Gold robot records, who released that ultra limited Bonnie Prince Billy has this released this pop-chaos single from Railcars. I'm loving that this is a mini Ep of 5 songs, the recording quality...it's highly produced, clean sounding bursts of really insane compositions...that come together as short little beauties.
His voice is sometimes all far away distorted, he's goes from that Xiu Xiu emotion, that bare crying vocal to quiet whispering in 'Bohemia is without a sea', where the percussion track is amazing. It changes sounds every measure, forced through effects, of rhythm...crazy.
As much as I'm hearing that XX influence, (he produced it by the way), It's very Handsome Furs at least I'm hearing it in 'There is ice; it is blue'. The direct driving use of mechanical sounding drums, using all this technology and manipulation in a really up front way, nothing is trying to sound like anything it's not. It's the best kind of electronics, out in the open, it's not imitating anything, it's barely working with things you recognize at all. It's dirty, glitchy, overdriven...and I really believe that's where those moments of genius happen. Railcars is orchestrating the whole thing, but you can't control some of these sounds and when the layers fuse together....well.... it's perfection.
I can't help but appreciate the complexity of this, where you would approach putting this together...if this happened in an afternoon, then half the bands out there should just give up.
Sunset Rubdown also comes to mind also, but this is poppier, catchier...there's nothing introspective or quiet about any of these tracks, they are trying to overwhelm you... and it's working.
I've been listening to this all morning trying to hear all the parts...to get a handle on just a tiny part of the instrumentation. It's such an impossible to pin down melting pot, how can this come together and sound so great?
From Railcars:
No podcast this week, instead you can download this EP 7" Aria has so kindly offered to make available...definitely go buy it though. Consider this a backup in case this has sold out...it definitely will.
Buy the 7" at Gold Robot who says:
Artist: Railcars
Title: Cities vs Submarines
Format: 7-inch heavyweight 70g vinyl
Run: 500
Cover Art: Claudia O'Steen
Release: September 2008
Tracklist:
A1 - There Is Ice; It Is Blue [mp3]
A2 - Saints Are Waiting For Me, Outside My Door
B1 - Concrete Buildings
B2 - Through The Trees Lay Smokestacks
B3 - Bohemia Is Without A Sea
Recorded in the kitchen of Xiu Xiu frontman Jamie Stewart, cities vs submarines is a ten minute journey into Aria Jalali's most vivid, reoccurring dreams. Railcars is an attempt to bring the images that have haunted Aria's mind to life using drum boxes, synths, and noise pedals with sentiments recreated in lyrical form.
The current four member lineup for railcars' live performances was established by Jalali when asked to play some shows with Handsome Furs in April 2008, however Aria Jalali has also performed railcars sets by himself, with only a laptop, guitar and pedal effects.
I also just found another one of his singles the 'Postmodern EP' on Filthy Little Angels, but it's import only and will set you back 6 pounds, but I'm seriously considering it.
Don't forget a full length 12" is coming out on Stumparumper any day now...can't wait for that.
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