Big Leadup, Limited Payload

One of the benefits of digital music software with a playlist feature (like, you know, iTunes or WinAmp) is that after you make a mix CD for somebody and you actually give the mix to that person, you can still easily go back and listen to the mix again. This is exactly what I was doing today with a birthday mix I made for Jess and I had one of those revelatory moments where you listen to a song that you've hearda million times before, and in fact you liked it and shared it with your friends, but this time somehow you get it better than you ever did before.

Today that happened with "Boredom is a Product" by the Dirty Projectors.

"Weird" bands abound these days. Sometimes they come in the form of inpenetrable noise beasts like Black Dice (poop) and Wolf Eyes (complete poop) or possibly schizophrenic, partially melancholic indieisms like Fiery Furnaces (a pretty good band and not very good example here probably). In such a climate, it's easy to miss the Dirty Projectors, a one man band that takes the phrase "pop sensibility", turns it inside out, and wears it like a vest, seams-out.

The soaring, straining, faltering, soaring vocals on this particular track are downright magical when juxtoposed with the vaguely neurotic looping guitar lines and a bass that I'd almost describe as slinky. And the lyrics.

Boredom is a product of mistrust.
mistrust of the product of your own brain.

Clumsy on the surface, but with a very sturdy point underneath.

This song, as well as the entire album (titled The Glad Fact) deserve a close listening.