American Songwriter » Jay Steele

Preaching The Psychedelic Gospel: A Q&A With Matthew E. White

Jay Steele — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 16:36:38 +0000

Matthew E. White’s debut album, Big Inner, is a psychedelic gospel masterpiece influenced by the jazz of New Orleans and the rhythm sections of Memphis and Muscle Shoals. The album is the first release on White’s own Spacebomb Records, which the Richmond, Virginia-based artist founded on the classic tendency to marry recording studio with record label. “Let’s create a situation where we’re bringing people in and it can be very flexible. It can be any genre. It can be all kinds of things,” explains White, while waiting on van repairs during the first leg of a twenty-eight date tour opening for the Mountain Goats. Big Inner came out in August with the help of Portland, Oregon-based Hometapes Records, and the album’s seven songs are easily some of the year’s best. We caught up with White in October and could have talked all day. The 29-year-old sage is full of insight, which we divided into segments below. The second leg of the tour starts this week. Don’t miss White and his 10-piece band when they come to town. On the new experience of touring: This has been my first time touring on this level. It’s been fun. A lot of newness. A lot of first times doing stuff. There’s always sort of an overarching sense of adventure when that’s happening. It’s funny because the van is so important to people’s happiness. We’re ten people in a fifteen passenger van with a trailer of stuff. So, just in general, there are a lot of moving parts. You’re relying a lot on this vehicle to pull and haul and comfort and sleep. None of us have ever really toured before. So, no one knows what it’s like to tour with five people in a van or four people or three people and a tour manager. So it’s like, “Oh, yeah we’ve got ten people and we’re going out on the road. Cool!” There’s no realization that it’s kind of insane. On choosing to pursue an education in Jazz music: I went through high school and I was a hippie and wanted to improvise like jam bands and stuff like that. I was a freakin’ hippie kid. I was kind of good at guitar and I sort of thought of college as a trade school. Maybe more than other people think of it in the sense of, ‘Okay, what’s the most fun thing that I can do for the rest of my life? I’ll go to college and I’ll learn how to do it really well and that’s what I’ll do.’ On making good decisions: You only have so much time on the planet. You’re only going to be able to record so many albums in your life. I may only get ten of them. I’m not trying for one tenth of my albums to suck. I want to make sure of that. These things last forever. The most amazing thing about making recorded music is that it lasts forever. And that’s something I’m very aware of. I want to make good decisions. And I don’t think it’s necessarily about making decisions that are for the long term. I think it’s about making good decisions. The decisions about the lyrics or the music or the chords. I want those to be well thought out. Just like any decision that we make in our lives. On the value of process: My thing with process, especially when it comes to studio time, is that there are a lot of things that you can decide beforehand. You know there are drums and bass playing on the record. You know there are horns on the record. There are strings on the record. All that kind of stuff. If you only have a week to record or if you only have two weeks, whatever it’s going to be, you want to get through the stuff that you can possibly decide on beforehand as quickly as possible, because then you have all that other time to focus on studio magic and things that you’re never going to think of. Just doing as much as you can to make the time in the studio as efficient and productive as possible. And not wasting time in the studio with something you could have taken a Saturday two weeks ago and figured out. On working with Hometapes Records: Our vision for the first record -- it wasn’t supposed to be what it’s become. I think we were going to press 500 copies and move on to the next thing. Like a small town label. We don’t have any money or any connections. It was just, ‘let’s do what we can.’ And Hometapes came along and said, ‘You can’t do that. This is too good. We have to find a way to get it to a bigger audience.’ It’s a relationship that has helped not only my record reach other people but also the Spacebomb brand reach more people. They have helped us get a brand new label off the ground in a very real way and put us on a playing field we weren’t equipped to deal with on our own. On his reaction to critical acclaim: I am very aware that I made Big Inner outside of any expectations of any sort of desire to be accepted in a bigger circle. And that works out. I think that works in the record’s favor. I know what’s being said. But I also know that the press can be very fickle and that if you as an artist are placing your worth on critical acclaim, then I don’t think that you’re as in touch with your art as you could be. I should be making music decisions based on much, much, much deeper things than what I think is going to work in any sort of critical way. I’m aware that it’s not important when I’m looking at myself as a thirty-year-old who is trying to make music for the rest of my life. I just focus on getting better as a writer. Getting better as an arranger. Getting better as a producer. Getting better as a leader.

