I hope that everyone else’s weekend is getting off to a better start than mine. Not that 99.9% of you likely give a shit, but I have a blog and you don’t do I’m going to tell my story anyway. When I went to my car for a trip to the grocery store last night I found that my front passenger window had been smashed and the papers in my glove compartment had been thrown all over the front seats of my SUV. It’s a pretty common occurrence here in Chicago, but it still pissed me off. Luckily the bastards didn’t take anything and were smart enough to not even attempt to remove my factory DVD/navigation system. I can only assume that they were expecting the empty boxes in my back seat to be filled with valuables or some such shit. On the downside it’s supposed to rain all day and I’m out almost a hundred bucks in repair costs, but I suppose it could be worse. Surprisingly the would-be thieves left behind my iPhone charger and adapter cord, as well as the smokes in the cup holder and several dollars in quarters in the center console. Needless to say, I am in need of some good old-fashioned rock and roll to lift my spirits, and that’s exactly what I have in store for you all today.
Today’s first track is exactly the kind of rock I was talking about above: noisy, loud, spontaneous, and, most of all, fun. Given those descriptives, it’s not hard to figure out that I’m talking about the Los Angeles noise pop duo No Age. We like to think that our readers are in tune with most of the relevant happenings within the indie rock scene, so I’m going to assume that you are aware that the band has a new EP in the works on Sub Pop that is set to be released on October 6th. What you may not know is that the band has made the last of the four tracks on the EP, “You’re A Target,” available for free download. A quick listen reveals that the song is unmistakably No Age, but a closer examination reveals that the band has evolved by leaps and bounds since their last full length, Nouns, put them on the map in 2008. The noise is still present, as is Randy Randall’s abuse of his guitar, but these two aspects just seem to work together better here than in the past. The result is a soaring anthem that, while tuned down just a bit, will still rock your face off. The EP is called Losing Feeling and will be released on vinyl as well as in digital download form. Be sure to look for it in a little over a month. In the meantime, you can stream it in its entirety by visiting the band’s page on Sup Pop’s website (RIGHT HERE) and entering your e-mail address.
I don’t want to say too much about Noah and the Whale here today because I intend to give their latest record the full review treatment sometime in the near future, so this may be the most brief summary in the short history of TGIF Hodge Podges. That said, I just got my advance of the album in the mail on Thursday and I am completely stoked to get acquainted with it. Thusly I feel compelled to share a track of some sort from the band here today. This particular mp3 is a YACHT remix of “Blue Skies,” a song that will be featured in its traditional format on the band’s upcoming album The First Days of Spring. Being that the band is based in London, the UK release of the album is just a few days away, but we Americans will need to wait until October to head to the record store and bring home a copy. In the meantime, this remix should give you an idea of the direction they are taking on their third effort. Previously known for their rustic folk sound, Noah and the Whale are going for a bit more electric vibe this time around, which is evident here. I wish I could say more, but like I said, this is merely a teaser. Keep checking back for that full review in the next few weeks.
Noah and the Whale – Blue Skies (YACHT Remix)
Buy Noah and the Whale @ Insound!
Today’s vault band is one that many of you have probably never heard of, but they occupied a very special place in my heart way back in 2003 when I first discovered them. I can’t quite put my finger on the exact scenario in which I happened upon The Damnwells, but I do know that I can thank a very special friend of mine who currently lives in Brooklyn, which is coincidentally the band’s hometown. Over the course of a few years, The Damnwells’ blend of Americana indie pop was more or less the soundtrack of my life, with their first two records, PMR +1 and Bastards of the Beat, playing almost constantly. I listened while I drank, slept, rode the train to and from work, and while I did other things not fit to print. Unfortunately these guys fell off my radar somewhere along the way, as is typically the case with anything that one obsesses over. Over the last few weeks I’ve been feeling very nostalgic though, and that nostalgia has helped me rediscover these guys. Listening again is almost as if I never stopped; the songs are still engrained in my subconscious somewhere and hearing them all these years later feels like being reunited with a long lost friend. The songs are beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking, laced with delicate arrangements and near-perfect lyrical content. It’s hard to choose just one track to share, but I am settling on “H.C.E.” from PMR +1, if for no other reason than it contains one of my favorite lines from a modern song when Alex Dezen croons: “I never kissed a boy, but I/Hit a girl/You could get in big, big trouble she said/In the real world.” I highly recommend checking out some of their early stuff if you get a chance, and if you happen to live in Brooklyn they will be at the Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight.
