The Nanners – I’m the Man
Similar artists: Ariel Pink, Jonathan Richman, Viagra Boys, Ween, Butthole Surfers
Genre: Lo-fi Rock, Indie Pop
When it comes to modern pop music, you can achieve either one of two things – you can draw attention to yourself, or you can get acknowledged as being very good. Can you get both of those things? Sure, but that’s rare. Just think about all of the jazz musicians, all of the great samba guitar players and the guy who plays the really big drum for classical orchestras. Do you think anybody other than their mothers cares about what they do?
If you choose wisely and decide that you just want attention for yourself, the good news is that you don’t have too much worry about being good. Sex Pistols didn’t, and it all worked out for them. Do you really think Sid Vicious ever tuned his bass? Hell, most of the time, he wasn’t even plugged in, and there was nobody asking for a refund once the show was over.
The Nanners’s “I’m the Man” is the work of childish provocateurs, and we need more of it, especially in the English-speaking part of Northern America. This is a place where pop songs are treated as a grand treatise on the meaning of life itself. Nah, bro. It’s just a silly song for you to drink beers to. Need a bit of pick-me-up as well? The Nanners, proud descendants of The Bloodhound Gang or Butthole Surfers, proudly tasteless rock bands, are here to, maybe, give you just that.
Det Metra – Theme From The Place Beyond The Pines
Similar artists: Beach Bunny, Kangaroo Court, llo llo, the courts, The Strokes
Genre: Lo-fi Rock, Garage Rock, Alternative Rock
I’m not suggesting you should go out there and collect every pressing of Charles Manson’s greatest hits. I would suggest, however, that there was a time when weirdos didn’t get to record songs in a professional studio. The ones that did are worthy of some attention. Pop music’s past, apart from wild parties described in tell-all biographies, is a pretty tame affair.
But that’s not our reality now, is it? Fortunately, the weirdos have taken over, and you might not have even noticed it happen. Sure, they don’t sell as many records as Taylor Swift, nor get asked to open for her on tour. Sure, they’re not featured on the evening news unless they’ve done something unlawful and unholy worth reporting on. Still, the great music listeners of our time were all ears to the music that strange ones could produce from their bedrooms.
Det Metra’s “Theme From The Place Beyond The Pines” is a worryingly catchy lo-fi song, one in which the vocal crooning is so light that you may need to play it back to make sure that you’ve heard the lyrics right. Yes, this is a song about murder and bank robbery. And it’s the kind of tune that will be featured in a personalized virtual reality movie, putting you in the role of the thug. That will happen soon. You just have to trust me.
