Editor’s note: I watched (500) Days of Summer again recently and felt compelled to gush about it on Twitter, where I found that not everybody loves quite as much as I do — especially Rawkblog pal Sarah Spy. 1,000 words later, I’m still not sure who’s right. Get yr debate on with us after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Photo by David Greenwald
“I think the world does not like me grim,” Destroyer’s Dan Bejar noted in a rare moment of lyrical self-reflection on this year’s “Grief Point.” The studio version of “Chinatown,” the lead track from next year’s Kaputt, is considerably less dark and growling than its live incarnation, a return to the easy pop of “Watercolours into the Ocean” and a surprising but glorious embrace of Balearic grooves and sax solos. Lock up your daughters, 2011.
Destroyer – “Chinatown”: mp3
(Kaputt is due Jan. 25 from Merge, pre-order now)
Previously: Destroyer – “Chinatown” (Live)
I wasn’t paying attention for Avi Buffalo’s early Los Angeles history — the teenage band has plenty already — but it’s clear that the band members are students of their city’s legacy. Their debut album arrives on Sub Pop, the same label as L.A. twee-psych-country heroes the Beachwood Sparks, and the Sparks’ influence and the songwriter traditions of Gram Parsons and the Byrds are felt joyfully across its 45 minutes.
Mr. Buffalo himself is a guitarist impressive enough to count Wilco’s Nels Cline as a fan, but it’s the album’s blend of technical fireworks and bleeding hearts that make it a winsome winner. The track titles leer at lust (“Summer Cum,” “Five Little Sluts”) but the songs themselves are sincere, sensitive offerings: “I’ve never written a love song / but I will for you,” Avi sings on “Remember Last Time” before the band’s guitars burst into flames. All good things come to an end. But not Los Angeles folk-rock, not just yet.
Avi Buffalo – “What’s In It For?”: mp3
(Avi Buffalo is out now on Sub Pop)
Generally, I have a strict auto-delete policy on bands with “dream” or “tapes” in the title, The-Dream excepted, but these songs are pretty undeniable. Dreamtapes are a, yes, dreamy, jangly new L.A. act who’ll release their I Disappear EP in January. Judging by these two tracks, the band can write songs, play their instruments, sing in harmony and incorporate horns, all without spontaneously combusting. Your serve, Tennis! (Via Dan Siegal)
ARMS previewed its upcoming album Summer Skills with a handful of new songs along with some ’10 classics at the Brooklyn Bowl a couple weeks back. All sound as good as anything we’ve heard from Todd Goldstein’s band; a few more shows like this one and the Walkmen will be opening for them. (A boy can dream.) Here’s a zip of the show and a look at the new tracks — thanks to NYC Taper for the recording. Conveniently, the band just debuted another new one and will be next week’s Rawkblog Live guests. Swag!
Update: Tracks removed at the behest of NYC Taper, who apparently missed the “sharing” portion of first grade. Get ‘em on his site.
(ARMS at SXSW 2010, photo by David Greenwald)
More: Bootlegs Archive
Visit Yowie to watch. Ravens & Chimes played new songs “Carousel” and “Past Lives” and we talked about working with Larry Crane, the long journey to their new album and almost making the Twilight Saga: Eclipse soundtrack. Next week: ARMS, Tuesday, 7 p.m. Pacific.
