A Snore Just Like the Rest: Musical Superlatives for the Dissatisfied in 2012
Talk Normal – Sunshine
I can think of nothing I would rather hear than a fearless scream or skronk. At the 1:30 minute mark, my dreams come true.
The Soft Moon
Swarms and swarms of cicada are gathering in the trees outside of my house. My cat is desperately fighting with a bug on the floor. Oh, wait. It was just a piece of plastic. I have avoided seeking out any context for The Soft Moon because I am afraid that it will ruin everything. I am content with the sound of fluttering wings.
Antlrd Antlrd – Ununique Grenade
Antlrd Antlrd is the most mysterious item of 2012. You will not find the answers that you are looking for here. But the questions taste just like licorice.
U.S. Girls – Gem
Gem was my favorite album of 2012, closely rivaling my incredible obsession with Planningtorock’s W from last year. ‘Jack’ has that glittery squealing Brian Eno guitar, ‘Rosemary’ sounds like an amazing never-heard Gary Numan B-side, and ‘North On 45’ has been stuck in my head going on three weeks now. There is some really special repetitive magic going on here. Don’t be an idiot and ignore it, OK? Don’t you like complexity? How about the extreme passion of dispassion? U.S. Girls reminds me that time and social culture retain patterns that are more cyclical rather that linear — and that they sure as hell don’t look like a pyramid — and that higher visibility does not automatically correlate with higher quality art.
The biggest take away of 2012 for me is that sooner or later everyone winds up as an old has-been. It’s coming for me, and it’s probably already gotten to you (just look at what happened to that ol’ Paul McCourtney fella). For every rise there is a fall. Every inhale is followed with an exhale. The only thing that really matters is to do what you love. And we beg you, don’t be boring.
Now go out there and save the world you beautiful people, you.
Pages: 1 2
