08-02-2022 alter:MiX # 33 alter tracks in PRSNT_PRFCT_MiX [2019-2022] (2h 21m) # Tindersticks, The Cribs, Trees Speak, David Bowie, Seafoam Walls, Biffy Clyro, Jordana, Marika Hackman, Matt Valentine, Girlpool, Circles Around the Sun, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio
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Tindersticks were one of the most original and distinctive British acts of the '90s, standing apart from both the British indie scene and the rash of Brit-pop guitar combos that dominated the U.K. charts. Where their contemporaries were often direct and to the point, Tindersticks were obtuse and leisurely, crafting dense, difficult songs layered with literary lyrics, intertwining melodies, mumbling vocals, and gently melancholy orchestrations. Essentially, the group filtered the dark romanticism of Leonard Cohen, Ian Curtis, and Scott Walker through the bizarre pop songcraft of Lee Hazlewood and the aesthetics of indie rock...
Pinky in the Daylight 5:22
The Amputees 3:37
from No Treasure But Hope 2019
There are few if any working bands who craft their music as meticulously as Tindersticks; their music is like a suspension bridge built out of nuance, a wealth of small details coming together into something tremendously powerful even when it's whisper quiet (which is often). So it's surprising to learn that the group's 2019 album No Treasure But Hope was recorded in less than a week. Rather than creating an elaborately constructed piece in the studio and then figuring out how to play it on-stage, in this case they opted to establish the framework of their compositions first, and then played them live in the studio for a more natural, organic feel. But if anyone was expecting No Treasure But Hope to sound rougher or less precise given the way it was recorded, they'd be wrong. The craft these performers bring to this music is as stunning as ever, and the interplay between the musicians is wondrous, made all the more remarkable by the deeply affecting murmur of Stuart Staples' vocals. As one might expect from Tindersticks, No Treasure But Hope often feels dour and somewhat overcast, despite the strength of the tunes and the abilities of the instrumentalists...
Blending quintessentially British influences like Sex Pistols and the Smiths with American indie rock like Beat Happening, the Cribs became one of the U.K.'s cult favorite bands in the 2000s and beyond...
Screaming In Suburbia 3:49
In The Neon Night 3:37
from Night Network 2020
On Night Network, the Cribs trade the serrated punk of 24-7 Rockstar Shit for guitar pop that's as joyous as it is cathartic. Exploring the extremes of their sound is nothing new for this band, but the reasons behind the shift seem clearer than ever this time around. Not long after the release of their previous album, the Cribs parted ways with their management when they discovered the rights to their early songs belonged to someone else. During the year and a half they spent in a protracted but successful legal battle to regain ownership of their music, they recorded Night Network at their longtime friend Dave Grohl's Los Angeles studio. Given the heaviness in their lives at the time, it's no wonder that the Cribs opted to make music that's lighter and often wiser-sounding than what came before it. On their first self-produced album, they don't just strip away much of 24-7's aggression and distortion; they come to terms with the complexities of the past on Night Network's frequently gorgeous songs...
Tucson, Arizona band Trees Speak look to 1970s Krautrock, synth drone, soundtrack music, and Bitches Brew-era Miles Davis for inspiration when putting together their dizzying experiments with electronics and song deconstruction...
Seventh Mirror 3:22
Pyramid 2:34
...Yet the tracks themselves are mostly short, and the band remain incredibly focused, even as they're venturing further out than they've ever gone before. The Krautrock and cinematic influences of their previous albums remain present, but this one seems far more influenced by vintage electronics of all stripes, from the alien soundscapes of the Forbidden Planet score to Tangerine Dream's iconic soundtrack work from the '80s. It almost seems like the audio equivalent of hyperlink cinema, as each successive track sounds vastly different than the last, yet it's all connected in some way, and it makes more sense with repeated listens. The band excel at channeling '60s psych vibes through a retro Broadcast/Ghost Box filter, with touches of Baroque pop and film noir influences, and there are also moments filled with hazy effects, making them sound like they're sourced from a crackly old film reel...
