Golden Alphabet – I Found Love, But I’m A Hater
Similar artists: Exuma, Ugly Casanova, Bright Eyes, Animal Collective
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Lo-fi Rock, Indie Rock
Nobody, except maybe Woody Guthrie and the Christian rock elite, ever opted to make music as a way to improve their listeners’ understanding of the world. Most of them planned their moves for selfish reasons. And the ones that succeeded understood quickly that the game is to either present yourself as nicer or as more evil than you are.
People love their heroes and villains. And, when it comes to pop music, there’s not much room for in-betweens. There’s little chance at redemption either, at having a spiritual awakening and switching sides. Once you’ve chosen your character, you have to play it until the end. Just listen to bands like Motley Crue desperately trying to convince their audiences of how wicked they are, or Creed try to rescue theirs from temptation.
Pop music is all just a show, isn’t it? But, still, some are more honest than others and even dream of a chance to improve themselves. There’s something grimy and vaguely greasy about going through the diary entry that is the basis for Golden Alphabet’s “I Found Love, But I’m A Hater,” but there’s hope to this as well. Behind the young man shouting at the clouds routine a la Modest Mouse, there’s a general hope that the way will be found and love will shine through. You don’t hear that from many villains.
José Leguina – Confessions Of A Sailor
Genre: Folk, Pop-Rock, Indie-Rock
People who like to write about winners don’t often join them. Just look at F. Scott Fitzgerald. Most of the time, they end up on the drink, weary of taking any more chances on life, and hateful of themselves. On the other hand, the people who like to hang around losers hoping to get a good story often find it and find happiness as well.
Why? Well, it’s just that the losers, while serving as cautionary fables, have the best stories. They’ve lived. They’ve gotten hurt, and, most of the time, it was their fault. And, because they know these things, they are free to look upon life as it is. That’s why it is up to the writers who are brave enough to try and tell their stories to try and understand where they’re coming from.
Norway is obsessed with waters, with sailing them and with finding ways to return. This is what José Leguina knows well and channels for “Confessions Of A Sailor.” It’s also a story of hard living delivered in a strong, Whiskey-soaked Tom Waits-like baritone. This is music that doesn’t merely want to tell you a tale but gets you in the smoke-filled bar while everything is happening too.
