Songs from 2011 - Part 9 - Queen of Hearts

In this interview, Fucked Up's Damian Abraham talks about a touring version of the band, one without him as vocalist. I say he's got it backwards. Fucked Up rules live because he's got the mic. What I want from Fucked Up are more guest vocalists on-record, a paring-down of Damian's role. Fucked Up's hour-long records, such as 2011's David Comes to Life, wear on me because of that bark that I adore so much in person.

That in mind, "Queen of Hearts" is the finest song on DCTL. The guitars are layered gorgeously, Damian gets two minutes to do his thing, and then it's the triumphant break for the female vocalist. The latest iteration of Fucked Up needs this song as a template. I want a record of songs like "Queen of Hearts."

 

Songs from 2011 - Part 8 - All the Sun that Shines

It's the best time of the year for people who follow online music journalism. What I do is cross-check the year-end lists, note the records that keep cropping up, listen to them in rapid succession, and winnow out the wack (like Kate Bush, Youth Lagoon, Liturgy, Bon Iver, Beyonce, Drake, Joyce Manor, Adele, James Blake, and on and on) from the dope (Black Lips, Paul Simon, James Ferraro, Julianna Barwick...). 

The lists also remind me about what I should have listened to all along. The distinctive cover of Peaking Lights's 2011 release, 936, caught my eye since spring. Worried that it might be standard psych rock revival, I ignored it. Joke was on me, though, because it's wonderful.

I mostly get down to "All the Sun that Shines" and "Birds of Paradise Dub Version." Deep grooves, reverbed chant vocals, spaced-out synths. "All the Sun" even begins like "Kokomo," which should clue you in to the sunshining mood that prevails. Peaking Lights were a nice surprise.

Songs from 2011 - Part 7 - Blue Eyes

Destroyer's new album, Kaputt, seemed destined to garner hype for a week and then disappear. A record with its quirks (corny saxophone, corny keys, corny everything) should not be enduring. Too many bands recycle 80s tropes, but we don't include Dan Bejar in that conversation because he's motherfucking Destroyer, and he's been on his game for like two decades. For me and for a lot of the internet with year-end lists, Kaputt was durable and worthy of revisiting. "Blue Eyes," with its quick start, sultry female backing vocalists, and laid-back groove stood out to me, but I wouldn't blame you if you prefer "Chinatown," "Savage Night," or "Poor In Love." Don't be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves.

Unfortunate end-note: Kaputt didn't work live for me at p4k.

 
 

Songs from 2011 - Part 6 - Sad Girls

I first heard Big Troubles while panning for Gold Zounds, and I thought they were great. That song, though, was from their first lp, and it sounds totally different from the offerings on 2011's Romantic Comedy. The song-writing is better on Romantic Comedy, but I hold the squelchy production on Worry close to my heart. They switched labels, and that's okay, because Slumberland took the reins from Sarah Records. 

"Sad Girls" is endlessly addictive with its sweet melody and melodramatic lyrics. Great record, great band.

Songs from 2011 - Part 5 - Doughnut for a Snowman

Could it be that all Robert Pollard needs to make another stellar lp is the name Guided By Voices? The solo work since 2006's From a Compound Eye has been marginal, at best. Boston Spaceships were sorta cool, but I'm still listening to Alien Lanes when push comes to shove.

"Doughnut for a Snowman" is the second mp3 from the new album Let's Go Eat the Factory. The first was "The Unsinkable Fats Domino." Whereas that sounded like a wack solo-Pollard deep cut, "Doughnut" is the best song he's put out since songs from FACE. That record is phenomenal, in case you couldn't tell, and so is "Doughnut." It's not "classic" in most senses; it's a mid-fi, mid-tempo Pollard vehicle that sounds like a solo cut. But it's the flourishes that make GBV records from Pollard songs, and this one's got loads: the bizarre pan flute intro, the subtle orchestration, and the abstract lyrics.

The hammer, of course, is Tobin Sprout. As usual, his backing vocals complete the song. His entrance at the second verse is so welcomed, and before we can tire of "Doughnut," GBV ends it. Now that's classic.

"When everything goes right for her, when everything goes wroooonggg."

My week in media: October

Fake NPR piece for creative writing 101.

There has never been a better time to drink beer in America, and with the economy in shambles, it’s tempting to reach for the cheapest option on the menu, but savvy drinkers turn to craft beers for superior tastes and experiences.

My story begins at 2:30 A.M. on a Saturday morning in October, which is when my friend Marc rouses me from sleep. We drowsily get in the car, merge onto the highway, and embark on a three-hour car ride to Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1997, Founders brews some of America’s finest craft beers including Cerise Cherry-Fermented Ale and Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale. As we careen toward The Great Lakes State, only one thing comes to mind: Canadian Breakfast Stout, or CBS, for short.

CBS has a legendary reputation in craft beer circles. It is a double chocolate coffee oatmeal stout aged in bourbon and maple syrup barrels. It pours dark as oil, caresses the palate like fine wine, and commands a rabid following. When we arrive at the brewery at 7:30 A.M., a line of 300 has already formed. We take our spot at the end and wait.

The local temperature hovers at fifty degrees. The sun refuses to peak. Antsy connoisseurs jog in place to stay warm, and the smart ones drink beer. Marc and I have forgotten our stash, and so we endure the wait soberly.

At 11 A.M., after three-plus hours of waiting, of paying our dues, the line moves. It takes another hour to get to the front. There, we buy two bottles apiece at eighteen dollars a bottle. Each bottle holds 750 mL of beer, and since there are fewer than 2000 bottles total, the investment is wise. We now own one of the rarest beers in America.

In the tap room where glasses clink, Marc and I get our first taste of CBS, and it is impeccable. It goes down smooth and wows me with each sip. It is dessert. It is liqueur. No, it is beer, and it is one of the finer beers I have tried, and likely will try.

When we return home, bottles have already hit eBay. They will fetch upwards of one-hundred dollars. I list one of my bottles, and it sells for eighty-two, a return of sixty-four dollars and enough money to cover that weekend’s expenses. Leave it to Americans to buy extra beer to flip on the internet for 500% profit.

The American craft beer scene is having a moment right now. Lifelong beer drinkers have new options at the local tavern. When I drink a Miller or Bud, I mourn the people who won’t get to or don’t care to sample something better. But then I smile because artisans like the brewmasters at Founders stand up to corporate brewers and show them we can do it better. They embody the American entrepreneurial spirit. Cheers to them.

Songs from 2011 - Part 4 - Jamie Marie

If tonight's sold-out show at Lincoln Hall is any indication, the hype surrounding San Francisco's Girls is outta control. I watched a 20 minute interview they did with John Norris, fer Chrissake. On the other hand, they deserve the hype because the record is terrific. It's the best to come out this year, and I am obsessed with it.

Here's the cut that the hypebeasts keep missing. It's "Jamie Marie," and it closes Father, Son, Holy Ghost. I guess it's easy to ignore a song when the full band doesn't participate, but check out these lyrics. Goddamnit, those are some poignant break-up lyrics. Almost wanna break up to wallow in them all the way. Crystal-clear electric guitar playing from my savior Chris Owens, followed by the thrilling full-band organ-solo drop-in take this shit into the next stratosphere, and also to the top of my carefully monitored top 25 on iTunes and last.fm. In case there was any doubt about whether or not I really like the music I post.