(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)
Man Man, Deer Tick, Pure Bathing Club, Washed Out, & The Ericksons...
Well hello again, MP3 junkies! Welcome to Songs Of The Week #53!
For those of you who remain unfamiliar with the column, here's the scoop: Each week The Current gives away 5 songs for free via their Song Of The Day podcast. Both TCDroogsma & MinneSarah have been fans of this podcast for quite some time. Seeing an opportunity to allow them to indulge in their music habits & put them to work we tasked them with reviewing these songs each week. Over a year later and here we are.
As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast for yourself. It's free & it's fun for the whole family!
To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two please take a second to vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page. The artist with the most votes at the end of the week wins the validation that comes with winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the greatest achievement to which a modern musician can aspire.
Per tradition, TCDroogsma & MinneSarah have not read each other's comments prior to posting.
So, Droogsy... MinneSarah... thoughts?
01. Man Man - Hold On (from the album On Oni Pond)
TCDroogsma:
If you've been reading this column for the last year (or have run into me over the last decade), you know I think the most important thing a song can have going for it is a good hook and "Hold On" has a doozy. Sure, it's a long way from original (if you had told me I was listening to Dr. Dog I wouldn't have argued), but it's still a good one. The slinks along nicely before going full McCartney on a very bouncy chorus.
The reason this song is trapped at "3" rather than "4" is the lyrics. I can sure appreciate the message of , "Hey, don't let the world get you down, pal!" I just can't relate to it in any meaningful way. Maybe if you're 18, heading off to college, and keep a one-hitter in your bag this is will really speak to you, but I just can't get behind this sort of blind optimism. Great hook, though.
MinneSarah:
"Head On" is an uplifting motivational song about not losing your spunk and character as you age. The plucky guitar, sweeping violins, and quirky theremin-sounding keyboard contrast against the backdrop for the singer's gravely vocals, making it sound a bit edgy. The sentiments are pretty vanilla - they would have market appeal - a Dove commercial or perhaps a remake of The Truman Show?
"Head On" does have a fun, 60's sort of luster to it. However, as someone who recently had a birthday, I'm embracing the bitter vintage of age - and let's face it, some of those initial grapes were sour. While I'm not about to sell my soul to Milhouse, this song didn't do much but make me feel conflicted at how much I've probably already lost some of my ideals. I'm a lost cause - but I would buy some body wash to this tune, if it would help me "hold on to my heart", especially.
Final Score: TCDroogsma - 3/5
MinneSarah - 3/5
02. Deer Tick - The Dream's In The Ditch (from the album Negativity)
TCDroogsma:
I actually saw Deer Tick back in 2009 when I was living in New York. My friends at the time were very into the band's debut album War Elephant and it was easy to see why. The band had a sort of ragged, country-punk sound that was part Whiskeytown and part, well, Whiskeytown. Regardless, the first half of that album (especially the song "These Old Shoes"), stand up brilliantly.
In the years since then I haven't really kept up with Deer Tick (with the exception of another SOTD track, "Miss K"), but hearing "The Dream's In The Ditch" four years since I last paid attention brought with it absolutely no surprises. The band has traded in their energy & low-quality production for a smoother, poppier, more structured sound. Taking a cue from the chorus line, "Is this it? This is it," it's tough not to think of the band feeling that way playing this type of music. The passion's waned, the buzz has died down, and they've traded some of their gusto for C-level indie rock paychecks.
MinneSarah:
I'm not up on the latest bands, but I have a hunch that this Deer Tick is what the kids are listening to now days. Although the guitar sounds very reminiscent of a very popular Bruce Springsteen song (don't make me go research the Boss), the band puts their own folky, alt-country spin on the sound, making it sound new yet familiar. The lyrics are about selling out, almost in response to the above Man Man song, but with a more realistic bent. The song remains upbeat with a piano solo to boot, but the last lyrics of the song get to the heart of the matter, "Is this it?" Though this happens once in a blue moon, this folky song actually grew on me.
Final Score: TCDroogsma - 2.5/5
MinneSarah - 3/5
03. Pure Bathing Culture - Dream The Dare (from the album Moon Tides)
TCDroogsma:
I spent three days with "Dream The Dare" trying to figure out just what the fuck was going on. It has some Durutti Column-esque guitar work, drum machine loops, and the melody of a children's rhyme sung by the next "quirky indie girl" to come off the assembly line. I was unable to figure out what the fuck was going on.
