One-minute reviews – 3: Daniel Johnston, Scarce, Soulsavers, Wavves
Well, no one’s slapped a cease-and-desist order on me yet. Indeed, quite the opposite. One fellow was kind enough to remark, “I’ll take the one-minute reviews of a man who loves music (i.e. you) over a lot of critics who love, frankly, themselves. : )” and another, “most accurate Mint Chicks review yet/ever”. I asked him if he was being droll, and he denied it vociferously. So, whatever. Obviously people appreciate sloppy music criticism. I don’t know why this should come as any shock to me.
Daniel Johnston – Is And Always Was
Caspar makes rudimentary postmodern record about how he’s still Caspar and sees movies in his mind, dogs who love him and record store shoppers who don’t understand the importance of record store shopping. More polished than previous: so The Beatles influence is to the fore. Ironic, really. Not the music. The caboodle.
Scarce – Stupid In A Cup EP
Singer who nearly died still rockin’, still throbbin’ – blood on the plectrum, skewed rhythms and the odd blister of acoustic combine to make series of crescendos, each mightier than the first. Rock’n’roll as life-force.
Soulsavers – Broken
Serious crackly grown-up music for serious crackly grown-ups to listen to, and secretly wail. Late nights mandatory. Bluesy, but of course. Mark Lanegan guests, among many others – should give an indication. These men see no shame in a full-on wah-wah guitar solo, softened piano and throwing in graveyard angels for lyrical colour. One for Pearl Jam fans embarrassed to be caught as same.
Wavves – Wavves
WAH WAH WAH. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! turn that fucking guitar up. turn that fucking vocal up. max that percussion to the max. no, to the fucking max. turn it up more. drop some surf rhythms in. some Californian cruising. some more distortion. more noise. now, let’s RAAAAAWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWOCK. My favourite album of this kind since the last.
