Caribou - Odessa

Imagine you're in the middle of a dark and dense Canadian forest.  You might have taken a combination of chemicals that leave you feeling a bit vulnerable and that give your surroundings an almost mythical quality.  Your curiosity turns into introspection and the realization strikes you that there are million of possibilities that you haven't even considered yet.  You don't know where this trip is going to take you but you're sure as hell going to enjoy the ride while it lasts.  Now, imagine this experience condensed into a song and you've got the latest offering from Daniel Victor Snaith aka Caribou.    His new album is set to drop on April 19 and let's hope it can live up to the superbness of this new single.

Caribou - Odessa

Primavera Preview #3: Built to Spill

Last week's addition of Built to Spill was a shot of steroids into this year to this year's already strong line-up.  This is a band that has been consistently releasing quality albums for almost two decades while still managing to stay relevant with whatever sea change of aestheticism might hit them.  Though they may have released more accessible work since then, the best demonstration of their musical prowling and depth has been their major label debut album Perfect From Now On.  From the existential petitioning on opener "Randy Described Eternity" to the malicious bombast of "Stop the Show",  the record continually explores the limits of demolishing and then rebuilding using traditional rock instrumentation.  If music is a form of communication, then frontman Doug Martsch has developed his own language through his malleable and robust guitar texturing.  It's a record that doesn't ever sound tired or presumptuous while still coming from a place of exploration and profound doubt.  

Built to Spill - I Would Hurt a Fly

Running with Scissors

We all like to imagine that our families have a slant of being a bit idiosyncratic or even dysfunctional which makes them distinct from everyone else's.  But somehow when we are exposed to the harsh reality of this chaotic lifestyle, we find ourselves in an uncomfortable place and we appreciate the fact that our own childhood could have been much worse.  Running with Scissors somehow manages to minimize the harrowing experience of a child being thoughtlessly neglected by a non-existent father and a mentally unstable mother.  Rather than only focusing on these disturbing circumstances, Auguesten Burroughs captures the spirit of adventure and survival through the eyes of a wandering adolescent that tirelessly tries to find humor in the most unreal of situations.  True character development is eclipsed by the author's desire to create an easy to read memoir that is at points both chilling but more often comical.  Though I was not particularly astounded by the in-elaborate prose, it would be incorrect to describe it as disappointing. This brief plunge into a turbulent family life provides more than enough grins to justify the effort. 

Don't Look Back #1: The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs

The idea of sitting through a record with sixty-nine songs all about love may seem like some sort of cruel joke or even worse, a poorly thought out concept but The Magnetic Fields have always had a gift for surprising us with their eclectic dabbling into different genres.  The music is lush and extravagant while still maintaining a wittingly dry sense of humor.  This makes the album seem like less of a chore but rather an entertaining showcase of the sixty-nine different meanings a love song could have.  A new box-set to be released this April gives this massive work the makeover it truly deserves.

The Magnetic Fields - The Luckiest Guy On The Lower East Side

Primavera Preview #2: The Clean

What happens when you replace chunky punk guitar with a dingy new-wave organ sound?  You get The Clean.  These quirky Kiwis have been causing trouble since the late 70s and have reunited yet again, after another one of their numerous hiatuses.  Expect a set that leans more towards trashy garage pogoing than your typical "too cool for school" post-punk act.  The following video may be a bit disturbing but the song kicks serious ass:

 

My homeland is in my hat.

Can the arrival of the Messiah only mean disappointment for those who had expected something more? The dream of possible redemption may motivate a handful of refugees stranded far from their promise land but Michael Chabon's brilliantly crafted hero, Detective Michael Landsman, has learned the hard way that placing hope in an undefined fate is a dangerous gift discovered from within and that one is better off not to lose it. Using the typical crime genre plot as a blueprint, Chabon constructs a perplexing alternate reality where Jews now occupy the icy metropolis of Sitka, Alaska. Hustling weapons for the next possible resistance or flooding the streets with cheap heroin alongside your Hasidic brotherhood must now fall within the boundaries of the Talmudic law. Rabbis are kingpins and an entire people know that they're desolate time on this planet is running out (thanks to their not so accommodating southern neighbors). Within these dreary circumstances, a murder is waiting to be solved by our neglectfully erratic detective. Questions of Jewish identity are thoughtfully embedded throughout this comical take on the mystery novel. Yes, it has its share of cliches(surprise informants, family revenge, and an out-of-place partner), but every twist is so masterfully blended into this murky yet somehow recognizable imagery that it comes out like the first drag of a cigarette, chokingly thick but still incredibly enjoyable. Chabon's sharp eye for detail and wordplay make The Yiddish Policemen's Union one of the best reads I've had in recent memory and news of a possible Cohen brothers adaptation is definitely something to get excited about.

Primavera Preview #1: Wild Beasts

Get the sunscreen out and call your dealer because it's festival season!  Yes, I know Primavera Sound is still four months away but its line up just keeps on getting more exciting and a little bit of pre-festival hype never hurt anybody.  With the announcement of Pavement playing their first European show in over a decade followed by a barrage of other top acts, Primavera Sound has effectively marketed themselves as one of the "best bang for buck" festivals in Europe(look out Glastonbury).  Here at Kids Don't Follow, we'll be featuring one new band or artist from the line up every week to help you make an informed decision once it becomes to time to pull out the highlighters and hopelessly try to plan your festival schedule.

This week's featured band is Wild Beasts.  Bryan Ferryesque crooning within Remain in Light style afro-jam sessions sounds like an unpleasant or possibly not very well thought out combination of genres.  Like a lost child aimlessly wandering through the mall, the songs from Wild Beasts at first cautiously approach their many possible choices.  But once something new and appealing is found to draw their momentary attention, who knows where they might end up.