Archive for January, 2008

Aidan John Moffat “Nothing In Common / Hopelessly Devoted” – The piano loop only lasts for about a minute, but I could stand to listen to Moffat’s lilting brogue over the top of it for at least another five or six before it’d become dull to me. Moffat isn’t just a man with an accent — he has a real gift for subtly expressive inflection, and his words nail images, moments, and scenes with a frightening economy, and a total lack of preciousness, even when he’s talking about Grease. (Click here to preview the record on the Chemikal Underground site.)

Love Is All “Make Out Fall Out Make Up” (The Bees Remix) – There’s not much anyone can do to improve upon the perfection that is the original version of this song, and so the Bees wisely drop everything but the chorus refrain and start from scratch with a dank funk track in the style of James Brown. The horns are especially great, switching up between percussive honks, swelling hums, and brief solo runs that sound dizzy, drunk, and mildly belligerent. All the while, Josephine Olausson shouts the words of the title as though they correspond to dance moves that can be performed in the split second between each command. (Click here to buy it from Phonica.)

Blood On The Wall “Junkeee…Julieee…” – Do you think Mark Arm gets annoyed when he hears this guy’s voice, or does he get excited, shout something like “I finally have a legacy, motherfuckers!,” and start a little mosh pit with whoever happens to be in close proximity? It really ought to be the latter, especially when you factor in Brad Shanks’ knack for bitter humor and casual screaming. “Junkeee…Julieee…” isn’t anywhere near as slow and hesitant as the title implies — if anything, it’s early ’90s grunge-punk in the form of a super-concentrated syrup shot. (Click here to pre-order it from Insound.)

Mike Bones “Love’s Not Yours” – “Love’s Not Yours” falls right on the line separating affectionate pity and schadenfreude, and reads like an obituary for someone who, tragically, has a lot of years left to live. It seems melancholy and gentle, but the more often I hear the song, the more it seems as though he’s just beating the shit out of the guy in super slow motion. “You always hurt the ones you love,” right? (Click here to buy it from the Social Registry.)