twelve

89-96


Jason Bajada - Puer Dolor (jasonbajada) 2003
Jason Bajada - Live at Cabaret Music Hall (jasonbajada) 2003

Here's one from the Exclaim! vaults... I probably hadn't listened to either of these since reviewing them... and that is one of those problems that this little experiment addresses. If this record had been by Elliott Smith or even Chad Vangaalen (both of whose work these occasionally resemble) would they languish in my bookcase or be pulled out more often? Something about the cult of celebrity that affects even the independent music scene. This is what I said about the albums in Exclaim!:

If you come from a town with an art college and at least a couple of open-mic night venues you’ve probably seen someone like Jason Bajada perform. Sensitive and slightly rumpled; early to mid-20s; passionate about his record collection; playing sets that blend originals with obscure indie covers, British folk and the occasional ironic ABBA song. All of this may be true of Jason Bajada as well, but on his debut album he still manages to distinguish himself. For one thing his songs are full of shifty little reminders of classic indie pop rather than out-and-out crib notes. They also serve as a reminder that songs can be moody and emotional without having to shout or wield tear-soaked handkerchiefs. The maturity of songwriting and understated but effective arrangements, featuring spare percussion, effects and cello, has more in common with old-timers like Elvis Costello and Go-Betweens than any current alterna-angst. The simultaneously released Live at Cabaret Music Hall showcases Bajada as an easy, engaging performer. The songs are slightly breathier and extended musically to let his band roam a little, but they neither add to nor subtract anything tonally from the studio versions.

++++++++++++++++++++


Band of Susans - Here Comes Success (Restless) 1995

Robert Poss is a NY guitarist who developed under the tutelage of Rhys Chatham within a scene that include other no wave upstarts as Glenn Branca, Page Hamilton, Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore. Early incarnations of the band featured three members named Susan, ergo... and furthermore Page Hamilton filled in on guitar for awhile before forming Helmet. By this point... their last album... only one Susan (Stenger, bass) remained and the wall of noise elements had been sublimated to some degree. Here Comes Success is still a strong album of muscular and lengthy pieces that resemble a slightly less oblique Sonic Youth.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Devendra Banhart - Black Babies (UK) (Young God) 2003


Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing in the Hands (Young God) 2004


Devendra Banhart - Cripple Crow (XL) 2005

And then there's the whole New Freak Folk thing. Maybe scenes spring up more organically these days... with bands that have been playing together or separately for long stretches suddenly joined under a newly minted banner. Whatever, Devendra Banhart is one of the most visible figureheads in said "movement." There's a problem I have that relates back, inversely I suppose, to the Jason Bajada point. I like Devendra Banhart... that is to say I like a lot of his music (for those who don't know it, it sounds much like a cross between Marc Bolan, Donovan and Tiny Tim at their most mushroom fueled), but the "Devendra Banhart" character poses a fair challenge to my tolerance of kooks. In the same way that I have a great respect for systems that emphasize communal cooperation and personal freedom, but when confronted with a quote unquote Hippie spouting the ideology as though he just came up with the shit, I'd like to make him eat a hamburger in the back of a Humvee on it's way down to Texas to sell guns to Haliburton's security force. In other words it's not the band, but the fans I hate... although in this case it's rather not the songs but the singer I... well... not hate, but maybe just am irritated by. But since I'll likely never have to share the backseat of a Volkswagon van with him... I'll let it all go.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Baptist Generals - No Silver/No Gold (Sub Pop) 2003

This one languished in the second hand section of the store for a good few months before a slow day prompted me to toss it on. I only had to hear the opener, "Ay Distress" to be won over. It's a dirge played simply on acoustic guitar with occasional cello adding colour and singer Chris Flemmons emoting off-key about "dream[ing] it right." Then at about the three minute mark a cell phone rings and he goes apeshit and smashes everything. The rest of the album doesn't quite live up to that, but it's a nicely unvarnished take on three piece drunken folk rock that sounds like it might have been recorded on the hood of a beat up convertible on a hillside somewhere.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Bardo Pond - Lapsed (Matador) 1997

There is a largish Psychedelic music scene in Philadelphia, PA and Bardo Pond are arguably its best known band. What makes their better albums work (and this is one of those), is the struggle to balance the loud and quiet elements in the music. Or being able to go from multiple layers of thick and droning guitars only to part the clouds and let singer/flautist Isobel Sollenberger a bit of room to move. The end result is a music that mimics the ebbs and flows, peaks and valleys of a nice lengthy buzz... and also it manages to stuff full each and every frequency of sound to better overwhelm the senses. Not to be taken lightly, y'all.