Magnet Magazine
Canadian singer/songwriter Dana Sipos will release her new album, Roll Up The Night Sky, tomorrow, and now MAGNET is honored to premiere “Morningside.” The ethereal track features gentle vocals and finely plucked mandolins that leak emotion and soul. A beautiful violin solo sneaks in toward the end without disrupting the natural feel of the song. Download “Morningside” below.
“Morningside” (download):
They Might Be Giants have resurrected their ingenious Dial-A-Song concept by streaming a new song each week of 2015 at www.dialasong.com. MAGNET’s Matthew Fritch reviews them all.
“All The Lazy Boyfriends” wins the award for Song Title Most Likely To Be Mistaken For A Morrissey Song Title.
Glean, TMBG’s new full-length comprising nearly all the 2015 Dial-A-Song entries to date, has now been out more than a week. There’s obviously no need to evaluate the songs themselves (except when I’ve been too pithy with the weekly song reviews, such as the case of this week), but there are broader points to make. To be clear, I’m not about to write a tired eulogy for the album as a complete artistic statement; what bothers me more about modern music consumption is that we’ve all become micromanagers of our collections, playlists and stations. It’s exhausting. The case against hand-selecting single songs for your iPod/phone/whatever isn’t about limiting choice, it’s about relieving the pressure of constantly having to make choices.
File-A-Song: The Dreaded 7/10
Andy Gill has a relatively simple work ethic that’s guided him for years, ever since his legendary post-punk outfit Gang Of Four burst onto the staid scene with its jagged, jarring Entertainment! debut in 1979. “There are loads of bands that can chuck out the same album, year after year,” he says. “But that model is just not for me.” The group’s quantum leap forward to 1982’s more danceable third album, Songs Of The Free, might have clarified that tenet already. If not, the latest Gang Of Four record surely will—the aptly dubbed What Happens Next, Gill’s first after the departure of longtime vocalist Jon King. Gill will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new feature on the band.
Gill: Built by Christopher Wren to commemorate the 1666 Great Fire of London, the Monument is a column with a viewing platform that still provides some of the best views across London. The distance from the base of the column to the top exactly mirrors the distance from the source of the conflagration in Pudding Lane to the place it was finally extinguished. It’s worth looking upwards as well as outwards from the platform. A beautiful golden ball of flames surmounts the column. The Monument is an incredible statement of optimism and determination to build a great future. Samuel Pepys wrote vividly about “The Great Fire.” His diary is, of course, one of the best documents of the time and is a wonderful read.
Video after the jump.
Scottish rock group (and MAGNET faves) Idlewild recently released critically acclaimed new album Everything Ever Written and now shares a video for “Every Little Means Trust.” Active since 1995, Idlewild displays a matured sound on its latest LP. The video tells a sad love story about a couple who are no longer together. Check it out below.
Denver indie-rock outfit Instant Empire readies for the release of its new album, Lamplight Lost, due out June 23. The band now offers first single “Dead Air” for free download. Beyond the instrumental aspect, the lyrics focus on serious issues, such as struggling to overcome isolation and finding meaning in life. When taken all together, the track is highly energetic and anthemic. Download “Dead Air” below.
“Dead Air” (download):