
Little Wings – Bubbles Go Pop
Similar artists: Bonnie Prince Billy, Devendra Banhart, The Microphones, Kurt Vile, Bill Callahan
Genre: Indie Folk, Folk
I used to hate happy music as I was growing up. It was all very suspicious to me. It sounded like it wanted to trick you into signing up for a health club or religion or sell you a burger. Well, there’s no better way to develop your cynicism than watching over your shoulder for happiness looking to creep in.
It was only later that I realized that what I disliked was the phoniness of most of those songs. It wasn’t the topic that was the problem. It was the fact that practically none of the people who wrote or performed those tunes believed in what they were saying.
The fact is that there are few people looking on the ol’ bright side of life. There are even fewer who have a sense of humour about it all. And, certainly, almost none of those bother making music any more. While that’s like being a comedian and choosing to work in a graveyard.
Little Wings’s “Bubbles Go Pop” is a really rare find. Strip it of its words, and it’s a children’s jingle. Take away the music, and it’s a Dadaist poem. But add to that the character of the performer, a man laughing in the face of sadness, and you get something special. Underproduced and lo-fi, “Bubbles Go Pop” is still a great tune.
Siblings – Handsome but Pitiful
Similar artists: Shakey Graves, of Montreal, Faye Webster, Andy Shauf, Department Of Eagles
Genre: Indie Folk, Indie Rock
You gotta over-romanticize some things. Life gets awfully dull if you don’t. Just pointing at things and calling them out for exactly what they are is enough to drive anybody crazy.
Musicians are especially responsible for over-inflating the qualities of romance. But they are, very often, the victims of those selling these kinds of stories. After all, if having your heart broken doesn’t, at least, make you want to listen to a particular song on repeat, it may have just been a waste of time after all.
It all, however, becomes a habit. There’s nobody more capable of lying to him/herself than the artist. And they’re good for a fib meant to inspire those in their audience.
Siblings’ “Handsome but Pitiful” is nothing but the truth. It’s a surprisingly mean indie-folk number in which, under the guise of beautiful acoustic guitars and pretty melodies, the singer takes shots at herself and at the former object of her affections. It’s strange to hear someone sing what they really feel in these kinds of songs, and pretty special, I reckon.