Parts – Song of long
Song of long could just as well be the modern reinterpretation of the classic, often-covered and quoted Sea of love. Lines flow effortlessly as if they’ve always existed stored away somewhere, all while the instrumentation shimmers back and forth. In its modern interpretation, on Song of long, the hero is drowning in the endless sea, rather than reminiscing about its romantic potential.
The fact Song of long sounds so instantly recognizable and pleasant does not surprise me after having had the pleasure of hearing several Israel-based musical artists in recent times. While these musicians have provided their allegiance to various genres, the common thread was always the great production quality and their collective, firm grasp of songwriting techniques.
This song is no different. While it is clearly a tune of heartbreak and longing, the musical accompaniment is loose and unburdened. The trip-hop rhythms and the Radiohead-sounding guitar lines provide a good backdrop for Bar Huss’ paean of love lost. Although having only just released their debut, Parts already resemble seasoned pros.
James Kelly – Saint
There’s a school of thought, to which I adhere, that believes great, compelling music should make you want to get on the telephone with the author the moment the final note ends. This is possibly the reason why people like Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, or Lou Reed have been hero-worshipped for such an enduring period of time. Their music, often, sounds like half of an overheard telephone conversation.
James Kelly’s work is like that. Sure, he’s something of a gutter poet, in the same vein as the names I mentioned before, but he’s not overly concerned with his status, or with pushing his work on anyone. He could be described with that word that’s long been abandoned from rock criticism. He sounds… err.. Authentic.
Saint is a song about being a jerk with somebody who cares about you. Coincidentally, most of the punk-rock poets we briefly talked about earlier could have filled out tomes of verse on the subject. Not many touch in pop songs these days. James Kelly does. He’s witty, funny and heartbreaking. And, if anyone’s looking to assemble a lineup for a Lou Reed tribute record, consider giving this guy a call.
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