Mike the Knife
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The talent bookers who call the shots on "The Late Show with David Letterman" went all MOGgy again, as rousing Scottish rockers Glasvegas made their American network television debut on Monday night with a roaring visit to Dave’s stage. Although Glasvegas is not yet mainstreaming it in the States, they have been celebrated here at MOG by connoisseurs of clever, ear-wrenching goodness since way back in 2007, when the Glasgow-spawned group was first making a splash in the U.K. with a string of indie singles. Fans of The Jesus & Mary Chain's mix of walloping guitars, pounding rhythms, angsty vocals and candy-pop melodies will be likely to go for Glasvegas.
Because I’m certain that there are more than a few MOGgers who didn’t catch the performance and would get a kick out of it, I’m embedding a clip of Glasvegas playing "Geraldine" (a single from their eponymous 2008 album) for Letterman and his audience. If you have yet to say, "Viva Glasvegas!" (sorry), give a look and listen, and let me know what you think.
In addition to my relief at the coming of a new year, I also have the thrill of anticipating new music by a recent favorite. Which is my way of saying:
Woo-hoo! The second full-length album by Los Angeles art-pop duo The Bird and The Bee – singer Inara George and multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin - is almost here!
I’ll have to wait until the end of January for the official release of The Bird and The Bee’s Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future, but (thanks to one of the contributors to the MOG Music Network) I learned that Inara and Greg put a couple of tracks from the upcoming album onto their MySpace page, along with a new Christmas recording – a cover of "The 12 Days of Christmas." And I immediately fell for the dreamy, dulcet Orientalism of "Love Letter to Japan," which is also enhanced by a rather entertaining video.
Bird and Bee (and Dog?)
Speaking of love, one of my main musical crushes in recent times is airy-voiced enchantress Inara, who has a remarkable pedigree. She’s the daughter of the late singer-songwriter-guitarist Lowell George of Little Feat fame. In the 1970s, Inara’s daddy and his band produced a wild, wonderful and confounding mix of rock, folk and country roots, jazzy improvisations, and pungently witty lyrics. Inara, as a vocalist and co-songwriter for The Bird and The Bee, is wry, sophisticated and post-modern while flirting with retro-psychedelic style and shadings. So maybe her background isn’t so surprising, considering her eclectic nature.
Taking a break from TBATB last year, she teamed with composer-arranger-lyricist Van Dyke Parks (best-known for his songwriting collaborations with the Beach Boys’ unhinged genius Brian Wilson, but also an old buddy of Lowell George) to record a lushly-orchestrated song cycle An Invitation. As much as I was caught up by An Invitation and have no problem recommending it for its grandiose soundscapes, theatrical verve, and clever wordplay, there’s something about Inara’s chemistry with Greg – and the resulting music – that is ever so much more magical.
So I await Ray Guns with barely restrained enthusiasm. In the meantime, I’m whetting my appetite with "Love Letter to Japan," which is available for streaming on the MOG Player above – and visible in video form below.
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This is great, thanks. Missed them in DC recently but hope to catch them on their next trip here.
funoka: Their first album still sounds incredible to me a zillion listens later. And I can't believe circumstances have conspired against me for the past two years, and I've not seen them in concert as yet. That must be rectified soon.
Oh, yes!! Very cool. Listen to this? As LG sang, "I'm Willin'". And another blast from the past, Van Dyke Parks, whose debut "Song Cycle" was one of my most often played records for years. That one was so far ahead of its time and so critically acclaimed that Warner Bros advertised a program in which you sent them your worn out copy and a penny and they sent you back two fresh copies for yourself and to give to a friend. "He's not your run of the mill garden variety Alabama country faire."
At last, we’re done with this insane year. Yes, we saw history made on Election Day – and there’s great promise that will attend the impending inauguration of the President-Elect. As for the rest of 2008, I can only quote Joey Ramone. Glad to see you go-go-go-go! Goodbye!
I really should add a qualification. I will continue to enjoy a number of the better recordings, feature films, TV programs, and literary works that surfaced in the past 12 months. I just won’t list them here. Too much work and too much conflict (inner and otherwise).
I was scoping out an end-of-year best-of post from the ever-eloquent and thoughtful poebegone. I'd say we truly intersect in 7 or 8 places - as in...Wow! Cannot get enough of that! But we diverge on the subject of Fleet Foxes. She thinks the chiming, strumming, vocal-blending Pacific Northwest neo-folk-rockers are overrated. I'm buying in, although waiting for another bunch of new tracks from them before I anoint them as true worthies. Could it be my unexpected hewing to acoustic/harmonic/folk-ish music - comfort food for the ears - in the latter half of the year? Don't know.
Anyway, the lists keep on coming. And I would never question anyone’s right to list. But you can rest assured that there will be no best-of-the-year album list from this here MOGger. I just wanna love my favorite music, with no task attached. Is that so wrong?
That’s all for right now, other than me raising a glass to all the citizens of the MOGiverse and wishing each and every one of you a wonderful and – yes! – prosperous new year. Bring on 2009! I’m ready for it – or will be, as soon as possible.
(Cue the Fleet Foxes on the MOG Player to greet the new year with the glorious "Sun It Rises.")
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Cheers Mike, have a great new year (and to all other Moggers reading this as well). 2008 gave a lot of everything really, and now it must give way for hopefully a better 2009!
Cheers Mr. Knife! I'm remaining list-less as well. Just enjoying everyone elses top lists. I might be done listing to everything by, oh, 2010. ;-)
I agree. Apart from a few great high points, I'm happy to wipe 2008 from the cosmic calendar. Happy Oh-Nine!
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I'm not at all surprised that alert MOGgers were ahead of the curve on this or any other artist or band. And I find I trust MOGgers to tell me the truth. That having been said......Most "reviews" are written by admitted, or newly won over, fans.
So tell me....would a negative review here in the warm fuzzy MOG be a breach of ........something?
BTW: The music...has a very eighties feel....for better or worse. Early era Big Country leaps to mind.
dmdm: I think honesty is valued here at MOG. So if the negativity is supported by an informed view, who could bitch about it? Of course, there are times when we just don't like something. That's the thing about personal taste. It's often a mystery.
I'm still waiting to be struck by lightning as far as these guys are concerned. Respect, yes, but not yet love. They look like the Tony Sheridan-era Beatles, and that's a plus....