FFFriday #6

Fab Five Friday (How Now Brown Cow Edition)

1. The Rapture & Out-Hud at the Great American, 11.13
Dance party USA, even if they sometimes sound like Gang of Four with techno beats. They are still solid live. Plus I loved the loner sax player, who looked like he was having the time of his life doing nifty dance steps with just his instrument. Plus you know your band is onto something when the girls are grasping onto your lead singer's pant legs by show's end.
As for Out-Hud, i really dig their eclectic sound, a clever mix of electronic with organic instrumentation... even if that over-dancing keyboard guy Nic was talking shit about non-dancing SF crowds. "at least in sacramento we dance." yeah, yeah, what a great joke. never heard that one before. ha.
i especially dug the smallish girl who plays a strange-looking cello (it had no body), sings and also plays guitar on a few songs. damn. she's like, talented and stuff.

2. Playing the Hives' "Die, All Right!" really fucking loud three times in a row because I'm all alone in the warehouse space right now and i can.

3. Yarbrough & Peoples - good name.

4. Television Marquee Moon (Remastered reissue) - Somehow, I managed to not listen to them for many years. But now that i have, it's clear how influential they were. The new version sounds better than ever, the packaging is great, and features several alternate takes. They were so ahead of their time. It's crazy this came out in '77.

5. Five newish albums with potential:
a. Eltro Past & Present Futurists (absolutely kosher) - the Notwist meets To rococo Rot (i.e. IDM indie pop) with evocative female vocals.
b. Her Space Holiday Young Machines (mush) - sort of in The Postal Service vein, wry lyrics with electronic beats. but more morose.
c. My Favorite Happiest Days Of Our Lives (Remixes) - '80s-juiced Roxy Music-esqe sweeping pop. I like many of the remixes better than the originals.
d. Viva Voce Lovers Lead The Way! (asthmatic kitty) - sometimes it seems like my iTunes has a mind of its own. it's been playing the shit out of this album lately. but damn if this isn't some breezy, yet delightfully brooding, murky psych pop.
e. Finishing School Destination Girl (telegraph) - This is the solo album from Sasha Bell, the vocalist from The Ladybug Transistor. It's not that far removed from early 10,000 Maniacs style with baroque strings, melancholy vocals and feathery beats.


-1. Noticing two entries contain exclamation points. Are exclamation points becoming played out?

tP