Roar has a concept EP about Phil Spector imprisoning his Ronnie Spector (formerly of the Ronettes) in their mansion, surrounded by barbed wire fences and guard dogs. It is the greatest thing to happen to me in months. Actually though. My younger daughter recommended it to me strongly, but I didn’t listen to it right away. More fool me, because that was like a week and a half I wasn’t listening to it on repeat, and I’ll never get those days back. It’s creepy and beautiful and combines wall of sound type sections with terrifyingly beautiful rock I don’t totally know how to characterize. I got to tell her in turn that she would like Apples in Stereo, which she does due to certain transitive properties of liking music. (They were in a loose group of bands including Neutral Milk Hotel, so you know they are good.) There is only one thing for which Roar should be criminally prosecuted, and that is that both the songs and the EP itself are too goddamn short. My second favorite song, Duck or Ape, is 1:39! It’s verse chorus verse chorus achingly beautiful bridge to nowhere that’s two. Lines. Long. I feel that 2:59 (with some wiggle room) is the perfect length for a song, accepting that Sufjan Stevens can make me cry for 6:25 or Joanna Newsom can write songs about the tragic outcome of interstellar battles and I’m cool with that. (More on the 2:59 anon.)
“Christmas Kids” is about that time Phil Spector got ahold of a pair of twins and brought the children to Ronnie as a Christmas present. Surprise! Actual human beings as a gift! Bet you wonder where I got them! The children (they adopted one more) came out much later to say that they were imprisoned also and at times kept in cages. Ronnie broke free, barefoot, with the help of her mom. She gave up all future music earnings because she was so terrified he would kill her after she escaped as he had always threatened. Phil Spector didn’t go to jail on the back of any of this? He had to murder someone first? I agree that he’s a towering genius of production and song writing, but uh…how exculpatory is that really? I’m sure Ronnie and the children will feel better if they forgive him.
Strangely quiet but normal speed: Christmas Kids
Last two lines, why you got to pierce my heart like that and then leave me to press repeat until my thirst is slaked? Duck or Ape
{ 3 comments }
Chris 05.27.19 at 3:26 am
Wow, that’s really good! I do totally hear the Apples in Stereo/Elephant 6 connection, but it also sounds like the Flaming Lips if they had a Beach Boys phase (or maybe Brian Wilson if he had a Flaming Lips phase).
oldster 05.27.19 at 12:01 pm
Thanks for the recommendation, Belle.
I like Apples in Stereo, too!
One of the best things about having kids is that they turn you on to good music that you’d otherwise never hear.
Kids not required, I suppose, if you have young friends who are many decades younger than you are, but who does, really?
There is *so* much good music being made these days, that it’s a golden age for consumers. The musicians themselves cannot make any money, which is very sad.
I’ve been listening to Orla Gartland, a young Dubliner who writes hooks and plays guitar like she means it. Dodie Clark, who has a wide ranging pallette from dance tunes to french cafe to show tunes to confessional acoustic. Vulfpeck and Scary Pockets for the funk.
Now I will check out Roar.
Belle Waring 05.27.19 at 12:15 pm
Those are good comparisons too!
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