A Threefold 'Thank You' to Los Angeles
Dear Los Angeles: I'm Thankful For...
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A Photo Gallery of the Things I am Grateful for This Year
I LOVE L.A.! My Thanksgiving Thanks
10 Random Albums To Be Thankful For
Artist: Sunset Rubdown
Album: Random Spirit Lover
Label: Jagjaguwar
Release Date: October 9th, 2007
Sunset Rubdown is the brainchild of Spencer Krug, member of major indie band Wolf Parade, and seemingly half a dozen other outfits. Instead of the pseudo-dance rock of Wolf Parade, we have a much more lyrically-driven product in Sunset Rubdown. Krug's curious copious screeds are lengthy and complex, and run the gamut of fable-telling ("The Mending of the Gown") to nearly metaphysical musings on time ("For the Pier (and Dead Shimmering)").
After a few songs I found the avalanche of words to be a bit too much, but the thankfully brief and perfect "Colt Stands Up, Grows Horns" shows that Krug knows how to be short and sweet. Initially, something about Krug's trilling voice, the dashes of harpsichord, and other foppish flavourings reminded me of the pack of minstrels that follow Sir Robin around in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. But this feeling passed about half-way through the CD, because there is some epic storytelling going on here.
Don't be confused by the minstrelism - these are not happy-go-lucky tunes; there may be humor in some of them, but they are introspective and moody and peer out of a cold and dark Montreal where the album was recorded this last January. I was in Montreal myself this January, and goddam if it wasn't cold and dark. There's something to be said for Canadian radio: they play lots of cool and ecclectic stuff, and this album from Sunset Rubdown is sure to be broadcast all over the provinces - until this album hits US college radio, you'll have to do with the below track (and hold tight until they come to LA: 10/19/07 at the El Rey Theatre).
Sunset Rubdown - "Up On Your Leopard, Upon the End of Your Feral Days"
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This is, by far, my favorite cd of the year. It's just so strangely beautiful and unique. It really is epic, but not in a cliche, overdramatic make-me-gag way. I'm positive that Spencer Krug is going to be looked upon as one of this generation's most prolific songwriters as the years pass, and this record is only going to grow with time. Semester-long courses on songwriting could be taught based on a song like "Stallion" or "Winged/Wicked Things" alone. If you're finding it a bit "inaccessible," try putting it in your headphones, and listen while walking along the beach after a glass of wine. It'll get easier, and your ears/mind/soul will thank you for it.
Yeah "Stallion" is definitely a good one, I didn't mean to imply that the "epic"-ness was overly dramatic, or cliche. Overall it's a strange record, but a good one, no backhanded comments here from me at least.
I agree, tomdog, sweet review. Those are just my thoughts to the other discerning music fans reading who might get a bit overwhelmed at the thought of another Spencer Krug band. :)
so true debaser! as I said, it seems like he's in about 6 bands but Sunset Rubdown has always been his catch-all bucket of personal explorations.