Since I wasn’t overawed by the Grizzly Bear show at the Town Hall, it probably means something terrible is up, like my expectations of new music is suffering from unreasonable pickiness, or something in my diet is having its toll on taste cells, or my brain is continuing down its degradation path; or maybe New York is once again appearing insignificant compared to the rest of world (woah). In short, it’s been a while since I heard anything new and exciting. I haven’t even managed to get through the St. Vincent album. Maybe it’s all the PR emails and the indie rock bubble overwhelming my senses. Maybe that album just isn’t all that. Maybe now is the time to not give a crap about St. Vincent. So for a change of scenery, here are three previously un-posted songs that I like. Is it troubling, though, that the first two are highly repetitious and catchy? Brain degradation!
Remember that awesome Regina Spektor music video from when she was a nobody? It had a stream of toy soldiers pouring out of her mouth, she played a misfit piano with oversize keys, the color palette was subtle yet playful, and paper cutouts of uniformed men, some with a pig head, were animated to climb up poles and kick each other’s hats off their heads; most of all, it had Regina winking at you when you least expected it, looking like a hot music teacher in a pilot-y outfit, seducing you with her Mozart.
Here’s a music video I made for These United States‘ “Honor Amongst Thieves”, which premiered last week. In addition to live and candid shots, it features a few crafty scenes of theft we shot in Park Slope, Brooklyn, before their show at Union Hall that night.
Watch in full screen mode
You can catch a free performance at Prospect Park’s bandshell when they open for Dr. Dog on June 27th, 7pm sharp.
Before heading over to Sycamore to play a show that night, I met with Iceland’s Ólöf Arnalds and her equally impressive friend Davíð Þór Jónsson, who had played a fantastically whimsical show with her at Union Hall the previous night. As we walked past a large tree towering over a mound, Ólöf’s head turned, and we decided she might as well sing under it. First song is the catchy “Klara”, which she wrote for her younger sister, the second is Caetano Veloso’s “Maria Bethania.” Before singing this song, she realizes she is missing her lyrics notebook. Davíð keeps company with a short bout of singing and dancing. One more song in Icelandic follows.
We’d love for you to come and be part of this fantastic madness. It’s for FREE, and it’s during the day on a Saturday, and we’ll be selling top notch homemade food in the backyard. A lot of the performances will be unamplified, which is always twice as fun. It’s too bad that I’m organizing this show because ideally I would’ve liked to just sit and watch this whole thing myself. Get a taste of who’s playing:
Hooves on the Turf’s Northside Festival showcase
at Trophy Bar, 351 Broadway Brooklyn, NY 11211
darling don’t be shy with me
my days on earth are numbering
so hold me before my bones freeze
the angels see my body floating
Last week we went on a fabulous day trip with Motel Motel, and I can’t wait to post the amazing performances we shot with them, even though drummer Jeremy Duvall wasn’t around since he had to be at work. Obsessed with their song “Arvada” all day today (lyrics excerpt above), I re-read some of the positive things I’ve written about this band so far, and it feels like I’ve been too careful in not over-hyping them; as a result, I’ve been terribly underselling them. Truth is, I listened to their album New Denver on repeat on my flight to Austin and back, but what’s more, singer Eric Engel’s voice sounds absolutely divine in person.
Here’s the tune stuck in my head. For the full song, buy their album.
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hooves on the turf is a mostly-music blog based out of brooklyn. i can be reached at hoovesontheturf [at] gmail [dot] com - please send me your lovely music as an attached mp3 or an mp3 link. if i like what you send, i'll be sure to ask for more.
