Jack Aubrey Reviews Indie Rock Songs

"The Mariners Revenge Song" by the Demberists.

JA: I don't know who these decemberists are but they are no seamen.  Only a lubber would be caught up like that and eaten by a whale

JA: Anyway, Stephen, you know more about these reptiles than I. You can't live in the belly of a whale, much less murder a man for acting the scrub to your mother, can you?

SM: Jesus Mary and Joseph! They're not reptiles, Jack.

JA: They're cold and slimy. Surely that is a reptile, Stephen.

SM: -fumes-  -Plays a bit on his cello-

JA: (worried) Well you can't live inside a whale's stomach, can you, Stephen?

SM: -Sighs-  I should think not.  They are more like bags then caves, really.  So one could not murder any scrubs whilst inside of one.  And all the specimens that I am aware of have throats far too narrow to swallow a man whole.

JA:  There was the Jonah, though.  The first Jonah Cove, with the rum run of luck.  What about him?

SM: It stands to reason, then, that that was a miraculous whale, with a capacious gullet and a voluminous gut.

JA:  Well then, I suppose that settles it.  No seamen, and ignorant of whales as well.  Shall we play the Boccharini?

"Marduk T-Shirt Men's Room Incident" by the Mountain Goats

JA: This...Darnielle fellow seems like a bit of a scrub, doesn't he?  I mean, if a woman should, well, you know, undo one's breeches and...in a privy.  Well one should at least thank the lady for her kindness, and not write a song about it.

SM: You are the soul of gallantry, Jack.

JA: I don't see what's so diverting.  I just think that a gentlemen aughtn't tell the world of such things, let alone insult the lady by telling everyone he was thinking of another woman.  It is very badly done, Steven.  What's Marduk, anyway?

SM: The god of Babylon, I believe.

JA: Awfully odd thing to have embroidered on your chemise, ain't it?

SM: There is no accounting for the fashions of the young.

JA: Well, I'm still plenty young, and I don't understand it.

SM:...

JA: Oh come now, Steven, don't say I'm old.  Any more than the dear Surprise herself!

SM: -mutters- in your current state you more resemble the horrible old leopard, down to the unsound knees

JA: Eh?  I didn't hear that.

SM: I said you are still in your prime.

Metal Monday Double Header

We have a double-header for today's metal Monday.

First up is the latest from A Pregnant Light, a one man metal/<something>core/indie band out of Grand Rapids, MI.  It's probably inevitable that a guy who describes his own music as 'Purple Metal' releases a single called "Purple Pain."  It's a testament to how good this is that I'm not disappointed that it's not a tremelo-picked and screamed tribute to Prince.

The songs here are nothing really new for 'Deathless Marantha', but when you have one of the most unique sounds in loud music today, that's not so bad.  It's more hook-heavy, emotionally raw and generally rocking material that mashes up metal rifts, hardcore-esque vocals and some lovely post-punk guitars.

http://colloquialsoundrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/purple-pain-b-w-ultraviolet

Since today's theme is apparently emotionally gripping material from one-man bands the next song is from Dawnbringer.  Even their last album was pretty deeply felt; it is probably the most emotionally gripping concept album about murdering a Urizenesque solar deity.  But these songs from their latest are stripped down and powerful, like some alternate universe Jason Molina that still played heavy metal.  It's great stuff.

http://profoundlorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/night-of-the-hammer