Some people are disappointed in Torche for recording an album that has crossover potential. That might bother me, too, if it were still possible for metal bands to crossover. To me, “Across the Shields” exemplifies what makes Torche’s Meanderthal such an exciting album: not only are they making catchy, hooky music, they’re still going for the jugular. Every moment exults in triumph. With Meanderthal, Torche blend intensity and pop sensibility that one rarely sees in metal, and it’s more than a little refreshing after a few solid years of black metal fetishism.
Day: August 21, 2008
FAVORITE SONGS OF 2008: SANTOGOLD — “LIGHTS OUT”
It’s easy to understand why Santi White aka Santogold would be upset with critics for calling her music hip-hop or R&B, as anyone who’s listened to her latest single, “Lights Out,” would know. It’s a great new wave track that could’ve, nay, should’ve been one of the summer’s undersung hits. Then again, with a new season of “Gossip Girl” just around the corner, it might have the makings of a campus classic.
FAVORITE SONGS OF 2008: PORTISHEAD — “THE RIP”
Portishead’s “The Rip” is hands down one of my favorite songs of 2008. The video is equally beautiful. It’s on my current mix and I’m guessing it’ll stay there for the rest of the year. I didn’t think that Portishead’s Third could match their earlier work; Dummy had a major impact on me as a teenager trying to wean himself off of crunching guitars, and the melancholy expressed in their music floored me.
Third is the sort of album that shows a band capable of regaining their former glory. The emotional heft of “The Rip” really demonstrates that Portishead still have a grasp on what made them so great to begin with. R.E.M. and Metallica could learn a thing or two from them.
I’m also fond of Radiohead’s backstage version, featured above, with Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood both on acoustic guitars. It’s so referential and lovely; Yorke’s voice is a thing of wonder with material like this.
WHY MUXTAPE’S PROBABLY GONE FOR GOOD
Both Valleywag and Silicon Alley Insider point out that one of the reasons Muxtape shut down probably wasn’t the R.I.A.A., but all the costs associated with running a massive streaming music database. One of the things I’ve noticed about Web 2.0 is that music content is seen as more of a liability than an asset when growing a business, as the Muxtape shutdown demonstrates. That is to say, there’s probably no bailout coming, at least not for Muxtape as we knew it. The bottom line is if you’re bullish on “music 2.0,” Muxtape’s situation should be a case study for anyone who’s trying to find the right niche for music online.