Clem Snide - "All Green". Clem Snide played in Montreal at the end of October, at a little club called le Petit Cafe Campus. I went alone - ostensibly to review the show, but I never got around to it. Clem Snide's one of my pet little bands - I like them quite a lot, but no one else I've played them for has ever become quite so smitten. Eef's lyrics are always clever and sharp, but he has a romantic side I enjoy very much, too.
Anyway, there I was at the show, sitting on my own. (When I came in the door and took one of the stools along the wall, a fortysomething francophone man invited me to take one of the chairs at his table. It wasn't a drunken gesture, an uncomfortably friendly one, or any sort of creepy invitation; it was just a kind offer from one chain-smoking, greying, alt-country-music listening loner to another [minus the smoking thing]. For the rest of the show, I regretted not taking him up on it.) Surprise opener was Jim Bryson - whom I saw at BluesFest this summer - and I was struck with the same impressions as from several months ago. His live, full-band performance is scorching, terrific, bristling and fullhearted. I haven't heard the new one yet, but I do hope that it captures some of Bryson's loud, warm live show.
Er. Anyway... Clem Snide. Your Favorite Music is my favourite of theirs, by far, with the last couple being a little too rock for their own good. Each is spotted with amazing songs, however - seek out "Donna," "Your Favorite Music," "African Friend," "Lost On the River," "Chinese B"... Their new one, Soft Spot sounds like it should be genius - Eef's fallen headoverheels, and here's some pure-and-unadulterated love-songs. Sadly, it's not - the album plods, it lacks the beauty it aspires to. "All Green" is a perfect example of this, but it's still completely great. The instrumental backing just never lives up to the almost-too-good lyrics ("But summer will come with Al Green and sweetened iced-tea / Summer will come and be all green with the sweetness of thee"). Still, that line is good enough to sell whole albums, if you ask me.
Oh - Live? They were good. Not astounding, but good. Eef was distracted but earnest, peculiar and sincere. The highlight was a song called "Beautiful," not yet released... I'll have my ears open.
To continue the live-shows-of-2003 theme, there's this:
Bonnie Billy and the Marquis de Tren - "II-XV". This is from Get on Jolly, a collaborative EP between Will Oldham (Bonnie [Prince] Billy) and Mick Turner (Marquis de Tren, the Dirty 3). When Oldham played in Ottawa this summer, the show's emotional climax came (for me), when this sweet, forceful, devastating song turned over on itself and became "New Partner." This is a track that must be paid-attention-to. It's like a fallen star. Please.
Posted by Sean at November 28, 2003 1:29 AMI've been trying to convert people to Clem Snide for the best part of two years now, handing out CDR freebies of Favourite Music, putting them on late at night. I've made one strong convert and mildly interested a couple of people, but the majority reaction is 'ugh - I just don't get it.' I dunno if it's the cello or the bastard child of Loudon Wainright and Leonard Cohen go art country aspect, but...
I keep trying to persuade the one alt.country promoter I know to book them to play Nottingham next time they're in the UK. He's only mildly interested and the tepid new album doesn't help. Nice site anyhow - just came here from fluxblog - I'll be bookmarking you and coming back.
Posted by Dymbel at December 1, 2003 9:48 AMthanks for "II-XV' the greatest song i have heard this year - no luck finding the ep though but i'll keep trying. Cheers
Posted by jed at December 2, 2003 6:10 PMGlad you were able to nab II-XV, jed! I found it really hard to track down, myself. Even online, it's exceedingly rare - the only thing anyone ever seemed to have was the live version from the tour-only (live) ep. and the studio one is sweeter.
thanks for stopping by, Dymbel! It's a funny picture in my head to imaging Eef sauntering down the street of Nottingham, but it'll do. (He seemed sort of bewildered when I saw him the next day, simply on the street in Montreal...)
Posted by Sean at December 2, 2003 9:44 PMThe day after I saw Kinky Friedman at a small venue in Nottingham, I saw him in the city's old Market Square, stumbling over the lines for the new tram system: a befuddled middle aged man with dreadlocks - now, he did look a little out of place.... OK, I'm gonna grab me some Eminem. Thanks - been looking for that.
Posted by Dymbel at December 6, 2003 2:16 PM
and it will begin playing. All songs are also available to download: just right-click the link and choose 'Save as...'
