Quick round up – Deerhoof, Joanna Newsom, Coco Rosie and Colleen
Posted by (un)relaxeddad on April 29, 2007
No time for anything intense today. So here are a few notes on what’s getting heavy rotation on my iPod at the moment:
- Deerhoof – “Friend Opportunity” (2007). Yes, it’s quirky and yes, you never know from one second to the next where the tunes are going. Put aside the Saidian issues with exoticising cute Japanese singers and revel in the loose as a goose strangeness of it all. Plus great playing, great lyrics (”If you were a dog and I were a man/I’d throw a stick for you”) and math-rocky poppiness. The eleven minute epic concluding the set moves from west coast jazz through no-wave noise and clean skronk to breathy, relaxed resolution without a wasted note. Don’t be put off by some of the press – this is an utterly accessible, delightful album.
- Joanna Newsom – “and the Ys Street Band” (2007). One old song, one new (about cockles) and a drastically extended and re-tooled “Cosmia”, shorn of the Van Dyke Parkes Baroque strings but including some great banjo playing. Essentially Joanna and her touring band taking a run at this and that with the benefit of hindsight. Old and recent songs re-imagined and re-invigorated and the new one is equally delightful.
- I’ve been wrestling with three sample songs off the new Coco Rosie album (2007). I’ll let you know. So far, makes me think of Califone – admirable, complex, unique etc but kind of hard to love (extreme tweeness alert).
- Colleen – “The Golden Morning” (2005). French ambient artist on the Leaf label. Think Susumu Yokota but far more organic and emotive. Eno’s “Day of Radiance” maybe? Lots of (gasp) real instruments. New album upcoming, can’t wait.
So am I so wrong about Coco Rosie? I want to believe…
