Listening Assignments 8.25.08

1. The Broken West - Perfect Games - This is what a good single sounds like. When you press play and just say yes over and over. It's feel-good, four-on-the-floor. A refined indie sound with a resilient little melody. Nice. [from Now or Heaven (out 9.9)|buy]

2. The Whigs - Violet Furs - Certainly a straight-up down-stroking guitar song, clean-toned and slightly jangly. Sounds like something from the '90s, in a good way. [from Give 'Em All a Big Fat Lip|buy]

3. Rodriguez - Sugar Man - I've been reading about this record for awhile because of its backstory. (Released almost 40 years ago, fell flat in the US, eventually going multi-platinum in South Africa unbeknownst to the artist, re-issued this year). This sounds like one of those songs that would pop up on a movie about Vietnam during a chopper ride, a little (ranging to a lot) psychedelic, that reverby vocal, the buzzing acoustic guitars. This is like opening a time capsule, forgotten and finally remembered. [from Cold Fact|buy]

4. Horse Feathers - Curs in the Weeds - Stark and open, violin and guitar, guy and girl. Trembling vocals, breathed with determination that sounds familiar. Forlorn and longing for human contact at any price. [from House with No Home (out 9.9)|buy]