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Dirty Projectors - "Hyperballad"
On Monday 3/31, we launch Enjoyed, our song-by-song tribute to Björk's Post. (Click here for complete tracklist.) When we asked her about about the 1995 album she told us:
"I was very aware of it at the time that I needed to be musically promiscuous and have almost every song [a] different mood/style, and so on. The picture on the cover is me on Piccadilly Circus (Times Square of London) too excited, too many things, Bright Lights Big City kinda thing, and me eager to consume. So my musical heart was scattered at the time and I wanted the album to show that."
Perfect material for a compilation by 11 different artists, no? As a hint of what's to come, this week's Drop offers Dirty Projectors' take on "Hyperballad." Björk told us she thought the original's crystalline storyline was "a dream I dreamt." Dirty Projectors woozy, lilting take sounds like one. We asked frontman Dave Longstreth for his thoughts on the original and his band's beautiful re-visioning:
"I think what I took from Björk when I was obsessed with her in high school was her way with deconstruction. She writes these classic melodies but breaks them apart so that it's sort of up to you as the listener to put them back together. The song ends up meaning so much more because of the effort you have to give to it.
Out of a perverse habit, I tried to do the opposite with this recording: Present the song like the unbroken stone it might have been. But I think I probably just arrived at a new deconstruction: Björk's essence remains elusive!"
Premature Evaluation: Beach House - Teen Dream
When we meditated on Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally's gorgeous sophomore album Devotion we had the following to say: [Y]ou can't fall back on Mazzy Star or Galaxie 500 references because they've pushed themselves into their own, unique solar system.... (more)
New Jonathan Boulet Video - "A Community Service Announcement"
This dude's the latest signing to Australia's Modular label, landing with a tidy package of promotional offerings: a catchy, moistly breezy indie-pop debut single that couldn't be better titled for a meet-the-artist track; a subtly arresting/marginally tricked-out video; and a... (more)
New El Guincho - "Antillas (XXXchange Remix)"
When we first heard onetime BTW Pablo Díaz-Reixa, aka El Guincho, we were drawn in by "Antillas," a song we described as "a five-minute bundle of clattering loops and sunny harmonies." It was from the self-released Alegranza!, before he'd signed... (more)
Muse To Headline Coachella 2010?
According to Consequence Of Sound, a previously reliable source pins Muse to the coming year's desert fest headlining slot. Glenn Beck just bought a ticket. The dates are April 16-18. Oh and these Coachella headliner rumors? Needs more Pavement.... (more)
Parents Just Don't Understand Horrorcore
From hardcore to heavy metal to gangsta rap, local TV news teams have long warned parents about the terrifying new sounds rotting teenage brains. This week it's San Fran's KPIX on the horrorcore scene. Not all juggalos are murderers, dad!... (more)
