A song for sunny winter mornings (from The War on Drugs)

I have an Itunes playlist called “dust, smoke and sun in the eyes”.
I know you find it pretentious.
So do I.
But The War On Drugs always fit in there.
Like a perfect soundtrack to driving across the US.
Now they are gearing up to release a new album.
This pearl of a song is the first taste.
They sound sunnier, a bit less hazy.
But undeniably continuing to walk familiar The War On Drugs paths.
A song to drive a car to.
To ride a bike to.
Or to sit still and just think about moving to.
If you like Kurt Vile, and who does’t these days?
This song will be your friend.

I ought to practice what I preach

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Jubilee Street (Official Music Video) from Nick Cave on Vimeo.

I was never a Nick Cave man. I remember standing in a second hand shop in my home town in the late 90s, looking at one of his albums, then listening to it, thinking it was too much. Too dark, too theatrical. Perhaps it was a lack of age, perhaps it was living in Karlstad, perhaps the album wasn’t very good. But something’s changed. Perhaps both of us did, because when he walks through the seedy Jubilee Street in this song, it says something about the city i live in. It says something about myself. It says something which feels true, and he says it like only Nick Cave can.

The shady characters in the corners, somewhere in the hustle, a world next to mine I only occasionally see from my glassed office building perfective. I know it’s there, the grimy side of town, the grimy side of myself. “I ought to practice what I preach” he sings towards the end, and how often have I thought exactly that? And then, as the drama increases, he simply demands “Look at me now: I’m flying”.

Fuck me, it stings each time I listen to it.

I thought I was found

After one of those long days, this time in front of a multi-language Excel sheet (fortunately doesn’t happen often), I finally got to spend some time with my Google Reader. I guess I should savor it now that Google has decided to close it down in a few months time. Anyhow, there is was: A Stone In The Group by Fainting By Numbers. When I read that one of the band members is Alexis Taylor, the famously colorfully dressed short singer of Hot Chip, I knew I needed to check it out. And what came out of my poor laptop speakers was this; a smooth, slow and warm pop song about losing something. Someone. Doesn’t have to be more complicated.

The live music chain reaction booking syndrome

There are times when you stand around waiting for a delayed artist to show up. Perhaps you are holding an overpriced beer while listening to some teenage girls chatting about something. Perhaps they continue doing that through the entire show. Perhaps they take pictures of each other with their Iphones. When you miss that last bus home and your ears are ringing and your back is hurting you might wonder if perhaps you should just stay at home and watch some TV from now on.

But of course you don’t. Because you are a music nerd and you know that sometimes there will be magic. Right in front of you. So, after browsing the concert agenda in London I went a bit, eh, let’s say, crazy. After already having tickets to see Andrew Bird

and Cass McCombs

 
, I proceeded to get tickets for concerts with Jonathan Wilson

, Fanfarlo

and the amazing soul and funk circus that is Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings.

After all, what’s the point of moving to a great metropolis like London if you are not going to take advantage of the overwhelming cultural smorgasbord that is available? No point! No. Point. At. All.

The man who participated in a sales course

The saxophone player at the commuter train station is playing something French. This large man, with a big nose, layers of unwashed clothes and a white beanie on this giant head. He is all volume this man. He has put the black case I always see a meter in front of him. I throw some coins in there sometimes, “thank you very much” he always says with a giant smile. Not sure if I do it for pity, because I like the music, or because I like the feeling of being someone that is giving something. Perhaps it is of less importance.

Sometimes when I see him he is not playing but trying to keep his fingers warm. He is always leaning against a steel barrack used for some kind of construction. He is always smiling; perhaps he has participated in a sales course, perhaps he knows all about how to greet customers? Although to be honest he does not look like a man who sees us, the tired and stressed morning travelers, as customers. But since I have not asked I cannot know.

The sun is shining today and I am late. I changed my pants and lost all my coins. He is playing French music and I walk past as I do every day. I’m all ideas but no conversation as I silently gaze out the window.

In my mind I hear your song, its playing while I’m dreaming

A bit over two years ago in another blog I mention driving and listening to Lykke Li. This has nothing to do with this video. Except that I am still listening to Lykke Li. She’s a bit darker this time around, and perhaps, I am too.

