Two tracks by the Spanish indie rock band, Migala.
Migala - "Arde". Migala's breakthrough in North America came with the release of Arde (2000), a mature and interesting achievement by a band that had been recording for some time. The title track is long and fractured, a drowsy post-rock slide-show. Strings and organ drive woozily around a determined drum-beat; we hear spanish radio broadcasts, static, near-silence, drone. It's warm and smoky, embers glowing in the night. There's a strangely European sensibility to it, as well - a meditteranean languour, different from the grim builds of Godspeed! or Mogwai's impudent sprints (or Mono's exotic japanese noise). Not quite beautiful - there's too many cracks in the glass, smudges on the screen. Close. [buy]
Migala - "Isabella Afterhours". One of the two versions of this song on Diciembre, 3am (1997), this is more indicative of Migala's early work - buzzing and drag-heely pop. In parts it recalls Maher Shalal Hash Baz, the Tindersticks or even Shack, but other times I hear wisps of Guided By Voices' lofi days. And there are the most unlikely of lyrics - "Where's my javelin / where's my javelin?" as a guitar winds round and round, bells jingling in the back of your head. [buy]
Funny, offensive and politically incorrect, it's dubbed Spider-Man comics (hit reload for more).
Steve's pointed me to the terrific roster at Voodoo Rhythm records and their excellent mp3 sampler page. There's all sorts of things here, from garage punk (The Monsters) to bluegrass (Zeno Tornado), to a twisted Elvis (Hipbone Slim and the Knee Tremblers). My favourites are the tracks by the funereal Dead Brothers, and the dilapidated Deadly-Snakes-like blues-gospel of John Scooley. Go listen!
See you Monday!