Public Strain

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My two favorite albums of the year (thus far) are in stores today, and not a moment too soon. I have been listening to both over the past several weeks of summer and in doing so have at times felt like a goth kid on the beach. Now that darker times are upon us, I feel fine.

First up: Public Strain, the second album by Women, again produced by genius Calgary resident Chad VanGaalen. It's basically a pop album covered in layers and layers of rust and moss and fog to the point that some new system of topographic contours are formed. I recommend taking it in as a whole (something I don't do much lately), however, the final cut, "Eyesore," is especially worthy of note. The way it builds from about 3:23 on and then resolves itself (resolves the whole album, really) basically expresses to me in music the pain and beauty and ultimate acceptance of being alive... I don't mind telling you. (Listening to this song makes me think of what Jack Kerouac wrote about Robert Frank's The Americans: "After seeing these pictures you end up finally not knowing whether a jukebox is sadder than a coffin.")

Women Eyesore mp3 – more info at Jagjaguwar and Flemish Eye

Next: Everything In Between, the third album by Los Angeles California band No Age. I'm pretty much open to whatever they want to do at this point (which is another way of saying that some of the time I am a fan more in theory than in practice*) but I was pleasantly surprised by the thorough catchiness of this record. The noise is still there but it seems more structured and sometimes it's more quiet and focused noise. Here's one favorite of many:

No Age Glitter mp3 – more info at Sub Pop

Anyway, thankfully I am not under pressure to write coherent record reviews anymore, but those are two albums I would recommend picking up this fine Tuesday afternoon.

*A fan more in theory than in practice: by this I mean that if a person sets up a system by which they make their artwork or design, such as, say, modernism, you might respect the system and often be completely enthralled with the outcome, while not necessarily personally connecting with it. Other times, you might thoroughly connect with the outcome on a soul level, and then be doubly pleased by both the individual thing and its place in the system.