"Most rock journalism is people who can't write, interviewing people who can't talk, for people who can't read." - Frank Krappa

Saturday 9 October 2010

Throwing Muses

I saw Kristin Hirsh's solo set at Latitude this summer without realising that she was the singer of Throwing Muses, who I'd kinda heard of and knew were supposedly good. She was really, really great and sounded a bit like a sad, vicious grandmother with a guitar. I looked up who she was afterwards and then finally checked out Throwing Muses, which as it turned out was a very good idea.

I haven't heard 100% of their output, but what I've heard I've really liked.

They sometimes have incredibly beautiful harmonies, like in this song:

 Throwing Muses - Flood .mp3
Found at bee mp3 search engine

And they sometimes have really hyperactive songs with lots of different bits like this wonder, 'Mexican Women', which after the first listen I had to repeat a couple of times just to figure out what was going on.

Is it just me or does it sound a bit like Elbow ripped 'Mirrorball' off this song, 'A Feeling', at least a lil' bit?

The only real weaknesses they have is the sameyness of their harder songs and occasionally the drummer(s?). If you listen to this song, 'Freeloader', it seems like if there was Nirvana's rhythm section behind Kristin, the song would explode after the drop. Sadly, it just ends up sounding like Queen-esque, camp rock/pop.

On the plus side, Kristin's shouts make her a contender for the 'Female Black Francis' throne, and the songs are generally great. Obviously they don't touch the divinity of Pixies though, I used their name in vain to just say her voice is grand.

Anyway, look at this video, it's great (especially the bass:

Tuesday 5 October 2010

Beach Girls (lolololol!!!!11!!1!1)

This whole female led surf-poppy, lo-fiing, reverb soaked craze that's being going on for a while (although I've been extremely late to come to it) is really quite brilliant, even if it does mean that there are loads of identical sounding bands out there.

I mean, can anyone really say that Vivian Girls, Best Coast and Dum Dum Girls are all artists who've tried to push sonic boundaries and really add something special to pop music? Well maybe one of these bands (or a contemporary) did at some point, but the fact remains that differences between these bands' sounds, and between their songs themselves, is very, very thin.

However, this doesn't change the fact that they're as exciting and catchy as fuck, and make me wish I was an American hipster woman who could sing, and start a band of my own. All I would need is a drum machine to go boom-cha-cha-boom-cha and I'd be set.

Here are some videos of my favourites from each previously mentioned band (which also happen to be probably amongst their least generic songs):