The Music Box.
Entries about the music I like.
The Magnetic Fields — 69 Love Songs
With deft pop sensibilities and a strong commitment to the central theme of the loneliness of idealised love, the Magnetic Fields make light of the two hardest questions to answer in popular music: how to write a good hook and how to write good lyrics.
The Tallest Man on Earth — Shallow Grave
In 2008, a Swedish singer-songwriter, Kristian Matsson, released an earthy Dylanesque album, Shallow Grave, under his stage name, the Tallest Man on Earth. It’s a compendium of ten three-minute guitar folk songs that are unique in their simplicity: one man, one acoustic guitar.
Miles Davis — Big Fun
In life, we all have musical soulmates, artists whose sound is just so immediate to us. Artists whose most insane experiments flow through our bodies with barely any hindrance. Whose most inane compositions sound endearing. Miles Davis is one of my musical soulmates. I have yet to hear something by any iteration of Miles Davis that I haven’t enjoyed. Added to that list most recently is compilations from his fusion era — Agharta, Pangaea, and most recently, Big Fun. I recommend a languorous weekend spent with Big Fun filling the spaces in your bedroom as you contemplate whatever big questions occupy your life. It’ll be big fun.
Reuben — Racecar is Racecar Backwards
This record taught me three important things. First, it taught me that racecar is indeed racecar backwards, whoda thunk it? Second, it taught me that I had shed my distaste for sing-then-shout vocals. It was possible for me to exit the ‘either shout or sing well, choose one’ camp. Third, it taught me that I could fall in love with an album primarily based on the (analog) drumming, which is what contributed to my first several listens of this album many years ago.
Scientist — Heavyweight Dub Champion
My goodness, Heavyweight Dub Champion is more than just good, it's great. I went into this album cold, not knowing anything about it or Scientist. By the third song I was running around the house looking for candles and turning off all the lights. Oh good god it's so good, I can add the whole album to my inspiration playlist for my next album.
cLOUDDEAD — cLOUDDEAD
People in the know insist on calling the whiny nasal stream-of-consciousness ramblings of cLOUDDEAD hip-hop. I don’t know why, but as a compromise, let’s settle for experimental abstract hip-hop. Remember cloud rap? I do. A strong case can be made for cLOUDDEAD’s cLOUDDEAD being the first cloud rap album, and I’d be making that argument if my brain could digest this experimental electronic album as rap. Woo, what a fascinating album 😘
L. Subramaniam — Kalyānī & Sarasvatī
I gravitated to two L. Subramaniam albums in particular - Kalyani and Sarasvati, both released on Water Lily Acoustics. You’d assume this gravitation had something to do with my new-found non-zero understanding of Hindustani classical music. You’d be wrong. I just really liked the album covers. And of course, the music too.
KennyHoopla — how will i rest in peace if i’m buried by a highway?//
Ok, prediction. Some future version of 23-year-old KennyHoopla will become quite huge, likely in the short to medium term. I’m basing this off of how will i rest in peace if i’m buried by a highway?//, his really good post-punk inspired electro-rock EP. Expect driving rhythmic percussion, muted synth stabs, jangly guitars, emotive (but often childish) vocals, all passed through rich reverb. Think Joy Division and Bloc Party, but with a richly inventive approach to vox.
Merchandise — Children Of Desire
There are some songs and albums that go with certain memories like peanuts in plastic white cups used to go with Friday nights back in the day. I had just graduated from college and had just begun life as a rent-paying adult. White men crooning soulfully over fuzzy, reverb-drenched, jangly guitars had become a large part of what indie rock sounded like. My Friday nights were peanuts in plastic cups with friends listening to, among other songs, Merchandise’s Become What You Are. My Saturday mornings were glasses of water alone in my room listening to, among other albums, Merchandise’s Children Of Desire.
Clams Casino - Instrumental Relics
A new compilation of old favourites by vaporous hippity-hop producer behind the first albums of Lil B and A$AP Rock. Nostalgia-filled listening session of smoky parties with old friends. Vibe-heavy instrumentals 👌👌👌