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A graph would suggest 2011 should include more Beach House.
2008:
2009:
2010:
2011:
???????????
More please.
Even if you are a non-party type of person, I hope you have a happy new year!
Here is a good song. I think this might have been the last song I listened to last year, or the first this year. I can’t remember. Either way, I like this song and its spirit a lot.
Hi, welcome to the Eternal Flame Zone.
Exhibit A:
Exhibit B:
Exhibit C:
Exhibit D:
Today I was outside in the real outdoors (known on maps as ‘Soho’) when I unexpectedly heard the opening guitar jangle from ‘Zebra’. NO WAY (not ‘Norway’, but disbelief). I don’t think I’ve ever heard ‘Teen Dream’ out loud in a non-music place before. Sure enough, ‘Silver Soul’ followed. What a delight.
To be fair, the Prince Charles Cinema seems to be a pretty hip place so it’s not all that surprising that it had the best album of 2010 on the stereo there. Still, a completely unexpected treat to hear the album out loud by chance in a place that is NOT in East London.
Also, it should be known that ‘Teen Dream’ is just £5 in Rough Trade East and Fopp. Just want to stand and shout at strangers to buy it really. It’s so good.
In other Beach House related ramblings, I feel like I should re-iterate my thoughts on how great ‘Devotion’ and ‘Beach House’ are. I still listen to these albums all the time; just as much as I listen to ‘Teen Dream’. They’re both such incredible albums. So if you like ‘Teen Dream’ and have never heard the first two, you should pick them up.
What ho! They are all three available from the Bella Union store in a handy bundle!
The end of ‘You Came To Me’ is the best. This is from ‘Devotion’. Also on this album are ‘Heart of Chambers’ (which, if I’m pressed to choose a favourite BH song, would be this), ‘Gila’ (you know that amazing song they do live but chop off the start a bit now?) and some other incredible songs like ‘Turtle Island’ and ‘Wedding Bell’. The last three songs of the album are perhaps my favourite trio of Beach House songs, in terms of ordering on the albums. The flow is absolutely perfect. Also, note how ‘Home Again’ flows perfectly into ‘Zebra’, should you wish to listen to the albums back to back (I often do).
‘Saltwater’ is one of my favourite Beach House songs, from the self titled ‘Beach House’ album. There’s not a single weak song on this album; I love to listen to it start to finish. Also on the album are ‘Master of None’ (best bit is the way Victoria sings ‘YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE FORGIVEN!’ live) and the classic ‘Apple Orchard’. ‘Auburn and Ivory’ and ‘House on the Hill’ are pure dreamy gold.
Also, for the completists, you should have a listen to the old version of ‘Used To Be’. Initially I did not like the new version nearly as much as the old version, but now appreciate the merits of both. The B-Side to this single is a 4 track version of ‘Apple Orchard’. ‘The Arrangement’ and ‘Baby’ feature on the ‘Zebra EP’ and there are some great reworkings of songs on the iTunes EP as well as the new ‘White Moon’. There’s also a good Daytrotter session. The band play “Take Care’ and it ends abruptly, just like how they do it live. And most recently, the released Christmas song ‘I Do Not Care For The Winter Sun’.
I can’t wait for the next Beach House album.
Today I was walking outdoors on the street and I heard a familiar voice as I walked past a shop. I did a double back to check that I did not hear it in my brain only, and no, I did not hear it in my brain only. Peggy Sue were on the stereo and Katy’s voice was drifting out onto the street. How lovely to unexpectedly hear a familiar tune.
Peggy Sue are great. “Fossils and Other Phantoms” is a brilliant album. Do listen to it if you’ve not heard it yet.
This is an interview I did a little while ago with Alex and Jason of Common Prayer. The interview was originally published over on TLOBF. Here it is again incase you missed it.
Go here to hear their musics. Hopefully 2011 will see the band back over here!
Interview: Common Prayer
Can you think of two sentences that rhyme to describe Common Prayer?
Common Prayer sat in a chair, all the while people just stood and stared.
Their mouths fell open and no sound came out – but still the people began to jump and shout.
How has 2010 been for you?
Jason Russo: Busy, fruitful, fun.
Alexandra Marvar: A thrilling series of trial and error.
Did you enjoy coming to the UK? What were your highlights?
A: We very much enjoyed coming to the UK. Highlights included not being turned away at customs, Robin Bennett’s birthday show in Oxford, how fast the trains go, the ancient monk-made causeway in Steventon Oxfordshire, rocky Brighton beaches, the civilian orchestra at Paddington Station, learning what Cornwall is, and Neil Halstead trying to teach us to surf.
Do you have many new songs?
J: Oh yes. Some of which we began recording near the sea in Cornwall. We are very excited. We are aiming for a “The Books remixing the White Album” vibe.
A: It’s good to have goals.
How did you find and choose the images for the There Is A Mountain album cover?
