free paintings – Spit
Similar artists: Television, Wire, Lou Reed, the New York Dolls, Talking Heads, the Ramones, Pavement, Sex Pistols
Genre: Punk, Post-Punk
The problem with druggie sages is that they tend to embrace bitterness pretty quickly. Just take listen to most New York punk mavericks. Their career arc is quite predictable.
Their first record (or demos) might as well have been made by charged-up, enthusiastic children. Their third record finds them struggling with the pressures of the world. Everything outside of those is a document of how lost they’ve become in the world.
This might sound cynical, but praise your heroes while you have the chance and while they can thrive on that appreciation.
free paintings’ Spit sounds like a naive version of a Lou Reed song, in other words much easier to truly appreciate. Great, childish lyrics about love and disasters are thrown about like somebody with plenty to spare. It’s the music of somebody who just got off the plane to New York City. Best appreciate it before the winter sets in.
Stelth Ulvang – Hercane
Similar artists: Car Seat Headrest, Beck, Pavement, Frankie Cosmos, Lomelda
Genre: Indie Folk, Lo-fi Rock, Indie Pop
You all have social media accounts. Hell, you’re probably gonna check on one of those accounts the moment that you click outside of this review. This makes you the people to ask an important question.
What does it take in order for you to react to somebody’s post about a personal setback? Does it need to be a particularly large disaster? Or maybe, it just needs to be something that hits home.
Most likely, the thing that will most often connect is humor. Yep, humor, even when describing terrible events, gets people to warm up to you. Unless you have that brand of charm, you’ll find it hard to get people to listen to your cries.
Stelth Ulvang’s Hercane is that kind of disaster report. It’s a tune that focuses on love and misery. Still, it’s not one that’s weighed down by bitterness. Rather it showcases Ulvang’s talent as a sleepy hippie wordsmith.