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The Walkmen: Victory In Lisbon

Jay Steele — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:00:16 +0000

Buy current issue. Subscribe. Lisbon breeds inspiration. The coastal capital of Portugal thrives with cultural history, picture-perfect landscapes and infectious energy. It served as Noah Lennox of Panda Bear’s muse when he created his 2007 electronic masterpiece, Person Pitch. One can see why The Walkmen found the city a relief during the songwriting process of their latest album, aptly titled Lisbon. “[The title] feels sort of appropriate because while we were in the real depths of writing, we were there twice,” explains frontman Hamilton Leithauser. “It motivated us to keep going. Not that we were throwing in the towel or anything, but it was one of those things where you feel like it can keep you going.” Ironically, the song that seems to sum up Lisbon most, “Angela Surf City,” wasn’t recorded in Lisbon, or in New York, where the band began working on the album, but in surf-less Dallas, Texas. It starts with a marching drumbeat – a signature of the band – and builds into a breakneck chorus, and it stands as one of the best songs the band has ever written, highlighting both Leithauser’s voice and drummer Matt Barrick’s furious drumming. “[‘Angela Surf City’] sort of defines the whole way we did the record, actually,” says Leithauser. “We did it twice in New York, at Gigantic Studios. And we all knew that we liked the song but it was just not getting off the ground.” The band knew from playing “Angela Surf City” live that it was a great song. So, some time after the New York sessions, the band found themselves in a nondescript concrete studio outside Dallas with producer John Congleton. “I had no expectations,” says Leithauser about recording in Texas. “We were going in with a song that we had basically failed at twice.” The band clicked with Congleton, though, who played the more traditional role of a producer. After the success of 2008’s You & Me, which sold well digitally due in a large part to a savvy online promotion on AmieStreet.com, The Walkmen signed to the independent label Fat Possum to release Lisbon. The Oxford, Mississippi-based label, home to both indie surf-punk phenom Wavves and southern rockers Band of Horses, made the band’s decision very simple. “Everything they said just made sense,” says Leithauser of Fat Possum, which marks the band’s fourth label over six releases. Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone debuted on Startime International back in 2002. Bows + Arrows, A Hundred Miles Off and “Pussy Cats” Starring the Walkmen were all released over a two-year stint at Record Collection, a subsidiary of Warner. You & Me came out in the U.K. on the label Fierce Panda, and in the U.S. on the smaller Gigantic label. The vagabond experience of hopping around labels has had an effect on the band’s success, though Leithauser doesn’t see the point in specifically throwing stones. “Looking back you definitely see who did a good job and who didn’t, and who works and who doesn’t,” he says of his former labels. “Some people I think just don’t work very hard and some people probably do.” Another element that influenced the making of Lisbon was the band’s living conditions, with members currently split between Brooklyn (Leithauser and bassist Walter Martin), Philadelphia (keyboardist Peter Bauer and drummer Matt Barrick), and New Orleans (multi-instrumentalist Paul Maroon). For Leithauser, Maroon and Martin, the three principal songwriters, that meant finding a new method from what had worked when they all lived together during You & Me. “We got [You & Me] down to sort of a science because three dudes live in Philly,” says Leithauser. But with members now having to make special arrangements to work together, Leithauser says part of the challenge was “to figure out how the groupings work best and how to maximize time when we made the trip down to Philly for the day or Paul came up for the day.” Despite their geographical differences, Lisbon and You & Me seem to come from a similar creative place. Not surprisingly, the band took very little time off between the two albums. “We really just kept writing,” Leithauser remembers. “We finished You & Me and that last song I wrote was ‘Canadian Girl.’ And then I went and bought a Telecaster and started writing ‘Blue As Your Blood.’ It was only a month later. And Paul had a great thing going on with the horns with some of the songs on You & Me. We had five or six horns songs at the beginning of this record and only one of them made it, and that was ‘Stranded.’ Those two songs were the only early ones that survived.”

