Five Songs, 4/29/2022

Skalpel, “Quicksilver”

Love me a good jazz/DJ thing.

Destroyer, “The Bad Arts”

Streethawk: A Seduction was the first Destroyer record that I heard, and this was the song that I heard on that record that really got me going. Something about how spare a lot of the song is, just his voice and either a simple groove or his guitar, just works super well. A delightful tune.

Cherubs, “Sooey Pig”

You know, it would have been just fine with me if that first thirty seconds of formless guitar noise just kind of kept going. I have objections with the rest of this crawl, mind you. But I love me a good wad of meandering feedback.

[Read More]

Five Songs, 12/16/2020

Dr. Ring-Ding & The Senior Allstars, “Call Di Doctor”

Just a reminder: this is a white dude from Germany.

Sly & the Family Stone, “Poet”

Sly & the Family Stone’s 1971 record There’s A Riot Goin’ On is a landmark of soul, rock, and funk, even as it’s essentially impossible to put into any of those categories. The band’s optimism on previous records had essentially evaporated, and this record also marked the point at which Sly Stone’s drug issues and interpersonal problems starting affecting the music. The album was recorded with overdubs in the studio, with Sly handling most of the playing, instead of the rest of the band playing it directly. It’s murky, dark, and often strange, and it’s completely compelling.

[Read More]