Pretty Girls Make Graves/Murder City Devils musician Derek Fudesco sat down (literally) to pick at a little jig. Just brittle, minimalist little guitar lines, more in common with art-punk rock like Wire or even Robert Fripp than the robust traditionalism of country rock, but played on an acoustic guitar. More-electro/less-rock, Hint Hint's Pete Quirk came along to happily harmonize some trippy images through it, and the even weirder/more aggressive Cobra High gave the trio its last defining elemental base in percussionist Marty Lund.
The story really isn't that much more heavier than that. A couple of albums on Matador didn't freak the normals to the point of phenomenon, but it assured fans of the band's dense, gently dizzying, near-trance-folk-rock-plenty-more jams. I would recommend experiencing the band live before bringing up questions about authenticity (none of the bands listed above lusted after audio verisimilitude, so expecting a genuine hoe-down development from TCS is rather silly), and sharing the glow of their toe-tapping timberline-tapestries with the hushed throng who digs 'em instead.
The psych-rock wash of "Like The Ocean, Like the Innocent" (in 2 parts, no less) will soak you promptly as you begin to spin The Besnard Lakes newest, Are the Roaring Night. Montreal-born, the quartet sprawls, using tones and textures as a lulling device before they come blasting out, laggard and blistering in a swift gesture.
They first hit the US indie market with Are the Dark Horse, a bit druggy and redolent of Black Mountain. They've delved deeper now, and the live show - as evidenced on their TV debut on Jimmy Fallon - is something to behold (just watch the guy dancing behind the drummer, so impacted he occasionally tries to throw off the spirits with angled and mangled arm juts). And listen to how long they hold the melodic chug as the chorus comes in, before the modulation shifts down and the vocals go falsetto. It's good, guitar-sodden tension - thick rock made diaphonous. That opening voice in the backgroung of "Like the Ocean" (part 2!) triggers memories of Grandaddy's Sophtware Slump, disaffected and yet jumping all in for a participatory rock throwdown. It's the paradox of The Besnard Lakes: They wail across the guitar walls, falsetto here and then warmly mid-range, mostly taking all elements at a medium clip, never too fast (and very little is too slow).
Latest comment by: Joseph Riippi: "I would argue "Skinny Love" as being the most compatible for a single, and I know there's already a video out there on the interweb for "Wolves 1 and 2." (haunting song, that one).
Nice review. This is an excellent record. Not trying to be something that ...
Latest comment by: Ne Wyearin: "What you have wrote here will inspire not just me but everybody else how will read it.
I wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New year!
Ne Wyearin
newyearin.com"
It's Monday night and I am ready to rock and rage! To get into the mood, I'm catching up on my O.R. you-tubage... here's a particular favorite (live footage of the song "Our Life is not a Movie or Maybe") from just a few days ago!
I guess late night TV watchers aren't so obsessive with the YouTubing.
I went looking for video of Okkervil River's performance on Conan last night (not existent at 9a the day after) and found this -- footage of a new song they performed at Austin, TX's Waterloo Records.
Recent comments
Imaginary Mixtape: Shuffle Surprise!
Imaginary exclusive! More Than Shapes, starring John Roderick of the Long Winters
Imaginary Mixtape: Shuffle Surprise!
For the (whole) love of Wilco
For the (whole) love of Wilco
The Seattle sound. Does it exist?
Imaginary exclusive! More Than Shapes, starring John Roderick of the Long Winters
For the (whole) love of Wilco
Imaginary exclusive! More Than Shapes, starring John Roderick of the Long Winters
Imaginary exclusive! More Than Shapes, starring John Roderick of the Long Winters