sept 2023
Vignette of a shitty little town on a scorched summer day that ends with a tornado guitar solo that sweeps it all away.
They Might Be Giants meets Cheap Trick. I love the specificity of this line: "Our mom's got high together all the time, then had their falling out, so I never met you."
On Andy Griffith there was a hillbilly family called the Darlings that occasionally caused mischief and performed gorgeous songs. If Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel broke into a musical number I think it would sound like this.
At one point dude sings "And I wrote a great part for the tambourine" and then the tambourine kicks in right on cue. That's the kind of record this is, easy on the ears and pleased with itself.
"Save your tears for later. Be my alligator."
This record has a very specific hook where Faye Webster lingers seductively on the first line for long lazy moment before the the band crashes in, and it works all three times she does it.
Stoney-faced theatre kid weirdness set to a European film score from the 70s, carried by a direct and authoritative vocal performance from Natalie Ribbons.
A solemn meditation on the awesomeness of Queen Nefertiti that turns into an all-night rave at the museum. Hand Habits is getting wonderfully weird.
A little bit Elliot Smith, a little bit (label-mate and collaborator) Sufjan Stevens. A pretty and nicely layered record.
This one head fakes with some flamenco-inspired freak folk before suddenly pivoting to indie pop.
I don't know that I've ever heard a record so cheerfully acidic. Irresistibly catchy and just absolutely ruthless. Quite an accomplishment.
I've said it before: If it sounds like it would have sat comfortably on side 1 of Rumours, it makes my playlist.