A Rambling Tale of Two Albums
Hot Chip -
One Life Stand
Hot Chip's been amazing at getting us to groove in the past. infectious, fun beats that have this bubbly effect on those exposed. Check out Ready for the Floor and Over & Over, they'll dance rock you're pants (esp. the latter, it was my ring tone for the longest time). For the most part i feel like this new release of theirs is ideal for the after party. You've had a brilliant night out, you invite friends back home 'cuz no one's ready to crash just yet, and you listen to this...
Hand Me Down Your Love It's pretty. Is that good? "I've known for a long time, you are my love light..."
I Feel Better Auto tune intro, chill beat, wait for it, wait for it... a gradual building of layers, then it even thuds a bit.
Keep Quiet It does just that. Layers of vocals. Atmospheric dream states. A heart beat undertone. Again. It's lovely, it's pretty.
*One Life Stand NOW YOU CAN DANCE, if softly. What an endearing sentiment, played out over pulsing thuds and beats. The title track & it's fun.
Slush - just delete this track. nice try hot chip, but this is NOT your forté. hopefully someone will come along and remix it for you, bring it to life, for now, it's dead. :-( IMHO :-)
*Take It In Dark, killer intro, OMG when i first heard i thought, awesome, they're delving in more industrial moody synths a la DM. But then—the song gives way to a bouncy, gorgeousness, circles back, then blends into something i quite like. and that's not even touching on the buzzing warm sentiments the lyrics relay.
*Thieves In The Night Has a cool, 80s new wave vibe I can get lost in. A song that feels like celebratory revelry.
*We Have Love Could def. do without the little chimpmunk voice throughout, otherwise, i feeeeel it. builds beautifully, to a degree that you can't help but purse your lips & shake it, i swear. killer undertones enforce that. I thought my heart was damaged, I thought my heart was strong...
Alley Cats - gorgeous & peaceful, dreamy tempo. let's call it an electro lullaby. that's what it is.
Brothers - sleepy, ok, the choir-like harmonies kinda remind me of tv sing along commercials in the 70s like "i'd like to teach the world to sing..."
Yeasayer - Odd Blood
Yeasayer was brought to my attention a couple years ago. A coworker said something like "i think you'll dig." But dig, i did not. I thought they sounded WEIRD & not a good weird, i mean you can't feel everything right.
it is peculiar how two people can adore the same lot of music, practically verbatim but then occasionally, some sounds just don't work for one, when they rule for another, i've digressed. yes. what i was trying to say was that when i first heard Ambling Alp last fall & saw that what i was hearing AND FEELING was yeasayer, i was happily surprised. love when that happens. never give up on a band, they often evolve or perhaps we do? & then you find yourself smitten, in love, besotted. I am that for Odd Blood. It's a desireable cacophony and melding of chaotic noise and lurking beauty. It's total love. (Go yeasayer! Way to turn me around.)
Grizelda i like it i feel it. it lends awesomeness to my world, for sure. so insanely unique, this sound.
Mondegreen Crushing HARD on the intro. And the frenetic lyrical pace. And just the all around funky sounds and beats going on. It's hot, in its own little quirky way.
Strange Reunions Sparkling spacey ear candy, echoing vocals, wow was that a sitar??? Art.
Rome Once again, rapidly paced vocals. Keeps my interest. But, well, not a fave.
Love Me Girl To my surprise, it begins like a true dance anthem, develops and picks up in that same vein, then just works, becomes this new, sparkling yeasayer i'm mad about. It's club ready. For the right club.
************O.N.E. you could play O.N.E. for me 100 times, over & over and i'd beam and dance to it endlessly. it's so right. their second single. but when i first heard it i was instantly completely consumed. so upbeat, yet so melancholy at once = perfect. dare i compare it to cut copy? yeah, i dare.
*I Remember i'll just quote my recent tweet on the subject: "yeasayer's 'i remember' is sparkling, gorgeous, starry & lovely. DAMN."
*Madder Red this song grabs me. am i getting this across to you, i'm in love with this album. but yeah, this song is reflective & moving, it's multi-faceted and intense. there really has to be the right balance of music AND lyrics for me to fall in love, this album is mad rich in both.
*Ambling Alp As stated, the 1st single. Joyous, rich and decked out in uplifting lyrics. Mad unique and danceable. "The world can be an unfair place at times, but your lows will have their complement of highs..." Aw yeah.
The Children No joke, i'm enthralled by all the eclectic sounds and atmospheric beats. Funked up vocals. Dark undertones.
I leave you with petite joys. Like...
my '80s pink bra. peeking out making me grin.
And the way my heart shades looked so brilliantly at home upon my sparkly star scarf.
happy hump day kids.
love,
sunlovey
THE GOLDEN FILTER At this instance I liken the golden filter to glasser in my own little music vacuum. Each is an electronic act centered around delicate, yet commanding females of a haunting nature (in this case, Penelope Trappes). And upon seeing each live I found myself surprisingly entranced. <---wrote this in car on way home from miami. & yeah, still holds true for the most part. The Golden Filter, live, has a darker quality I suppose I didn't expect, but felt nonetheless. Obvious highlights were Solid Gold & Hide Me. The room busted a move hard to those songs. The band should ® or ™ their beats. Seriously. They're so distinctive. Yeah, I'm glad I checked them out. And I'll continue to jump on their sick remixes. Listened to their spin on Yeasayer's Madder Red on the way down, download it here at Ear Blessings. Hope your Monday wasn't too toxic.
