March 1st: New(ish) music by St Vincent, The Last Dinner Party, and CVC. Some great guitar solos, and lots of altered chords. I also just finished Daisy Jones & The Six (see track 7 and 5).
St Vincent, Broken Man
Released just this week along with the announcement of St Vincent (Annie Clark)’s new album, All Born Screaming, Broken Man signals a return to the industrial sounds of 2017’s Masseduction. However, over the course of the song, distorted electric guitar and live drums drown out the synth and drum machine. The hard rock finale and Courtney Love-esque ‘hey’ suggest we may be getting a album more based in rock than pop.
Djo, End of the Beginning
I’ll admit I found this one on Tiktok, but it’s great! By Joe Keery (Steve from Stranger Things). Brings to mind ‘Meet Me at Our Spot’ by THE ANXIETY (Willow Smith and Tyler Cole).
The Last Dinner Party, The Feminine Urge
From their new, debut album. The minor verse reflects the lyrics that paint the tragedy of being a woman (‘I’m only here for your entertainment’), while the chorus calls out the toxic men in the narrators life (‘Do you feel like a man when I can’t talk back? / Do you want me or do you want control?’).
Writing this, I’ve noticed the similarity with Driving in Cars with Boys in terms of its harmony in the chorus (tonic major —> dominant minor chord), and the guitar tone. Clearly I’m into dominant minors this week!
See also:
The Last Dinner Party: just another industry plant?Chloe
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Feb 29
The Last Dinner Party, in the months leading up to the release of their debut album, Prelude to Ecstasy, seemingly appeared from nowhere. Their hit song, Nothing Matters, suddenly reached 22nd on the charts, while videos from their gigs proliferated on Tiktok. In consequence, everyone from Tiktok reviewers to respected music critics have attempted to ac…Read full story
CVC, Good Morning Vietnam
Lead single from the new album by Welsh group CVC, or Church Village Collective. Inspired by 60s psychedelic rock and 70s rock-pop. For fans of the Grateful Dead or Fleetwood Mac (see the next song (and tbh most of this playlist)).
Fleetwood Mac, Future Games
Eponymous song from their 1971 album. This is Fleetwood Mac pre-Buckingham/Nicks, and was the first album with Christine McVie as an official member. It was also the first album with guitarist Bob Welch, who replaced Jeremy Spencer. Consequently, the album leans more on psychedelic rock and marks a departure from the band’s bluesy origins. Here, the vocal harmonies that would characterise their later music are notable and mark the transition into a more folk-rock and pop-influenced sound.
I will admit watching Daisy Jones lead me to listen to Fleetwood Mac’s entire catalogue.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Yes Sir, I Can Boogie
A cover of the 1977 Baccara song, released in 2023 on the compilation album, Solo Divas Volumen 2 (UMG). Her voice floats above the string orchestration. A good idea would be to rerelease Murder on the Dancefloor with this as the B-side.
Daisy Jones & The Six, Let Me Down Easy
From the soundtrack of the show, Daisy Jones & The Six, about the rise and fall of a fictional 70s band (including a Buckingham/Nicks duo, a Mitchell-esque flight to Greece). Performed by Riley Keough and Sam Caflin (the characters in the show). Written by Blake Mills, who produced the album, along with songwriters Z Berg, Ali Tamposi (who has credits on Camila Cabello’s Havana and Ariana Grande’s God is a Woman), and Maroon 5’s James Valentine. It’s a crime that the album lost the Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media to the Barbie soundtrack.
Elliott Smith, The Biggest Lie
From his eponymous 1995 album. Features his signature majorized relative minor chord (another altered chord). Best line: ‘Now I’m a crushed credit card registered to Smith / Not the name that you call me with.’
Lana Del Rey, Driving in Cars with Boys (unreleased)
Reputed to be a Born To Die off cut, although this version was rerecorded in 2014. Thematically, it’s very ‘Born to Die’ (about futility and ennuie) but works with the Ultraviolence-esque production. Given how many unreleased songs destined for Ultraviolence ended up on Blue Banisters, and the recent release of Say Yes to Heaven, there’s reason to hope she may rerecord and release Driving in Cars someday and we won’t have to listen to the bootlegged podcast versions anymore.
Japanese Breakfast, Posing for Cars
Album closer from Michelle Zauner’s 2021 album Jubilee. The lyrics end 2:34 (of 6:39). The long instrumental outro is dominated by a yearning guitar solo over the tonic major seventh (adding to the sense of longing) and sub-dominant. The raw, fuzzy tone betrays the narrator’s pain and frustration. The slow-burning solo builds until the emotion overflows as Zauner ascends into shredding at 5:15. Overall, just the perfect album (and playlist) closer.
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