There’s something about a series of blips and bloops that clears my head. I’m on such a steady diet of fuzzy guitars and distorted vocals these days that the precision of well-produced beats makes me giddy. This indie rock fatigue is probably why the Postal Service has fared so well, and why a man calling himself The Original Mark Edwards is so appealing.
The Original Mark Edwards – Space of Waste.
Edwards is from Minneapolis, and this is from his record The Doom Loop. The whole record isn’t fantastic, but songs like this one make real impressions, as does the disc’s pristine production. Local music writer Chris Riemenschneider called Edwards “Brian Wilson tinkering with ProTools,� and that’s not empty rhetoric. I hear the Beach Boys in Edwards’ voice, and his attention to detail is especially Wilsonian.
You can pick up The Doom Loop at Mark Edwards’ website.
Lali Puna - Alienation (featured here on MFR before, and we're fortunate enough that as chance would have it, their paths have crossed previously, which we are reminded of on Alias' upcoming collected remixes album. It's not so much of a coincidence, in that Lali Puna shares bandmembers (Markus Acher) with personal favorites the Notwist and the Notwist + Themselves hybrid group the breathtaking power of masterful minimalism in music production). While remixing such an intricate and inherently beautiful track requires a delicate touch, his work remains true to his typical style, using plenty of lo-fi sounds (hand claps, fuzzed out drumbreaks) melted together with a delicately placed smattering of electronic touches to ultimately reinterpret the song with wonderful results. The same themes that made me love the Alias & Tarsier LP are all present in this track, as well as throughout the upcoming remix CD, which you can buy direct from the label this May.
Lali Puna and Alias. Yum. Should be an ice cream flavor.
New Buffalo - Cheer Me Up Thank You.
Sometimes you come across a song so perfect I don't really know what to say. The lyrics really do all the talking for me. Normally I don't have any problem talking shit, but this song by New Buffalo pretty much leaves me speechless. The opening vocal chord, the deeply strummed guitar that bleeds into piano. It's nothing short of beautiful.
In the meantime, people might be interested to know that Sally Seltmann is married to Darren Seltmann, whom you might know from another fabulous Australian export: the Avalanches. He actually produced her debut EP back in 2005. I think it might be him playing guitar on this one. Her new album, Somewhere, anywhere will be available in Australia in late March. I have no idea if it will be released in the US.
Some songs are universal. I wish this one was sung for me.
Thanks C, for finding this. And thanks, E, for knowing everyone in Australia.
People Don't Dance No More
Édition Discodrome
March 16, 2007
w/ My Cousin Roy (Wurst Edits) & Jacques Renault (I.S.S./Runaway) (YESSSS!!!!!!!!)
Resident DJs:
Robot Blair (Music.for-Robots) & David Bruno (Slap You in Public)
$5 advance via Ticketweb // $8 at the door
(Limited $5 RSVP to peopledontdancenomore@gmail.com)
Doors at 10pm, 21+
element
225 East Houston Street
@ Essex St / Avenue A (Entrance on Houston Street)
Directions: F and V Trains to Second Avenue
Info & Tables 212.254.2200 | reservations@elementny.com
Hey! BIGSTEREO is a co-sponsor for Check Yo’ Pony Tail’s Lo-Fi-Fnk show in L.A. We’re huge fans of the Lo-Fi-Fnk… kinda strange that this is our first Lo-Fi-Fnk related post. The night also includes The Young Knives and dj sets by Snowden, Franki Chan and Paparazzi.
We have a few ticket spots to give away so if you want to come out shoot me an email: travis@bigstereo.net. Make sure the subject reads “Check Yo Ponytail” otherwise it may be routed to my spam box. We’ll pick some lucky random winners.
Related news: We posted Jordan’s Snowden remix a little while ago. Snowden has offered up the entire EP for free… download and enjoy it here.