(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)
Ryan Hemsworth, Syd Arthur, Milosh, The Low Frequency Of Stereo, & Web Of Sunsets...
Well hello again, MP3 junkies! Welcome to Songs Of The Week #76!
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story: TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast. They're also both opinionated and have access to computers. Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column. Over a year later later and here we are.
As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself. It's free and it's fun for the whole family!
To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page. The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.
As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting
So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?
01. Ryan Hemsworth - Against A Wall (from the album Guilt Trip)
TCDroogsma:
Partially out of timing and partially out of quality songs, I've really been enjoying Ryan Hemsworth's work lately. I've been lucky that Hemsworth's rise in popularity has occurred just as I've really come to appreciate music made by producers rather than bands or singers.
"Against A Wall" picks up nicely where his Still Awake EP left off. As I've mentioned many times before, I struggle to listen to strictly instrumental tracks without being somewhat informed by whatever the title of that track is. I suppose it's possible that "Against A Wall" could have suffered the same fate ( though the song itself has a sort of "the streetlights look extra bright" sort of energy too it) but the addition of vocals turned out to be an awfully savvy move. The mostly consist of, "I love you more than ever..." but Hemsworth chops them into a swirling hook that's easy to get lost in. Instrumentals are typically more "mood" than anything else, but here the line "mood" and "pop" is straddled brilliantly, leaving behind more than just an impression.
MinneSarah:
My first thought during this chill but upbeat love song was that it would have made a great soundtrack to Vancouver or Montreal. Turns out, Ryan Hemsworth is a Canadian DJ (from the Maritimes) with a knack for mixing together catchy elements to ensure you'll remember his tunes. Vocals by Lofty 305 are reminiscent of the warm hug of a Frank Ocean album, and at least as a woman, the positive lyrics about loving this girl and being there for her are comforting. The beats are steady but delve into the periphery. Left to my druthers, I'd listen to this song on repeat while walking through my city, though it's not as modern nor clean as any of the Canadian cities Hemsworth is DJing at any given night.
Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3/5
MinneSarah: 4/5
02. Syd Arthur - Ode To Summer (from the album On And On)
TCDroogsma:
The first verse of "Ode To Summer" could lead anywhere. It could turn into a prog-rock opus, it could turn extra fuzzy, the guitars could drop off entirely and we could enter into "indie power ballad" land. Really, the possibilities are endless for the first 40 seconds.
Fortunately, the folks in Syd Arthur take the song in a loungey, nostalgia-tinged direction. Rather than getting loud, singer Liam Magill laments a lost summer fling over the most subdued world of guitars this side of "Girl Afraid." Even though we here in Minnesota have reached the point of winter where summer flings are a distant, distant memory, the warmth that tinges Magill's delivery is palpable. She may not come back after when winter ends, but even if she does, it won't live up to the memory.
MinneSarah:
Perhaps it's because we are about as far away from summer as we are ever going to get, but this song doesn't necessarily scream "summer" to me. The lyrics reference winter enough to remind me that the wind is howling outside my window and I'm bound to have some shoveling waiting for me once the sun rises after lunch.
It is, however, upbeat and has the elements of a great summer jam. The vocals sound eerily like Sondre Lerche singing for the Black Keys, but I guess that is what happens when modern Brits get into the Southern rock game. The chorus sounds laid back, and this element above all others makes me long for long summer days the likes of which these Brits have never experienced.
Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
MinneSarah: 3.5/5
03. Milosh - Hear In You (from the album Jetlag)
TCDroogsma:
There's only about four things going on in "Hear In You," and yet it feels like a hundred. Percussion is nearly non-existent, synthesizers about, and Milosh's warm, clear voice is sometimes accompanied by... um... a second Milosh voice.