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On The Horizon: J Roddy Walston And The Business

Jay Steele — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:00:28 +0000

In a musical landscape that highlights irritatingly named sub-genres like “chillwave” and “glo-fi”, Baltimore’s J Roddy Walston and the Business stick out like a sore thumb. The band’s straightforward brand of balls-to-the-wall rock and roll sits like a junkyard dog at a cat show. On the phone with American Songwriter, Walston quickly admits that the band has noticed. “We’re hyper aware of it,” he states. “Baltimore is a center for all that kind of dance or art music or whatever it is.” However, Walston refutes the idea of a correlation between this project and the avant-garde sounds that define his city’s musical scene. “It definitely wasn’t any sort of reaction to [the music coming out of Baltimore]. It wasn’t like, ‘Well, everyone else is doing this. Or no one else is doing this.’ It was out of context to anybody or anything that was going on. We’ve always just played music that we wanted to hear, you know?” In that case, J Roddy Walston and the Business seemingly yearn for a throwdown between Jerry Lee Lewis, Paul Westerberg and James Brown. The 10 tales of love, lust and death on the band’s Vagrant Records debut bleed raw, indefatigable spirit—an intensity that stems from their heralded live show. It was an energy the group wanted to capture while recording at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, with producer Kevin Agunas. But working for the first time with an outside producer did not prove an easy task. “A lot of times for us it needed to sound more live, or rowdier or something,” Walston says. “Sometimes, from an engineering perspective or a producer’s perspective, it almost sounds like you’re saying, ‘Things need to sound worse.’” Not exactly the case, according to Walston. “We definitely do treat the songs differently live than we do recording. I mean, they’re two different worlds. But maybe one of the things that stays there or we try to keep there is an amount of mystery in terms of the sound or what’s going on. We’re not trying to present everything as perfect or pristine.” In terms of J Roddy’s straightforward approach, it simply made sense. “For the most part, we’re a band that no one knows of, you know? Some of our writing and some of this record is even reactionary to that. We basically had to come up with a set and a sound that immediately kind of struck people.” From the opening notes of their self-titled album’s first cut, “Don’t Break the Needle,” J Roddy Walston and the Business grab your attention, and hold fast throughout with barn-burning tracks like “Brave Man’s Death,” “Uh Oh Rock and Roll,” and “Don’t Want to Hear It.” Their songs summon the powers of the above-mentioned luminaries, but also draw upon the seminal sounds of classic rock. Walston doesn’t understand some folks’ problem with that. “We’ve talked about it a bunch lately. Look at somebody like Tom Petty, a guy who has a great band and writes great songs, but is not like a cool reference for people. People aren’t like, ‘Oh, my band’s biggest influence is Tom Petty.’ You know, ‘cause it’s just like…I don’t know. People want costumes and some crazy back story. I don’t know. It’s like people need an excuse to listen to good songs rather than being able to enjoy a good or great song for what it is.”

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MGMT: Congratulations

Jay Steele — Fri, 07 May 2010 12:00:43 +0000

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MGMT Congratulations (COLUMBIA) [Rating: 4 stars] A friend of mine once described standing on the stage at a British festival as MGMT attempted to perform their set. The afternoon crowd had swelled to a massive sea, spilling out of the tent where promoters had scheduled the band to play. Ravenous fans crawled up canopy buttresses in an attempt to better see their beloved outfit from across the pond. The tent shook, forcing stage managers to call the show for fear that some sort of injury was near. Like The Beatles, my friend said. Unbelievable. How could a group inspire such melee, having released their debut less than a year before? Such is the phenomenon of MGMT, the Brooklyn-based duo that has grown from playing makeshift fraternity parties on PVC-pipe stages in Athens, Georgia, to battling French politicians and headlining summer festivals. They’ve built their castle on a foundation of psychedelic-pop gold. Songs on the debut like “Kids,” “Time To Pretend” and “Electric Feel” attract both sorority girls and music geeks alike, while at the same time, creating a backlash in certain circles unable to accept the fact that the band could be this BIG. So how do Andrew Van Wyngarden and Ben Goldwasser respond to the masses’ response? What road do they venture down with their follow-up? Congratulations holds the answer. Throughout the last year, MGMT recorded their sophomore albums in several locations, including Malibu, Brooklyn and upstate New York. Spacemen 3 co-founder Sonic Boom, a.k.a. Pete Kember, produced the project, one that can only be consistently described as inconsistent. “Congratulations” draws first examination, though it’s the last track. It’s perhaps the most immediate song on the album --a three-and-a-half minute self-assessment of the band’s current state of affairs. Van Wyngarden sings of profitable ticket sales, money advisors and assistants that “draw his blinds,” when all he really wants is his friends to offer him the praise he deserves. But one needs to take these lyrics and the song’s straightforward pop approach with a grain of salt, as the rest of Congratulations does little to convey the same idea or structure. Van Wyngarden and Goldwasser have seemingly made an album for themselves. Gone are the aforementioned hits, replaced by tracks more similar to the most dissimilar cuts on the debut. MGMT plots a strange course for their listeners with Congratulations, but the material here often exceeds that of the band’s initial full-length. The first two cuts see the album storming out of the gate. “It’s Working” is a driving track which sprints along exhaustive rhythms and massive psychedelic explosions. “Song for Dan Treacy” finds MGMT exploring their inner B-52s. Surf rock guitars and “Rock Lobster”-esque synthesizers leave one to envision Fred Schneider and Cindy Wilson go-going across the stage. Besides the title track, these two are the most pop-oriented songs on Congratulations. They are also two of the strongest in MGMT’s catalogue. “Someone’s Missing” slows the pace to a lull. Like “I Found a Whistle,” the song re-explores and builds upon the musical themes of, say, “The Youth” or “The Handshake,” both of which held strong hooks within their swirling depths. “Flash Delirium” demonstrates the influence of the band’s collaboration with Of Montreal. The throbbing bass line could have been lifted from either The Sunlandic Twins or Hissing Fauna. Regardless, it’s an immensely catchy song, one that further reminds of MGMT’s ability to sprinkle candy amidst its off-kilter, psychedelic creations. “Siberian Breaks” also illustrates their knack for infectious underlying melodies. Running a hair over 12 minutes long, the cut owes considerably to the styles of Air. In spite of the song’s length, MGMT fashion a track that keeps a strong grip on your attention with unpredictable breaks and deft arrangements. All in all, Congratulations pushes MGMT in the right direction. Rather than resting on their deserved laurels, Vanwyngarden and Goldwasser challenge themselves sonically, creating a follow-up that will test even the most astute audience.

