Digital Freakness

Subverting the fey indie princess trope one song at a time.

I love you, Annie!

Rabbit's Favorite Album of 2013

Vampire Weekend: Modern Vampires of the City

When I was thirteen, I had a dawning realization that I didn't believe in God the way that I was 'supposed to'.  Coming from a Catholic family, this left me unsure of myself, feeling lost and a little betrayed.  Why wasn't I capable of the happiness and serenity I saw my mother possess on Sundays?  Why couldn't I let go?  What was wrong with me?  I had never questioned God's existence before, but all of a sudden I couldn't believe in him in that way anymore and I had no idea why.  I still went to church; I faked it for the longest time.  There was comfort in that familiarity, even if there was no substance behind it anymore.

Years later, realizing that I was falling out of love with someone I thought I'd be with forever felt Exactly the same.  These looming monoliths--Love and God--color a bigger part of yourself than you'd ever give them credit for, leaving a strange void when suddenly gone.

Ezra Koenig and Vampire Weekend's third album tackles this intersection of faith and love--and ultimately death--with an upbeat melancholy that soars and rages, as Barry Lenser writes, "wrestling with the implications and impossibilities" inherent in everything.  

When Ezra croons, "Want a little warmth/But who's gonna save a little warmth for me?" it could be anything.  God, an estranged lover, parents in a distant city.  The album teems with regret and nostalgia, but is shot throughout with a faintly gleaming ribbon of hope.  On the track "Ya Hey," Koenig sings, "Oh, sweet thing, Zion doesn't love you / Babylon don't love you / But you love everything."  It'll all be alright.

Ho Ho Ho

Bright Eyes's Christmas album has finally--FINALLY--dropped!

Prepare to weep your way through dysfunctional family gatherings.

Straight Through the Heart

 What's more depressing than listening to Elliott Smith? 

The fact that he died ten years ago, today.

Put on some vinyl, and remember a talented artist.

Unacceptable

Hard at Work

The things 

George Washington Christ 

does for you guys.

Delaware Synth Crunch

   

 My initial thoughts of this album were, "man they should really clarify on the name." This thought stemmed from the fact that the album cover, with its art on the minimum, makes you think that Mean Lady Love Now was the band's full name. Say the whole thing all at once and you'll get it. While it would be a catchy name the band's actual name is Mean Lady and the album's is Love Now.
     Mean Lady is an Electro-Pop duo out of Delaware and Love Now is their debut album, released under Fat Possum Records. This album is chock full of upbeat little ditties about romances past and maybe even future being sung out to the lofty vocals of Katie Dill--whose voice, along with the catchy crunch of finely tuned beats, is enough to make a teenage boy swoon, but no really.....it's good. As Rabbit put it, it makes me tingly in my toes.
     With the upbeat melodies driving the songs Love Now quickly becomes one giant funfest of songs blending from one to another. The album does this because it's kept simple in the best way possible. By that I mean the lyrics aren't anything seismic that will shake your cerebrum while the instruments in the back lull you into a happy place and then do just enough to change and always keep you interested. One song can sound highly remnant of the last one if you let the music play without any true attention being paid to it, except when they toss in some reggae like vibes. A fine example of its lyrical simplicity and compactness is that Mean Lady fit the lyrics to all the songs inside of the front panel of the CD case.
     These observations could appear to be slightly negative, but these characteristics are really why this is one of my favorite more recent albums. The fun it evokes and simple but lovely song complexions are what make this an album that I would be glad to listen to again and really enjoy listening to now. I give this album 4 discoing shrimp out of 5.