Track Review: David Bowie - Where Are We Now?

David Bowie surprised everyone with the month's best kept secret that he was returning with a new album titled The Next Day. He also decided to drop this song "Where Are We Now?" as the first taste of what is to come from the album. I personally find it hard to really have any expectations of Bowie since I've really never explored much beyond Scary Monsters because drum and bass 90's Bowie doesn't really sound that interesting to me and the 2000-onward releases didn't really indicate as if I was missing out on much.

While "Where Are We Now?" isn't game-changing or revolutionary in any way, it does lend itself some charm with it's sad vocal performance, lush production, and depressing chord progression. It's a pretty tune and it does catch your ear with the subtle hook in the chorus: "Where are we now? Where are we now? The moment you know, you know, you know."

It's a nice, melancholy, and polished song, it doesn't seem like it sets itself to be more than just that and I think most people who are pissed off that this isn't a return to the experimenting Bowie we heard during the 1970's were really asking for more than they deserve. But then again, this is the first single, so perhaps we'll be surprised when the entire album drops. Who knows what awaits? I guess we don't really know where we are exactly...

Wandering thought: It'd be interesting if David Bowie did an entire album in slowcore style with songs that went in 10+ minute lengths that became slow burning epics with amazing production and instrumentation. I'm thinking a tamer The Seer meets Rollercoaster meets Station to Station meets Frigid Stars meets Low. Only in dreams!

Song of the day: Pulp - Mis-Shapes

"Oh we don't look the same as you and we don't do the things you do, but we live 'round here too. Oh really?"

Very funny and witty song from the ever lovable Pulp. I'm not usually a fan of this sort of lyrical content, but Jarvis Cocker just has something about his delivery that makes me feel as though I'm being told a personal account from a close friend. This opener rivals "Joyriders" from His n' Hers I think.

Song of the Day: Idaho - Fuel

"Yeah I wish I could leave; start a life that would be one."
Very underrated band, one of the few gems I've found since following the Red House Painters route (July 2010-death) of musical influence.

Song of the day: Smart Went Crazy - A Halo and A Nosebleed

Rarely can music find a median of presenting both perversion and grace in equal amounts without sounding like a parody of either. "A Halo and A Nosebleed" from Smart Went Crazy's debut EP Cubbyhole is the perfect introduction to the band's graceful and lifelong sarcasm and wit. With Chad Clark's distinctive cigarette smooth vocal and the sinister use of cello and crunchy guitar and bass, it's hard not to become addicted. With lyrics that describe a narrator having his relationship turn inside out and outside in: "She's at your mercy, she wears your coat. She's at your disposal, she's at your throat.", you just can't shake the feeling that Chad Clark is warning us to not get too high off possessiveness. Well said.

Song of the Day: Blonde Redhead - Here Sometimes

If I had a 'missed connections' list with various "eras, albums or songs" from artists that I loved; it'd be a really jumbo huge list. One of the most recent came in the form of Blonde Redhead's post-Misery Is A Butterfly material. It's not that I hated 23 or Penny Sparkle, it's just I was content enough being mesmerized by the their noisy art rock style and the later refining and expanding of their signature sound in the trilogy of Guy Picciotto-produced albums. But with a greater examination I came to see that their last two efforts were good ol' Blonde Redhead in a fresh new package. 'Here Sometimes' serves not only to show Kazu's new confident vocal delivery, but the incorporation of layering organic and electronic textures in ways that have only been hinted at in earlier releases. This and more (the goddamn bass and moog synth creeping in!) results in a smart slice of surreal pop that reveals itself seductively to the listener, something I'm more than happy to oblige to.

Catalyst or not

Here's the 'setup' for the collaborative project between Starlon and I; Mister Ugly. Consists mainly of me using the floor tom, hi-hat, and guitar while providing some much needed delayed vox. Starlon handles the drum machine (barely pictured), bugle, vox, and additional percussion. We both interchangeably use the horrible mid-90's keyboard thank you very much! While still in the infantile stages and with little hope of having an audience in the local area, we trudge on with early Saturday afternoon practices despite great sleep deprivation. More to come.

Song of the Day: Cold Body Radiation - A Change of Pace

I have been a quiet fan of Cold Body Radiation's shoegaze/slowcore inspired black metal sound for about a year now after I discovered The Great White Emptiness. It is a shame though that it took me a little bit longer to get into last year's Deer Twilight. It is a joyful revelation though, as "A Change of Pace" serves as one of the faster songs on CBR's slower sophomore effort and contains some extremely cool guitar progressions that leads to a nice breakdown accompanied by a sparse synth and chill bassline. Lovely and dynamic black metal.