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FIELD MUSIC > Field Music (Measure)

Jay Steele — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:35:45 +0000

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FIELD MUSIC Field Music (Measure) (MEMPHIS INDUSTRIES) [Rating: 4 stars] Field Music hasn’t released an album since 2007. Three years ago the Sunderland, England-based group put out Tones of Town to critical acclaim, only to announce a few months later that the band was taking an extended hiatus. 2010 marks the return of David and Peter Brewis’ brand of well-orchestrated prog-pop. In a day and age when numerous artists resort to lo-fi musical stylings, it’s refreshing to hear an album like Field Music (Measure). Consisting of 18 thoughtfully constructed songs, Field Music’s return harkens back to the proggy flourishes of the 70s. Intricate layers of instrumentation highlight songs like “Them That Do Nothing,” three minutes of hand clapping, harmonizing musical infatuation. Complex rhythms and calculated breakdowns run throughout (Measure). Take a three-song movement towards the middle of the album for example. Field Music charges along in a modern funk rock fury at one moment (“Let’s Write A Book”), while slowing to a peaceful, string-laden lull (“You and I”) the next. The band then effortlessly breaks back into a piano-driven epic that might not have been out of place on Sheer Heart Attack. If there is one complaint, it’s that the grandiosity of these 18 songs can at times seem over the top. However, there is something so masterful about Field Music’s approach that you can’t help but applaud the band for the scope and imagination of Field Music (Measure).

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THE SOFT PACK > The Soft Pack

Jay Steele — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:12:48 +0000

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THE SOFT PACK The Soft Pack (KEMADO) [Rating: 3.5 stars] The Soft Pack don’t write the most groundbreaking music but you have to respect their consistently solid tunes. Even when I say, “sounds like the Strokes,” I’m doing so while tapping my foot. To be honest, one shouldn’t cast this band off as simply derivative. This isn’t a band that seems like it’s trying to ape anyone. These fellers just make the music they want to. Smart, scuzzy pop songs like “More Or Less” and “Mexico” are sure to keep the masses at attention when the Soft Pack takes to the road. Yes, in the live setting, the rest of the songs on The Soft Pack should certainly exude more of the energy the band displays on this promising full-length debut.

