[Publisher's Note: For my (3 or 4) loyal readers, I'm sorry to have been asleep at the switch for the last month. Busy times plus vacation plus lost loved ones cut my creative writing time to zero. More on that later.]
Returning to our recent conversation on Supergroups, you apparently cannot form one these days without John McCauley. The fast-rising Deer Tick front man is finding his way into some quality side projects. This week saw him join local hero Hardy Morris and the rest of the Diamond Rugs on Letterman for a hot take on "Blue Mountains." The new 'Rugs disc is worth repeated listening. Check it out.
McCauley is equal parts bombastic Rock and Roll hero and tortured poet of the Kurt Cobain vein. He is alternately caustic and soulful. I left a recent Deer Tick gig at the Georgia Theater blown away by his stage presence and dexterity, at least when he wasn't trying to make out with girls in the front row or drink 16 ounce Coors lights at an ounce per second. There is a harmless self-destructiveness about him. You find yourself pulling for him to keep it together while harboring zero confidence that it will happen. In a short 8 year career, he has released a deep catalog of honest power folk that demands hearing.
Your Song of the Week for June 29, 2012 is from one of McCauley's recent side projects, Middle Brother. Here, he is joined in fine spirits by Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes and Matt Vasquez of Delta Spirit. The band's eponymous debut of hyper-accessible country-tinged indie pop is carried by instant classics like "Blue Eyes" and "Portland." The bubblegum catchy Paul Simonesque bounce of the title track is what hooked me. Need an instant good mood? Check out some Middle Brother. Have a great weekend, and stay out of the Great Outdoor Georgia Microwave!
"If my words did glow, with the gold of sunshine ..." I have a confession to make, and I want you all to Hear it. I love music. In so many ways, it has formed and informed my life. I owe it so much. Why not write about it?
No comments:
Post a Comment