With its forthcoming third full-length, Forest Fire begins to uncoil sonic possibilities the band has only before touched. On Screens (due out September 10), vocalist Mark Thresher takes the quartet to a darker and sparser sonic landscape and focuses heavily on metaphoric lyrics. After some lineup changes, the band is now tighter and more centered. Check out the mix tape that Thresher made for MAGNET.
“Waiting In The Night” (download):
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/WaitingInTheNight.mp3
Kraftwerk “Europe Endless”
“Parks, hotels and palaces, Europe endless.” I think they are being funny. What do you think? Video
Joy Division “Decades”
Closer is a record we tried to reference a little bit with Screens. Those aching synths and rubbery bass tones sound so perfect. I also love how the drums don’t really come in until the four-minute mark. Video
Lou Reed “Crazy Feeling”
The first time I heard this song I was waiting for someone in a restaurant, sitting at a table by myself drinking a margarita. Video
Cocteau Twins “Pandora”
I still don’t really understand how this song works. It’s so mysteries and beautiful. Video
The Feelies “Forces At Work”
I love this song for its intro. That slow build, instruments creeping in, then the drums fade into focus. What a treat! Video
Laurie Anderson “Let X=X”
I remember someone put this on in the van during one of our European tours. We were on some beautiful stretch of road in western Germany near the Black Forest. I’d never heard it before, and I couldn’t wait to get home and buy Big Science. Video
Elvis Costello “You Little Fool”
Imperial Bedroom is my favorite Elvis Costello record, and probably one of my top-five favorite records of all time. I think this is some of the most elegant rock ‘n’ roll music ever made. It’s one of the Costello records he didn’t do with his usual guy, Nick Lowe. Instead he hooked up with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick. Pretty good move. Video
Talking Heads “The Big Country”
I think this song is probably just about flying over the United States of America and looking down and feeling completely detached the entire time. Video
Kate Bush “Morning Fog”
This one is just a heartbreaker. It’s not even close to being one of the best Kate Bush songs, but it’s a personal favorite of mine.The arrangements are so luscious! Video
The Moody Blues “In Your Wildest Dreams”
I heard this song at 2 a.m. in a CVS while shopping for over-the-counter drugs. I had pneumonia, this song came on, and I thought I was losing my mind. I’d never heard it before, and I couldn’t even imagine what decade it was made in. Video
Nico “Roses In The Snow”
This is a b-side from Nico’s bleak 1969 classic The Marble Index. Enjoy this one, and try not to cut yourself! Video
The Jesus And Mary Chain “About You”
Darklands is a comforting record. This song reminds me of when I used to live in Seattle and wander around with nothing to do. “There’s something warm about the rain.” Video
