FM; by Junior Boys

So let me start by saying that if I was asked to give this song a score on a scale of 1-10 I would give a 10 without a shadow of a doubt. I try to be overly critical of music, even music I really REALLY like-- fuck I'd give sovereignty an 8. FM is perfect, and this perfection is achieved through a ridiculous amount of scrutiny in composition and a knack for songwriting. Looking solely at composition the sheer complexity and thought put into the layout of the song grants FM mad kudos from this douche bag, me. The extended metaphor--the comparison of a waning relationship to an old FM radio-- is presented from the very start of the song and continued through precision in sound-scape. The song begins with a dry ringing noise, one that is just barely audible, and its pitch quietly undulates as jostling cracks and whirs, which serve as what seem to be an unsynchronized percussion section, stir the strangely vacant atmosphere as singer, greenspan, begins his characteristic cooing. a few beats in, the true melody of the song enters and arpeggiates as Greenspan presses towards a chorus, but we'll cover the actual words later, for now lets focus on what is conjured from a purely instrumental perspective. The coarse ringing intermittent with crackles and shocks serves to emulate the fiddling with the radio that Greenspan suggests lyrically. Looking at his words, when the melody plateaus in these quiet and disconnected sections--like the intro for instance-- Greenspan's words are somewhat distant from what it is he is seeking to express, 'lets leave tonight/ one last time/ before it gets to cold' conjuring nothing more than an image. However as the melody shifts into its more structured sentiment, Greenspan too progresses to the more central and powerful fears he is trying to relay. So, the song begins in the haze like a radio on an empty station, distant from whatever it is Greenspan is trying to tune into, and then as if tuning that broken FM radio the song becomes less and less fuzzy until culminating at the chorus. This dynamic continues throughout the whole song, and the effect is nothing short of brilliance.
On top of the compositional feat for which FM stands, it also evokes that archetypal maudlin romance through simplicity yet familiarity. The most powerful line, for me at least, is in the first verse. The arpeggiator kicks in and Greenspan whispers "and then one more year/ becomes one more year/ and you'll forget me soon I fear// Through the crooked roads/ and the static codes/ from that hotel radio." A lot of it comes through his delivery, but that genuine fear of being forgotten over the expanse of a long distance relationship is one that, if felt before, is conveyed so beautifully by Greenspan here.
Much in the fashion of "Junior Boys" there is no true crescendo, or any real point that you lay down as an "aha" moment. Its the piece in its entirety that brings that feeling, the whole song is relentlessly moving, hopelessly romantic, and fucking fantastic.

Sovereignty; by Japandroids

I'm not sure what it is that Japandroids did right. I've been grappling with it for awhile now, but since their debut released like, what was that two months ago? I dunno, erroneous, I have been able to return to this song over and over again and find its lyrical simplicity and single hook so damn refreshing. Brian King (singer/guitar) capitalizes on that hallmark teenage angst reviewing he and some sweethearts scheme to run away and elope, and each stanza evokes that kind of hair-raising nostalgia. "forget the rushing/ Forget the weather/ we'll turn our christian names together/ we'll leave all our friends back home-- we'll leave tonight/ and we'll leave together/ and they'll say it ain't right/ and we'll say whatever/ we'll write all our friends back home" That misunderstood teenage romance always feels heartbreakingly relevant, evoking those lost loves and what not, yet simultaneously it pulses with the exuberance of youthful freedom and recklessness. The return to "leave/write all our friends back home" at the end of each line causes a little heartswell, It might just be me bust theres just something so universal about that ideal. The song quickly reaches its anthem-ic chorus in which King cries "it's raining/ in Vancouver but i don't give a fuck/ cause I'm in love with you tonight!" On paper it kind of looks silly i suppose, but its effortless in practice. The result is the kind of crescendo, that in a live setting, would lead to a pit of bouncing hipsters, which in my eyes spells success.

This song, along with Japandroids and "Post-Nothing", is deck as F. So... listen to it.

a word

The purpose of this here web-page is to give a weekly review/chat of whatever song I like most at that time. Yes, the title is a Salinger reference. Now that thats out of the way, please feel free to tell me how much you disagree or agree with whatever it is I'm saying. enjoy

<3 Robo