Review Tuesday: Bon Iver - "22 (OVER S∞∞N) [Bob Moose Extended Cab Version]"

Bon Iver

"22 (OVER S∞∞N) [Bob Moose Extended Cab Version]"

22, A Million

Jagjaguwar

When Bon Iver revealed the track list for their third album, 22, A Million, on last Friday, long gone our wish to hear Bon Iver's "normal" and "usual" stuff that we all love from their 2011's Bon Iver, Bon Iver. The track list is a meme material, something that seems likely to come from rtf file that's opened in Microsoft Word, as Justin Vernon et al. fall into the sea of obscurity. Or so we thought until we heard some tastes from the new album: "22 (OVER S∞∞N) [Bob Moose Extended Cab Version]" and "10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⊠ ⊠ [Extended Version]". While ""10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⊠ ⊠ [Extended Version]" may not be Bon Iver's casual stuff and need few listens before enjoying it (Spoiler: it's still amazing), "22 (OVER S∞∞N) [Bob Moose Extended Cab Version]", on the other hand, is Bon Iver's instant classic. 

Ignoring the wacky song title, "22 (OVER S∞∞N) [Bob Moose Extended Cab Version]" is the same beauty and frailness that we all love from Bon Iver, even if it's more experimental and not all acoustic guitar. But, the feeling is there, and Bon Iver's versatility must be applauded here. A clip of noise opens the track, like a sirene as you can faintly hear "It might be over soon, 2, 2", which also opens the albums, marking the entrance of Bon Iver that may be different, yet familiar at the same time."Where you gonna look for cofirmation," Vernon's fragile voice kicks in amidst the noise, reflecting his musical journey and his anxiety of the future. After a minute, the acoustic guitar comes in and all hell breaks loose. The poignancy of Bon Iver's songs creep in, inducing your tear glands and as you can feel Vernon's insecurity and what he feels for these past two decades, suddenly you feel tears streaming down from your eyes. And that's what Bon Iver's capable of doing for you. 

Review Tuesday: Cymbals Eat Guitars - "Wish"

Cymbals Eat Guitars

"Wish"

Pretty Years

Sinderlyn

After releasing "Aerobed" at the end of last year, I always think that Cymbals Eat Guitars' next album will sound similar with their previous releases. Man, those fiery and ferocious guitar riffs are such a music to your ear. After all, that's one of their finest qualities, alongside emotional lyrics that's able to stab your guts like a serrated knife. But, when they share "Wish" as the first single out of their latest album, Pretty Years (out September 16th), it's not only Nothing or White Lung who change their musical direction. In Pretty Years, bassist Matthew Whipple says that they "wanted to make a more energetic record", and judging from the sound of "Wish", their purpose has been pretty much accomplished. 

The 1970s element that blankets the song can be heard unequivocally, heavily inspired by "Springsteen, ’70s Bowie, the Smiths, the Cure, Neil Young". Cymbals Eat Guitars probably is one of the few bands who can incorporate keyboard in a rock song in a harmonious way, and that's once again proven in this song. D'Agostino's growling voice is still as mesmerizing as ever as he soars above the Cymbals Eat Guitars' new groovy beat until the chorus comes, the only part that's almost exactly like what Cymbals Eat Guitars is usually heard. D'Agostino ends it by "I wish that I told you", before being followed by the insane squawky sax, like a party popper, that works--it's like what wise people say, "Sax sells." Cymbals Eat Guitars' "Wish" is a song of regret, but it's embodied in a complete and thorough structure. If Pretty Years sounds something like this, well, yeah, it's something that we all need to look forward to. 

Review Tuesday: Frankie Cosmos - "On The Lips"

Frankie Cosmos

"On The Lips"

Next Thing

Bayonet Records

Frankie Cosmos' Greta Kline knows there's no point in making long song when you can manage to pour out your feeling in less than two minutes. And indeed, all of Frankie Cosmos' songs may only consist of around 1 minutes of string, drum, and Kline's pure voice, but all her songs are impactful. "On The Lips" is not an exception. 

It first appeared in im sorry im hi lets go, a collection of her songs released in 2013. Hence, she references this on the lyrics. They are followed by powerful lines of "Sometimes I cry cause I know I'll never have all the answers". She sings it plainly, but it's what makes the song impressive. She started the song by seeing David Blaine, the street magician, starting to believe in anything, asking the significance of kissing people, and crying by the end of the song.