Hidden Words - "Temple". Hidden Words is a project by Alden Penner and Jamie Thompson, reunited for the first time since the Unicorns, and four more friends. "Temple" is chanté en français, but the words are taken from page 74 of Selections from the Writings of the Báb, a holy text of the Bahá'í faith. As far as I know, all of Hidden Words' songs use verses from the Writings. In a certain way, this makes them a Báb cover-band. So let's imagine the Báb as a silent member, yes Siyyid 'Alí Muḥammad Shírází himself; let's imagine him floating behind Penner and Thompson, behind the guitar and the percussion, floating and standing and listening, serene. Perhaps he nods. Perhaps he snaps his fingers. I am not sure if this vision is blasphemy - I am not Bahá'í, have no strong feelings. But I know that even messianic figures, even those people who are lamps lit with the finger of God, shining with deathless splendour - well those people need favourite bands too, need music for dinner parties and weddings and walking on the mountain. I hope that the Báb heard songs that shook him, which made him certain of things and which made him doubt; I hope he rocked out and moshed and lay on his back with an iPod, thinking of the rain that hides in clouds. "Temple" has not shaken me - I am not sure it could. But it has carried me a few steps, brought me a few soft instants of peace. [The Hidden Words on Facebook, including this song's lyrics and its English translation / Hidden Words blog]

Los Rakas ft Faviola - "Abrazame (Uproot Andy remix)". Revisiting Gyptian's "Hold Yuh" (lately of my Best of 2010), Los Rakas and Uproot Andy make something that is less sly, more doting. It's not just the vocals - Andy is generous with the riddim, filling it out with golds, pinks and royal blues. According to Google Translate, the lyrics mention dreams, lies and ice-cream, but the important bit is in the chorus, y besa me, y besa me, y besa me or kiss me, kiss me, kiss me. I say "the important part" because isn't it what a song like this comes down to? Isn't it everything we're getting at? Isn't all this a prelude to that rosy moment? Where do the golds, pinks and royal blues come from, anyway? Oh c'mere. [Uproot Andy's MySpace/Los Rakas Bandcamp]

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Elsewhere:

Did you enjoy Monday's post on the Red River? You should pick up their newish album, but the band are also giving away A Brief Introduction to the Red River, a sampler of songs from 2005-2010. It's great. Download it here.

One of my favourites from 2009, Cains & Abels, are offering a brand new EP, The Price Is Right, for as much or as little as you want to pay. (Yes, even free.) This is sincere, ragged folk. It's really terrific, and I'll probably write one of its songs soon, but go get the jump on me.

Finally, A Story Told Well has been busy shooting videos of several Montreal treasures (Carl Spidla, Goose, Shaun Weadick, &c), and the best is this film of James Irwin's "Halfway to Mexico". James is a strange, singular voice in this city, quietly singing (and I wrote about him recently), but "Halfway to Mexico" is possibly the best song he's ever written, and it's not yet been released, and this film, shot in the country outside Montreal, not only features James & Carlo & Shaun & Neil Holyoke, but you might even spot la Blogothéque's departed eminence, my friend, Alex Lenot. The song was recorded just a few days after he, James and I sat listening to Cass McCombs.

(photo source)