I really wish there were more lights to illuminate Sales a little better.
If I were ever to become famous, I think I’d be like Sales. They played to a riled crowd at the Echo in LA last Tuesday, and couldn’t disguise how grateful they were for all the support.
Yes, unfortunately we have to wait until April 7 for Beat The Champ, The Mountain Goats’ 15th LP, to be released in the U.S. While we patiently await John Darnielle’s ode to wrestling and “death and difficult-to-navigate interior spaces,” Darnielle is slowly releasing a few tracks off the new album. Today, Darnielle leaked “Heel Turn 2”. Let’s take a listen.
Readers of the Music Court know that I am a big Mountain Goats fan. There is a reason why The Mountain Goats frequent my iTunes favorites list more than almost every band I have music from (second to the Beatles, which is a heck of a compliment). Beat The Champ is the first Mountain Goats release since 2012’s Transcendental Youth. The Mountain Goats do have the unique ability to record consistently incredible albums. It’s tremendous. Darnielle never has a let-down.
“Heel Turn 2” is a classic Darnielle track. It bounces with a driving acoustic guitar and poppy percussion. This is supplemented with some creative instrumentation – lounge piano and ethereal guitar. It’s melancholic (“I don’t want to die in here” is a lyric) and dulcet. The song is almost split into two pieces – one a Mountain Goats standard and the second a lugubriously beautiful piano piece. Heck of a song!
Body Language at the Echo
Last time I saw Sego, I told you guys about it. I checked to see when they would be playing next, knowing I pretty much have my pick of east LA venues; they’re based here, so they play around the city a lot. I found their next show at the Echo, opening for Body Language. That sounded great, but for some reason I had relatively low expectations for the show; sure, I loved Sego, but I’ve seen them a couple times already, and how good could Body Language really be? Call me a pessimist. (Later I found out, Body Language is actually known for being an incredible live band. D’oh.) Turns out both bands more than exceeded my expectations, and this show has become one of my all-time favorites.
As much as I love looking for the newest, craziest fad in music, I have an appreciation for tradition. The tradition to which I am referring is Americana, as it was basically invented in the Appalachian Mountains. (I learned that from a Belgian movie, I’m a terrible American.) There is something irresistible in the familiar chords, rhythms, and above all, simplicity. Jay Brown is a self-proclaimed one man band, though he’s not a street performer; instead he belongs in coffeeshops and intimate theaters, creating his ageless folk melodies.
Jay Brown is a humble musician. His latest album, Beginner Mind, is a look into his personal life and beliefs. Clearly a family man, the first sound you hear upon putting the record on is a baby’s laugh, an ode to his new daughter no doubt. The song that follows, “New Lovin’ Mother,” is actually my favorite, with its Simon-and-Garfunkel-like feel to it, sung directly to his newborn. Brown’s single, “Get Your Fill of Feelin’ Hungry,” was written about his time as a youth living alone with his (singular) cup and bowl. Though this track is clearly retrospective, he is giving advice, to himself sure, but also to his daughter. Creating new life makes one reflect on his or her own experiences, and I’m sure we all can think of things we would have done differently. The thing is, I’m not sure Brown necessarily agrees; “Get Your Fill of Feelin’ Hungry” serves more as a note of carpe diem- take things as they come, live simply, and appreciate life.
Jay Brown plays in many other bands, but his self-duplication has its advantages. Many artists these days are adept at personally creating all the sounds that went into their record, like Beck did for his recent Grammy triumph, Morning Phase. This is essentially what Brown means when he says he is a one man band, but when he performs live he really does have a harmonica around his neck and a tambourine under his toes. Impressive sounds can come from the most unlikely setups.
If you dig folk or roots music, there is very little chance that you won’t enjoy Beginner Mind. Unless of course you’re a sensitive conservative. I appreciate songs that have hidden political digs, or in Jay Brown’s case, not hidden at all. (Thom Yorke simply dedicated “Atoms for Peace” to Sarah Palin, he didn’t name the song after her.) As you can probably tell from the title, “Fox News (Help Me Jesus),” does not sing praises of the infamous program, Fox and Friends. How serendipitous that I should find this track now, after the nonsense Fox spouted off about Muslims in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo tragedy. At least we can laugh along with this song.
Traditional folk music is a fundamental piece of America’s cultural tapestry. It has a history that is rich yet incomplete. Thanks to folks like Jay Brown, there is no danger of this genre ever disappearing. “I’m carrying on this ancient tradition of putting life into music and music into life,” Brown says. Unapologetically so.
Beginner Mind is out now. Find more information on Jay Brown and his one man band on his website.
Fans of Los Angeles-based quartet Smallpools could have told you two years ago – after the band’s debut self-titled EP – that its first album would immediately become an Indie Alt/Rock finalist for Album of the Year whenever it dropped. Smallpool’s effervescent electricity shoots through its songs like a electric charge to water, and the result is musical lightning buzzing through your veins with an ecstatic, toe-tapping vibe. Now, almost a month away from LOVETAP!, Smallpool’s debut release set to be dropped by RCA records on March 24, I cannot hold myself back any longer with the effusive praise.
Smallpools has East Coast roots; Mike Kamerman (NJ) and Sean Scanlon (NY) flew away from the cold weather to sunny L.A. to pursue music, and there they met Joe Intile and Beau Kuther, who together combined to form Smallpools. May of 2013 saw the release of the band’s first single – “Dreaming” – track 3 on the album – and “Dreaming” quickly reached #1 on the Hype Machine and #23 on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart. The band shot out an EP in July of that year and found even more success, having songs featured on FIFA and by Snapchat. The success found tours, and the band has supported Indie staples like San Cisco, WALK THE MOON, and Neon Trees. It’s about time that Smallpools is the main act.
So, what will you hear on the album. Check out this track (above) entitled “Karaoke.” This, the first single off the album (released in November of last year), is an ebullient track with stuttered synth, 80’s-like keys, and energized vocal harmonies. It is beyond just superficial pop; there is true quality to Smallpool’s melodies – there is a passionate strength to this tune, and that is consistent with all of its tracks. I’m drawn to when the track is stripped down to its bare elements – a moment of vulnerability that is refreshing.
“Over and Over” is my favorite track by Smallpools. It is a perfect pop song. A sub-3-minute power piece that meshes elegant synth, echoed vocals, creative percussion, and a tremendous hook. The song meshes Colony House, Grouplove, and even some Jukebox the Ghost into a killer track that is repeat-worthy.
Get ready to hear a lot more of Smallpools – I’m just fine with that!
Check out more about the band on its Website, Facebook, and Twitter
The Music Court 