This is a test run of a new feature designed to break up the monotony of posting nothing but blog essays full of words. It will also hopefully provide a minor diversion from the drag that Mondays often are. The "kool things" presented here will often be music related, but not exclusively so. The scope will be broader to include amusing video clips, humorous pictures of cats, and entertaining articles found on the Information Superhighway. So, off we go.
Animal Collective: "Today's Supernatural"
On September 4, the 'saviors of American indie music' better known as Animal Collective will release a new album, Centipede Hz-- their first since 2009's 'breakthrough' Merriweather Post Pavilion. "Today's Supernatural" is the lead-off single from Centipede Hz, and it sounds unquestionably like Animal Collective. The song incorporates a lot of the more swirling, unhinged qualities that the band reveled in during the pre-Merriweather days. Bizarre sounds emerge seemingly at random, and the melody continuously shifts, which keeps the song engaging for the duration. Hopefully the new album will follow suit.
Tame Impala: "Elephant"
Technically, this song came out last week, but since this is the first edition of "Kool Thing," I thought I'd add it anyway. Tame Impala are a psych-rock band from Australia who put out a stellar LP (Innerspeaker) back in 2010. This track will be on their forthcoming album Lonerism, which is due out in early October. "Elephant" is anchored by a steady, dense groove that is tonally heavy and hazy. Even my guitar-hating, lyric-loathing roommate likes this song, so that's probably a good sign.
Oldies Corner
Pavement: "Fillmore Jive" (Live in Deutschland, 1994)
I ran across this live version of the closing track from Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain a couple of years ago, but it managed to find its way back into my life in the last week. This may be my favorite live version of any Pavement song, which is really saying something. It begins with a portion of "Dark Ages" (a rare number which appeared on the CR, CR reiusse), then weaves into a perfectly imperfect rendition of the song that best captures how the band could be so funny and forlorn and frustrated all at the same time. Scott "Spiral Stairs" Kannberg's awkward screaming and Stephen Malkmus's closing whisper of the word "peppermint" from behind his guitar are added bonuses.
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