Heavy Rotation 10-24-13

Thus far, this week has been brutal. It has been one of those nosedives of a week where everything feels dreadfully sad and off.  There is also the realization that Daylight Savings Time begins next Sunday and I'm dreading the short, dark days.  The sunlight will be surely missed.  These two albums have been working for me through a week of literal and figurative nightmares.

Emancipated Hearts - Dean Wareham

It is great to hear a new Dean Wareham album without Britta as his singing partner.  She is on this EP, but she is just there as a background voice, not in the forefront and that is a blessing because these collections of songs sound like old Dean Wareham tunes.  The opening track, Love is Colder Than Death is kind of crushing, but beautiful in its simplicity.  It is a song about a failed relationship, yes, but it also feels like the season....dark skies, vices, unanswerable questions.  The great thing about Wareham is that he is at his best when he is a minimalist and this collection of songs feels pretty sparse at times, both lyrically and instrumentally.  That doesn't mean it is empty, far from it because it is the best thing he has released in years.  In all there are 5 new songs, a remix of the title track and two covers.  I hope he continues to record solo because he is a solid songwriter and musician on his own. One last thing, Jason Quever, as noted on the album artwork, is the producer.  He is from Papercuts and I think this pairing is a perfect one.  Possibly, Dean needed a pretty young kid to remind him where he should be returning to as a musician.

The video for Love is Colder Than Death can be found here: http://vimeo.com/75818830

The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers

There isn't much to write about this one that hasn't already been written.  It is a classic, but it keeps on returning musical gifts. At times, so sarcastic, while at others, utterly heartbreaking and full of longing, it just keeps on giving year after year, phase after phase. Hospital has been haunting me for days and can't stop listening to it.

Other Stuff:

IABF - Les Thugs
The Dirt of Luck - Helium
Hip Priest and Kamerads - The Fall
Nature Noir - Crystal Stilts
Diaper Island - Chad VanGaalen