Category Archives: High Fidelity

Soundcheck Sunday

A two-fer today. First: Oh Susanna, “Tangled and Wild”

Second: “Alabaster”

Both of these songs featured in Hilary Birmingham’s 2000 film “Tully,” a striking independent production that shamefully few people saw. (Listen to Roger if you won’t believe me.) “Tangled and Wild” played over the closing credits, and while I’d been familiar with Suzie Ungerleider in the abstract (I’d seen her play at a couple of different Lillith Fairs ahead of this), “Tully” was the first time I’d ever really heard her music, if you know what I mean. And I knew I had to run out and buy the album.

“Johnstown,” the 1999 album from which both of these tracks were taken, was another one of those records that made me seriously reassess my music collection. It seemed, for a variety of reasons, like I should have had stacks of this kind of music, except I didn’t. It has this old, folkloric, ancestral quality to it, and I loved it to bits. (If this sounds familiar, it’s because I’ve talked about this several times before.) Like much really good music, it evokes a time and a place that probably only ever really existed — for those of us alive today — in sepia-toned photographs, dusty books, and odd little soundless movies about life at the turn of the last century; a world of cracked, sun-dried creekbeds, tall virgin prairie grass, hot winds whipping through the trees, and the cry of swallows in the distance.

I picture, for some reason, my grandparents homestead in Southern Alberta with this music.

Anyway, just listen to the music, listen to Suzie’s voice. It’s just mesmerizing.

This is a really good question

Sara Quin: “A call for change“

When will misogynistic and homophobic ranting and raving result in meaningful repercussions in the entertainment industry? When will they be treated with the same seriousness as racist and anti-Semitic offenses? While an artist who can barely get a sentence fragment out without using homophobic slurs is celebrated on the cover of every magazine, blog and newspaper, I’m disheartened that any self-respecting human being could stand in support with a message so vile. …

If any of the bands whose records are held in similar esteem as Goblin had lyrics littered with rape fantasies and slurs, would they be labeled hate mongers? I realize I could ask that question of DOZENS of other artists, but is Tyler exempt because people are afraid of the backlash? The inevitable claim that detractors are being racist, or the brush-off that not “getting it” would indicate that you’re “old” (or a faggot)? Because, the more I think about it, the more I think people don’t actually want to go up against this particular bully because he’s popular. Who sticks up for women and gay people now? It seems entirely uncool to do so in the indie rock world, and I’ll argue that point with ANYONE.

I was blissfully unaware of Odd Future until last week, when Sady pointed at Sara’s article in her own masterpiece. Then I went and pulled a couple of their pieces off YouTube, and you know what? It wasn’t any good. Though I wasn’t in any way, shape or form particularly disposed to like them based on their — let’s call it what it is, fucking obnoxious behavior — I can’t say I found the music that interesting anyway. Maybe it’s because I’m old or uncool. Maybe I don’t get it. I dunno: I like to think I have pretty eclectic and diverse taste in music, but this was just… lame, somehow. That Tyler is a fuckhead doesn’t really enter into it, but it helps me feel better about apparently being uncool.

Soundcheck Sunday

Wild Light, “California on my Mind”

I saw these guys open for The Killers back in 2009. I don’t get this song, but it sure is catchy. (“Fuck today, fuuuuck Oakland…”)

On-Time Soundcheck Sunday

Edie Carey, “Love” and “I Never Thought I’d Say This”

Let the whole thing play through. Sadly this is a video from a house concert last fall, and therefore not very good (and the sound quality is a bit lacking, too). Music starts at around 1:45, if you’re impatient.

My crush on Edie Carey has been thoroughly documented elsewhere, and, wouldn’t you know it, she’s got a new album out. Which is every bit as warm and hug-inducing as “Another Kind of Fire.” I really like it; it’s the sort of record you can put on (ok, ok, “the sort of collection of digital files you can play on your music device”), put the big headphones on, and tune out the world. It’s the sort of thing you used to listen to in your room in the dark, and it has that kind of heart-tugging quality that most of Edie’s music has.

Over the summer, I criticized Sarah McLachlan’s new album for not being, well, new. “Laws of Illusion” wasn’t fundamentally anything we hadn’t seen before, and I was a disappointed that she seemed to not be making progress as an artist. I invited comparisons between McLachlan and another Sarah (Harmer), someone who seems to reinvent herself with every new album yet manages to stay more or less the same at each step. Edie Carey is heading into a third category: people who make the same kind of music on every album, which is fine, because it keeps getting better.

Belated Soundcheck Sunday

I was in transit on Sunday (well, not really — I was in transit Sunday night, and sitting on a beach for most of Sunday itself), so here’s the Soundcheck for this past week. We apologize for the delay. Not that anyone actually cares, mind you…

This week’s Soundcheck isn’t really about the song, but rather who is doing the singing: Hayley Williams of Paramore. Those of us who aren’t quite as hip and with it (and, also, not teenagers) might have first run into Williams and her band as part of “Guitar Hero: World Tour” where “Misery Business” featured rather heavily in one segment of the game. Paramore always struck me as kind of a twee band, sort of like Avril Lavigne but with actual musical talent; it was hard to get enthusiastic about a band that was made of people under the age of 20. And, let’s face it, when you’re over the age of 30 you probably shouldn’t be listening to stuff that’s made by and popular with the under-20 crowd — it’s, I dunno, creepy.

But here’s the thing: Riot! was really good. And Hayley Williams is so good, and has such a shocking voice (warning: obnoxious but illustrative video lives on the other end) that it’s hard not to pay attention. I’m not going to run out and chase Paramore or Williams’ tour bus down or anything like that, but yeah, they’re both great.