The Robot Ate Me - "You Smile". A crisp leaf of bedroom pop, with curly strings and a slowsmiling organ. It shuffles towards you like a kid with a deep crush, an awkward child full of disappointment and infatuation. "Something makes me shiver / your eyes were laced with ice." Like Ugly Casanova gone twee, with Phil Elvrum producing. Spooky and romantic; strange but very compelling; a first kiss. From the band's debut, They Ate Themselves. The new one, On Vacation is out now, and (sadly) I haven't heard it yet.
Boy - "French Diplomacy". Boy's Stephen Noel Kozmeniuk recorded this album in his family's Yukon home, in a basement he dug out himself. He's since moved to Toronto and made enough waves to appear with Broken Social Scene and The Dears, among others. His brand indie rock is a long way from either band, however - it's Sloan doing the twist with The Strokes, Rufus Wainwright jamming with Paul McCartney. This is a jaunty chamber-pop stroll, a navyblue parade with oboes and a string section. Lest you dismiss my Strokes comparison completely, understand that "French Diplomacy" is the most Beatlesy thing on the record, but the pop panache is typical of Boy's style. While there are moments of precocity ("Nobody said that you were Escher"), it's sung with more of a shrug than a wink. The song's in thrall to the melody, and everything comes together around the hopeful marching splendor of the chorus. (With all the Risk I've been playing lately, I feel a deep empathy when Kozmeniuk sings "Might it be that France just isn't so sincere?")
Jeremy Brendan's interview with Wolf Parade scores a number of make-my-day scoops: 1) Spencer used to play synthesizer for Frog Eyes; 2) the Sub Pop rumours are likely true; 3) Isaac Brock will be producing their record.
No Frontin', Just Music is a new mp3blog with a fine Knife In The Water song for you and y'all.
Posted by Sean at April 27, 2004 1:00 AMThanks for the link! I've reciprocated...
Rock on!
-Jeremy Brendan
great to see the robot ate me on your site - really fine music. the new disc is unreal.
Posted by rux at April 27, 2004 1:33 PMToday's songs are great, thanks. Thanks for the shout out too!
Posted by esquire1983 at April 27, 2004 4:22 PMWow, that Boy track is awesome! I want the album. Is it out in the US yet?
Posted by Eppy at April 27, 2004 4:23 PMwonderful to see boy's french diplomacy here.
that show with the dears and broken social scene also included the stills, didn't it? a couple years ago at cmw?
eppy: the album's been around for awhile, more info at http://www.speedboatracer.net/
some jerk at the national post once penned this profile: http://www.speedboatracer.net/press-nationalpost2.html
Posted by aaron at April 27, 2004 4:45 PMCheers, jeremy and esquire1983.
I'm very jealous, rux - is it in line with their older stuff, or a departure toward a more tropical zone?
Yeah, I think The Stills were in that Music Week show with Boy - not that I was anywhere near Toronto to see it. I went to see his goofy CBC performance last year, though.
Orders from Maple Music should be cheap, Eppy, and the CD's less than $10 USD before shipping. I'm really glad you like it.
Posted by Sean at April 27, 2004 4:49 PMahhh, love that boy track. brings me back to october nights (when it's starting to get darker and darker outside) and white lights on bare trees in the city.
Posted by adam at April 27, 2004 7:21 PMthe new robot is a mix of serious and fun - the former on disc 1, the latter on 2. check therobotateme.com. full disclosure: i'm in 'west dakota' on their label.
Posted by rux at April 27, 2004 9:24 PMWOLF PARADEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Jay Watts III at April 28, 2004 5:32 PM
and it will begin playing. All songs are also available to download: just right-click the link and choose 'Save as...'
