Tune-Yards eating Björk's Medulla
I don’t know how I could have missed The Tune-Yards’ Bird-Brains. Said the Gramophone had one of her songs as the 5th best song of 2008 and another at 11th of 2009. Both are on this album.
I’ve been trying all day to figure out what this album reminds me of. Neutral Milk Hotel sounds nothing like her but my reaction has been the same: listen to the album, blabber about it to people, repeat. The best I’ve come up with is: this is what Björk would aspire to now if she hadn’t lost everything north of her Medulla oblongata.
West African yodel ukulele? Freak folk? Bizarre quasi-rap? Beatific morning melody? It’s there, it’s all there and beautiful. If you’ve heard hype, forget it. If you knew that this album was recorded only on a digital recorder and mixed with Audacity (?!?!), erase that memory. Or don’t. Press play and this album will eat your brains regardless: just ask Björk.
Listen free at Lala.com
Tune-Birds, “Hatari”
Tune-Birds, “Sunlight”
P.S. Tim Robbins’ widower spanked pigmen at Of Montreal’s show last night. Wild.
Catchy lo-fi harmonies from unsigned Philly trio, The Eeries [myspace]: