Category: Music
The Week In Music: The Front Bottoms
A few miles and many years north of Saves The Day, is another Jersey band that packs massive amounts of words and heart into three-minute pop songs.
This week, “Talon Of The Hawk“, marked the return of The Front Bottoms. Everything here is tighter and more focused than their full length debut two years ago. Gone is some of the violence and sex, making way for more pointed lyrical gems like “I want to be stronger than your dad was for your mom” and “goodbye future once so bright, meet my pregnant girlfriend“.
In other news, tell your girlfriend to check out the Laura Mvula album, and your little brother to check out Cam Meekins…but keep this one for yourself.
Interview: Royston Langdon Of Spacehog
Last Friday night, Gordon and I went back to 1995 when Spacehog played Kung Fu Necktie in Philadelphia.
They put out a new album this year. It doesn’t have “In The Meantime” or “Mungo City” on it, soooooooo.
None the less, they ripped through a tight set, and I got to scream “From Mungo City!” in an appropriate setting for the first time ever.
After the show when Gordon wandered off to take care of some business, I noticed lead singer Royston Langdon sitting at the merch table. When the flow of picture-takers had slowed and I was clutching an empty “Natty Bo”, I decided to make my way over and talk with Royston for a bit.
This is that.
Royston Langdon Of Spacehog
The Week In Music: Vampire Weekend
Often in the back half of our twenties we get stuck between ideals. The consequences of life have become clearer and more ever-present. Not in a morbid way, but in a way that comes with a better understanding of the world. An understanding that you will never fully understand, but still feel around in the dark for the things that bring you peace. It’s then that the things that drive you shift, along with your views on life and love, how they commingle and make sense in the most confusing of times. You are rebuilding the castle with spare parts from the things you thought.
It’s a change between brooding self-interest to open minds for some. A more sincere love and a deeper examination of relationships, all born out of the recklessness of youth. But it’s not a life or thought that you graduate to. It’s a shaky upward climb. It’s a swerving ride across questions that you never thought to ask.
With that, we often spend this time with one foot intrenched in more than one mindset. Looking back with fondness but appreciating the lessons learned since. Holding on to loves past while you view missteps through a clearer lens, and shaking old habits of flawed thinking while discovering new worlds in plain sight.
There are things in our lives that are no longer infinite, so we better get to living while we can. We once thought we had things figured out, but we don’t. The good news is in learning that “figuring it out” is the journey worth taking. The question we never thought to ask is the life we were meant to live, and the loves that come and go are just a part of that question.
In my mind, Vampire Weekend has written a love letter to being in this place. It’s called “Modern Vampires Of The City“.
“Wisdom’s a gift, but you’d trade it for youth. Age is an honor – it’s still not the truth.”
Along the way they explore time, religion, love, and self-understanding….but never come to a resolution. I think that’s the point, and why this album is beautiful. There is no resolution, just these words that leave you…
“you take your time, young lion”
It’s worth your time, no matter where you find your footing.
