WEEKLY TRACK ROUNDUP #8
Tracks on tracks on tracks! Every week, each member of the AW team chooses and reviews a song they've been playing on repeat. Contributions span different genres and eras, from early R&B classics to the latest lo-fi rock, from spaced-out-and-based-out beats to the most cutting-edge underground club. Read this week's latest installment here.
“Easy Easy” – King Krule
King Krule is the same age as Justin Beiber, and he looks like Rick Astley took a trip to the Fountain of Youth when he was twelve. But he sounds like THE DEVIL. The croaking, alarming, sickeningly gorgeous voice is no better than on this, the opening track to his beautiful debut. There's not much here, just a single electric guitar and that striking, hair-raising voice, but the two together make something truly beautiful. Dive in.
---Daniel B.
“Europe Endless” – Kraftwerk
“Europe Endless” is the first hypnotic track on Kraftwerk’s archetypal album Trans Europe Express (1977). It starts with a steady repeating electronic pulse and rhythmically merges into the galloping melody with mechanical call-and-response vocals singing minimal lyrics. At almost 10 minutes, this techno-pop track engages you in an optimistic, futuristic journey that I desperately need when I want to tap out of midterms this week.
---Sheryl
“RE:SPONS_ABILITY” - BABL
I thought this track was appropriate in light of the government shutdown, it's only vocals are sound bites from news casts and wherever the opening comes from ("We will not be held responsible..."). The song builds in complexity and energy until certain points of explosion of sound (or noise, depending on who you are), each of which leads into a new inflection of the refrain, "we will not be held responsible." BABL flirts with post-music on this song with some of the sounds he uses that resemble picking up the phone on a fax machine or if you were using dial-up internet... and it's fucking awesome.
---Daniel M.
Deeper Understanding – Kate Bush
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---Wyatt
“Monkey Trick” – The Jesus Lizard
On this track off of their '91 noise rock masterpiece Goat, The Jesus Lizard create a dark atmosphere of forward-thinking noise rock. Gut-punching bass and drum interplay, slithering minor guitar lines, and a cuttingly schizophrenic vocal performance make the track equally visceral and psychological. Building from introspective murmurs and disjointed guitar phrases into a storm of abrasive riffing and screaming, Monkey Trick is a thrillingly cathartic headbanger.
---Chris
“A Chore” – Tom Vek
Tom Vek is an English songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with a simple, striking brand of self-styling (in both artwork and music) that becomes apparent right away upon listening. He likes to punctuate his clear, punkish, almost-singing-voice with lots of synths and crunchy guitar, in some pretty nuanced arrangements. ‘A Chore,’ off his 2011 album Leisure Seizure, is a good sampling – it’s a fun, fairly dance-y track with some tempting rock feels.
---Anton
“You” – Bibio
Bibio's latest album, Silver Wilkinson, is an awesome blend of folktronica and experimental electro/hip-hop. You might recognize Bibio from some of his earlier music which has been featured in Amazon Kindle, L.L Bean, and Toyota commercials, but his newer stuff is great for relaxing/zoning out on a chill, lazy Sunday. Listen and enjoy.
---Gabriela
“Too Much (Feat. Sampha)” – Drake
This standout track from Drake's recent LP Nothing Was The Same provides an auburn, melancholy feel that augments a blustery fall day nicely. UK singer Sampha sings a spectacular hook which serves to remind listeners that whether you're ready or not, a new generation of Drake disciples are on their way. Drizzy is up to his usual tricks on the insightful and overtly personal verses, asking someone to tell an (undoubtedly beautiful and troubled) girl named Noelle to "go get the backwoods" before spilling his heart over the lack of communication in his family. Corny? Perhaps, but like most of Drake's catalog 'Too Much' is undeniably infectious and engaging.
---Daniel P.
“Fake Palindromes” – Andrew Bird
Not exactly a well kept secret, Andrew Bird evokes an array of emotions with the song "Fake Palindromes" from his 2005 album The Mysterious Production of Eggs. The lyrics give a sense of eeriness and confusion ("whiskey-plied voices cried fratricide"), while a catchy violin riff that starts the song and occasionally reappears maintains the relatively upbeat vibe. Drums and guitar are layered in, and seem to almost hide the initial vocals. Whether you haven't heard of Bird or just want something to listen to on a dreary day, "Fake Palindromes" is definitely a track you should give a play (or ten).
---Gordon
