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Dusted Features
Every Friday, Dusted Magazine publishes a series of music-related lists compiled by our favorite artists. This week: Ox Bow and Au Revoir Simone.
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Listed: Ox Bow + Au Revoir Simone
Ox Bow
Eugene Robinson is the chanteuse for OXBOW (www.theoxbow.com). Between his time as co-founder of the squalid and infantile www.skullgame.com he's penning a book for Harper Collins on fighting. Oxbow is presently in studio crafting a 2007 release entitled The Narcotic Story that will mark the beginning of The Narcotic Tryptich, which will eventually include a film and a soundtrack record on Hydrahead Records.
THE LAST 10 SONGS I JUST LISTENED TO
10. Barry White - The Right Night & Barry White: "Sho You Right"
While for many this might seem to be a light-hearted pick designed for some of one's more frothy flesh-based moments. In my case it is a cavalcade of regret, recrimination and true horror as it marks a moment of great personal humiliation for me. It's bouncy paean to romance was what was playing when in 1985 I was assraped by both circumstance and fate. Figuratively. Possibly literally. Listening to it today I feel as deeply ashamed as when I first heard it.
9. Barry Adamson - Moss Side Story: On the Wrong Side of Relaxation
I am in my underwear at my kitchen table. It is 12:30 in the afternoon and I am morose. This song is definitely not helping. And that's just fine by me. We stole a Richard Kern photo from under Adamson once since though he had first dibs on it but he fucked around too long and Kern gave it to us. This I find to be slightly cheering.
8. Shirley Bassey - The Best of Bond: "Diamonds Are Forever"
Reminds me of everything I thought I was going to be when I was young that I have so clearly failed to be. Perfect.
7. Bee Gees - Saturday Night Fever: "Stayin' Alive"
If you feel a compulsion to mock this song whilst listening to this song you have missed the point entirely. When I listen to this song I am in no measure at all involved in anything other than taking it as seriously as one might take a record by Stravinsky. Go ahead...laugh. You are a fool.
6. Duran Duran - The Best of Bond: "View to a Kill"
My former friend Don Bajema was an extra in this movie. He and his now ex wife invited me to dinner once and when at some point he excused himself to get some milk or something as soon as he had left his wife breathed out a whispered and desperate confession of her hatred of him. Later when he and I were enjoying a quiet moment together he confessed to the same. They later divorced. My memory of this counterpoints nicely to this euro-synth chestnut.
5. Oxbow - The Narcotic Story: "She's A Find"
It's a rough mix. But it's only recently that I've been able to listen to anything BUT this song. Corrupt and crystalline. It's a disturbing stroll through a place where everything's broken. Quietly. Methodically.
4. Diamanda Galas - The Plague Mass: "Let My People Go"
How come no one but me seem to realize that Bring Your Love To Me-era PJ Harvey was a massive mugging of the genius Galas?
3. Joy Division - "Day of the Lords"
I am guilty. So fucking sue me. It can't all be Wolf Eyes.
2. Cleo Laine - Ridin' High: "All's Gone"
The theme song from my favorite movie of all time The Servant. About the disintegration and dissolution of a personality. I laugh from beginning to end. Of the film. The song fills me with a real great sense of dread and very very real peril. I usually hold my breath through the entire song.
1. Eartha Kitt - Miss Kitt, To You: "Lazy Afternoon"
I want to fuck. You. All. Over. While this song is playing.
Au Revoir Simone
The pretty, triple keyboard attack of Au Revoir Simone is precious by nature, but not unlike labelmates Hot Chip, never pretentious. This Brooklyn trio's debut album, Verses of Comfort, Songs of Salvation, was initially self-released but should gain wider availability soon. Erika Forster, Annie Hart and Heather D’Angelo all had a hand in this week's list.