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BEACH HOUSE > Teen Dream

Jay Steele — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:00:05 +0000

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BEACH HOUSE TEEN DREAM (SUB POP) [Rating: 5 stars] There’s something about the build-up to a band’s third album. A make-or-break ho hum that is often unavoidable. Will they cleanse the nasty aftertaste from a sophomore slump? Will they hit a plateau after a promising progression? Will they continue to demonstrate genuine talent after two terrific releases, solidifying itself as more than another overnight blogosphere sensation? Will they drop a dud and fizzle into mediocrity? Wasn’t it J Mascis that said, “Anticipation/is making me wait/ keeping me waiting?” For Beach House, the third album finds the Baltimore, Maryland-based duo with a new home, Sub Pop, one of the biggest players in today’s independent music world. Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally released their eponymous debut and follow-up, Devotion, on local stalwart Carpark Records. Beach House was an enchanting work of bedroom pop. Icy instrumentation lured the listener in, allowing Legrand’s vocals to exercise a certain mystique. It showcased songs such as “Apple Orchard,” with the capacity to slowly envelop one’s every thought like a steady snow falling on a bed of dry leaves. Beach House quickly drew somewhat apt comparisons to Mazzy Star. However, one could tell that Legrand and Scally were fashioning their own coat. Devotion further evidenced Beach House’s construction of a singular style. Though the band seemed to be creeping away from the bedroom, their second release built on the magical simplicity of Beach House. The subtly beefed-up production provided a sturdier device, allowing Legrand and Scally to better showcase their increasing propensity for creating sublime slow jams. Whereas many a band has trouble with its follow-up record, Beach House took a step forward with Devotion and in the process drew praise from critics and peers alike. Which brings us to Teen Dream, ten songs of irresistible majesty recorded with producer Chris Coady (TV On the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Blonde Redhead) in a converted church in upstate New York. From the initial notes of “Zebra,” one notices an increased urgency in the band’s music. The elements that made their first two albums so alluring are still present: Legrand’s smoky vocals, lush organs, the synthetic drum pulse and Scally’s slithering guitar licks. But this is a much larger Beach House. Vocal layering, crashing cymbals and propulsive melodies meld on “Zebra” to create one of their most grandiose tracks to date. And it’s only the first cut on the album. “Silver Soul,” the next track, is no less beautiful. The steady burner churns crusty guitars, ambling beats and Legrand’s repeated chorus of “it is happening again,” slowly shaping a skyward-reaching tower of sound. The heavenly vibe carries over onto “Norway,” the album’s lead single. Legrand’s voice floats above a choir of delicate backing harmonies and a driving rhythm—the only tether that keeps the song from drifting beyond the cotton candy clouds. It sounds like a modern interpretation of what would have been a Spector girl-group standard. Four minutes of psychedelic, bubblegum ecstasy. Throughout this initial stretch, Legrand’s vocals are nothing short of otherworldly. The next three songs on Teen Dream make the case for her as one of the most arresting singers in modern music. “Walk in the Park,” presents a fresh take on the textbook Beach House song. Rich guitar tones and a clattering drum pulse swirl into the familiar, dense organ, creating a hypnotic foundation for the songstress’ haunting croon. “Used to Be” is a rollicking dreamboat; if ever there were a tune to listen to while coasting along in a Cadillac convertible, this is it. “Lover of Mine” takes a darker slant; Legrand reveals her sultry side on a mid-tempo pop number everyone will wish played at their senior prom. Do not forget that Beach House is a duo. Scally’s riffing during the second verse of “Lover” serves as a good reminder. As do his eerie harmonies on “Silver Soul” and the aforementioned “Lover.” Furthermore, his slinking six-string style adds sinew to “Better Times” and “10 Mile Stereo.” On the latter, Legrand’s words transcend a shimmering song structure. But perhaps Scally’s most compelling contribution is found in the gorgeous keyboards he plays on “Real Love.” Like Beach House as a whole, there is nothing overly ornate about his parts; just brilliant, simple flourishes crafted into unbelievable pop songs. “Take Care” might be the perfect ending for Teen Dream. The song shows a group completely in control. Every element is present: crystalline organ lines, subtle guitar licks, sturdy percussion and stunning vocals. With their third full-length effort, Beach House forces the listener to re-examine pop music status quo while taking another giant stride as a band. In doing so, Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally throw down the gauntlet for the rest of 2010

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DEER TICK > More Fuel For The Fire

Jay Steele — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:23:18 +0000

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DEER TICK More Fuel for the Fire EP (PARTISAN) [Rating: 3.5 stars] I blacked out the last time I went to see Deer Tick. I got caught up in the bar-band vibe and over served myself. These things happen. Providence, RI’s finest released an ITunes-only EP yesterday, entitled More Fuel for the Fire. Recorded over a month during “the Black Dirt Sessions,” the handful of new songs here -- three in all -- draw energy from the band’s revelling live performances. Both “La La La” and “Dance of Love” are bathed in Honky Tonk neon. The latter showcases the talents of Andrew Grant Tobiassen, who contributes lead vocals and red-hot lead guitar. John McCauley seems in fine form on “Axe is Forever,” a '70s dive romp highlighted by dueling guitars and the Ryan brothers’ spirited rhythms. Fittingly, a live version of Born on Flag Day’s “Straight into A Storm” brings this party to a close. For now, it’s as close as you’ll get without being there.

