you have been warned/i was born to be contrary

I had written up a little blog entry about how Cloud Cult is re-releasing their past two albums in a totally earth hugging manner...

But then I came home tonight in one of those funks. The kind of inexplicable funk that made me want to trudge around in the gray sludge slowly coursing down the gutter in the pitch black of my street. I didn't want to post anything about hip, body snatching music that makes me want to throw my head back and dance like I'm graceful.

Not tonight.

Tonight I wanted to throw my hands up to no particular beat, and admit that I do not feel like a sparkling and wonderful personality at this moment. I just wanted to listen to something that validated my uncomfortable mood.

Stuart Murdoch was ready for me.

The former(?) Belle and Sebastian frontman has released a soundtrack to a film yet to be made. 2010 is the tentative shoot time, but as of now...there is music for this so-called "musical film."

Late in the spring, Murdoch released two albums for God Help the Girl, an LP of the same name and the Stills EP, featuring the brand new Catherine Ireton as the main narrative female vocalist (though other talented voices are present). And the narrative that she spins with her cheeky, effortless, smooth voice is one that I can't help but smile at despite my cloudy mood.

Stuart and Friends reminds me that it's almost a necessary survival technique to grin through my grumpiest and most confusing moments in time. They do so with a French pop meets 60's girl group atmosphere. Merrily skipping bass punctuates all the witty observations about being a real person mired in the strange muck of emotion, and a full orchestral sound plays with the idea of a real Broadway number...without the unbearable cheesiness.

It's an amazing and lovely thing that the right music can find me when I need it.

Just a side note; the title track (the YouTube video) will make you want to wink at strangers. So practice your wink before you go out with your headphones on. You don't want your eyebrow to crinkle funny, or your other eye to twitch. It takes away from the effect that I am sure you want.





I'm In Love With the City- God Help the Girl