Singled out
Sorry for the unexpected downtime, avid readers. I’m assuming one or two of you noticed, anyway. We’ll try to avoid that next year. Please accept my apology in the form of a short mix of some of the best songs you’re going to hear this year.
Library Voices
Call them local favourites if you will but Library Voices stands on their own merit. Their debut full-length came out this past Tuesday and managed to find it’s way to the fifth spot on the iTunes sales chart. Pretty fucking good for a bunch of fauxhemians from Regina. It isn’t hard to understand after setting your ears on the lead-off track and first single, “Drinking Games,” found below. Combining some Beach Boys-style harmonies and a copious amount of handclaps (underpinned by a quietly melancholic melody and lyric) it’s an engaging and infectious slice of pop perfection. And it’s got a fantastic video to go along with it.
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
Ted Leo is an all-time favourite of mine and it’s great to see him back on his game. Inspired by 80’s hardcore (more in tenor and aesthetic than sound), the Brutalist Bricks sees Leo and his latest batch of Pharmacists pounding out his most focused collection of songs since Shake The Sheets. Not only that but it also features what might be among his greatest songs ever. “Bottled In Cork” distills a wide range of international sentiment towards Americans in the light of Bush-era foreign policy into three minutes and fifteen seconds that’s jammed with a whole pile of wordiness. He doesn’t shy away from the song’s central melody for a moment, pushing it constantly to the forefront and leaving it out there until it sticks. And stick it will. The frantic, infectious drumming and a ripping guitar solo don’t hurt either.
Cursive
If there’s one thing Tim Kasher does well consistently it’s tension. This highlight from Mama, I’m Swollen (a bit of a WTF album title if ever there was one) has it in spades. Music and art have often been a stand-in or metaphor for sex in Kasher’s songs; consequently sex has often been a topic of much attention and contention in his writing. Needless to say, the underlying meaning here is as clear as day. Like the best intimate encounters it stars out quiet and subtly and builds to an energetic and unrestrained climax that only makes you anxious for the next one. If you caught the band’s amped-up performance of this track on a certain late night TV show (don’t worry if you didn’t, we’ve got you covered) you’re already sold, but a single listen to the track should do the job also.
Silver Starling
The slow-burner of the group, this track serves as the big, slow-moving hook that opens this Montreal band’s self-titled debut. Tanis has previously mentioned them and their ties to certain Canadian indie rock royalty, so we won’t re-tread that. Instead I’ll simply say that the coy, pained delivery of the vocals in this song tell all the story the lyrics forget to. The expressive, redolant vocals of Marcus Paquin might be their strongest weapon. I’m surprised I haven’t heard more people talk about this album. We might have to do more on this one in the near future.
So there you go, folks. Sorry for the two week lapse. Stay tuned for more of what you’re used to and maybe some new things here and there. We’re working on some pretty big projects for the summer and if my plans come to fruition it should be a busy but productive time.
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - Bottled In Cork [3:18m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Library Voices - Drinking Games [4:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Cursive - From The Hips [3:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Silver Starling - Something Over Nothing [4:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadLibrary Voices: Find Denim on Denim on iTunes or in stores. First EP can be found at Zunior as well.
Ted Leo: Physical albums through Matastore, merch is available through his webstore and albums are digital via iTunes (with bonus track)
Cursive: Albums are all available through this here webstore and digitally through the iTunes
Silver Starling: Digital purchases through Last Gang and the iTunes. Might have to check stores for physical purchases.
