Music for Hypocrites 01.11.07: The Twilight Singers
Posted by Matt Stone on 01.11.2007
Music for Hypocrites returns...
I'm Matt and this is Music for Hypocrites.
First let's hit the mailbox. We've got one this week from aidan, who writes:
"Franz Ferdinand disappointed me because they didn't grow, they didn't change and although they're still brilliant, they are now not a lasting band because they did not evolve and all great bands change. The Killers changed immensely, hopped two albums ahead of themselves and surprised me, surprised those critics more than they wish to admit, so they will be a lasting band. Brandon's relentless campaign against the horrible music and attitude of today will one day, finally, be admired and he's the most brave of any musician not because he can speak up and be honest, but also because he won't allow to be put down by anyone. He's got a big heart and a great love for what he does and has amazing wisdom for his age. These people don't come around often."
Alright, let me sink my teeth into this one.
1) Franz Ferdinand, what happened? That first disc was honestly great and I'm not one to enjoy that type of stuff. Then the second disc comes out, I grab immediately and don't even get through it. It sounds like B sides from the first disc. Just about the most disappointing release of the last couple of years, right under Weezer's Make Believedisc. Weezer is a story for another column.
2) The Killers changed their game in a very similar way to Coldplay. They both got exposure to arenas and a large fan bases, went into the studio, released these gargantuan albums of U2-proportionate anthems and presented themselves as larger than life. Flowers, well, he's a dunderhead when he opens his mouth, but he's just being himself and expresses that openly. Rock stars are supposed to be dunderheads. At least until the become Bono-liths.
3) These people do come around often, but they usually have no talent to back it up and are reclassified as a-holes. ;)
Only one mail this week. I'm so lonely…
We can't get very far into today's column or much further down the road without mentioning my friend Shawn, so I'll get the introduction out of the way now. I've known the guy for 10 years now; he's been a co-worker, a boss, a band mate or a musical consort of mine for all of those 10 years, usually more than once on each account. Shawn and I have contrasting views on a lot of music, for example the fact that I think pretty much any album recorded with a dude wearing spandex any time between 1981-1992 isn't worth acknowledging let alone listening to (save for Def Leppard), and he can write 1000 words about why I should go out to my back yard, dig down to the septic tank and dunk my head in until I drown because I like everything Marcy Playground has ever released. Although we don't see eye to eye on a lot of music, about once or twice a year one of us grabs the other guy, says "Dude, get this band, now", and usually end up burning either their entire discography or a "sampler" for the other person to make them see why what you are talking about is the best band ever recording the best songs ever and soaking it up for a few months until one of finds something else.
I think the first time this happened with Shawn hitting me up with Rated R by Queens of the Stone Age. We went back and forth the last couple of years with U2 discs, more QOTSA, the Killers, more QOTSA again, The Burden Brothers, Mark Lanegan and recently the Twilight Singers, which occasionally features Mark Lanegan. There's more, but let's get focused. Shawn's basically at the point that if he sees something that says "featuring Mark Lanegan", it's purchased before he even knows what he's buying. So, a couple of months back I keep getting instant messages with "Twilight Singers! Twilight Singers" all over it.
Let me paint you a picture.
You've got a girl. You are in love. It's a passionate love. The lovemaking is usually a drunken, drug fueled massacre as violent as the fights that occur around it. Even the silent moments are intense. Every feeling you have is amplified ten fold when it involves her.
Another night, another argument. It's even ground and you're both to blame though no one is going to admit they've done a single thing wrong. Strong, uncompromising minds and hearts are holding their ground. She's got you so torqued up and on the ropes you're scrambling for a comeback. Then it hits you out of nowhere. The deal-breaker. The secret locked in the vault. It's the neutralizer. Despite how many times she's called your number, this is the knockout punch. It's the "Oh yeah? Well you had a friggin' gang bang with the Denver Broncos, whore!" vindictive howl that ushers in an uncomfortable silence before lamps start flying at your head.
Back that up about 5 seconds. The secret just got pulled from the vault, your head is spinning and you're desperately trying to control yourself and hold back. You know everything comes to an end if your tongue flicks off of your teeth, and you're manically grasping at anything that will pull you back from what you are about to do.
She Loves You, Stitch in Time and Powder Burns are the soundtrack for that moment. They're also the soundtrack for the walk to the car, the drive home, the nights after, the days calling in sick and laying on the floor, the hours of drinking, drugs, depression, reflection, denial, living at the corner of the bar, picking up what table scraps you can find to numb what you are feeling, completely unraveling and the first morning that you can stand up, not feel like your dying anymore and face the sunlight without contemplating the shotgun in the closet.
The Twilight Singers began as a side project of Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli. You can hear the audible evolution from the Afghan Whigs 1965 disc into The Twilight Singers Blackberry Belle and through to Powder Burns. Mark Lanegan, former frontman of Screaming Trees is featured and pops in sporadically across their later releases. Lanegan has deep soul in his voice, and that soul has been a chain smoking, alcoholic smack addict since it was 8. The mixture of that soul with Dulli's "last grasp" vocal stylings creates some of the most hauntingly disparaging duets I've ever heard. I'd kill to have pipes like theirs, though I think in order to get them I'd have to drink and smoke so much that I'd be dead before I got to the end result.
To conclude, do not pass Go. Do directly to eMusic.com and buy Powder Burns, Stitch in Time and She Loves You. Sign up for the 25 free downloads free offer and startdownloading. Between The Twilight Singers, Colin Hay and the Drive-By Truckers, I upgraded to the highest account they had and have been living on music since.
Save these discs for the next time you are pissed, drunk and alone, then spin ‘em until there's a fist-shaped hole in the drywall, rub one out and take a nap. You'll feel better in the morning.
