Hooves on the Turf

Now that lo-fi twee pop is destined to hit ad spots and television shows before you can say Death By Audio, prepare for the inevitable return of unpretentious indie rock in the murky waters of Short Attention Span Music Industry 2014 (maybe).

For a break from “cool music” to “good music”, I’ve been revisiting 2009; the album is Phosphorescent Blues by Austin’s Brazos, mostly the work of singer Martin Crane. As a singer, Martin is comfortable swinging between weeps last wept by Jeff Buckley and wails last wailed by Andrew Bird, without staying in those territories for too long before frolicking in clearly what’s his own. As a band leader, he’s recruited musicians who can dress his songs the way he wants for their marching out in the parade. I assume the album was self-produced, but whatever the case, the production is pretty perfect (restrained, precise, cliche-free), and a whole lot mature than the misfortune some professional producers have bestowed upon several otherwise fine indie bands (however, a band must be held responsible for picking a bad producer).

A point of irreversible bedazzlement for me is the take on Adrienne Rich’s poem, “The Observer”. As it is, giving lyrics a rhythm that feels like its own flesh is a true achievement. But to take a beautiful poem, already immersed in its own rhythm, and to give it new hair, new nails, new blood, new legs, and still have it be the same girl turned into a certain kind of woman, is an extra achievement.

I hear new album is in the works, and I hope it’s more of the goodness, without the suffering of the second album syndrome. For now, I really recommend you add Phospherescent Blues (available in vinyl!) to your collection.

Download “The Observer“, “Day Glo“