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Rough Trade Tracks of the Week 7 June 2013
A quick zoom through this week's tracks, which, to be honest, didn't make much of an impression at all. It's probably a good thing I started the week before, otherwise I'd have been very disappointed...
What are we on for?
Tunng - The Village
Exclusively available here two weeks up front, this is another superlative leap of the musical imagination from Mike Lindsay and his experimental group of folk-rock-pop pioneers.
This is sort of all right? Folky acoustic guitars and vocals from a male-female duo, but set against a load of electronic backing (some very nice... pads, are they called?) with a pretty driving beat. But it also sounds a bit like a Lloyds TSB advert. Can't believe I'll find myself reaching for this one. Oh, and they made the end sound like your CD's skipping/iPod is broken. What a joy that is.
Goldheart Assembly - Sad Sad Stage
Available to TOW subscribers a month up front of release of the new album from Goldheart Assembly, this first taster perfectly showcases a literate, mature band beginning to fully realize their considerable talents.
This is just a pile of wank. A bunch of randomers got trashed on cider and decided to twang things and sing some stuff that doesn't really fit with the backing. All to a wave-yer-beer drum beat. It's a bit like if the Pogues had grown up in charming Hampshire. And I'm not sure what this "You can be the sad, sad stage" even bloody means.
The Riot Squad - I Am Waiting For My Man
A digital exclusive and available here ridiculously early, this glimpse of the tracks from David Bowie's early band due to be released by Acid Jazz later in June are much more than an interesting snapshot of Bowie's development, as this early version of the Velvet's cla..
Yes, the blurb does tail off there. And I've been listening to this without having read it, so I didn't realise it (a) actually was old and (b) it was Bowie. It doesn't excuse the harmonica, acoustic guitar, saxophone and droning, whinging lyrics that aren't in tune. Late 60s, I'm glad I never knew you. And, er, H, I'm sorry? You and M might like it...
Lovett - Black Curtain [Alternate Rough Trade Exclusive Version]
An entirely exclusive Rough Trade alternative version of this killer album track from Lovett's debut of last month, this encapsulates just why this producer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist is held in such incredibly high regard by both peers and pundits alike.
I might have a look at this album, if this some alternate extra, because this isn't actually that bad - though possibly I just associate it with the relief I felt getting through the first three tracks. It's a male vocal, but the backing is a bit Amy Winehousey. It's sort of Amy Winehouse meets, I dunno, some band I can't quite locate right now. But otherwise it's just basically filler for some sort of driving playlist.
[ETA: the actual song is basically the same, but with a fuller instrumentation and backing vocals. It's sort of Hammond organs wheeling on a jolly round Las Vegas. Or somewhere with Country. It's not unpleasant, but hardly a revelation.]
Iasos - Crystal Petals
Two weeks up front for TOW subscribers, this track from the latest Numero re-issue is a drifting blast from the past with Jewish Greek composer Iasos tuning early consumer synthesizers into celestial space.
Apparently this is old as well, and I suppose that sort of makes sense. It's all just a shimmery soundscape with tinkly things and what sounds like panpipes. It's sort of pleasant enough, though I'm not entirely sure of the point of it. I do like my ambient-y stuff without lyrics, but it needs to have enough of a melody/tune that you could conceivably make a music video or something out of it. I could see this coming in and out as scene-transition music in a play, but otherwise I have no purposes for it. It's very slow.
Stellar Om Source - Elite Excel
A welcome return to the fray for Christelle Gualdi's musical alter ego, whose deft synth handling has created here a pulsating, throbbing slab of Chicago-inspired house, exquisitely produced and melodic.
I wouldn't call this house. Or pulsating/throbbing. Or melodic. But it's all right. A bit like the modern/club version of the previous track - I really don't know why they were put next to each other. There's shimmery stuff and then a bubbly bass line, and then that goes into this quiet Hammond organ-y thing as if someone's started faffing around on it at the back of the room when they weren't meant to. Then it sounds a bit more like house, with some cymbally stuff and a beat, but the synth melody thing still just sounds like someone with jittery hands faffing around. Oh, and then there's some puffy synths. And some other junk. No one would dance to this...