And yet, "Hear In You" is an incredibly well-realized song. Milosh hails from Toronto, the city that gave us the blurred, dizzy, debauched soul of The Weeknd. Milosh represents the other side of that coin. Jetlag was an album created by Milosh & his wife, which gives lines like, "I'll untangle these dreams and dance toward you instead..." a certain warmth. "Hear In You" is Milosh's letter to his muse. When addressing someone so important, perhaps it's best to leave the bells & whistles behind.
MinneSarah:
Two Canadian DJs in one week? Maybe the polar vortex is actually Canada's plot to invade the U.S. - by next week we'll be reviewing "Oh Canada" as we reposition our toques.
Some of the beats sound like they'd back up a good video game, but you can feel Milosh's classical influences throughout the song (so maybe this could back the new Tetris). I detected harp strings, which may be a first instance in regards to any of the electronic songs I've reviewed. The vocals are smooth and lyrics aren't memorable, so the vocals are there to temper that electronic layer. After a few listens, I'm surprised at how much I liked this song, given its downbeat melancholy feel. I guess my will has been broken down by the cold and I'm ready for the Canadian invasion.
Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3/5
MinneSarah: 3.5/5
04. The Low Frequency In Stereo - Colette (Subie Subie) (from the album Pop Obskura)
TCDroogsma:
As a 32 year old white guy in the Midwest, I can't tell you the amount of sleep I've lost over the years wondering to myself, "I wonder what it would sound like if Stereolab covered 'Spiders (Kidsmoke)?'"
Fortunately, there was a group of Norwegians over on their side of the Atlantic wondering just the same thing. Voila! "Colette (Subie Subie)!" I don't have any idea what this goddamn song is about, but I can't believe that's the point. The Low Frequency In Stereo's rhythm section finds a groove and hold it steady for nearly 4:00. Over that time we're treated to guitar stabs, keyboard squiggles, girl-group lyrics, surf guitar, & even a couple of choruses. And yet that beat marches steadily on...
MinneSarah:
The title says it all - this song is a sixties pop song at heart. Where this song differs is the high pitched guitars and electronic beat. The Low Frequency in Stereo is Norwegian, and they are playing this sixties surf pop better than most. I'm not sure if we need to have a Europe vs. America breakdown of this genre, but if we did the Europeans would have a lot of sixties movies to pull from as inspiration.
I find songs like this to be situational, perhaps not something for a daily rotation but fun to listen to when the mood strikes. And that mood doesn't come around all that often, but when it does this song would hit the spot.
Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
MinneSarah: 3.5/5
05. Web Of Sunsets - Foreign Bodies (from the album Room Of Monsters)
TCDroogsma:
When we last checked in with Web Of Sunsets back in April I reviewed their song "Fool's Melodies," describing its "easy guitar strumming" & "airy vocals" as akin to song being sung around a bonfire at the height of summer.
"Foreign Bodies" may have kept the easy guitar strum, but rather than drifting off into the nigh air, they oppress. "Foreign Bodies" is a sad, claustrophobic song. It lives well past the moment of loss and take us to a place where the memory has been distorted and nearly entirely forgotten. Sara Bischoff's voice seems to echo that sentiment, abandoning any sense of longing or anger, but just hoping to hold everything together with a quiet, pretty resignation
MinneSarah:
If you've read this column before, you'll know that I can't help it, I have a knee-jerk reaction to acoustic guitars. This song took several listening attempts before I got through it. But once I did a few times, I was glad I gave "Foreign Body" a chance.
The vocals sound very reminiscent of what I've heard of Tegan and Sara, but I can assure you, that hasn't been much. This song sounds clean and simple, there are no drums, just acoustics and vocals. There is a cowboy campfire element of the story telling with the slightest bit of twang set against the acoustic guitar.
While this song has elements that I just can't make myself enjoy, when taken as a whole, I can appreciate it for what the band is trying to convey. This song is a clean sounding, bittersweet narrative, and it's impressive how emotive it sounds without the use of a lot of instruments.
Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
MinneSarah: 3/5
Well there you have it, MP3 junkies! Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!
As always, please keep in mind 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.
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