april's rymblr

Japancakes’ sixth full-length album is a cover tributary to Loveless, yes, but one recorded after two whole waves of post-rock had crested and fallen, as a third was well underway. absent the harsh distortion of shoegaze, we're left with the indie rock equivalent to easy listening: slow-to-midtempo instrumentals with shimmer-swirling dream pop guitars and keyboards, augmented by upswelling chamber pop instrumentation (cf. Sigur Rós). also present throughout is a distinctly Southern alt-country flair, owed in large part to the strong presence of pedal steel alongside the cello and electric guitar.

the melodic, sleepy sound of this rock-a-bye–ambient pop suite is a pleasant listen, not quite on par with the original but definitely close. I'm not too surprised, but m.b.v.'s colossal oceanic guitar-rock seems to be well-suited to this softer, more conventionally textured approach that emphasizes acoustic instrumentation and splashes of bright, clean, spaced-out electric guitar. consequently this cover provides a more Beautiful experience geared towards background listening, but with enough depth in its atmosphere, arrangements, and overall sonic palette to merit a closer listen.

not all projects are meant to be, it seems... I spent quite a bit of work on a genre submission for RYM recently that wasn’t able to make it through the queue, as many people thought it may not be well-recognised as distinct from its parent genre, dance-punk. I, however, think this is a really unique and interesting style within the development of post-punk and early blending between post-punk and alternative music with dance elements... so here is the description I submitted:

sometimes I just like to cut out pretty letters and graphics

Given the incomplete nature of the venue database, any given band’s tour might require someone to add more than a dozen venues individually, going city by city. (I have, in fact, done this when I was adding Spacemen 3 concerts. I gave up halfway through, though I might someday get back to it.) It’s tedious, and requires jumping back and forth between different types of research, making the process rather inefficient. There is a certain logic to centering the venue - after all, people would likely be adding concerts for their local venue that they might attend. The issue is with shows that no RYMer (let alone one who would add a concert) will be attending - those are far more likely to be added by fans of a band than regular venue attendees. We can’t begin to start really filling in the concert database until we have a system that allows for easier input of a particular artist’s gigography, without having to go city-by-city to search for if a venue exists in the database yet. (And, often you have to look at the address too, because some are listed under completely different alternate names!) Plus, what about house shows or other non-traditional venues?

Kumari, How to Pop, How to Punk cassette, March 1997 (Clover Records, Japan)

1st pic: the 2001 self-titled album of west coast indie/noise-rock band Trumans Water, released on CD by Emperor Jones.

2nd pic: the official CD promo for the same album?? what??? this is so inexplicable that discogs even explicitly confirms in the description T_T

a bit ago, my dear Sasha shared with me Plays John Cassavetes by Ekkehard Ehlers, a minimal and very pretty twenty-minute 12″ from 2001. I don’t listen to a lot of slower, quieter music – my first love in music was, of course, guitar-pop – but this really fits the more low-key and contemplative mood I find myself in today. I said, while we were listening, that it felt like it was moving, gently... it’s not still, just swaying, hovering, showing little signs of life.

the first side (A) is fuzzy, but not warm. not quite cold, either, just... in between. it feels transitory in a way that embraces that feeling. waiting without waiting for. I have been here before, I think, maybe...? (were you with me?)

the second side (B) that I’ve linked above is beautiful and – au contraire  – warm, with strings sliding back and forth with but-a-stutter as the loop snaps back to the beginning again. I feel like I’m being encircled by the melody, all tied up with knots in my heart-strings. it almost makes me want to cry... no, it makes me want to study it and learn the best way to cry to it. I don’t know. it’s good :)

been listening to a lot of You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever, the 1982 debut by Orange Juice, as I’ve been thinking about jangle (again, again). I really only just started to appreciate it; like many, I was absolutely filtered by Edwyn’s voice on “Falling and Laughing” (A1) at first, but... a little getting-used-to and really it’s perfect. perfect in the way that the best voices for indie-pop are, pleasing enough for the sweet little melodies but just rough enough around the edges for that ‘punk authenticity’. this song, “Consolation Prize” (B5), is probably my favourite of Edwyn’s on the album, not just for its upbeat pop shuffle at the beginning or its dorky Roger (godfather of jangle-pop) McGuinn reference, but for the brilliant second half beginning at 1:37. for me, this is perfect psychedelia, shimmering waves of guitars spiralling in chords you can only just make out, repeating the same lines over and over. it’s no wonder so many of my favourite songs are this way, huh...

two other songs I have thoughts on for now: “Untitled Melody” (A2) is another Edwyn track right at the beginning, a lumbering low-key song with just two simple verses and a refrain. really it’s not that simple, what with sophisti-pop guitar/bass lines snaking over each other, but the slow tempo and and brief, matter of fact lyrics really sell it as a nice little track-two comedown.