“Backseat” is an absolutely stunning bit of pop with a Nashville-edge and 80’s power ballad-esque vibe ( like a marriage of John Waite’s classic “Missing You” and Madonna’s equally classic “Crazy For You” with a wash of subtle, sweet twang). Wistful, and windblown, simultaneously capturing the feeling of being in the moment, while at the same time letting the film of memories wash over you while, yeah, staring at the lights from the backseat, this is just too fine.
A somber and timeless piano ballad, with a siren song of a vocal, that while instantly bringing to mind Laura Nyro, also delicately references Sandy Denny, Carole King, and Nina Simone which is to say “Time and Again” literally sounds like it was born in 1971. Not lying when I say that upon first listen it caused me to stop what I was doing and just sit in rapt, worshipful attention not only because it was so damn beautiful, but because it honestly didn’t sound like anything else I’d heard this year. What a stunner.
Sinewy, sweaty, electro-soul: Welcome the “DāM-FunK” of Amber-Simone and pretty fabulous it is. And yeah while there’s a bit of that DāM-FunK type sound in there, there’s also a little of that stuff that’s traditionally inspired him as well, that simultaneously chilly and warm late 80’s soul ( Cherelle, Karyn White, and SOS Band came to mind, and thereby of course Jam & Lewis). This also brought to mind the spacey, lush pop of Kelis oldie ” Trilogy”. It all makes for something undeniably plush and handsome and hot.
Gonna get right to the point: Chicago’s Avantist are a band made up of 4 brothers and “_violence”, off their new “Terasoma” EP, is completely infectious, jittery, anxious prog pop, with a myriad of hooks and tempo changes, that stars an especially angular and assertive guitar line, plus a bubbling in the back fat synth, which is to say it’s sticky as hell and so damn good.
And now for some spare acoustic balladry of the highest order. While there is a real folk fragility to “Bare”, it brought to mind something surprising. Okay, there’s a bit in Aretha Franklin’s desperately emotional 1968 classic “Ain’t No Way” about halfway through where she takes her vocal up an octave and you can hear her physically move away from the microphone. And as glorious as the whole song is, that 15 seconds or so steamrolls everything that came before it and quite literally lifts everything to heaven. Well within “Bare” there exists a similar moment: there is an ascending vocal line about 2 1/2 minutes in that is just mind blowingly beautiful, stunning (it’ll induce some involuntary sighing) and instantly takes an already beautiful song up to some other level. Yes, “Bare” is a completely different kind of record than “Ain’t No Way” but it’s just as fraught with real emotion, and Rosie’s vocal so took me to that same place, to that same awestruck feeling. Yes, really beautiful.
Tierra Whack’s “Whack World” is the punk rock ( in song length), quiet storm fever dream (in sound), kitchen sink demented ( the visuals) album of the year, which is to say holy lord, there is nothing even remotely like it. There are 15 one minute songs. Each song has it’s own video. Each video possesses it’s own singular thematic weirdness. You will see and hear Lonely Tierra, Lovesick Tierra, Diva Tierra, and Dead Tierra amongst others. It features sock puppets, an Uno deck house of cards, terrifying fried food at midnight with losers, a cable tv repairman and a grapefruit. Tierra says “When I was sick ain’t nobody go to CVS”, “Wish he had a remote just to control me”, “Music is in my Billie Jeans” and “I wrote this cuz I feel ten feet tall”. She’s being modest: Tierra, you are 100 feet tall.
Watch the brilliant insanity here :
A sunken hearted Nilsson/ Sparklehorse-esque pop piano ballad of beautiful resignation, getting left behind, and acknowledging the inevitable even if you can’t quite accept it, “California” is a timeless wonder with one of those absolutely perfect closing lines: “Some things never end up like you thought”. Yes.
Now for something to take us all higher, a song of no fixed time or space ( could be 1978, or 1987 or 2001 or now). “The Border” oozes otherworldly wonder, featuring a warm yet mannered vocal ( think The Beloved) and plush melody ( think Hooverphonic ) topped with an ascending violin line so exquisite that it may inspire some involuntary swooning. Yes, it’s a beauty. And if you dig this and feel like some more organic space music after you’ve played it 100x, go have a listen to “You’re Not Alone”, the 1978 album by the late guitar genius Roy Buchanan wherein the blues based virtuoso goes all spaced out and synthy and confused in a not dissimilar feeling vein, link below.
Like a piece of candy that’s been soaking in a a barrel of vodka, the tuneful “Daydream” is a woozy, pretty confection featuring some memorable carnivalesque keyboard flourishes in it’s dizzy body and is reminiscent of some of Ariel Pink’s more embraceable moments.
“Slip Away” is a panicked, and anxious marriage of britpop and power pop, both a little Ash, and a little Cheap Trick, and employs the classic model of deceptively cheery melody/ bad news lyrics. It’s a simple and compact anthem, sticky as hell and pretty damn cool.
PICKING UP ROCKS 