Fancey is the name of both the solo project and album of the New Pornographers’ Todd Fancey. Like many people his age, Fancey grew up listening to AM radio playing the soft rock hits of ’70s. In this day of ’80s plagiarism, Fancey and like-minded souls From Bubblegum To Sky provide a refreshing take on pop music. That New Pornographers sound is there, but throw in some Beach Boys, some Association, and some Todd Rundgren, and you’ve got that “Rock N Roll Rhythm.” Hmmm, makes you wonder what kind of music the kids of today growing up on Playstation/Xbox are gonna put out in another decade or two…
Subtle
I just scratched the post I wrote about Subtle when, upon doing a bit of research on the band, discovered that they were in a car accident while on tour in February, and their synth/sample player, Dax Pierson broke his neck and is going through massive rehabilitation. He received $2,000 from insurance and the wheelchair he needs alone costs $30K. So you can imagine the situation he’s in. A career as a touring musician doesn’t offer much in the way of insurance or stability.
His friends have set up a recovery fund to assist Dax in his healing and recovery. I made a donation, and it would be amazing if some of our readers could do the same. Check the site for all the info and for upcoming benefit shows. If you’re not able to support financially, download the tunes, enjoy, and send good vibes in Dax’s direction.
Say Hi to Your Mom: New MP3s Posted
Thao Nguyen
Imagine walking into the Nguyen family laundromat in suburban D.C. and hearing these sounds coming from behind the counter as young Thao honed her raspy lovelorn poetry between bundles of laundry. Man, I would have run up such a huge bill…
Youth Group
A mature, well-crafted, dark bit of pop by an Australian trio who, if they enjoy any kind of longevity, are gonna have to face the music when they’re not so youthful. Hell, it’s worked for Sonic Youth after all these years. Perhaps by invoking youthfulness, they actually tap into the fabled fountain. I back Woody Allen’s take on the matter when he says, “I want to achieve immortality by not dying.”
New Despistado Track Added
Pedro Remix at Melodic
Trembling Blue Stars
I’ve got a prized piece of vinyl entitled Wire Play Pop. It’s a seven-song assortment pulled from Wire’s first three albums. Ever since I bought it that title has bugged me, because I wouldn’t necessarily equate Wire with pop (although the world would be a better place if that was the definition of pop). But anyway, if that title would ever be appropriate, it would be as Trembling Blue Stars Play Pop. TBS sing about love and love lost like only popsters can. They’ve got a new single out now, but this song is from last year’s The Seven Autumn Flowers.
Hezekiah
Apart from coming live with a multi-instrumental audiophile’s ethic that would make The Roots proud and a fist-pumping vocal delivery that would earn him a spot at the back of a Wu-Tang Clan tour bus, Hezekiah can also lay claim to being one of the only MCs who can throw his hands in the air and wave ’em like he’s from Delaware — because he is! Okay, so it’s really just suburban Illadelph, but it’s still good to see the land of DuPont chemicals and not much else get some play — and that Hezekiah can hold his own against any hip-hop crew from Anywhereville makes it that much cooler to root for the D-state.