Movietone
The Blossom Filled Streets
Drag City
The Blossom Filled Streets may be one of the year’s most deft, yet unobtrusive musical statements. It sidled up next to me, but once it had my attention, it turned around and walked on to the other side of the street, whistling a melody that sounded vaguely like Vivaldi.
Movietone makes songs the way I love them most: filled with understated emotion. The instruments weave distinct paths, not always falling directly in line with the vocals the way that “songs” tend to. The title track starts out on a melancholy note but soon progresses into a thundering climax of piano, bass and drums, with the guitar and horn adding abstract atmospherics on top. “Seagulls/bass” is about as literal a title can get, the song consisting of extended bass techniques/squeaking alongside seagulls. The lyrics tread that line between personable and imagistic, and add subtle commentary to the playing. “Hydra” has the guitar perfectly in step with the vocals, bending and swirling around “1950s chairs/weathered by salt in the air.” It’s so pretty and substantial and (soon to be) lovingly careworn.
Drag City, 2000 West Carroll, Suite 201, Chicago, IL 60612; http://www.dragcity.com
