Here, Interpol remind us that dressing well and the rocking hard are not mutually exclusive skills.
1. I could devote a year's worth of blog posts to chronicling my concert-going April. But if a picture's worth a thousand words, then...ummm...I could you know, make it short or to the point or somesuch? Or something like that. There's a brilliant analogy somewhere in the dark recesses of my skilled brain and that's a guarantee. So here goes:
April 8--
Real Estate (Club Dada, Dallas): Annoyingly young (Makes me feel like I've done nothing). Beach-drenched guitars hum just as sweetly live.
April 19--
The National (Cain's Ballroom, Tulsa): Great. Just not quite as great as
Dallas. Still great.
April 20--
Interpol (Cain's Ballroom, Tulsa): Raw. Clinical. Dark. Power. Exceeded all expectations. Best show of 2011 thus far.
April 30--
Ty Segall (Norman Music Festival): Rock noise with skill and hooks. Fun as hell.
April 30--
Peelander-Z (Norman Music Festival):
I am insane now.
April 30--Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears (Norman Music Festival): Rock. Soul. Belly dancers.
April 30--The Walkmen (Norman Music Festival): Proof that even the best of shows can be almost ruined by teenage hipster douchery. Free festivals may just not work.
2. I have a new term I'd like to unveil for certain bands/artists that succinctly makes an otherwise layered argument--"E.N.C."
E.N.C.:
Label attached to a band/artist with an artificially-inflated reputation fueled by trendy, hipster-hyped groupthink, a la the moral of The Emperor's New Clothes.
Here, I'll use it in a sentence: "Sorry Jake, but no one actually thinks
Panda Bear makes
good music--he's just a complete and utter E.N.C.".
Recent examples of this include, but are not limited to:
Tyler the Creator.
James Blake. Discuss. I anxiously await your outrage.
3. Three albums I'm listening to this week for a variety of reasons and, therefore, you should be listening to:
Kaputt by
Destroyer: Lyrics of abstraction combined with beats of attraction. This is about the smoothest album you'll hear in these current times. As in silky smooth vocals and heavenly smooth harmonies--and did someone steal
Sade's sax player for this album?? Did I mention smooth?
Actor-Caster by
Generationals: Less "dance-y" but no less catchy derivative of
MGMT in many ways. One of the surprise treats of 2011 so far and a real contender for album of the year-type honors from your favorite music blogger. Or maybe even me.
Helplessness Blues by
Fleet Foxes: I was ready to be disappointed with this sophomore effort, but this band just makes beautiful, choral-centric music that satisfies and pleases. It's obvious that a lot of work and skill goes in to making this music, but the execution of it sounds anything but complex. Liking this album is an effortless venture.
Later. Gators.