You Don't Have to Pay Your Bills Anymore!

Quickly, a sequence of events:

1. watch Black Lips gallivant across Israel at VBS

2. fall in love with Black Lips

3. find out what Black Lips have fallen in love with

4. rediscover King Khan & the Shrines' great song, "Welfare Bread"-- it's fun and dangerous, like the Black Lips

5. want more

King Khan & the Shrines - Welfare Bread [mp3]

buy What Is?! from Hazelwood

Girl With a Bird

So I didn't get my hands on 30 Year Low, but I picked up The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter and Under the Blacklight. We all knew Ritter would deliver yet again, but there seemed to be a general air of disappointment surrounding Rilo Kiley's latest. So, braced for the worst, I listened. Honestly? I don't see what's wrong. It's fun, whatever, Rilo Kiley, cool. To be honest, I have never been enamored with any RK album, but I realized that has little to do with my unwavering love for them. I will concede, though, that J-Lew singing in Spanish on that one song is a bad idea.

I'm too scared to post a Blacklight song, so instead I'll talk about the new Iron and Wine track that's got us all excited.

Iron and Wine - Boy With a Coin [mp3]

Consider the progress this song signifies: Sam Beam made his debut in 1932 as the quietest man ever recorded, a near-novelty who had clearly been blessed with real talent. Now listen to "Boy With a Coin", a complex and dynamic track with layers of percussion, electronics (!), vocals and intricate fretwork. It sounds like a lot-- too much, actually-- but Beam's real talent is in his ability to simplify. The song never overwhelms, it never even sounds loud, but it's enough to seem alive and thrumming, absolutely beautiful.

buy the Boy With a Coin single from Sub Pop

I Am Ready For The Worst

There are a few albums released today which I'm excited about-- Josh Ritter, Rilo Kiley, New Pornographers. I think, however, that the best of the bunch may be the sleeper: The Mendoza Line's 30 Year Low. A while back the Catbirdseat posted the alternate take of "Aspect of an Old Maid", a breathless back-and-forth between bitter ex-lovers, and the past couple months have seen it become-- seriously-- my favorite song of the year.

The Mendoza Line - Aspect of an Old Maid (alt. take) [mp3]

It sounds like Dylan, a lot, but the shambles can hardly hide the tension and absolute focus that make the song so fascinating, and such a refreshing listen. It's not quite uncomfortable listening to the two trade accusations and observations,

Hey baby, I know you had that baby before you were really ready to
Cause I've seen you hold it so timid and unsteady and I've seen the fear when it looks at you

/

So call out your tyrant director
And let his cruel will be dispersed
Tell all my deeds to the inspector
I am ready for the worst

because the two sing it with such conviction, owning every phrase they offer. And they should, having ended their marriage and their time as the Mendoza Line. Unfortunate circumstances indeed, but I'll be damned if such a situation has ever produced something this invigorating.

The Mendoza Line - Since I Came [mp3]

This one's newer to me, but didn't take long to ingratiate itself. Shannon McArdle's alone this time and the music's a little more somber, but it's a gorgeous tune that works up to

Could I find my way out?
Could my two girls grow up to be free?
If you ever touch a hair on their heads
If you ever look at them the way you do me

a heartbreaking, weighty finale.

get 30 Year Low, with bonus disc, for $13.50 pre-paid from Glurp

The Dark Don't Hide It

Yes, yes, yes, yes, I know: it's August. Sorry I took so long-- I've been feeling displaced and out-of-touch, not wanting to write about music I've hardly listened to. Really, what I've wanted is to hear Magnolia Electric Co.'s Sojourner box set, but I can't find it anywhere. Four discs, each recorded in a different studio (Electrical Audio, Sun Studios, alone, VA), each showcasing a distinct and distinctly Jason Molina sound. It's funny, I guess, that this collection of unsettled and anxious songs should be released now, as if to soundtrack my own mind's wanderings.

Magnolia Electric Co. - Nashville Moon [mp3]

learn about and purchase Sojourner from Secretly Canadian.