So for the past few months I’ve been taking the approach of listening to 2-3 new albums a day, in a ’scatter-gun’ approach – listening to lots of music, of different genres, with not much discrimination, and not much depth. As we move into the second half of the year, and winter, I’m switching over to the ’shot-gun’ approach, where I take the albums or artists I’m really interested in and listen to them again and again. It’s an organic process, as I think at some point your head and heart reach maximum density, and you have to start digging deeper for more space.
But anyway, here are some songs that have really caught my ear in the last few months (not necessarily released in 2010, but ones that have garnered the highest play counts):
Phoenix – One Time Too Many
Not from their newest / blow-up album Wolfgang Amadeus. I love how the hooks never quite get there – like there’s this ceiling and they’re pushing on it gently without ever breaking the house down. Lines, ‘Slow down your tan, I’m gonna miss you a lot,’ and, ‘It’s a long way to look alike,’ clinch the song for me. There’s a certain tragedy to the song that is hard to work out, but the more you listen to it, the more it seeps into your consciousness.
Broken Social Scene – Sentimental X’s
Always known for their soundscapes, the new album, after double-digit spins, has become one of my favourites – it’s tight and it’s got a certain clarity I’ve never experienced from BSS. Sentimental X’s is a favourite – almost like the older sister of Anthems for Seventeen-Year-Old Girl. There’s always the question of whether or not a song is being too vague, or if it’s just being subtle. Sentimental X’s fuzz lyrics sit on the subtle end for me, and it’s entirely due to the arrangement – a smooth aural palette punctuated by what sound like trumpet buzzes in the first verse and trademark pentatonic guitar runs all the way through. It’s such a great example of how texture creates imagery, and how imagery supports texture. Love it.
The Veils – A Birthday Present
Only truly discovered these guys at the turn of the year, despite them being around for ages. And having hummed to their hits on many an occasion, e.g. The Tide That Left and Never Came Back. There’s a certain conviction and poetic grace to their lyrics that just puts them in their own category. Memorable lines include, ‘Indelible stains of the human race,’ and, ‘There’s no sense in waiting for swift completion to come / That invitation is all I’m waiting on.’ What’s beautiful about the lyrics is you can apply it to a religious context or just read them as is. That, and the fact that they really max out the plagal cadence.
The National – England
Most affecting track from the new album, it’s gripped me from the first listen, and hasn’t let go yet. High Violet is no Boxer for sure, but there are some great lyrical turns, including the trademark National-style ‘long sentences that never seem to end’. E.g. ‘Someone send a runner through the weather that I’m under for the feeling that I lost today.’ It’s like taking a bath, except the bath is a song, and you sink very very slowly. They’re masters of the slow-burn.
Goldenhorse – Fish
This song is a couple years old, but I don’t think it was a single? Anyway, beautiful harmonies, and a classic songwriting pop example of the substitution of the tonic for the relative minor = ‘ace I feel sad, but I don’t know why’ vibe in the chorus. Just listen to it.
Enjoy. More to come in a couple months, maybe.
safran foer
Almost all the way through Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close now, and I’m still astounded by what an emotional gold mine this book is. In many ways this novel feels more like a collection of insights, and I really wonder if Foer has ever considered writing lyrics, or considered teaming up with a musician. Bet he’d be a damn good lyricist…