Ok so this isn’t really a new Radiohead track. But anyone who would be excited to hear a new song from Radiohead will most likely be just as equally pleased to hear my song of the day. I heard this song a couple weeks ago while sampling through the many SXSW artists. Vijay Kishore is his name. He’s a British singer/songwriter with a Yorkesque swoon in his voice. But Radiohead similarities or no, it is a pretty stellar track.
Since I’m slammed with homework this week, I’m gonna keep things short and sweet.
I was perusing the Newgrounds.com Audio Portal, looking for new and interesting things, when I found this. I’m a big fan of Imogen Heap, and this techno remix is fantastic.
In the Bloody Interview we did with Samantha Crain her Midnight bandmates jokingly admitted, “we chime in musically to make it accessible to normal people.” Quickly she responds with a smile, “I bring them a song and they make it good.” And finally guitarists Stephen Sebastian summarizes the whole discussion by pointing out that “we are the bridge between Samantha and the world.”
Without trying to sound pretentious, after thinking about this exchange I got to wondering, “what inaccessibility?”
Perhaps in the raw and initial stages of the songs off “Songs in the Night”, with just Crain on the guitar singing into a tape player, the music was discombobulated and the lyrics nonsensical. Then the Shivers stepped in and completely revolutionized the sound of the album, helping Crain refine the music so she could reconstruct the lyrics. That would be the only way I could think that would lead them to suggest that she is inaccessible, because what the final product demonstrates is far from it.
Songs in the Night opens with a solo Crain on the guitar singing, “I will give into the dark clouds and/ I will sing with the frog in my throat,” and is shortly thereafter joined by the rest of her band. What the two (Crain and the Shivers) do together is pure harmony. Crain brings to the table her book of poetry (penning lyrics like “Oh, ghost of reason/ Oh, fool of love/ From where come your division if not from above?” from the song Long Division, or “The trees were my audience applauding/ The chair, I swear it was a cat for my company/ That piano, its the angels/ Calling me home” from Bananafish Revolution, or “When the lantern dies, chase your shadow all the way north/ Hold down your fort and breath/ Know your maker and tie up your death” from Calm Down), an idea for a melody, and the Shivers fill in the rest with steady rythyms and gently distorted folk guitar. The unsung hero of this album is bass player Andrew Tanz, providing background vocals that act like the garnish on top of the cake: not necessary, but oh man does it just add that final beautiful touch.
Early this year I declaredThe Dam Song my early favorite for Best Song of 2009. But quickly trying to fight its way to the top is another off this album, Get the Fever Out.
I think ultimately the decision of “accessibility” lies with the listener. And if you find thoughtful lyrics, meaniful instrumentation, and an album that flows well “inaccessible”, well, then I am not sure that we will ever make your ears bleed.
I think this video is the prime example of what I love about both music and music videos; despite the fact that I have not a clue what the band is singing about, this video does such a brilliant job of capturing the essence and spirit of the song.
Release Date: April 28, 2009
