Summer (ragin’, full-on summer anyway) has come and gone, and it’s time to go through everything I’ve let slip through the cracks over the last few months. I’m literally* slapping my forehead in disgust that I didn’t hear the newest Black Moth Super Rainbow album until this week. In fairness, I can’t say I knew much about them beforehand, except for a few appearances on Hood Internet mashups and a kickass solo album from singer Tobacco that rocked November 2008’s face off.
BMSR has an amazing sound that’s hypnotic and grimy and beautiful. This may not mean much to you, but to me it sounds like Thom Yorke, Trent Reznor, and T-Pain hiked the Appalachian trail, only to stumble upon a recording studio full of ’shrooms.** Their lyrics conjure up images of impossible substances and melted landscapes covered with sticky gunk. And, as Hood Internet and Aesop Rock have demonstrated, it goes well with rap. I almost wish they’d pull a Ratatat and make some hip-hop remixes, but in my heart I know that dream’s gonna be deferred.
In other news, some friends of mine tore the hell out of this new album by Thieves Like Us. I’m not prepared to go to the mat for TLU, but to me it sounds just like Gary Numan. Well, alright, a Gary Numan who can’t sing at all. So, I dunno, it’s alright if you like that sort of thing. I know Gary Numan isn’t very good, but I watch his videos and I’m flabbergasted that he was so huge for for a little while in the late 70s, and I can’t begrudge him that.
Black Moth Super Rainbow – “Tooth Decay”
Tobacco (feat. Aesop Rock) – “Dirt”
Thieves Like Us – “Fass”
* Lots of people misuse the word ‘literally’. I wouldn’t have used the word if I didn’t have a palm-sized welt on my face.
** To be fair, T-Pain uses autotune while BMSR uses vocoder. They’re different, but don’t take my word for it.