.
Roll on Friday!
What are we on for?
Tunng - The Village
Exclusively available here two weeks up front, this is another superlative leap of the musical imagination from Mike Lindsay and his experimental group of folk-rock-pop pioneers.
This is sort of all right? Folky acoustic guitars and vocals from a male-female duo, but set against a load of electronic backing (some very nice... pads, are they called?) with a pretty driving beat. But it also sounds a bit like a Lloyds TSB advert. Can't believe I'll find myself reaching for this one. Oh, and they made the end sound like your CD's skipping/iPod is broken. What a joy that is.
Goldheart Assembly - Sad Sad Stage
Available to TOW subscribers a month up front of release of the new album from Goldheart Assembly, this first taster perfectly showcases a literate, mature band beginning to fully realize their considerable talents.
This is just a pile of wank. A bunch of randomers got trashed on cider and decided to twang things and sing some stuff that doesn't really fit with the backing. All to a wave-yer-beer drum beat. It's a bit like if the Pogues had grown up in charming Hampshire. And I'm not sure what this "You can be the sad, sad stage" even bloody means.
The Riot Squad - I Am Waiting For My Man
A digital exclusive and available here ridiculously early, this glimpse of the tracks from David Bowie's early band due to be released by Acid Jazz later in June are much more than an interesting snapshot of Bowie's development, as this early version of the Velvet's cla..
Yes, the blurb does tail off there. And I've been listening to this without having read it, so I didn't realise it (a) actually was old and (b) it was Bowie. It doesn't excuse the harmonica, acoustic guitar, saxophone and droning, whinging lyrics that aren't in tune. Late 60s, I'm glad I never knew you. And, er, H, I'm sorry? You and M might like it...
Lovett - Black Curtain [Alternate Rough Trade Exclusive Version]
An entirely exclusive Rough Trade alternative version of this killer album track from Lovett's debut of last month, this encapsulates just why this producer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist is held in such incredibly high regard by both peers and pundits alike.
I might have a look at this album, if this some alternate extra, because this isn't actually that bad - though possibly I just associate it with the relief I felt getting through the first three tracks. It's a male vocal, but the backing is a bit Amy Winehousey. It's sort of Amy Winehouse meets, I dunno, some band I can't quite locate right now. But otherwise it's just basically filler for some sort of driving playlist.
[ETA: the actual song is basically the same, but with a fuller instrumentation and backing vocals. It's sort of Hammond organs wheeling on a jolly round Las Vegas. Or somewhere with Country. It's not unpleasant, but hardly a revelation.]
Iasos - Crystal Petals
Two weeks up front for TOW subscribers, this track from the latest Numero re-issue is a drifting blast from the past with Jewish Greek composer Iasos tuning early consumer synthesizers into celestial space.
Apparently this is old as well, and I suppose that sort of makes sense. It's all just a shimmery soundscape with tinkly things and what sounds like panpipes. It's sort of pleasant enough, though I'm not entirely sure of the point of it. I do like my ambient-y stuff without lyrics, but it needs to have enough of a melody/tune that you could conceivably make a music video or something out of it. I could see this coming in and out as scene-transition music in a play, but otherwise I have no purposes for it. It's very slow.
Stellar Om Source - Elite Excel
A welcome return to the fray for Christelle Gualdi's musical alter ego, whose deft synth handling has created here a pulsating, throbbing slab of Chicago-inspired house, exquisitely produced and melodic.
I wouldn't call this house. Or pulsating/throbbing. Or melodic. But it's all right. A bit like the modern/club version of the previous track - I really don't know why they were put next to each other. There's shimmery stuff and then a bubbly bass line, and then that goes into this quiet Hammond organ-y thing as if someone's started faffing around on it at the back of the room when they weren't meant to. Then it sounds a bit more like house, with some cymbally stuff and a beat, but the synth melody thing still just sounds like someone with jittery hands faffing around. Oh, and then there's some puffy synths. And some other junk. No one would dance to this...
.
Roll on Friday!