Regina Spektor, Phoenix and The Dirty Projectors (or, yeah, I’m checking out the college radio charts)
Nothing like ITunes credit to help me take chances on new music. Not that I need I much encouragement. I’m highly suggestible. A couple good reviews or a recommendation from someone and I’ll probably check a new band out. Anyway, I seem to be stuck pretty firmly on the college radio charts with my latest purchases. Some good stuff here, though definitely not for all tastes.
THE DIRTY PROJECTORS
Really, by this point in my life, I should know that when an article informs me that Bjork is a fan of the band that I’m gonna get something that is at least occasionally jarring. (For the record, I don’t get Bjork, even when sweetened by her Sugarcubes.) I got The Dirty Projectors’ latest album, Bitte Orca, which apparently is their seventh album. You also gotta know what you’re getting into when an album is described as the band’s “most accessible.” You should not be surprised when all the instruments are purposefully unsyncopated or the singers go screechy falsetto in the middle of an otherwise perfectly good song. Despite those occasional departures, there are some wonderful songs on this album. Two Doves, for example, is gorgeous. No Intention rambles along in a happy groove of indie soul. Stillness Is the Move might be described as less weird Bjork (which contrary to how that might sounds makes it a pretty damn good song). This is an album that I expect to grow on me.
PHOENIX
This is another band that has been around for awhile (and that I had never heard of). They’re getting a fair amount of press for their latest album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. It is easy to see the appeal of this one. The song Lisztomania (which unfortunately is the second cutesy play on a classical composer’s name) is a bouncy little jangle of a tune that manages to combine a modern indie voice with alt-80’s synthy music. The whole album is a highly enjoyable and listenable set of tunes, though also a bit forgettable once the Ipod is turned off. Bottom line — go listen to “1901″ which was played a fair amount on satellite radio. If you like it, consider the album.
REGINA SPEKTOR
As with so many other people, I discovered this Russian born singer through her song, Fidelity, which has quickly become one of my favorites. I didn’t end up buying that album, but I did get her latest, Far. OK, before I get to the album, let me say that you need to download Fidelity now. It is the best introduction to Spektor that you can get, complete with her faintly accented singing and the keyboard counterpoint that almost feels like her second voice. On Far, that keyboard tends to be a piano rather than a synthesizer, but the effect is the same. Two instruments in perfect harmony. I seem to be on a Bjork fixation with this post, but I would say that Spektor is what I want Bjork to be. Quirky phrasing, lyrics and music, but without setting my teeth on edge. Spektor is Bjork tempered by Tori Amos. Anyway, I think I’ve now thoroughly confused the issue by continually referring to Bjork. Quite simply, this is a great album and Spektor is an artist to watch.
Well, after all that I still have about 15 dollars of credit left — it was a good birthday this year. Grizzly Bear, anyone?
Michael Landweber writes fiction for adult, young adult and middle grade readers. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife and two children. His stories have appeared in Pindeldyboz, Fourteen Hills, Barrelhouse, American Literary Review, Fugue among others. He is an Associate Editor at the Potomac Review and can also be found writing and blogging about TV, movies and other fun stuff at Pop Matters.
August 12th, 2009 at 11:41 am
I’m with you entirely on Dirty Projectors and Phoenix. We party ways on Regina Spektor. I adored her last album (the one with Fidelity and a half dozen other brilliant tunes on it), but I think the production on this latest album went off the rails. But perhaps I just need a little more time with it?
With your 15 bucks, you might want to take a flyer on the new album from Sunset Rubdown (Dragonslayer). Caveat listener: it’s one of those albums that invariably will be described as the band’s most “accessible.” And that adjective is fraught with all the meaning you pinpointed. But for what it’s worth it’s been in fairly constant rotation in my ipod for the past month.
On a totally different poppy-for-the-joy-of-poppy level is Passion Pit. If you’re not familiar with them, do not pass Go and proceed directly to itunes to buy their EP called Chunk of Change, which came out about a year ago. It’s aural tastiness. They followed it up a few months ago with Manners, which is a full-length and excellent album in its own right, though hard to compete with CoC.
Needless to say, Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion is a must-listen, but I suspect you’ve (a) already listened to it and (b) fell immediately into one of the two camps that either loves the album and thinks it brilliant (my camp) or can’t fathom what the fuss is all about (too many friends to count on two hands).