Tulsa Drone – “Chiaroscuro”
No Wake
It’s past midnight and you’re driving alone on a rural highway with a body in the trunk. This is what’s playing on the radio. (more)
Jason Molina – “Pyramid Electric Co.”
Pyramid Electric Co.
This album, post-Songs:Ohia and pre-Magnolia Electric Co., is a solid piece of work. It’s not as dark as the incomparably bleak Ghost Tropic, nor as transcendent as his 17-minute Travels In Constants track, but Pyramid’s spare beauty is something almost anyone can appreciate. Molina is an excellent songwriter and knows just how much accompaniment his voice and words require — usually no more than a single guitar or piano. (insound)
Skygreen Leopards – “Parallel shadows (part 2) – Mad lion (part 7)”
Child God in the Garden of Eden
With the same simple and beautiful instrumentation as “The Heron,” this song, off a lesser-known companion piece to their disappointing (I thought) Life and Love in the Sparrow’s Meadow, channels the same mystical, pastoral beauty of their debut. I have two versions, this being the newer and clearer, but I keep the old version because it has a soft and indistinct quality that I grew to like. Chalk it up to variations in vinyl ripping.
Black Forest/Black Sea – “These Things”
Forcefields and Constellations
On their earlier self-titled album, Black Forest/Black Sea were more like Rachel’s, but when this album dropped, it was clear they had other things in mind. It’s the strange delvings of Charalambides married to the electronic hammock of Tape. Fully half the tracks are throwaway, but then you get a weird, sparkling gem like “These Things” and you’re reassured that they know what they’re doing.
Comets On Fire – “Dogwood Rust”
Avatar
What can I say? Simply one of the best tracks of all time, and the standard by which I now measure all medium-length rock songs. Listen to it all the way through; it’ll put hair on your chest. I’m proud to say I saw these guys in a place about the size of my apartment, and they killed it. Too bad the cops came like five minutes later and actually arrested the guy who lived there.
Tanakh – “Stereognosis”
Villa Claustrophobia
Tanakh’s debut album is still by far their strongest, and from start to finish there is hardly a weak moment. The haunting, wordless opener and its closing echo; the languid pace; you get the feeling that you are at once being serenaded in a lonely temple and floating far above a field of carnage. “Stereognosis” is the meat in an instrumental sandwich, between the sparse “Tallis” and droning “Tells,” which if joined to the center would create a single piece of music over 10 minutes long. Simply amazing. This album is most highly recommended. And you can buy the whole ball of wax for $5.
Beach House – “Wedding Bell”
Devotion
Beach House’s second album is, let’s be honest, a lot like the first – but they sound more confident and improved production brought out the instruments way more. “Wedding Bell” is the perfect example of this. Although the simple drum kit and blissed-out keyboards and vocals give you the usual Beach House business, you get this blast of guitar a minute and a half in that would have seemed completely out of place on their earlier album. Yet it feels so right here. (insound)
The Beach Boys – “Our Prayer”
20/20
This track was originally meant to be the opener for the unreleased Smile album. I don’t think a lot of people heard it, but it’s such a wonderful example of their particular brand of harmony that I end up listening to it more than their actual songs. Wilson re-recorded it for the solo remake of Smile, and I’m not entirely sure which version this is – not that it really matters. It’s worth one minute of your time whether it’s new or old. I was reminded of it by the intro to “You’re Not Supposed To.”
Dinosaur Feathers – “Family Waves”
Fantasy Memorial
Something about this music feels familiar, but I absolutely can’t place it. That’s odd, because this album is musically adventurous, listenable, and plain fun – all things I like. Best I can come up with: imagine if The Lovely Feathers spent a year in the South Pacific with Hot Hot Heat. It’s that sunny and bouncy, yet doesn’t cross over into sheer pop because it’s a bit weird too. Also: I guarantee this album is going to go big. (pre-order at Insound)
Sam Jayne And The Simpson Sound System – “Darker Still”
Living Bridge
Another track from the excellent and eclectic Living Bridge compilation, this song is actually similar in tone to the TK Webb track posted yesterday. For some reason its six minutes seem to pass by incredibly fast for me. If you haven’t given this album a listen, you really, really should soon. (Insound)