Here’s my weekly collection of five songs that I’m currently loving, a one-off postponement of SOIWT’s London focus:
The National – Bloodbuzz Ohio
The National have long been one of those bands who earn critical acclaim and boast devout fans, yet never seem to translate that into mass popularity. Perhaps new album, High Violet, their fifth, will change things. First impressions suggest it’s more dynamic than previous records, especially based on Bloodbuzz Ohio, an intense, cacophonous song that’s over far too quickly, like a thrilling firework display. Telling a story about bee kidnap and lost love in the vast American state they hail from, singer Matt Berninger is all burly elegance as chaos descends around him.
Sun Kil Moon – Carry Me Ohio
Listening to that song about Ohio reminded me of this track by Sun Kil Moon, led by Mark Kozelek, formerly of the Red House Painters. It’s an equally tender Americana tale of life and love in the Buckeye State, but where The National’s effort was meaty, this one’s more softer and cast in tears rather than twine. No tune makes me close my eyes quicker. Kozelek’s beautiful voice, soaring and swooping like a eagle, tells of his inability to love either Ohio or a partner (it’s never made clear which); all the while, the most melodious guitars you ever heard play plaintively on, and on some more.
Balkan Beat Box – Look Them Act
A chum of mine, Ben Serbutt, is a designer at the marvellous Songlines, a UK mag devoted to “world music”, that sickeningly imperialist term loosely denoting global sounds you won’t hear on Capital FM any time soon. Songlines gives away free CDs each issue, offerings from artists profiled in the magazine, and Balkan Beat Box, led by ex-Gogol Bordello member Tamir Muskat, featured in the recent April/May edition that Ben kindly passed my way. Among Irish jigs and rum-soaked Latino rhythms this one stood out: it’s a melee of itinerant voices, 60s-style weirdsville funk and Middle Eastern gyspy mayhem.
As an aside, Ben also freelances, and recently came up with this very neat reworking of a certain Conservative poster. Something tells me he won’t be voting Tory this Thursday. Please note this does not reflect SOIWT’s political views (that Nick Clegg’s getting annoying, and fast) at all.
Cartridge – Black Roads
Danish band Cartridge are among the 180 bands participating in PEACE, a vast global music compilation encompassing unreleased numbers by artists from 50 countries. Co-produced by Buffetlibre and Amnesty International Catalunya, the initiative can be downloaded after you make a donation to the latter, who aim to prevent Human Rights abuses around the world. So it’s obviously worthy, but is it any good? Judging by this – a sugary pop ballad stunningly gatecrashed by high-pitched whistles and intense electro - and the presence of Marc Almond, Patrick Wolf, Mogwai and more, almost certainly yes.
Club 8 – Western Hospitality
This week’s biggest buzz band are Sweden’s Club 8, or so The Sunday Times tells me. This, the main song, is a honking, tonking number that begins with bouncy keys, throws in some soft female vocals and then descends, slowly and serenely, into a combination of choral swoon, easy and sweet as a glass bottle of Coca Cola on a summer’s day, and tropicalian guitars. You really do know the happy season’s imminent when tunes like this materialise. Bring it on.
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