I always love to see how Tom will open a new Griselda-related article: insert some version of "they are on a roll" or "the incredibly tough Buffalo crew..." Their pace has been so frantic that it's all someone can do to think of new ways to talk about them.
Just threw my Kid A record (flex) on now and went straight to Idioteque. Alone in my house, the only response I could muster was to say aloud "what do you do with a song like this?". It defies everything.
It's impossible for me to choose *a* song of theirs that is their best, but if this meaning anything, Idioteque is the only song in my life that I remember exactly where I was the moment I heard it for the first time: in my friend's jeep driving home after meeting for a school french project at another friend's house. Just the "mmmm bap, mm bap m mmmm bap, mm bap" as it begins. My friend had really good speakers in his car and the bass just covered me. What a memory.
Yes my feelings exactly. I really want to love this album, if only because of how much I love their debut, but so far it's been a bit underwhelming. Hopefully it's a grower, as you said.
Might be my favourite of the new bunch we've heard thus far. From memory, have the singles relied a lot on lyrical repetition, or is it just me? I know it was a thing on the debut, but it seems more prominent with these singles.
Hell ya on the Moonface mention. How that album, created by a man so (generally) celebrated by these very blogs couldn't earn a review from Pitchfork, more than a single or two from Stereogum, nor any other major publication that cut their teeth on his Wolf Parade stuff is downright shameful.
What about that Moonface Double LP. I'm a Krug Stan, but I think it's great--albeit imperfect and too long--and it's crazy to think the album deserved no more discussion than the two singles Stereogum published. Stereogum cut their teeth on Krug, but no love all these years later? For shame, for shame.
No doubt that there is also a component to the title where, abandoning his often cryptic lyricism--perhaps not cryptic, but you know he could sometimes be-- the intimately personal lyrics of these songs (think "bedtime", think "my first girlfriend") is him introducing us to the inner sanctum of his heart. We've all known who Gord is, but never like this. He's introducing himself. WHY DOES MY HEART HURT SO?
That might be a part of it, but I know that it (also) has to do with the memory loss he experienced towards the end of his life. He would often have to ask those he'd already met to "introduce yerself" (something most of us do, but notable for Gord as he had a famously adept memory for recalling names, known for asking people about their children, spouses, etc who had only been mentioned in passing. He took great care to care about everyone he interacted with). He also had the name Peter written on his hand during his final interview with national news icon Peter Mansbridge (sp?), disclosing to Peter that it was written on his hand or else "I might call you Doug". I'm perhaps not relaying this story 100% accurately, but that's the jist of it. So sad.
I can see something like what Jimmy Fallon does on his show working here; have an elevated semi circle around the back of the stage perhaps, standing room only. VIP, family and friends can stand and watch from there, a bird's eye view of the band playing directly below them (albeit facing in the other direction). This satisfies two things for the average VIP attendee, I would think; the need to be seen by others, and the need to feel above everyone else. Other than that, though, fuck'em; get in line and wait around the stage all day for front row position like the rest of us.
I found the whole season to be a bit mediocre. Not bad! Certainly not bad. But it lacked a lot of the things that I love about the show--the villains (the one this season barely counted, and was essentially just a beefed up redo of the dominatrix we were all introduced to previously), the interesting and compelling cases (again, the Mayfly man wasn't BAD..it just wasn't that good, either). And then the reveal about Mary, without giving too much away, was really quite dumb. BUT the best man speech was just so perfect, as was the reveal to close out the season, even if everyone (should have) saw it coming. Wanted better, got less, still satisfied.
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