First Impressions: Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover

Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover (Jagjaguwar, out October 9th)

Track Listing:

1. "The Mending of the Gown" [5:37] <- Key Track
2. "Magic vs. Midas" [6:00] <- Key Track
3. "Up on Your Leopard, Upon the End of Your Feral Days" [4:48]
4. "The Courtesan Has Sung" [4:32] <- Key Track
5. "Winged/Wicked Things" [4:47] <- Key Track
6. "Colt Stands Up, Grows Horns" [4:55]
7. "Stallion" [6:46]
8. "For the Pier (and Dead Shimmering)" [5:15]
9. "The Taming of the Hands That Came Back to Life" [6:07]
10. "Setting vs. Rising" [2:24]
11. "Trumpet, Trumpet, Toot! Toot!" [5:22]
12. "Child-Heart Losers" [2:01]

First Impressions:

• In Sunset Rubdown's most recent outing, one can imagine Wolf Parade's Spencer Krug grabbing a lyre and leading a fanciful, um, parade of children down to the waterside to drink fairy dust and liquid gumdrops.  Even more fleshed out and fully-realized than 2006's stellar sophomore album Shut Up I Am Dreaming, the four-piece has hit their stride with this almost hour-long collection of otherworldly, spirited tales.

• Lyrically, an aura of adult fairytale seems to guise otherwise depressing and eluding issues, such as the confusion of physical contact being related to Midas' golden touch ("Magic versus Midas") and sonnets of yearning sung to a sailor's jig ("Up on Your Leopard, Upon the End of your Feral Days"). Krug has continued in his tradition of metaphorical writing with meanings left open to interpretation.

• Song titles like "The Mending of the Gown" and "The Courtesan Has Sung" are early indicatations of the allegorical nature of the album, and the paced-out cadence of the more climactic choruses ensures the tales are well punctuated with the big moral ta-da saved for the end. 

• Providing a nice alternative to Wolf Parade's jangly staccato voices leading to single volleys of calculated mantras, Sunset Rubdown uses their characteristically different palate of sounds and styles to instead craft elegant stories around this epic spirit lover. Backing vocals from Camilla Wynn Ingr once again pleasantly complement Krug's yelps and mutterings, especially notable on ending lullaby track "Child-Heart Losers."

• Those expecting track-jumping and A.D.D. iPod-shuffling may find themselves lost, but following the album as a whole leads listeners through a magical journey of final-scenes-from-Edward Scissorhands-redemptive-weightlessness ("The Courtesan Has Sung") to is-Vincent Price-going-to-provide-spoken-word-overlay? trickling ("Colt Stands Up, Grows Home") that is altogether worthy of the name Sunset Rubdown.

• Final Impression: Pure magic

Comments

[oh mannnnn]

I NEED TO HEAR THIS ALBUM!!! can't wait til october.

[Neil]

Thank you for this. This album is my most anticipated album of 2007.

[Annabelle]

I'm so intrigued with the Aesop's fables sounding quality of this record. I've heard a few of these songs at shows where they sounded amazing, so I'm relieved to hear that the production sounds like it matches. Thanks so much for writing this. Makes me all the more eager to get the record.

[maria]

i can not wait for this record! sounds incredible!

[rachel]

i read on billboard what spencer had to say about the record, and this seems to go along with that. man, it sounds amazing. definitely my most anticipated album this year as well, neil.

[Blake]

This is a hella crazy year for Wolf Parade, what with the Handsome Furs record, now the Sunset Rubdown, and then maybe even a full length Wolf Parade record itself. I think the Rubdown will be the best of all of them tho.

[Nadirt]

I've been listening to: Up on Your Leopard, Upon the End of Your Feral Days non-stop for the last few days, and am getting twitchy with anticipation. Sunset Rubdown and Wolf Parade in a matter of a few months sounds way too sweet to even ponder. Can't wait for Spencer to mess up my psyche.

[Pat]

It leaked, dudes.
http://www.mediafire.com/?2d4qkthx0ey

[Kane2]

Link Dead Please post another

Thanks

[Pat]

Here's a working one.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/rt1i7z

[Tyler De Graaf]

Best album of the year. I cannot stop listening. It's rare I absolutely love an album on first listen, but I did. And it keeps growing on me. Stunning. If you don't like it a first - let it grow on you. This album is spectacular!!!

[Jeremy]

look, their previous release held up as my favourite album of last year; i was hooked on the first listen. it actually rates in my top ten albums of all time so i was expecting a lot from this one.
but it's a let down... it's messy and the melodies just aren't that great, it's as simple as that.
of course i'll give it more time but it doesn't grab me at all like the last one did. haha i love how a lot of you claim it's the greatest album of the year after listening to it for what, two days? way to hype it up for yourself.

[Nadirt]

-Jeremy
Some people just know when they're hearing greatness, and they know that it's bound to get even greater, so saying that it's their favorite album of year hardly qualifies as over statement. If you feel it's ok to declare that it's a "let down", then what's the difference?
This album is album of the year (so far) for me as well, SUID was my fav. of 06 as well. The production is right on. The drums at times are chest pounding. Spencer's poetry is mind blowing, as always. And the themes littered throughout coupled with the excellent flow of the whole package are undeniable.

[Jeremy]

i guess it's just the melodies in this one... the ones in SUIAD were brilliant, there doesn't seem to be that many great hooks here.
but hey, i'll be buying it when it comes out and i'll listen to it until i know it well.
here's hoping!

[Devo]

Fuck-king-hell!!! Listening to Random Spirit Lover for the first time was an exhilarating experience! The peaks of RSL made me feel nauseous, they are that incredible! You know that feeling you get in your gut when you are hearing a life-changing album? Yep, this is one of those! I'm lost for words, frankly, but I'll return once I've absorbed the glorious nuances this masterpiece.

[Devo]

Fuck-king-hell!!! Listening to Random Spirit Lover for the first time was an exhilarating experience! The peaks of RSL made me feel nauseous, they are that incredible! You know that feeling you get in your gut when you are hearing a life-changing album? Yep, this is one of those! I'm lost for words, frankly, but I'll return once I've absorbed the glorious nuances this masterpiece.