After doing a bit of Googling I found out that the band consisted of two people (Sarah Versprille & Daniel Hindman) who moved from Brooklyn to Portland before creating Moon Tides. Suddenly, it all made sense. If I has spent that many years around hipsters I wouldn't know what music is suppose to sound like anymore either. Spending your days around coked-up artisan pickle vendors or kids in denim vests who ride long-boards and only listen to beat tapes can't possibly be conducive to creating meaningful music. It is, however, conducive to creating an indie rock madlib of influences and hoping some quirky vocals and a stupid name are just enough to get someone to acknowledge your existence.
MinneSarah:
Although the first few seconds of this song start out bass-y drum synth (on a loop that lasts the entire song), this song takes a quick turn into cloudpop (that's a genre). The verse delivery actually reminded me of the cadence of singing hymns at church, one of the very few times I've tried to sing along to sheet music. Is there a new hipster church in Portland I haven't heard about?
Despite getting carried away in a few dreamier sections, this song was a free spirit trying to incorporate structure, or possibly vice versa. When I think about it, this song inspires me to cut and paste my critique from a seed catalog. You'll have to listen for yourself.
Final Score: TCDroogsma - 1/5
MinneSarah - 2/5
04. Washed Out - Don't Give Up (from the album Paracosm)
TCDroogsma:
Each morning, when "Don't Give Up" came up on the playlist, I always thought the first 30 seconds of the song were going to build into a beat and someone like Talib Kweli was about to tell me about how life on the streets is tough but rewarding. It never really did, but if Talib Kweli does ever make that track I want a cut.
"Don't Give Up," however, does turn into a thoroughly enjoyable song, ebbing and flowing between verses and chorus so effortlessly that you don't even notice it's happening. In fact, that's kind of my overall impression of the song: I couldn't tell you one lyric, I can't sing along, I have no real idea what it's about, and yet I'm in a better mood when it ends. This isn't so much as song as it is anti-depressant medication. And when it comes to Washed Out, I think that's kind of the point.
MinneSarah:
"Don't Give Up" is so chill. It carries a modern loung-y feel complete with breathy vocals. Of all these dreamy songs this week, this one was so much more sophisticated, forward moving, and easy on the ears. The crowd party noise in the intro and outro was a little annoying, but it did emphasize the easy going feel that the song creates.
While "Don't Give Up" has elements that usually scare me off, like bongos and tambourine, they actually really work when used in moderation and when incorporated with a plan. All the elements mesh together seamlessly, and the result is highly coherent and enjoyable. This song is effortless to enjoy and could sink into the background or pull towards the foreground depending on your mood.
Final Score: TCDroogsma - 3.5/5
MinneSarah - 4/5
05. The Ericksons - Animal (from the single Animal)
TCDroogsma:
The last time The Ericksons were on the SOTD podcast was back in January of 2013 with the song "Gone Blind," which was one of those songs that didn't stick over the course of its first week, but comes right back to me every time it's been on since. They must be doing something right.
"Animal" is less immediate than "Gone Blind," relying on percussion & air-y vocals to establish the mood rather than "Gone Blind's" guitar work. As far as I can tell the lyrics to the verses are just placeholders until the sisters can explain that, "You're like an animal," which seems like it would be a compliment. Of course, I weigh 120 lbs. Usually when I'm compared to animals it's because somebody's pointing out that I weigh less than their dog.
Regardless, "Animal" has a charm that takes a long time to reveal itself. Of course, this is why MinneSarah & I spend a week with these songs before reviewing them. Once the mood & moments of this song become second nature it'll fit nicely with "Gone Blind" in the, "What is this song? I know this song...." iPod shuffle category (which I mean as a compliment).
MinneSarah:
I don't want to burst your bubble, but there are no actual Ericksons in this group. Although you may have read the short description that this is a sister-sister group and surmised that those Erickson sisters you knew in high school have made it big, you'd be wrong. This song is a folk-y, electropop implosion. The vocals are sweet, and fairly substantial - but if you aren't actually listening, could brainwash you to liberate then torch a zoo. The delivery is so dreamy and mellow that you may be surprised at the content of the lyrics.
The Ericksons must have folky roots, as the twangiest of guitars makes a visit towards the end of the song - it's Minnesota fusion. Now let's see what we can do about the animals imprisoned at the zoo - or the deepest recesses of our psyches. Whichever, let the revolution sound graceful. However, I'll be leaving my folk guitar in the field in favor of keyboards.
Final Score: TCDroogsma - 3/5
MinneSarah - 3/5
Well there you have it folks! Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, and filed away!
As always, please remember that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR. We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.
For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma). He can can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio.
For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah). She can also be found here on Newest Industry filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column.
