War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream (2014)

Najbolje što sam do sada čuo od muzike ove godine dolazi nam iz glave Adama Granduciela i njegove grupe The War On Drugs. Još od 2003 kad su se sreli u filadelfijskom gradskom parku, dok je Kurt Vile svirao svoju elektaru a Adam zastao da posluša, pa narednih pet godina se nisu više odvajali. Zajedno su proživeli fascinaciju Dylanom, koja se danas kod Vajla manje a kod Adama znatno više oseća i izdali antologijski prvi album grupe Wagonwheel Blues. Vajl zatim odlazi da poput hvatača vetrova proba da uhvati tu neuhvatljivu božansku melodiju i da je upakuje u savršenu pop pesmu, što mu naravno ne polazi za rukom pa ostaje na pola puta, gde mu kroz krhku strukturu njegovih pesama propadaju delovi te savršene melodije koju će bezuspešno pokušavati da uhvati tokom cele svoje karijere. Adam se opredelio za naoko lakši, ali ipak opasniji put. Odabrao je da pulsiranje bude njegov izraz. Kada njegove pulsacije interferiraju sa slušaočevim, i jedan i drugi su na konju, a kad ne, eto problema! Zato i kažem da je Adamov put opasniji. Savršena melodija je razumljiva i prihvatljiva svima, unutrašnju frekvenciju nemaju svi istu. Zato, ako ovaj mid-to-downtempo ritam koji The War On Drugs emituju korespondira sa vašim, veoma će vam se svideti ovaj album, ako ne, može da vam bude monoton pa i dosadan. Dopada mi se i vrlo diskretan uticaj Dylana pre svega u vokalnom fraziranju u nekim pesmama, kao i gitara koja je čini mi se daleko suptilnija nego na prethodnim njihovim albumima, kao da kaže što bi rek'o Daniel Kovač "lakše lakše moj konjiću...". 

The War on Drugs Announce New Album Lost in the Dream , Share "Red Eyes", Plot Tour

pitchfork.com

The Best Albums of 2012 (20-11)

20. Natural Child - Hard in Heaven
It should've been ranked higher!
19. Malcolm Holcombe - Down The River
He deserves this!
18. Sean Rowe - The Salesman and the Shark
Rare baritone in rock!
17. Bob Dylan - Tempest
Still going strong!
16. Angel Olsen - Half Way Home
Operetic voice!
15. South Memphis String Band - Old Times There...
Charlie Parr Annual Award!
14. Ben Sollee - Half Made Man
Maybe too high!
13. Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs - Sunday Run Me Over
Like! Like! Like!
12. Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - Wreck and Ruin
Spreading love all around!
11. Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
Real rhythm and blues!

18th of October 2012

Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg (2012)

Who is this guy remind you of? The majority of you would say Bob Dylan for sure. And the majority of you would be right. But it's not that simple, it's not just another regular "new Bob Dylan" candidate. His dangerous look on inadequate young face, his acoustic guitar and his simple jacket are "pro", but his songs (at least some of them) are "contra" epigone arguments. His songs are strongly reclined on the folk singer/songwriter tradition, his performance evokes the memory of Don McLean, one of the first "new Bob Dylans" from the beginning of the seventies. Young Jake personally admitted this connection in BBC interview, quoting "Vincent" as very important song to him (see videos below).

Why he showed up on the mainstream now (with some others, Ed Sheeran or Mumford and Sons, for example)? Because people are tired of alienating electronica, offensive rap and meaningless modern R'n'B, people need to get in touch with their own feelings, people need New Sensitivity!