The Listening Post No. 11

MP3: Jim Guthrie "Never Poor" + Lyric

Jim Guthrie's "Never Poor", off of his 2013 release, Takes Time, opens with a boozy horn and late night nicotine piano that recalls 70's Tom Waits and the dive bar openings found on his early records, but that is blasted against the wall by the rich fat sound of Guthrie and his band all jumping in on the same beat. And surprisingly, and pleasingly, that good feeling lasts just four beats before Guthrie increases the feel-good-vibe by exposing the heart of the song, a multi-tracked vocal which blends the magic of many great harmony bands of yesteryear (Simon and Garfunkel, The Byrds, the Everly Brothers) together through his studio expertise and Andy Magoffin's mastering; add in the strength of the lyric and you've got something to come home to.

 

"Never Poor"
I am a wealthy man
But I'm in debt
So death to all my idle hands
Not dead yet
So bring the noise and rest assured
Never Poor

Late last night
Now we're on the mend
Lost the plot
You don't get change
From the time you spend
We sure spent a lot
Don't need to chase it anymore
Never poor

So eat drink sing melody
Don't be so angst-y
Know that you'll never have more
Might get what you ask for
Just know that you're never poor

Woke last night from the strangest dream
Heart beating fast
Ran outta time making time machines
Time won't last
It leaves in the night out our back door
But we're never sure

So eat drink sing melody
Don't be so angst-y
Know that you'll never have more
Might get what we ask for
Just know that you're never poor
It's you I adore
I know that I'm never poor

Song Credits
Jim Guthrie - guitars, vocals, synth
Evan Clarke - drums
Simon Osbourne - bass
Shaw-Han Liem - piano
JJ Ipsen - additional piano, bass clarinet
Andy Magoffin - horn on intro

Read the Sixeyes interview with Polaris Prize nominated, Jim Guthrie, here. 

*Thanks to Scott of Bronx Cheerleader for inspiring this post by forcing me to re-listen.

Andy Shauf: 'The Bearer of Bad News' MP3s

The term Western Canada often brings to mind iconic images such as Lake Louise, the Rockies, or a Mountie on a horse framed by Lake Louise and the Rockies... but shift a tad east to the heart of the west, Saskatchewan, and you'll find flat plains and huge vista skies. This is the Canada of Andy Shauf, a criminally ignored singer/songwriter whose audience deserves to be much, much bigger. Beginning with his debut full length, 2008's Darker Days, and followed by 2012's The Bearer of Bad News, Shauf with his multi-instrumental ability and singular voice (like a young boy with downcast eyes and a big heart) has inched ever closer to perfection in the wide open fields of indie folk pop. Actually, Baroque pop can also describe the songs of Andy Shauf, what with the classy piano figures and creamy blue clarinets found throughout his minor chord gems. After countless demos, bedroom/basement recordings, EPs and full lengths Shauf has worked his songwriting to a fine point which would be hard to ignore. And now after touring and playing the best songs of his career—from the four-year-in-the-making The Bearer of Bad News—Shauf is likely once again in a dark corner of Regina, Saskatchewan, surrounded by guitars, mandolins, drums, and clarinet (also banjo, piano, etc.) piecing together the jigsaw of another 'musical' broken heart... all for our benefit.

The Listening Post No. 8

MP3 Premiere: Englishman "More Than Insects"

Andrew English first came to the attention of Sixeyes as main man of Lexington, KY trio, The Scourge of The Sea. Their album, Make Me Armored (2006) had been leveled with uncommon songs, many which hold their allure to this day (read sixeyes review here). Now, after a couple of solo forays which went undeteced by Sixeyes (Englishman 2010 and Taxi-dermy 2009 ), English is readying to release new music.  No date has been set for followup EP, Unsafe & Sound, but English tells Sixeyes he's waiting for "...(the) finishing touches of artwork for this new release". Luckily he has shared a single titled "More Than Insects", which you can listen to and download via the bandcamp player below.

Opening with a promising whining slide guitar evoking the quiet Beatle, George Harrison, it's when English begins to sing that things climb another notch. There's a distinctive timbre that vibrates from this Lexington KY natives throat, as if the screws have been twisted an extra half turn. Just as if his 'action' has been set too high and he's landed alongside John Darnielle's crystallized whine, but at it's more relaxed and mellow moments. And not unlike Darnielle, English pens memorable lyrics, songs chock  full of lines that will ring in your head without their musical support.


From "More Than Insects":

So it's pills of all colors for magical cures
turning hearty meals into breakfast blurs
the pain is so brilliant and cutting it loose
leaves half empty coffins half ready for use

When babies are born they don't ever get told
everything hurts you and then you are old
you ruined my haircut, put blood in my brow
and I never killed much more than insects till now


Another gem from one of indie musics unrecognized talents, Andrew English a.k.a. Englishman.



Both aforementioned releases Englishman and Taxi-dermy can be found on the Englishman bandcamp.

The Listening Post No. 6