Marmoset – Florist Fired (Secretly Canadian Records)
While many artists imitate their own most treasured artists, some – for reasons perhaps innate? – are able to channel another’s look or sound without duplicating it. To point out that Marmoset’s LP, Florist Fired, bears homage to Syd Barrett is to understate, but this is more obvious in attitude than literal sound. The attitude displayed in distorted hand claps, silly howling vocals, a lazy but earnest delivery and consistently abrupt song-endings is not just contagiously silly because often beautiful but because it is also gross, dirty, sudden and eager to leave. Also hilarious. But is Marmoset laughing?
Read full work »
To cite one of many oft-recalled moments of my childhood converging with rock and roll, my father (the Rev.) and I, in the car, were listening to my new cassette copy of the Screaming Trees’ Sweet Oblivion album. Mark Lanegan – Trees’ and presently Soulsavers’ vocalist – four songs in to Oblivion sings, “Jesus knocking on my door / Late last night / Early this morning.” My father turned to me and asked, rather rhetorically, “Well, do you think he answered?”
“I can already tell it’s been a great night. This first song is about intercourse.” Succinctly Phil Weinrobe began Butane Variations’ November 16 show at Boulder Coffee Shop in Rochester, NY with the unreleased “Jackie.” Maybe it was – about intercourse – but I couldn’t tell. The Variations’ easy-going but intense songwriting was much more evident live than on their debut self-titled LP released earlier in the year and I wasn’t concerned so much with what the songs were about as I was that they keep playing them, doing my best to create a hearty applause after each number. Touring in support of their new EP, Love Five Songs, the Boulder show was a sort of eye-opener for me as to how interesting and just plain good this band is.
“Every time we come to America we get sick.” With that, Canadian five piece Malajube began to play. It was strange, their set, sounding excitingly new while nostalgically familiar, as though one dreamed they had heard the sound before.
After a dozen or so listens to Wiretree’s debut LP, Bouldin, on headphones I had chance to glance at the album’s liner notes, where I read, “All songs written and produced in the bedroom by Kevin Peroni.” All right. Familiar enough. The contemporary one-man band, in original form available in studio only. Sparklehorse. Of Montreal. Iron & Wine.
If the female is not inebriated make her so. The same can be said for myself.