SMC - 2 For 1 Week

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  • Echoes
    Echoes Posts: 1,279
    I think that when you compare the two, that Shugo's is definately more lush than Paper Anniversary. Sure there are songs like "Switch" and "Funfair" where he meanders into sparse, single instrument passages , but the rest is so gorgeously layered and busy that I find it hard to call sparse. It manages to be subtle even in its busiest moments. Paper Anniversary has more of emphasis on notes not played, and even has a sense of desolation around it at times, if that even makes sense. It is layered very well with the field recordings ("How To Dissect A Ground Owl" on headphones is amazing), but it still is quite sparse, even when the tempo is up, I find.
    printf("shiver in eternal darkness\n");
  • transplant
    transplant Posts: 1,088
    Echoes wrote:
    I can't help but be struck with imagery of sparse fields and snow covered plains, with tiny wisps of smoke hanging on the horizon.
    well said. i started to listen to this in earnest probably the second after my last post. it is strange, the difference between then and now is instead of the high 60's and 70's outside, it changed to cold and snowy and I have a nice window here where I can just look out and daze a little. this disc is a nice companion for that type of atmosphere. the CD cover art (thanks for that BTW, it saves me going out to get it myself) probably puts that in your head as well.

    anyway, I am actually finding myself enjoying this as much if not more than the Shugo disc. Souveniers is a gem.
  • AndySlash
    AndySlash Posts: 3,287
    I really like the Fellows album. I'm not much of a lyrics guy in that they usually come last to me when listening to music, and by then I've already formed my own association with the song, but with her album I found a lot of her words to resonate with me. Probably my favorite was the emo-ish 'I don't think that life happens *to* you, more likely in spite of you'. In fact, that song, Double Takes, is easily my favorite on the record. I love the sparseness(?) of the song, the piano is haunting, and the field recordings in the background are a wonderful touch. Her voice is one that I could listen to all day.

    My boss walked in while I was listening to the Shugo album and asked if I was listening to childrens music. As I mentioned before, 'The Mop' went on repeat- I love this song. It's a song that would fit well at the end of a movie when things have worked out for the main characters and they're getting ready to move on from the earlier struggles. Best example of what I'm picturing here is the Penguin Cafe Orchestra's 'Music For a Found Harmonium' playing over the last couple minutes of Napoleon Dynamite. The Mop has that vibe. Typewriter has similarities to a few of Iron & Wine's songs on the Woman King EP which I found interesting. With this album I kinda liked it less the more I listened to it, which is too bad. I can't really pinpoint why that is, it just happened.
  • AndySlash
    AndySlash Posts: 3,287
    transplant wrote:
    a co-worker popped his head in and asked me why I was listening to Children's Music.
    AndySlash wrote:
    My boss walked in while I was listening to the Shugo album and asked if I was listening to childrens music.

    Whoa! Weird!
  • Echoes
    Echoes Posts: 1,279
    hahaha!

    Night Piece is a very playful album, I can definately see where your coworkers are coming from. It is pretty easy to mistake it as being intended for children, it seems so upbeat sometimes. Who says great music has to be tinged with sadness?

    Also, I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but Fellows is the wife of Weakerthans frontman John K Samson. You can hear him in the background of "Instructions..."
    printf("shiver in eternal darkness\n");
  • transplant
    transplant Posts: 1,088
    AndySlash wrote:
    Whoa! Weird!
    VERY strange....... Perhaps it could be on a soundtrack to the coolest childrens program on the planet. lord knows I can use one about now.

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