SOUNDTRACK: THE DISTRICTS-The Districts (2014).
The Districts are a band from around Philly. They are very popular there. I saw them live with a crowd that knew every word to every song (I didn’t know them that well and felt a little out of place).
The band was in high school in Lititz, PA when they formed. They independently released a couple of EPs and an album, Telephone in 2012 (while they were sophomores).
This EP was their first for a label (Fat Possum) and has three newly recorded songs from Telephone as well as two new songs.
“Rocking Chair” opens the EP. There’s some Americana-ish guitar melodies and the some loping, rocking chords. There’s also a couple of “whoos” and a full on “oooh” singalong part near the end. Rob Grote’s voice is old-in-a-young-body, with some nice gruffness.
“Lyla” is a slower, moodier piece with some really pretty guitar fills at the end of each verse. There’s some loose, rambling dah dah dah’s near the end of the song that are very fitting to the feel of the record.
“Funeral Beds” starts out with quiet guitar and a harmonica! There’s some slide guitar-sounding parts, giving it a desert feel. The drums start as simply a thumping bass drum. At three and a half minutes, the drums amp up to include some martial snare beats. And then the song takes off, rocking on to it’s five and a half minute conclusion.
“Long Distance” is my favorite track on the record. It’s got a great melody, some clear guitars and jaunty rocking chord changes. It’s got a big raucous sing along chorus. After almost five minutes the song drops away for a simple thumping bass line and the whole band singing the chorus.
“Stay Open” ends the EP with a bit more raucousness–alternately slow and rocking controlled sloppiness.
It’s a great introduction. They would follow this with a terrific full length the next year.
[READ: September 19, 2020] A Beginner’s Guide to Free Fall
This book came across my desk and it sounded really interesting. I’d never heard of the author–this is his second novel–but there was something about the title and the cover that grabbed me.
And boy did I really enjoy this book.
The book starts four months from now, with the narrator trapped under a car that has crashed into the sea. It’s an inauspicious beginning, but proves to be the logical conclusion for a man whose life went from amazing to horrific in one day.
Davis Winger is the man trapped. He has a lovely wife and daughter. He has a very cool job (he designs roller coasters) and he is well liked by everyone. Even by his sister, Molly, with whom he has a great relationship. Molly proves to be an excellent co-protagonist. Indeed, her story proves to be more interesting than his. (more…)
SOUNDTRACK: SNOH AALEGRA-Tiny Desk Concert #947 (February 18, 2020).
In what seems to be a new trend at the Tiny Desk, here’s another artist whom I’ve never heard of somehow and who manages to cram five songs into 16 minutes. (I won’t complain about the length of this show because it’s not that long, but everyone knows you get three songs).
