Flying Lotus (ft. Laura Darlington) – “Table Tennis”
Cosmogramma
If you like this track, a kind of dreamy cross between Manitoba and Stereolab, be aware that the rest of the album doesn’t really sound like this at all. It’s all over the place, really — but there there lots of high points like this which don’t seem to correspond to each other at all. Delicately plucked guitar gives way to drill and bass in a moment, and then segues into a choppy Thom Yorke vehicle. It’s all a bit weird, but interesting the whole way through. Plus: awesome cover art. (insound)
“And if the fight should be at sea I have kinds of many machines most efficient for offense and defense; and vessels which will resist the attack of the largest guns and powder and fumes.
I have means by secret and tortuous mines and ways, made without noise, to reach a designated spot, even if it were needed to pass under a trench or a river.
I will make covered chariots, safe and unattackable, which, entering among the enemy with their artillery, there is no body of men so great but they would break them. And behind these, infantry could follow quite unhurt and without any hindrance.”
Grails – “Doomsdayer’s Holiday”
Doomsdayer’s Holiday
Though slightly terrifying, this is a great opener. The slow-burn east-west fusion of Burning Off Impurities is completely absent, replaced by monolithic riffs and crashing cymbals. The off-kilter arrangements return in the next track, but “Doomsdayer’s Holiday” is a great shock to the senses; it makes you pay attention, because you’re afraid the music might reach out and strangle you at any moment. (insound)
Air – “Modular Mix”
Premiers Symptomes
Although Air has pretty much completely abandoned the sound of their early days (this collection of singles came out in 1997), this is still my favorite album of theirs. And “Modular Mix,” their first single, is one of their best songs. It’s funny how I can dislike much music that is superficially similar to these tracks (Thievery Corporation comes to mind) — but the difference in quality really is there, in my opinion, even if the laid-back vibe is identical.
I did not usurp the crown. I found it — in the gutter.
