Julia Holter… Holts you in your tracks
The best of this week’s singles: Bowie, of Montreal, Julia Holter and more!
Published on August 20th, 2013 | Jonny Abrams
The best of this week’s singles for ya. Sign here.
And here. Ta.
Laura Mvula – “She”
We loved Mvula’s Sing to the Moon album so much that we positively showered it with quails.
This is a song from it. That should serve as recommendation enough.
Not the most immediately engrossing track from the LP, but no less twinkly and luxurious for it.
Rocksucker says: Four Quails out of Five!
of Montreal – “She Ain’t Speakin’ Now”
Seems to confirm that forthcoming new album Lousy With Sylvianbriar will be a ‘back to basics’ kind of deal, at least as far as instrumentation goes.
It’s splendid stuff, but then we wouldn’t expect any less. Kevin Barnes, after all, is one of the best and most relentlessly inventive songwriters going.
Roll on that there album.
Rocksucker says: Four Quails out of Five!
Anna Meredith – “Orlok”
How very, very peculiar. Song and video.
What can we say about it? I mean, bloody hell…okay, it’s like every theme tune from every children’s TV show and old school computer game ever all thrown into an LSD-spiked swimming pool with a particularly violent wave machine. Operated by Phillip Glass.
Will that do? Just listen/watch, although Mumford & Sons fans beware: your head will explode.
Rocksucker says: Four Quails out of Five!
David Bowie – “Valentine’s Day”
What’s this? It’s not even close to being Valentine’s Day. Sort it out, Bowie!
Ah, the illicit thrill of slagging Bowie. Er, even if we are ‘slagging’ him for passing up a cheap cash-in opportunity.
Sorry, but this is really lovely. Yeah yeah, we know, everyone loves Bowie, yadda yadda yadda. But with good reason.
If you’re fed up with hearing about bloody Bowie already, just skip to the next single. If however you just can’t get enough, check out our review of parent album The Next Day.
That intense expression on his face: ace. And to think, as we sit here watching this on YouTube, there’s a banner underneath it advertising Kings of Leon’s new single “Supersoaker”.
Don’t get us started on Kings of sodding Leon, YouTube.
Rocksucker says: Four Quails out of Five!
Big Sean feat. Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica – “Control”
So *this* is what’s been causing all the fuss and/or beef.
If you don’t know what we’re talking about, why not catch up via the increasingly popular medium of Hitler Parody?
Frankly, Kendrick Lamar is beyond reproach until one of his contemporaries makes an album that’s at least as good as Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.
Tyler the Creator managed it with Wolf. All the others need to up their respective games to varying degrees.
Stripped of the hype and taken on its own merits, this is a damn fine track, right down to the subtly colour-specked beat. Given the furore, we can see how this aspect of it may have passed unnoticed.
Rocksucker says: Four Quails out of Five!
French For Cartridge – “Piff Paff Pow”
Ridiculously eccentric, and jolly lovely with it.
It’s rare for something to be quaint and berserk at the same time, but this succeeds valiantly. This is completely off its rocker and we bloody loves it for it.
Like Yo’true with extra added Zappa breakdowns. All within three minutes, too! Gad, and indeed, zooks.
How is it even possible that this comes from the same planet as Travis’s new single?
Rocksucker says: Four Quails out of Five!
Julia Holter – “Maxim’s I”
This is utterly, utterly magnificent: portentous, sultry, richly melodic, understated, ethereal yet voluptuous, like Michael Nyman reworking a latter day Flaming Lips number, and all topped off with the sweetest voice you could possibly imagine.
Somewhere, perhaps deep under the ocean or out in space – both locations that this could conceivably have emerged from – a bar has been raised.
Single of the week.
Rocksucker says: Four and a Half Quails out of Five!
Tune in tomorrow for the worst of this week’s singles!
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About the Author
Jonny Abrams Editor of Rocksucker and the website's founder, Jonny is passionate about the music he listens to, both good and bad, as well as interviewing his favourite musicians.
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