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Let's Try Something...
by Jordan
Please note: MP3s are only kept online for a short time, and if this entry is from more than a couple of weeks ago, the music probably won't be available to download any more.
Castanets - "Cathedral 4 (The Unbreaking Branch Song)" Starting out as an amorphous and toneless sermon on spirituality, the soul and God (set to down-strummed acoustic guitar), "Cathedral 4" turns at 1:12 into an amorphous and toneless dance sermon on being and the good life (set to down-strummed electric guitar, jaunty and oddly detached organ, occasional glassy guitar and a borderline silly drum beat). Good. Because that's what I require of a song. *** Great Lake Swimmers - "I Will Never See The Sun" Some name/thing confusion that is likely to arise when listening to "I Will Never See The Sun": 1. This song is similar to The Saddest Music In The World, but not to the saddest music in the world. 2. The Great Lake Swimmers are the Great Lake Swimmers, but are not (to my knowledge) Great Lake swimmers. --- Some identity confusion that is likely to arise when listening to "I Will Never See The Sun": 1. This song is the Bluenose sailing in 3/4 time, and, of course, is not that. 2. That triumphant bass part is four round raindrops (the volume of a full big bathtub each) falling to the ground and coming satisfyingly undone on impact. Also, that is not what it is. --- An ambiguously constructed sentence pertaining to the aptness of the band's name: Rarely has the name of a band been so powerfully evocative of its aesthetic. --- This is a very beautiful song. Posted by Jordan at December 8, 2004 5:08 AMComments
Great choices! Both are from excellent albums. It's the atmosphere I guess that this music creates that makes me love it so much. The first time I heard 'Moving Shaking' from the Great Lake Swimmers album was almost a religious experience. I like the way you described this music. Thanks! Posted by Bubbachups at December 8, 2004 7:32 AMI have never heard these songs before. I am at work, so downloading samples now...well, let's just say that it's not time. What I can appreciate (silently and in my corner, along with Pierre Burton, who joined me last week and sits with me silently in my corner)is the writing. The first review contains a stern and overly generalized claim in conclusion. Well done. The second review masters linguistic analysis, teaches Chomsky a thing or two and kicks Austen's ass or it contains fun word games. I love these records because I love what can be said about them. Excellent writing. Posted by Joel Taylor at December 8, 2004 9:19 AMindeed. great writing today jordan. Posted by george at December 8, 2004 9:30 AMTwo great choices, and terribly well described. Have to try and track down an import of the Great Lake Swimmers now, thanks a lot. Sounds like My Morning Jacket after having seen or heard whatever it is that makes Will Oldham so sad. Castanets made me feel cheated though! The song hits the wall right when I'm waiting for it to take off. I admire that. Posted by chris b at December 8, 2004 2:53 PMThis is nuts. I agree with you about all the bands you post - I disagree with you about all the specifics! See: the Mike Olsen comment, and now you picked perhaps my least-favourite song on that absolutely fucking stellar Great Lake Swimmers album. This is weeeeeird. Posted by tsjns at December 8, 2004 3:33 PMLovely, Jordan, thanks. Post a comment |
 about said the gramophone
this is a daily sampler of really good songs. all tracks are posted out of love. please go out and buy the records!
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all songs are removed within a week or two of posting. said the gramophone launched in march 2003, and added songs in november of that year. it was one of the world's very first mp3blogs. if you would like to say hello, find out our mailing addresses or invite us to shows, please get in touch: montreal, canada: sean toronto, canada: jordan montreal, canada: dan please don't send us emails with tons of huge attachments; if emailing a bunch of mp3s etc, use a service like MailBigFile. if you are the copyright holder of any song posted here, please contact us if you would like the song taken down early. please do not direct link to any of these tracks. please love and wonder. "and i shall watch the ferry-boats / and they'll get high on a bluer ocean / against tomorrow's sky / and i will never grow so old again." we are a member of MBV.
about the authors
Sean Michaels lives in Montreal, where he is writing a novel. His work also occasionally appears at McSweeney's. Follow him on Twitter or reach him here.
Dan Beirne is an actor and writer living in Montreal. He writes fiction fiction fiction on here. It may feel true, but it is never True. He is most proud of his most recent project The Bitter End. Email him here Jordan Himelfarb lives in Toronto, where he is editor in chief of The Mark. Jordan's posts appear at Said the Gramophone only on the last Wednesday of every month. Email him here. Site design and header typography by Neale McDavitt-Van Fleet. The header graphic is randomized: this one is by . 
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