Giraffes? Giraffes!

Anyone who hold fascination with the intricately dizzying yet intellectually compelling compositions of Omar Rodriquez Lopez will find new a whole new cause for celebration in Giraffes? Giraffes! The band consists of Joseph Andreoli on guitar, and Kenneth Topham, who I will argue despite the groups anonymity to be one of the best damn percussionists in rock music today. This is math rock at its finest, where the only constant is that the time signature won't be. At times it feels as if these songs must have arose from glorious accidents, with each musician seemingly adrift within the piece despite the constant resolution. While many math rock bands step into the pitfall of being too smart however, GG shrug this off effortlessly with an endearing playfulness that invites you to get lost in their musical insanity. From their band name, to hilarious and epic song titles like "I Am S/H(im)e[r] As You Are Me And We Am I And I Are All Our Together: Our Collective Consciousness' Psychogenic Fugue", it's obvious how they feel about the overly pretentious.

The duo released their debut in '05 an extremely lo-fi affair that one would probably describe as "showing promise". Two years later 2007 brought us 'More Skin With Milk Mouth'. At 28 minutes it is a short, but extremely compelling listen. The energy never lets up, and the hooks and ideas just keep on firing. Check out the band site here, download links below, and check out the closer streaming.

"A Quick One While She's Away", 2007


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Cat Power Record Rumors

So I recently saw the movie 'Powder Blue'. You know, the one where Jessica Biel plays the stripper.. Well, aside from that, the one truly redeeming quality about this movie is the use of a track from Cat Power's 2003 album 'You Are Free'. I implore you, turn down the lights, sip on an alcoholic beverage, close your eyes, and let "Werewolf" wash over you. (Listening to it soundtrack Jessica Biel stripping isn't bad either). There is nothing else in music quite like this, and its signature make-your-skin-crawl kind of bare bones subtlety is what has solidified 'You Are Free' as something of a modern classic. This is what makes rumors of a return to form Cat Power album in 2010 so exciting. After all, Chan Marshall hasn't played guitar on a record in 7 years, and I for one yearn for the post rock style pained atmospherics of her pre-adult contemporary musings.

As good as 'You Are Free' is, when digging into the Cat Power catalogue for me it all comes back to 1998's 'Moon Pix'. This was her first truly realized record, and was recorded with members of the Dirty Three on drums and bass. This in combination with Marshall's pained guitar notes makes for what souds like a post rock album with her soulful moaning gracing the affair. Indie myth claims she wrote the whole thing in one night amidst a fit of insomnia. Oh yes, and she's drop dead gorgeous. Check out "Werewolf", and download links for 'Moon Pix' below.

"Werewolf", 2003

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(Due to the soundtrack theme and the inclusion of a song title 'Werewolf', I can't help but bring up that the 'Twilight New Moon' soundtrack is actually rather good. The old favorites all pitch decent tracks, and a couple of the lesser knowns will surprise you. Worth checking out.)