Summer Sounds: September

“Blow Away” by A Fine Frenzy

Bomb In A Birdcage, Sept 2009

September was a funny little month, with sudden spikes and dips in temperature and temperament. One day it would creep to 90 degrees in summery style, and the next would be a blustery 60. Apt, then, was the release of A Fine Frenzy’s second album, which is full of little surprises and changes of mood.

Located in Seattle, too, Alison Sudol charmed audiences with her 2007 debut, One Cell in the Sea. While sometimes veering into eye-rolling doll-like fragility, the album was intriguing enough to garner some serious praise. Her second outing is stronger in tone and subject matter (though lyrics and phrasing stumble on occasion into cliche), and poppier on the sound front. A foray into 80s rock anthems, some unabashedly gleeful pop, and a couple of wounded bird coos are some of the components that make up this smorgasbord. Though her voice will never be as distinct as some of her peers’, A Fine Frenzy does her best with her pipes (including banishing most of the yearny whine from her timbre) and keeps us guessing with lyrics that grow increasingly mature.

Interestingly enough, her music has ceased to match her projected image: her press photos depict a retro-indie goddess on a picnic with her Victrola, or a softly lit chanteuse with a parasol. But, her music is unapologetically modern, pop-centric, and destined for a spot in the Top 20. Which sensibility will end up most prominent? That’s for album three to decide.

September was the final month of the summer, and here I end my summer sound rewind. What will come to define the months ahead remains to be seen!

Summer Sounds: July

“French Navy” by Camera Obscura

My Maudlin Career

The heat was turned up high in July, with Seattle reaching record breaking temperatures, the likes of which the city had never seen. (The native East Coasters just slathered on some tanning butter and reminded everyone that “at least it isn’t humid.”)

As denizens scoured their neighborhoods looking for the lone air-conditioned business, I turned to Glaswegian band Camera Obscura for some sun-drenched songs. Star track “French Navy” kicks things into gear with an American 60s girl-group feel, lacing “oohs” in with some sparklingly clever lyrics. Sometimes nearly capsized under waves of powerful orchestral sound, Tracyanne Campbell’s rough-edged voice manages to stay afloat and carry each song to shore. The bouncier tracks made the sun shine a little brighter on the water as July rolled into August.

Summer Sounds: June

Autumn has—I think—finally settled upon the Northwest, bringing this long, swelteringly beautiful summer to a cool, crisp close. The summer of 2009 saw the release of some majorly impactful music all across the board. Each month of summer brought a new album which saw heavy rotation over my speakers, making the memory of that month indelibly twinned with its particular soundtrack.

“No Intention” by Dirty Projectors

Bitte Orca, 2009

Sometimes I’m a curmudgeonly stick in the mud when it comes to breaking out of my audio comfort zone: I pull my afghan over my head and grumble that I don’t like that newfangled whatever-it-is and leave me alone, dammit.

Happily, a friend of mine played her pre-release copy of Bitte Orca when I couldn’t help but listen, and I came out of my troglodytic lair, blinking in the light of such incredible sounds. One of the most audacious albums I have ever had the pleasure of hearing, the month of June reverberated with spiky harmonies and thrillingly weird arrangements.