Photo via Chen Kuei Bao (who I am completely obsessed with)
Today’s the day! In a couple hours we’re driving out of the city to spend the weekend in a little New Hampshire town only minutes from Vermont. There are only a couple of things I enjoy more than a good road trip (dim sum, 80% off sales, lounging, rabbits, etc) but they are so few and far between it seems so being over-excited is inevitable. I’m going to try hard not to be that guy in the passenger’s seat controlling the tunes so I’ll just do that here instead. In a perfect world, here’s what would add to the vehicular ambiance.
St. Augustine – Tell Me When the Lights Turn Green
I have a thing for covers. I honestly cannot get enough of them. Originally performed by the band Dexys Midnight Runners in the 80s, “Tell Me When the Lights Turn Green” was a bombastic, horn-filled party tune. As interpreted by St. Augustine, it’s melancholic and warbling with hints of Antony and Will Oldham.
Sonny & The Sunsets – Too Young To Burn
Said the Gramophone is one of my favorite music blogs ever. This song accompanied a really great piece by one of their guest writers, Emma Healy. It’s low-key and drawling and completely captures the disengaged and sometimes blasé nature of youth.
Oh Land – Rainbow (Acoustic)
Oh Land, aka Nanna Øland Fabricius, is probably the top file in my cabinet titled “Where the hell did you come from?” Apparently she’s been around the music scene since 2008 but has just started popping up everywhere in the past couple of months. Well deserved.
Belle & Sebastian – For The Price Of A Cup Of Tea
One of my favorite car tunes. Enough said.
Celebrate Easter or Passover or Earth Day! Enjoy your weekend!
Friday Four: Scorned Lovers Edition
Photo via Chen Kuei Bao
Lost loves, too much love, and not enough.
Wild Beasts – Lion’s Share
There’s not much more I can say about Wild Beasts that I haven’t said already. Lion’s Share begins and I can’t help but imagine the curtains rising to begin a glam rock musical. Hayden Thorpe’s delivery is as smooth and evocative as ever—swooping and enunciating with great effect—in telling the gender-ambiguous and possibly morbid story of a greedy lover.
Joanna Newsom – Does Not Suffice
The process of leaving an ex-love has never been told with such poignancy as in this song. First, we have Joanna‘s lyrical genius striking up some amazingly sad imagery (..and everywhere I tried to love you is yours again and only yours–damn, girl) and then there’s the beautiful instrumental denouement beginning at the 5-minute mark, ending on a note of uncertainty. Not to get overly cheesy but if this was made into a music video, I always imagine that 5-minute mark as the slow motion closing of the front door.
The Antlers – I Don’t Want Love
I’m glad The Antlers decided to do more songs in this vein. I feel like it was such a rare thing to get Peter Silberman’s voice without any distortion on their earlier albums. On Burst Apart it’s allowed more freedom, resulting in some really powerful moments and one of the best albums of the year so far.
Love Inks – Skeleton Key
Featured on Stereogum, this track by Love Inks lurked patiently in my hard drive for weeks until it finally was clawed up by iTunes on random and got my attention. I’m really enjoying the minimal arrangement and Sherry LeBlanc’s voice, which reminds me of a softer Karen O.