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xATLAS SOUND: On Track

Jay Steele — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:00:48 +0000

Robert Pollard once said something along the lines of that he can write five songs on the toilet, and three of them will be pretty good. That’s no understatement from one of the more prolific songwriters of the past three decades. Bradford Cox wouldn’t be stretching the truth if he made a similar statement. The Athens-born and Atlanta-based artist has unloaded a barrage of music in the past 10 years through a variety of outlets—both physical and digital—with his psych-gazing band Deerhunter and under his solo moniker, Atlas Sound. It’s a tremendous creative drive that Cox that attributes to “a mixture of boredom and inspiration from various day-to-day things.”

The 27-year-old songwriter has composed works under the name Atlas Sound since he was a teenager. Recently, it’s been material that he didn’t feel would fit with what he and his bandmates were creating as Deerhunter. Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel was his first full-length solo album, released by Kranky in 2008. An evocative record built upon nearly limitless layers of sound and effects, Let the Blind… brimmed with autobiographical lyrics that exposed Cox’s troubling experiences living with the connective tissue disorder Marfan Syndrome.

With Logos, Cox’s upcoming solo release, he decided to move away from the personal point of view. He didn’t like “having a lot attention directed at the personal nature of [his] music and stuff like that.” Cox says that he felt he was “just being analyzed a little bit too much” and wanted “people to lay off trying to analyze the lyrics…and apply them to [him].”

Whereas most of Let the Blind… was recorded in his bedroom, Logos was created more in the fashion of a live recording tracked in different locations across the globe.

“It was a lot of different processes, because it was recorded all over the world with different people. [Logos] is not really just one story, one specific process or something like that. You know, half of the stuff is more direct and like folk or rock-oriented. And that stuff—I always sort of record first takes. So, in essence, what you’re hearing is like the live creation of the song, because it’s just overdubbing over and over. There’s no undo. I don’t usually go back and fix the mistakes or anything. That’s how, to me, it’s like a live recording.”

Those different people include Laetitia Sadier, the bright songstress from one of Cox’s biggest influences, Stereolab. He seems almost giddy at the fact that he was able to have her contribute to “Quick Canal,” a pulsating, nearly nine-minute track of sheer kraut-rock bliss.

“It was really cool to work with Laetitia. Stereolab is one of my favorite bands and they actually have been an inspiration since I started playing music. They were one of my favorite bands when I was a teenager, when I was growing up.”

The critical hive has swarmed around Noah Lennox’s contribution to the track “Walkabout.” An ethereal sing-along with a syrupy, sample-based melody, Cox’s collaboration with the member of Animal Collective has been hailed as one of the best songs to come out in ‘09 thus far. However, he is not afraid to point out that he believes numerous connections to Animal Collective are misled.

“I don’t really feel like Animal Collective has influenced my music that much. I’ve been doing the same kind of stuff for years. I mean, I think that people are kind of overplaying that a bit. They’re my friends and naturally we draw inspiration from the same roots. But I kind of do my thing and they do their’s.”

Regardless, as long as Cox keeps doing his thing and putting out records like Logos, the musical world will be a better place.

Age: 27

Hometown: Athens, Georgia

Songwriting Heroes: Neil Young, Kim Deal, Bob Dylan

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THE BIG PINK > A Brief History of Love

Jay Steele — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:00:52 +0000

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THE BIG PINK

A Brief History of Love

(4AD)

[Rating: 4 stars]

Milo Cordell and Robbie Furze recommend that you “consider [The Big Pink] a soul band.” A rather strange self-proclamation, considering the London-based duo grew out of noisy rehearsal experiments. Yet, A Brief History of Love bears its strong spirit atop this clamoring foundation. The immense musical landscapes that Cordell and Furze construct on songs such as “Golden Pendulum” and “At War with the Sun” are often as emotionally raw as the pained vocals that convey their stories of adolescent anguish and love. One notices the Big Pink’s influences: the Velvet Underground, The Jesus and Mary Chain and the Verve on tracks like “Love in Vain,” and “A Brief History of Love.” But this young outfit demonstrates a knack for producing timeless pop music with album standouts “Dominos” and “Velvet.” Both of those songs will rank high on the best of ‘09 lists. So should this soulful debut from one of England’s most exciting new bands.

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