J: The front was designed by Alex and a very talented young man named Mat Hudson aka Orphan Elliot. He makes me hopeful for graphic design and art in general. We wanted to fit everyone we knew on the cover – this is as close as we got. There are several generations of our families in there.
A: Also some mugshots of criminal offenders from the 1800s, and Werner Herzog.
Do you have a favourite mountain and why?
A: Mount Ararat because of its mythical proportions, but also because once I hung out at an elementary school of kurdish muslims at its base, then scrambled into its foothills to participate in the scattering of the ashen remains of a secret descendant of Attaturk, and then it rained for the first time in months—it was a very favourite-mountain-making type of experience. Mt. Denali in Alaska is pretty great too. Its size is inconceivable even if you’re staring at it.
J: I love the Catskills cuz I grew up hiking in them, lately I have been longing for the huge mountains of the American West though. My brothers and I plan to wrestle the bears there.
What’s the plan for 2011?
J: More music. We hope to be over there in the spring, maybe to finish some more recording, definitely to play some shows. Our second record will be ready by summer I think…
A: More travel. I have spent the latter half of 2010 devising massive list of excuses for us to come back to the UK.
Can you tell us about the O+ Festival and how it went? It looked really cool.
A: It went so well! Participating artists were paid for their art and music with medical, dental and other health services from art-loving doctors. Some of my favorite bands got cavities filled. Doctors’ appointments, chiropractic care, eye exams, acupuncture… Also there was tons of great music and giant wheatpaste posters all over the Catskills/Hudson River Valley neighborhood of uptown Kingston, where I live. So, we had a ball. We’re filing for non-profit status and already planning next year’s fest. Watch some videos at www.opositivefestival.org.
What are your favourite records from this year?
A: The Books The Way Out, Foals Total Life Forever, Liam Singer Dislocatia
J: The Silent League But You’ve Always Been The Caretaker, Sereena-Maneesh Abyss in B Minor, Favourite Sons The Great Deal Of Love
Seen any good bands live lately?
J: At O+ we saw a lot of amazing folks including Nina Violet and Phosphorescent, at CMJ we danced around to Darlings, and at ATP New York we loved Papa M, and Dungen. At Truck Festival we fell in love with Islet (our new favorite band from Wales). I guess we only see bands at festivals lately.
A: Actually, I just saw Tunng recently in Brooklyn. I coveted their array of jangly percussive things and their sampler situation.
Alex, if you could give Jason a super power, what would it be?
A: I would give Jason immunity to illness.
Jason, if you could give Alex a super power, what would it be?
J: I would give Alex the power to read minds.
In a movie about Common Prayer, who would you get to direct and play each band member?
A: I guess I would be played by Parker Posey? The part of Karen Codd would be played by Michelle Williams. The part of John Anderson would be fought over by Jude Law and Owen Wilson and Jude Law would win. For the part of Jason, Alex would cast Robert Downey Jr., though Jason has occasionally elicited heckling cries of “Jeff Goldblum!” from his audiences. And Woody Allen will play his inner child. I will leave the casting of our English members up to a more knowledgeable transatlantic casting director.
Recommend something? It can be anything…
J: I recommend cured Italian meats (thinly sliced), the films of Mike Leigh and Robert Altman (well, Shortcuts at least), tarp camping or at least 3 nights a year sleeping outside with out a tent, the poems of Ikkyu, the band Magma (or just watching this), push-ups, trying not to buy too many things, the book “Underworld” by Don Delillo, a good knife, flossing/tongue scraping, kombucha, killing something and eating it at least once in your life, and making eye contact with people.
A: David Berman’s Actual Air. Specifically “Self-Portrait at 28″.
I hope 2011 brings us She Keeps Bees.
“Do you only like bands with bees in?” – Everyone, 2010.
I am sort of in love with the East Village radio show Chances With Wolves. These guys are really awesome music nerds who dig out a lot of rare old records featuring a ton of really interesting covers of popular songs, as well as a lot of more obscure gems you may not have heard yet. It covers all sorts of genres and is all brilliant. They don’t repeat tracks and there are over a hundred different episodes you can stream- so literally a plethora of treasures for you to check out. Seriously amazing stuff.
I love that spirit of wanting to find an amazing piece of music, regardless of genre or age or whatever. You really get that feel from listening to this radio show. And this is high praise from me, because I pretty much never EVER find radio shows I actually want to listen to.
If you have any tips for other good radio shows, do tell me.
Tasseomancy are back here in January
Sari and Romy of Tasseomancy (formerly known as Ghost Bees) are back here in January with an appearance at Shh Festival, hopefully a headline show, and also playing tour dates in friend Katie Stelmanis’ band Austra. They are pretty great and I will re-remind you of all this and invite you to the headline show when it gets sorted. They are great. Yes!
Listen to them here.
Sondre Lerche actually did a pretty great job of covering ‘Lewis Takes Off His Shirt’, which I can only imagine is pretty hard to pull off at all. The original is from Owen Pallett’s ‘Heartland’ album.
Hear the cover and original on Stereogum.