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Rating: They are called the five hundredth galaxy, but in reality, they were a brilliant meteor, Dean Wareham, Damon Krukowski, and Naomi Yang, respectively guitar, drums, and bass of the New York Band. They highlight again towards the end of the '80s the more melodic and at the same time psychedelic side of fellow citizens Velvet Underground with a poetic style that is by no means out of place to define as Barrettian, combined with the spirit and attitude of the '80s Underground, which proved so effective for the development of much of the '90s Rock both in songwriting and sound.
"Today" from 1988 is the first of the three studio gems offered to us by these admirers of a Ford model, where they immediately showcase a simple sound, but in its emotional intimacy, rich in nuances. Curious is the phrase obtained by joining the succession of their three album titles, Today, On Fire, This Is Our Music (Today, on fire, this is our music), practically encapsulating the overwhelming passion that "burns" within their art.
The album in question contains Rock nursery rhymes, fairy-tale and dreamy like "Oblivious" and "Flowers", Shoegaze prototypes very close to the finished product ("Tugboat"), to share with their contemporaries the direct guitars of Jesus & Mary Chain, combined with the cerebral and cathartic sound of Spacemen 3 with a Dream-Pop aftertaste. It's impossible to forget the instrumental track contained in the album, an example of how music can be universal, a base upon which one can imagine both shouted and whispered vocals, a child of the Post-Punk attitude with reverberations and Folk-Rock suggestions reminiscent of Younghiana, a track that almost has the flavor of music from certain Dinosaur Jr. and the early Yo La Tengo, in its sound progression that is so aggressive yet melodic ("Instrumental"). Even more fundamental is the influence of Jonathan Richman, and it's no coincidence there's the cover "Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste".
I often wonder what the right season is to associate with listening to an album; this could be a hybrid sound between spring and fall, but I think any moment is the right one to listen to them.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Flowers (04:28)
I can never calm you down
And I can never turn you around
I could never bring you flowers
I could never turn you around
I can't be there when you're sleeping
I can't be inside your dreams
And I can't be there when you're sleeping
And I can't be inside your dreams
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Staring at the kitchen sink
Feeling a plastic mood
Feel like things have gotta change
Cause baby you're a lunatic
02 Pictures (03:26)
Baby my head's full of wishes
Baby my head's full of pictures
Baby my head's full of colors
Baby my head's full of pictures of you
Baby I spent all my money
Baby don't think that it's funny
Baby my head's full of colors
Baby my head's full of pictures of you
03 Parking Lot (02:54)
Sitting on a subway train and
Watching all the people lose their senses
Hiding in a parking lot and
Watching all the people fall to pieces
I don't mind
I think it's fine
04 Don't Let Our Youth Go to Waste (06:54)
I need to walk by the flowers with someone who could share my face
Looks like nobody could take your place
And I could bleed in sympathy with you
On those days
And I could drink up everything you have
Don't let it go to waste
I could show you memories to rival Berlin in the thirties
I understand your dating-bar ways
And I could bleed in sympathy with you
On those days
And I could drink up everything you have
Don't let it go to waste
Say something warm, say something nice
I can't stand to see you when you're cold
Nor can I stand being out of your life
And I could bleed in sympathy with you
On those days
And I could drink up everything you have
Don't let our youth go to waste
06 Oblivious (03:20)
Came to the door but she wouldn't see me
So I turned away to leave
She leaned out the window and said "Where ya goin?"
Now I have no time to grieve
And as I pushed my foot to the pedal
I was driving much too fast
Rain comin down and I couldn't see much
Now I have no time to grieve
Now you're right all the time
And I'm just oblivious
I'd rather stay in bed with you
Till it's time to get a drink
09 Tugboat (03:55)
I don't wanna stay at your party
I don't wanna talk with your friends
I don't wanna vote for your president
I just wanna be your tugboat captain
There's a place I'd like to be
There's a place I'd like to be
There's a place I'd like to be
There's a place I'd be happy
There's a place I'd like to be
There's a place I'd like to be
There's a place I'd like to be
There's a place I'd be happy
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