SOUNDTRACK: LAWRENCE ARABIA-Tiny Desk Concert #75 (August 23, 2010).
Lawrence Arabia are from New Zealand. I don’t know what their album sound is like, but in this Tiny Desk, they play a sort of country folk. With outstanding harmonies.
“I’ve Smoked Too Much” has some lovely “Do Do Doo’s” and the “ooohs” behind the second verse are just perfect. I also like the way the bridge ratchets up the songs from the early country vibe to a more rocking feel. Of course, with percussion provided by a shaker egg and tambourine, it’s impressive that they can get as rocking as they do.
The blurb only gives me the name of the lead singer (as the band is his and he says it is “his” album), so for everyone else I have to resort to instruments. Thus Lead singer/guitarist James Milne and tambourine player have nice beards, but the shaker player has an amazingly thick beard.
“The Beautiful Young Crew” opens with Milne saying he had a morning voice problem and it isn’t as deep as it should be. But he overcomes that with some nice humming. The lyrics are amusing: “They love each other, but they hate each other, they’re afraid of each other because they want to screw each other.” There’s some more lovely harmonies (dah dah dahs). And then the electric guitarist now plays a gentle trumpet solo (thoughtfully facing away from the microphone). At the end of the song, Bob thanks him for dropping the spit on the floor. The trumpeter says it is condensation which makes Bob laugh. And then the trumpeter delicately wipes it up with a tissue.
Before the third song, Bob asks about the album title, Chant Darling. Milne says that he was in a covers band called The Chant Darlings. He likes how it sounds so different in America (in New Zealand ChAHnt DAHrling) in America ChEHnt darlin’ (with a southern accent).
“Apple Pie Bed” has a more conventional structure–very rock and roll. But the harmonies (ahhs and ahhs and the repeating of the lyrics) elevate everything.
The harmonies on the final song “Like a Fool” are the best yet with multiple parts. And this song is just Milne on guitar and lead vocals. But the three other guys really flesh out the song. I’m curious to hear what these sound like on record–is there more to them?
[READ: May 29, 2015] Wonder Woman: Volume 6: Bones
After reading the Sensation Comics book of Wonder Woman short stories I was intrigued to read this book. I actually assumed it was Vol. 6 of the same series, but indeed it is not. This is Volume 6 of another series that I don’t know. I’m not sure if the previous volumes are different story arcs or not. The back of the book suggests that this is the end of the series (it collects Wonder Woman 30-35 and Secret Origins 6). So at least I know how it all ends.
This series was written by Brian Azzarello and illustrated by Cliff Chiang and Goran Sudzuka.
The previous volumes have set up that Wonder Woman is an Amazonian named Diana. She is the daughter of Hephaestus. The Greek gods play a huge part in this story.
They live on Paradise Island, where only women are permitted. The crux of this story concerns the birth of a baby boy (named Zeke) to, I assume, a human-only mother (there’s some backstory alluded to which I don’t really know). (more…)
I Just Read About That... 