Annie:
1. Modest Mouse - Lonseome Crowded West/This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About
OK, so I admit to not really being able to tell these records apart, on account of the fact that I have them mashed up together on two blissful 90-minute cassettes, no track listings, nothing. Lack of song and album-titles and even barely being able to determine what on earth Isaac Brock is saying did not deter me from playing these tapes over and over on endless loops through endless teenage college days and nights of zine-writing and self-loathing in a tiny dorm room with papers and art projects and biology textbooks strewn about, until the tape itself warped and tore and had to be repaired with careful scotch-taping. A lovely accompainiment to growing up and figuring what life is all about while bringing me face-to-face with the indie scene.
2. Mates of State - Our Constant Concern
Aside from crediting this band with indirectly hooking me up with my soon-to-be husband, I also hold them resposible for opening up my ears to the idea of very simple arrangments with elements (just organ, drums, and two vocals) that do very different things. Lots of layers and counter-melodies and changing up the song all the time and stuff like that make it a very enjoyable and enthusastic listen. So because of that, I run around the apartment all the time singing at the top of my lungs "whoaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh oh-ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" and such, which is good. Their live shows as well really show off what a good feeling people get when they love their music, which is infectious and wonderful. That all makes it pretty awesome.
3. They Might Be Giants - Factory Showroom
While most people of my generation get into a band like TMBG during their extremely gawky years, usually 13 through 15, I have the great luck of being gawky all lthe way through the present day and got into this band when I was about 20. It resonated with me like someone you meet who you know is destined to be a close friend for the next 30 years or so. This record, taped again by a friend in college, but this one with obsessive label-making skills, got me out of all the long funks that listening to modest mouse for 72 hours straight can bring on.
Heather:
1. Genesis - A Trick of the Tail
I've become a bit of a prog rock junkie lately - the Trekkie in me years for this genre because it seriously celebrates fantasy and sci-fi narratives and the Au Revoir Simone in me can't deny a sound so heavily reliant upon layered synthesizers and dramatic multi-part vocal harmonies...and the sheer length of some of the songs, clocking in at well over 15 minutes is by far the cherry on the top. It's truly music to geek out to and be inspired by. This album is a nice entrance through the gateway into prog rock. All hail Phil Collins.
2. Scala - On the Rocks
If you've ever thought that pop music is missing the kind of edge that could only be supplied by a choir of 60 belgian teenage girls, then this album is for you. I want to run away and join this choir one day. Their new album is out in September of this year!
3. The Boggs - Forts
Nothing is more potentially awkward then when a friend requests that you to listen to his new cd or stop by to see their show, and then agree to do it - desperately praying that it won't suck cause you know you wont have the necessary moxie to tell them honestly how awful the fruit of their beloved labor is. But since the early mixes of this upcoming cd similarly found their way onto my ipod about three weeks ago, I've found myself stumbling around in a state of constant awe (and a twinge of jealousy)...like suddenly discovering that your best friend has been hiding a pet unicorn or some other fantastical creature and wondering how it is that you had never before caught a glimpse of any peculiar shimmering. Anyone who is into extraordinary music will have to wait until January for its release by Say Hey records.
Erika:
1. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
Belle & Sebastian is the band that seriously seduced me into the world of "indie" music. The Life Pursuit is a wonderful collection of songs that make you feel lucky to be alive, perfect for summer, clever lyrics -as usual - joyful & fun.
2. Broadcast - Tender Buttons
This album is more pared down than their earlier songs. Still many layers of sounds and noises but leaving room for the super sweet clear vocals. These songs are a nostalgic psychedelic dream.
3. Miguel Mendez - My Girlfriend is Melting
Miguel is from southern California and he sings songs about revolution & catching a wave. Lovely acoustic distorted hazy folk music.
All 3 of us chose...:
The Lights
This music is totally Macbeth. Folky sleepy timeless like an antique music box with lilting melodies & melancholy harmonies. 2 girl singers music to burn incense & effigies to... to cast spells to.
By Dusted Magazine
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