Deerhunter @ Webster Hall 10/15/2010
Desire Lines / Hazel Street / Never Stops / Memory Boy / Rainwater Cassette Exchange / Don’t Cry / Revival / Little Kids / Fountain Stairs / Nothing Ever Happened / Helicopter / He Would Have Laughed // Basement Scene / Spring Hall Convert / Fluorescent Grey

I should have written about this show after I saw it, rather than waiting a few days. I don’t remember enough of the specifics — there was a lot of awful things on my mind during the event, and the following days were busy and off on a different tangent. I can tell you that Deerhunter played very well, and that I think the live arrangements for the newer songs are quite good, particularly “Rainwater Cassette Exchange,” “Helicopter,” and “Revival.” I remember the audience being kinda lame — a lot of dickish young NYU guys spoiling the crowd, basically — and the energy level for “Nothing Ever Happened,” a song I’ve seen inspire actual moshing, being low to virtually non-existent. I didn’t mind that so much, I wasn’t in the mood for it either. I connected with the songs that were on my wavelength at that moment — “He Would Have Laughed,” “Helicopter,” “Memory Boy,” “Rainwater,” “Never Stops.” The sad songs, the mournful songs, the songs about endless frustration.

The liner notes of Halcyon Digest preface the lyrics of “Helicopter” with an excerpt written by Dennis Cooper that provides context for the words. Basically, the song is about a young gay Russian boy named Dima who fell into pornography and prostitution, and eventually was sold into sexual slavery to an organized crime figure. His ultimate fate is unknown, but one account had him dying after being pushed out of a helicopter over a remote forest in northern Russia. Anyway, it’s very hard to unlearn that context — suddenly every line of the song becomes unbearably sad, even the bits that were already painfully melancholy. The music is gorgeous, one of the most brilliantly crafted pieces of Bradford Cox’s career to date, and it perfectly conveys this feeling of frailty and powerlessness, and total doom. When Cox sings “now they are through with me,” it’s sweet and fragile and utterly devoid of hope. It’s terminal passivity.

Buy it from Amazon.

Pop & Hiss profiles two older indie bands, Superchunk and the Vaselines, who are currently touring together.

The Boston Globe profiles The Drums.

A deep melancholy lurks in the Drums' strident but intentionally minimalist indie-rock. On "Saddest Summer," from last year's "Summertime!" EP, the breakneck tempo and sunny melody belie the sad-eyed sentiments about loving the one you're with — because it could all go away in a flash. The song dissolves into this year’s loneliest coda: the sound of fireworks popping in the distance as a saxophone wails a few back-alley notes.

On sale for $2.99 at Amazon MP3: Bad Books' self-titled debut album.

Hey Marseilles plays a Tiny Desk Concert at NPR Music.

Sound on the Sound reviews Justin Bieber's autobiography, First Step 2 Forever: My Story.

NPR is streaming Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger's self-titled debut album (out October 26th).

Robin SharpThe Diamond Rings journey thus far – from viral video through legal scuffle, at festivals at home and abroad – has been documented hereabouts pretty well, I think, but there’s still one fairly important – or only important – facet of the tale to be considered – the debut album, Special Affections, which finally arrives next Tuesday, October 26.

For an artist who has been so successful with the single format – a new track, or more specifically a new video – every few months to keep interest alive, the full-length could be a daunting proposition; after all, what works well in 4-minute portions may prove to be less-so over 40, particularly when it’s of as specific a sound and style as John O’Regan has defined Diamond Rings to be. So it’s to John O’s credit that Special Affections is strong enough to stand apart from the extravagant visuals that define Diamond Rings live and on video, though it does take on a different character in just the audio realm; more minor in key and sombre in tone and with the leanness of the sound even more evident. Still, he finds enough variety in the keys/laptop/voice DIY electro-pop recipe that forms the backbone of the record to fully engage anyone who’s ear was tweaked by any of the lead-up singles.Read more at Chromewaves →

MP3: Diamond Rings – “All Yr Songs”
MP3: Diamond Rings – “Wait And See”
Video: Diamond Rings – “Something Else”

Westword interviews PS I Love You, who have released a new video from Meet Me At The Muster Station.

Video: PS I Love You – “Butterflies & Boners”

Born Ruffians have released a new video from their sophomore effort Say It and will put out an EP of unreleased odds and ends on November 2 called Plinky Plonk – it’s digital-only with physical copies only available at their shows.

Video: Born Ruffians – “Nova-Leigh”

Holy Fuck have gone cat-crazy for their latest video from Latin, further proving that cats = internet gold.

Video: Holy Fuck – “Red Lights”

Chart has an interview withSuuns, whose debut Zeroes QCdropped last week.

MP3: Suuns – “Up Past The Nursery”

The British power known as British Sea Power just titled their forthcoming new record this week– Valhalla Dancehall, but you won’t be getting that until January of 2011 (courtesy of Rough Trade). In the meantime, BSP just recently dropped this new 7-song (8 if you get the vinyl) release, the Zeus EP. And here it is (right above, there) for your Friday afternoon listening pleasure– enjoy!