“Static on the Wire” by Holy Ghost!
Before I begin, I must confess that I am a total nerd for Holy Ghost!’s music. I didn’t want to write this review because I didn’t think I could be impartial. Plus, I don’t want to come off like I am part of Holy Ghost!’s street team trying to cram their music down your throats. My fears of bias are assuaged by the fact that my love turns to hate in less time than it took the Titanic to sink, and I hate fan boys of all types, especially when I see one in the mirror. With this settled, let us dive into the NYC duo Holy Ghost!’s newest track “Static on the Wire,” to be officially released this month on an EP of the same name.
Holy Ghost! is associated with the DFA, and they are friends of LCD Soundsystem and Juan MacLean. They are perhaps more famous for the plethora of remixes they have made over the last couple years than they are for the few original songs they have released. Holy Ghost!’s style definitely trends backwards towards the late 70’s/early 80’s in terms of production, songwriting, and aesthetic. “Static on the Wire” sounds like it could be a lost A-side from 1982 you bought for a dollar at a garage sale. The sound is incredibly warm and the instrumentation is remarkably tight. It sounds like it has been labored over for months in a small dank studio. The production is so rich that it doesn’t bear much resemblance to most of the indie music currently being released. While this may get off music nerds and audiophiles, it may not turn on the average listener who is use to a more aggressive or truncated sound.
“Static on the Wire” is a boring track the first time you hear it. It is so even keel, its hard to take anything away from it besides the warm honey sound. Upon further listens, the track begins to come alive in much the same way their track “I Will Come Back” regenerates and evolves with continued listens. I listened to “I Will Come Back” about three times when it first came out in July of last year. By the end of last year, I had probably listened to it over 50 times. For this year add another 30. Since it’s release about a week ago, I have listened to “Static on the Wire” about 20 times. I don’t understand how these tracks never get old. It’s truly mind boggling especially for someone like me who is constantly discarding great music from a day ago in search of that next high. For this track and Holy Ghost!’s other original tracks, the high hits me on the sixth or tenth listen, and then it never goes away like a shot of whiskey, it just sits there and burns.
Despite my pleasure, I do not think most people will like or connect with Holy Ghost!’s music, even in the indie/hiptser scenes. It’s too awkward, meticulous, and self-indulgent. I don’t think they will cross over into the LCD Soundsystem or Vampire Weekend territory. They are not this year’s Phoenix, that’s for sure. This being said, I think Holy Ghost! is making some of the best music out there. The confident songwriting, obsessive production, and width of their musical range is pretty staggering. I don’t want to be that guy who sits at the bar drinking straight scotch trying to convince the bartender that Steely Dan is the greatest band ever, babbling on about complex jazz structures and the backstory behind “Deacon Blues.” In spite of this fear, I would suggest that if you are a music nerd and are really into the sound of a record, you will probably get a lot out of spending a significant amount of time with Holy Ghost!.
Chapel Club – O Maybe I
CHAPEL CLUB | MySpace Music Videos
“O Maybe I” by Chapel Club
What is the current state of indie rock, or should I say college rock? You know, four or five guys, guitars, bass, drums, and vox. When indie rock became popular and mainstream in America this last decade with Death Cab for Cutie and Modest Mouse, the line between alternative and mass-market was erased completely. The indie rock sound became hip for everyone to like from tweens mallrats to 40-something watercooler gossips. Looking from the inside out as a music fanatic, this whole process has been strange and unsettling. When a obscure band or sound becomes popular, there is always the tendency to feel betrayed or defensive about liking it before everyone else. This is ultimately futile because the masses will redefine the band or sound you love until it bears no resembles to your once betrothed.
In an effort to explore my past love, I decided to take on a new indie rock song that I liked upon first hearing it. Chapel Club is a band that is trending in Britain. They have been together for only a couple years old, and they have released a single here and there. Their newest single is “O Maybe I,” and it appears to be a straight-forward indie guitar song. The hook is immediate and pleasant as the guitar takes a counterpoint to the lead’s droll singing. This song is definitely “by the books” in terms of the instrumentation and song structure. This being said, I feel there is some something of substance here. It may be the fact that they are British, which usually means they have a better musical IQ then the average American band. The directness and confidence of the vocals sets it apart from the normally smarmy mumblings of indie rockers. The lyrics indulge in the common self-doubt and romantic confusion, but the singer carries the words a lot better than most of his peers.
I like the song, but I don’t love it. The question remains whether the whole sound of indie rock is tired and unable to effectively communicate emotion since it has become so widespread and homogenized. “O Maybe I” is a well-written and well-produced song, but it delivers no spark beyond the dry delivery and emotional distance of the lead singer. Is the issue the song or is it the current music environment? Ten years ago, I would have adored this song. Have I outgrown this style of music or has music culture changed to point where complex and passionate art can no longer be created with the canvas of guitar, drums, and vox? This is hyperbole of course, but there is something there. If Death Cab for Cutie came out today with We Have the Facts, and We’re Voting Yes, would anyone care? Can an indie rock band who doesn’t have a shtick (Phoenix: “We’re French!”, Vampire Weekend: “We’re Wasps!”) make an impact on our music culture like Death Cab or Modest Mouse did in the middle of last decade? Can a young and talented indie rock band like The Lonely Forest, who are currently recording their debut LP with Chris Walla, break out of the Northwest scene like their forebearers? All I have are questions, no answers yet.
Will this song be featured on an episode of Gossip Girl?
“We Sing in Time” by The Lonely Forest