Richard Hell and the Voidoids - "Love Comes in Spurts". Robert Quine ended his life earlier this week. Quine's well known for the "Quine Tapes," bootleg recordings he made of the Velvet Underground's early days in NYC. For many, many others, however, Quine will most be remembered for the adventurous, intelligent, blazing guitar work he contributed to things like Lou Reed's Blue Mask, Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend, and, of course, as a member of the Voidoids. I know very little about Quine, Richard Hell, or the CBGB's scene in which they played such an important part. But I do know this terrific song, the debut cut from Richard Hell's debut record, a heart that's pumping blood across the linoleum, electrical wires that are crackling and tumbling down. Quine's solo is breathless and full; it's raucously alive. So sad, then, that it's the sound of his ghost. RIP. [buy]
The Reindeer Section - "You Are My Joy". A pick-me-up from the Scottish super-group, with members of Belle & Sebastian, Teenage Fanclub, Mogwai, and Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody on vocals. It's a repeating loop of happiness, twinges of punchdrunk love on a day that's not gone so well. Running to the corner and falling into his/her arms. This band's two records are wonderful things, blooming rainyglad music. This is them at their most brightest, at their most carnival. Synths, trumpet, violin and a simple mantra, all of it over flushing, kind electric guitars. [buy]