Videos of the Week

Back to the grind again after the holidays. These videos kept me warm during the cold snap this week:



Gorgeous track from Wild Beasts, with an equally stunning video.



GCI dreamscapes punctuate this clip from Glasser.



Hitchcock-inspired clip from King Krule.



Psychedelic condiments provide merriment in this video from Surfer Blood, who were forced to make the video for next to nothing after their record label dropped them.



Wild clip from Disclosure.



Bizarre clip from dream pop duo jj.



Cool lights highlight this clip from Katy B.

Album Review: Beach Fossils - Clash The Truth

Beach Fossils
Clash The Truth
Rating: Grrrr

Beach Fossils started out as the solo bedroom recording project for Dustin Payseur. 2010's self-titled album was a likable collection of lo-fi jangle pop which also had them corralled with other up and coming bands like The Drums, Surfer Blood, and Best Coast. For their second album Clash The Truth, the major changes are there is a full band now, and there was obviously a much larger production budget. Where the first album had a very ramshackle charm to it, there was definitely the need to punch things up a little bit. From the opening ringing guitar lines of the title track, there is a noticeable muscularity to the album that was not apparent on the debut, though in reality there is really not much that different between the records. It is still a bright collection of shimmering jangle pop but the new focus and clarity makes it sound light years ahead.

The majority of tracks are barn-burning guitar tracks with insistent rhythms, chugging basslines, and washes of crystalline guitar lines. From the restless "Generational Synthetic,"



to the dense squall of "Careless' which has a lovely Smithsian breakdown in the middle,



and through to closing track "Crashed Out" with its bright guitar through lines,



Clash The Truth is emboldened by a richness and attention to detail that makes you immediately want to listen to the record again. The album thankfully is not one note, and there are many tracks that slow things down and put more focus on texture and mood. "Sleep Apnea" has a lovely, shambling quality to it, adding keyboards for mood.



Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead adds her subtle coo to the track "In Vertigo" and it merges well with Payseur's mumble.



And there are even times for ambient interludes, like the gorgeous synth washes of "Brighter" and lovely shoegaze haze of "Ascension."



Clash The Truth is another one of those records that is not original or experimental in any way, but somehow still finds a way to speak to me. The melodies are so sparkling and bright, they find a way into your blood and won't release themselves. You just have to give up and give in to their charm.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and piques one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

Non-Sequiturs

True Blood needs to find a way to bring back Coot. Sigh.

Continuing the sports theme from last week, here is sexy UK footballer Wayne Rooney.

Let's not forget Fredrik Ljungberg either.

Denmark is putting out some amazing bands these days. With Iceage and now When Saints Go Machine, I am overwhelmed with good music. Here is one of my favorite tracks from When Saints Go Machine's new album:



How the hell did people ever live without air conditioning?

I've been supervising a group of contract attorneys in a very very small workroom. Because they were apparently getting too rowdy, they've taken Internet access away from them, and me, when I am in there. Very annoying.

Lyrics Rattling Around My Brain

"Never could be still for long
and I could never hold a job
coupled with a weakness for cocaine and liquor
not much you can do for love

When I met you I broke the mold
I fell apart and combed my hair
whiskey shakes for ten whole days
stay off the streets at night for weeks

I don't wanna be your catholic pagan now that you're here
we're counting on each other for love, survival, and everything else."

Surfer Blood
"Catholic Pagans"

"I learned the hard way,
That life should be easy,
But I want you to know it was hard to show,
The things that I know now.

And all that's left is you and me,
And here we are,
Nowhere."

Ride
"Nowhere"

"You're locked up
You exit
You did it before
Yea I've seen it
Come outside
And breathe in
Relax your arms
And let me in

I will find a way
I'm confused, ohh
But I think I can try
I will save your life
I will try for you"

Deftones
"Risk"

"Could I write a requiem for you when you're dead?
'She had the moves, she had the speed, it went to her head'
But when she's on her back
She had the knowledge
To get her into college"

Belle & Sebastian
"The Stars Of Track And Field"

"Hypocrite opportunist
Don't infect me with your poison
A bully in a china shop
When I turn around, you stay frozen to the spot
You had the pointless snide remarks
Of hammerheaded sharks
The pot will call the kettle black
It's a drunken punchup at a wedding"

Radiohead
"A Punchup At A Wedding"

Appealing Things

Swimming at night in 88 degree pool water
Texas margaritas
Getting tickets to the M83 show
Finally passing the three kidney stones I had last week
Finally getting the junk that was sitting in my front hallway to the donation center

Annoying Things

Pepsi
My new glasses are too tight and are hurting my head
Three motherfucking kidney stones in a week
People on FB who post "Let's see who truly reads my status" status updates
People on FB who click on those annoying links that then hack their profiles
Finding out M83 is playing in Hell at the Masquerade and not Heaven
$155 fine for my speeding ticket