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For today's second post, we'll keep this quick and efficient. We've got plenty of makeup work to get to this week. Fortunately, this is the last week I have with my high school seniors (for those unaware, I teach 12th grade British Literature, for better or worse). Needless to say, I've been a little out of blog-focus for a few days. I have, however, been enjoying a few newly dropped tracks with albums looming soon. I suppose a thematic tilt is important. These three tracks don't necessarily line up well sound-wise, but they do represent the myriad of emotional shifts I've been experiencing this week. Dealing with "senioritis" in teenagers can be a harrowing experience. Enjoy the tracks.
Gun Outfit does a lot of things we like over here. Lay down a sludgy bass groove, implant a little trebly raunch of guitar distortion and let the vocals rip. Last year's album, Dim Light was a spunky gem about midway through the year, contrasting nicely with a lot of the sprawling indie rock that saturated the market. There's a sincerity to Gun Outfit, a grit and looseness that tells me this trio has a good record collection; there's enough slimeball to keep this from floating away, and enough latent talent to keep it unique. The upcoming album, Possesion Sound, will only be released on vinyl and digital formats (Sidebar: Why the hell aren't more bands doing this? It has to drive overhead costs way down, and most people will buy the previously mentioned formats, right? They're onto something). Get it next week via Post Present Medium.
Gun Outfit – My Whole Life
It took a little while for me to warm up to Phosphorescent's Willie Nelson tribute album last year. For CD writer, Brian, I'm not sure that there could have been enough time in the calendar year to allow for that. In a risky plunge in 2009, Matthew Houck took on the covers album idea, and in the opinion of many, did so beautifully. Dead Oceans is releasing Phosphorescent's follow up next week, and the track "The Mermaid Parade" blossoms into a polished and gorgeous track. It's been floating around the web for a week or so (like I said, I'm late), but there's introspection, excellent instrumenation, and guitar hooks that rise to the sun.
Phosphorescent – The Mermaid Parade
The opening seconds of The Books' new track, "Beautiful People" sounds like it might roll into "Bohemian Rhapsody" at any moment. Once settled in, the song moves through about six distinct genres before it winds to a close. A subtle mixture of synths and plucking guitars mingle with vocals pushed and pulled through modulators. Epic horn sections serenade into the track's close, and, as a listener, I'm a little off-kilter and unsure what I've heard. Equal parts pop, fusion, and opera, the song is, at the very least, intriguing. Temporary Residence will release This Way Out sometime in July. Until then, it's probably time for me to hit the back catalog and get in line.
The Books – Beautiful People
I finally got the upcoming Born Ruffians album in the snail mail yesterday, and it doesn't disappoint. I realize this is the second time I've posted "Sole Brother" onto the site, but this song is an early frontrunner for favorite tracks of 2010 so far. I've played it 30 times alone tonight. The clean guitar effects and jangly mixture of blues and pop is absolute ear candy. I'll review this album more thoroughly in the upcoming weeks, but there's a minimalist approach that flourishes into grandiosity in each song. Nearly every track on the album follows this model, and a unique pop-derivative is the result. Warp Records has this thing primed and set to release in early June, and you have my approval for a pre-order on this one. Fabulous.
Born Ruffians – Sole Brother
On Record Store Day, I was lucky enough to be one of the few Clevelanders that even knew what the Roky Erickson/Okkervil River collab was. I was able to duck and weave and make my way out with this gem. I've worn the grooves clean off the alb
