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another lil authors note here: 2023 is nearly over, which means time for year end round ups. so reply to this email, what’s your #1 song from this year!
howdy dowdy dear reader. this week, i’ve been thinking a lot about how sometimes a song only needs one big moment to absolutely slap. like who’s listening to in the air tonight for anything other than that moment you know the one. this weeks song is just like that, it has a moment within it that absolutely takes it for a walk and i think that’s an interesting lens to exlpore it, in how it sets itself up, how it plays out and in how it copes with the rest of the run time being after the big bit. this week, our song is looking back by enola.
right, so as i alluded to earlier, the best part of this song is the moment, now i’m going to let you go listen to it and see if you can spot it. on you go, i’ll wait.
back? yes that’s right, it’s that riff that comes through right towards the beginning about 0:55. what makes it banging? well, a few things really sell it. first of all, the tone, it’s messy, gravely and doesn’t have any pretence, it’s a knarly lil riff. second, the melody compliments what comes before and after perfectly, the dulcet vocals forming thr glue for this capstone moment. third, and this is crucial, it feels self contained and isn’t delivered with the rest of the song bending over backwards to make it happen. this is what distinguishes a real cap stone moment of a song from say a cool riff or a solo, it’s a segment of a song that could really stand on it’s own but it chooses not to, making the song all the better for it.
i thought the solo/bridge in this was quite weak actually. it could’ve been a lot stronger if it integrated this main riff as a b section, and then really worked it, rather than relying on the ideas prevalent in the a sections. there’s a nice contrast between the main elements of the song and the cap stone riff, and that bridge didn’t play with those elements in any significant way which i thought was kind of a wasted opportunity really.
this song has the psychic energy of a dude in the smoking area of a wooden gig venue that was built in the 1930s who’s smoking a cigarette, hears that capstone moment and raises two fingers in quiet celebration because that’s his favourite bit.
you know who i haven’t listened to in ages and this band really got me thinking about? fontaines dc. what a great band honestly. there’s something to this kind of rough and ready indie that’s got a bit to prove that really works, and it doesn’t really die either there have been bands like this doing a killer trade for decades and they keep coming. i think it’s something to do with how the music is more accessible and personable than something more impenetrable. i think people often really gravitate towards the kinds of music that involves other people and that element of music is what makes it so captivating. like that riff i was talking about isn’t a face melting virtuosic experiment pushing the boundaries of human talent, it’s basically a bar chord slung about the guitar with a sense of sloppiness and ease and i think really that’s what makes it. it’s the sound of a song that anyone could play, and if anyone can play it then anyone can enjoy it, the doors open and anyone can come and join in.
i really like this band, and i think they’ve a good thing going on. that sense of approachable post punk noisy ness is present throguhout and i dig it. they’ve a song that really popped off called metal body that i enjoyed listening to, but i think this song is a bit better. either way though, lots of good stuff for you to check out!
what did you think of this song? |
or better yet, reply to this email! what did you think of this song? have you been listening to anything good lately? any gems i’ve missed?
alison goldfrapp absolutely rules and that’s a fact. i’m not just saying that because i called her alison goldfrappe once and my boss went through me for a shortcut for showing such disrespect. she was right, i was wrong, alison rules on.
the slap bass in this is sick and i’m tired of pretending that it isn’t
wherever you think this song is going, it’s going there in style
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