Release Rodeo
5th of July Edition
I haven’t had much time to write this week (or if I have, I didn’t use it wisely), and now I find myself scrambling to stay true to my word and dash off an article. Fortunately, circumstances and obligations have deposited me in a peaceful airport terminal with some time to kill, so here you go.
This type of article will be a regular feature here at TFTT. Every so often, I’ll survey the terrain of new music and pick out some songs that caught my attention or struck my fancy. It could stand to have a better name than “Release Rodeo”, but I can’t think of any; if you have some dazzling suggestion, leave it in the comments.
So, here we go…
Lord Huron - “Bag of Bones”
Lord Huron is a band with some incredible strengths and some tragic weaknesses. When it comes to creating a distinctive atmosphere, they are second to none. The Surreal-Noir-Americana milieu of Lord Huron is unmistakable, uncanny, and eerily elegant. I don’t even know half of the complex narratives they weave in their albums, videos, and assorted other media, but what I have heard and seen is mysterious, and intriguing enough to make me want to know. The existential desperation evinced in their lyrics is also intriguing, and with lines like “Maybe I can pay my cosmic debt before I turn to dust” they stop short of a simple nihilism that would render their music boring, and plant themselves squarely in the venerable literary tradition of Faustian bargains, soul-searching hobos, and the like.
Lord Huron’s weakness is melodic unoriginality. They have a bad habit of writing songs with melodies that don’t sound all too different from any number of other Lord Huron songs. The lack of melodic inventiveness is all the more dangerous for a band not known for straying far from their distinctive sound When I listened to their brand new single “Bag of Bones” for the first time, the tune of the verse duped me into thinking this would be an unremarkable track. Around the one minute mark, the beautiful chorus melody came and changed my opinion. I have listened to this song many times since then and I really like it. Give it a listen (or several).
Stay tuned for the rest of the album, The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1, out July 18th.
Twenty One Pilots - “The Contract”
It is hard to speak of bands who weave complex narratives through their music without mentioning Twenty One Pilots. The biggest alternative band in the world has, as you may know, been telling a story throughout its last four albums. If you had no idea, you might as well pop over here if you’re ready for a little initiation.
For many people who aren’t so familiar with them, Twenty One Pilots is just the obnoxious band that sings “Heathens” and “Ride.” I don’t like these songs myself, but I’d exhort anyone who shares this opinion to dig a little deeper. The painstaking artistry, lyrical adeptness, and depth of thought that goes into this music is impressive. Finally, they are astoundingly good showmen. They may not be to your taste, but they have a lot of virtues to commend them as fine musical artists. And if you ever lamented the lack of devious gnostic bishops, Zoroastrian death towers, and Simone Weil in the themes of popular music, you came to the right place!
TOP is finally bringing their saga to an end this September with the album Breach, and “The Contract” is a promising taste of what’s to come. The auto-tune in the second part of the refrain is a questionable choice and grating, but otherwise the song is solid all around. It’s sleek and polished, spooky and dramatic, and full of enigmatic lyrics well calculated to build anticipation for the album. The unconventional song structure keeps things interesting and the music video is, for lack of a better word, just cool.
Balu Brigada - “Backseat”
Balu Brigada is an up-and-comer to keep an eye on. They got their first big break last year when Twenty One Pilot chose them as the opener for their Clancy World Tour, and they have since released a slow stream of impressive singles. Finally, with the release of third single “Backseat,” they announced their debut album, out August 29th.
While in everything from the NYC residency and the haircuts to the music videos and the music itself, this brotherly duo (composed of Henry and Pierre Beasley) betrays an obvious debt to the Strokes and similar acts, they are far from a Strokes cover band. The NYC garage-rock is wedded to more delicate and lush production, better lyricism, and groovier grooves. I am eager to hear them delve more deeply into the collection of “wounded romantics, a sprinkling of starving artists, and a few trust fund babies all converging to make the wonderful tapestry of a city that charges you 3 thousand dollars to live in a rat infested hallway.”
This new single is all the more promising because it keeps going. This is not say “long songs mean you’re a better artist”; songs should be as long as they need to be. But if Balu was merely aiming for a slick radio hit, they would have gotten all they wanted out of the song by the 3:35 mark. The cathartic strings/synth/bass breakdown of the last 3 minutes is just an extra treat that shows this band, despite the steadily rising Spotify listener number, is in this for the music.
Bonus Recommendations (and Denunciations)
Talk Radio - “When the Lights Go Out.” Nice new song from another brand new band.
The Artist formerly known as Mandolin Orange - “Rituals.” There is no reinventing the “Watchouse” wheel here. It’s the same mellow, gentle, pretty indie folk. If you like it, you’ll like this. As usual, they are excellent lyricists and if you like home, consistency, or peace these lyrics will resonate with you.
Zach Bryan and Tyler Childers are still wallowing in the mire of lost novelty. I think both of these fellas have written some very good music, far superior to what country fans are usually treated to these days. I’m afraid the magic is gone now, and they may have run out of good ideas. I’m sure their many fans will hail songs like “River Washed Hair” and “Oneida” as the most ambrosial serenades one could wish for. But for others, Zach remembering things and writing poems about how many things he remembers isn’t going to substitute for singing more than one melody. As for Tyler, if you like stories about youngsters pursuing older women, “Oneida” is right up your alley. If that isn’t an instant draw, you may not find anything very special about this song.
Until next week,
God bless you,
Liam Beecher