“I lived in a circus wagon in the countryside five kilometers from Germany, I biked through the wind and rain in Amsterdam and printed my thesis without my name on it, I rented a car and drove west listening to Whitest Boy Alive, I drove the same car east with Lykke Li in the cd player, and I held flowers in a graduation ceremony and had cool white wine and met someone who knew my name from seeing my picture on facebook, and I biked through rain again, and walked in the wind and picked someone up at a train-station and left someone at a train-station and I listen to Stars – Your-Ex Lover Is Dead while biking. I ate Turkish food so late that almost everyone else had left. There was no time and all of the time at the same time. Now its Sunday and yeah, it is Sunday and today there will be less movement.”

 

 

Baby I’m just a man, but I’ve got the dreams of gods and kings

Baby I’m just a man, but I’ve got the dreams of gods and kings
Well I can’t hold my thoughts, my mind is full of a thousand different things
I get some blood inside and I can’t even see the stuff, it’s clear
Hell, it should be easy but I’ve got the heart of men of fear

Spiritualized – Baby I’m Just A Fool

Bon Iver and low cost tweed

There is rain in the Stockholm air. I went on Google+. Told a friend on Facebook that “I could hear the silence of the digital desert flow around me. Then I left in panick and have been hiding in the comment section of The Economist ever since.”

This was not completely true. Since I had to hide in a document at work which I have given several different titles thoughout its brief but highly volatile life. It is suppose to end up being something nice and glossy that can be printed and brought to clients who will look at it, smell it, open it and read very nice Swedish sentences that describe what we are doing and why we want them to pay money for us doing it really well. But hiding in the comment section over at the Economist sounded better. Like I would be wearing a tweed jacket instead of the thin blue H&M “made in Cambodia” (nothing wrong with that particular fact I guess) sweater I really am wearing. 

I do wear tweed. Sometimes. Just not today, since it is raining, and my tweed don’t like rain. Perhas since it is low cost tweed. I am sure that expensive tweed smells like flowers when it gets wet. The point of this post (really, there is a point? You ask) was not to tell you about this but to tell you to listen to the song which you see above. Its a cover that Bon Iver played at Jimmy Fallon a while ago and just like his new self titled album it just makes you want to sit down, shut the hell up, and I don’t know, feel shit. I don’t know how this man does it, but I aim to find out when he is coming to Stockholm in November.

Its just a life story so there’s no climax

First day, first morning commuter train, first early morning, first office coffee, first office with correct lighting. And when I come home I eat a meal that is too big, sign up for a gym that is too cheap. Sit in front of the computer going back 2007, falling to silence, falling into the questions. ‘Its just a life story so there’s no climax’ Okkervil River front singer Will Sheff belts out in a real kick as chorus in Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe from their fantastic 2007 album The Stage Names. ‘Hey I’ll watch it!’

Welcome to your new life, thank you, no problem, set your alarm, put on some old music, look back, close your eyes, wave goodbye.

It takes an ocean not to break part 3: US indierock

US indie music had a huge year with older bands such as The Walkmen and The National releasing fantastic albums while a new San Francisco orchestra and stoner surfer girl doing some perfect pop music paving new roads. Today two of those albums are given a closer look:

The Walkmen – Lisbon
I only found the Walkmen’s song The New Year (that I wrote about here) in 2010 and immediately thought it was one of the best songs I’ve heard in years. I think this often but this time the feeling stayed on for longer. As I sat with a troubled mind this summer both in the lyrics and desperation completely smacked me in the head. In a good way. Then came their new album Lisbon and it was pure class all the way through. This fall this was one of the records that was around the most as the desperation and raw power in their music reached whole new levels with this album. Outstanding songs: Juveniles (above) and Stranded.

The National – High Violet
This year my favorite orchestra came out darker and heavier than ever. Hope was nowhere to be seen and Matt Berninger stood in an ocean of angst beating on his heart while screaming ‘it takes an ocean not to break’ during the Way Out West festival this summer. I felt like going home afterwards so I would not risk losing the sheer power this band has on me. Then I ended up staying and dancing to LCD Soundsystem. Many people have written many great things about this band (I can suggest this recent review of a London concert for those interested), and it would surprise me anyone reading this have missed them, so I will not dwell on but just conclude that in my book this is the greatest band on earth. For those of you that do not believe me I will forward you to my last.fm page.

For continued coverage of the 2010 year in music check back after the holidays where Swedish indie pop, strings and magic things will be explained and covered.