In The iPod: April 2008

Vampire Weekend has been generating a lot of buzz, but I’ve only recently heard of them. And I’m glad I did because they have a truly original sound that is part pure pop informed by African music via Paul Simon’s Graceland (Afro-pop)-which they call “Upper West Side Soweto.” This seems appropriate with references to Cape Cod and the like. Infectious 3-minute pop songs are the result. The standout s include “Oxford Comma,” “Walcott,” “Campus” and “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa.” It’s feel good music, pure pop for now people.

The new Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! is also impressive. I think its an improvement on his side project Grinderman that had some highlights but overall wasn’t consistent. However, that record resulted in Cave writing songs on guitar rather than the piano as he has in the past. My favorite tracks are “More News from Nowhere,” “Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!,” “Night Of The Lotus Eater,” and “We Call Upon The Author.”

A friend ripped a Sun Kil Moon track for me a couple of years ago and I totally dug it. It sounded like alt country to me, it turns out it is the Red House Painter’s Mark Kozelek’s new band. I seem to remember seeing a concert or having an album back in the day in Seattle. Anyway, April is a pretty cool album with some understated and well-written tracks, and my favorite track is a 10-minute song, “Tonight The Sky.” Other standouts include “The Light” and “Tonight in Bilbao.”

Comments

[Captain]

Kozelek will be at O-Nest in Shibuya on May 13th:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/49600-mark-kozelek-tours-bundles-bonus-cd-with-book

[lou ford]

a 10-minute song. sounds right up my alley.

[MC]

Yeah, but this ain't no Boris The Spider. Speaking of which, Captain (the above poster), had photos from a Boris The Spider concert on his FACEBOOK page a while back.

[lou ford]

i don't care about Boris the Spider (who names their band after a Who song?) I do like Boris though, and Boris with Sunno))).