Silent Invisible Conversation

My new Hit Refresh column is up on the ASAP site. This is probably my favorite one thus far, and it includes songs from Envelopes, Planning To Rock, and CSS. I can barely contain my enthusiasm for that CSS album, by the way. Sooooooo good.

Unrest “June” – Maybe it’s the suggestion from the lyric “the water that breathes on wet skin,” but I’ve never been able to hear this bassline without thinking of extreme, gross humidity. Also, I’ve never quite figured out how to map out the emotional twists and turns of this song, as it shifts from one subtly articulated mix of emotions to the next without telegraphing the changes or making a big fuss about them either. One thing that is certain: the “daddy” section of this song is almost too much to bear, every single time. (Click here to buy it from Amazon.)

Can “Little Star of Bethlehem” – One of the things I really like about Malcolm Mooney’s lyrics and singing is the way that he adds more images and ideas over the course of a song, but he keeps reiterating his points for emphasis before cycling back to something else or adding a new line. It’s like watching photos develop in the dark room — you start with the basic blacks, and then the details gradually fill over the forms. We’re not left with the most coherent image at the end of “Little Star of Bethlehem,” but it is still quite vivid and involving in its slightly mad hippie-ish way. And of course, there’s the music, which is a fine example of the way Can could create these perfect grooves and make them seem totally tossed-off, casual, and even sort of simple. (Click here to buy it from Amazon.)