5 albums: 17 January - 23 January 2010.
This week’s summary will brief, because there is much to be read/written still today. In chronological order:
1) and 2) Galaxie 500: Today (Aurora, 1988) and On Fire (Rough Trade, 1989). It’s impossible for me to capture G500’s influence and impact here, especially when I am short on time, as I am today. These are outstanding albums, and it’s a crime that they appear to be out of print, both individually and in box set form. The song “Tugboat” still absolutely slays.
3) Love Spirals Downwards: Ardor (Projekt, 1995). There was a time when I was really into all of those Projekt/”love” bands– Lovesliescrushing, Love Spirals Downwards, Love Is Colder Than Death (the latter was not on Projekt). There is still something about Love Spirals Downwards’ ethereal dream-pop that is so captivating.
4) Cat Power: Moon Pix (Matador, 1998). You know, I am genuinely glad that Chan Marshall has gotten over her stage fright. But there’s something still so charmingly awkward about Moon Pix that her later albums have polished out; these songs sound as though she’s performing them as she always did back in those days– face completely covered with her hair as she stared awkwardly at the ground. I still remember vividly the Cat Power concert I saw in the late ’90s– she was obviously in complete agony standing in front of all of us, and I remember her mumbling things about how we didn’t even know who she was. It was a trainwreck of a performance– we wanted to hear the music, but we also just wanted her not to be so miserable up there. And this was in a small room in a house, with maybe 30-50 people in attendance. I can only imagine what some of her bigger shows were like at the time.
5) Fridge: the Sun (Temporary Residence, 2007). I would love to see these guys again. I would also love to be able to connect with Four Tet as much as I do with Fridge.