Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer
I am not, I have to confess up front, much of an expert on Sunset Rubdown. I understand they have something of a long-standing and fairly devoted fanbase, but this is the first of their albums I have voluntarily sampled for myself, the previous times being recently, at the insistence of friends appalled at my ignorance.
The vocals are quite Interpoly, actually, as are some of the rhythms (I mean early Interpol here, not the pale shadow of their former selves they have become). Other touchstone indie bands from about five years ago are also represented, in that there are shades of Wolf Parade (hardly surprising, as it started as a Spencer Krug’s breakaway solo project), Arcade Fire, New Pornographers and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to be heard as well, so it’s hardly unfamiliar soil which is being turned here.
Does that ruin it for me? No, not at all, because this music, whilst familar, still has a lot more of the edges left on it than the aforementioned bands tend to have these days. The guitar solos are messier, the growl of the playing more pronounced, the keys more aimless and in general the music feels less tightly constrained than a lot of the bands who emerged with such a bang in about 2004 or so.
Due to the somewhat relentless nature of this borderline discordant, sloppy, somewhat antagonistic style, Dragonslayer can become something of an assault by the time you’re three quarters of the way through. I did, I have to confess, find myself starting to hanker after something more slow burning and broody, but maybe that was because I was becoming increasingly aware of the fact that Mrs. Toad was present and perhaps not as entranced as I was by some of the harsher edges of this album.
All in all though, I am really enjoying this album. And the best thing about discovering a band this far into their careers – back catalogue! Woo hoo!
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Sunset Rubdown – Nightingale/December Song
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
‘The vocals are quite Interpoly, actually, as are some of the rhythms (I mean early Interpol here, not the pale shadow of their former selves they have become).’
OUCH.
I’m going to completely ignore that, and move swiftly on to asking: are you picking music to review by visiting largeheartedboy? Because it appears on the daily downloads, and then a week or so later on here…peculiar. (That’s probably not it, I know. But I thought it was coincidental enough to be worth a mention.)
I never really liked these guys, though I tried to, because they usually have quite good song titles (or so myself a few years ago thought). BUT yesterday I downloaded Idiot Heart, and I quite liked that, so it’s probably one of those things that grow on you. I initially disliked Beirut and Bodies of Water (the latter only because I mixed them up with Some Are Lakes.) madness, I know.
Discovering a band two or three albums into their career is usually perfect timing, because yes, back catalogue! But not so much of it that you recoil from the computer and it becomes a chore listening to it all.
There, a lovely, long, self-indulgent post, because that’s just how I’m rolling today.
Sorry for the rambles.
I don’t read largeheartedboy. Not out of judgment, but if I get a spare moment to read blogs, then I tend to read the ones written by my friends.
Fuck’s sake V, you know better than that.
I don’t read it either, I just steal the music.
I know better than what? (This could apply to a lot of what I wrote.)