A couple weeks ago, I heard about a project of seemingly uberepic hipster-nerd mind-exploding proportions: The Bird & The Bee (previously known in my world for one of The Aughts’ greatest hooks with ‘Fucking Boyfriend’) had made an album completely made up of songs from the Hall & Oates songbook, lengthily titled “Interpreting the Masters, Vol. 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates”.

You may ask:
Q: Ledyard, why should I think of this news as Brain-Blowing?

I reply:
A: Well [insert hip fake online name here], I always thought that The Bird & The Bee have a mildly cool thing going, with a sound that typifies mellow hipness as it stands today. The only drawback (aside from the hook mentioned earlier) is that their songwriting kinda, well, uh…. sucks. However, bring in the greatest pop songcrafters of the late 70’s & early 80’s (excluding Jim Steinman and Don Blackman perhaps) and !like that! you have fun hooky songs fresh out of the oven (albeit reheated 30 years hence) and wrapped in sweet & salty sushi bar indie sheen.

BOOM goes your musicnerdbrain!

So here’s the thing: it’s incredible……………. for the first two days or so. Around the 49th hour, something dawned on me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that this combination of two SEEMINGLY amazing things had spawned something so incongruent it might cause an unexpecting musicnerdbrain to implode from confusion.

SHHHLLLLERP!! went my musicnerdbrain! So what’s the deal?

We all recognize that Hall & Oates has had a resurgence of popularity with the young folks lately, and I for one think it is extremely well-deserved. The problem lies in the fact that their music is not appreciated like Bob Dylan’s, for example, in a kind of awed wonder and with a subconscious fear that the greatest music has already been written. No, Hall & Oates’ music is (and should be) appreciated like a Chuck Norris movie, which is to say it is AWESOME with a capital everything, but is still enjoyed in a mildly tongue-in-cheek way.

We now return to The Bird & The Bee then. They have the typical sound of an indie band of our times: smooth, deceptively lo-fi and hi-fi (whichever implies that neither is true), hushed, and very tongue-in-cheekISH. I emphasize the ISH because it is an important distinction between them and the music they are covering. The Bird and The Bee, like many bands, want it all: they want to be postmodern, modern, humorous, serious, knowingly influenced, unflinchingly original, and often taken at least to some degree seriously.

This combination of goals often yields results that sound subdued and hip (some may say safe), in other words 85% of the indie pop scene (ok 95%). So it’s interesting to be able to hear older, well-crafted but very silly songs put through this filter, because this generation’s heroes and this generation’s music don’t really sound very similar once you get beyond aesthetics.

On this record, the singing is well done in that breathy nonchalant way indie chicks tend to sing, but, noticeably, many of the idiosyncratic vocal parts (‘No Can Do’, for example) have been removed in an effort to sidestep corniness. Similarly, the productions are cool, but only just, creating music that immediately gets filed in the ol’ Memory Banks under R for ‘Really Cool Dinner Music’. And ultimately that will be it’s best medium. Have people over who like indie music and they will respond to the aesthetic of this record very quickly (a subtle glance at the iPod or a so-casual-it-must-be-hiding-desperation muttering of ‘who are we listening to?’), and of course once they realize what songs are being performed they will wag their tongues like Scooby Doo. But ultimately they too will reach the point when they realize they just want it to be more (and not for lack of better term, because this IS the term) fun. Ultimately, the music should be more fun.

The point is, no matter how seriously Hall, Oates or Chuck Norris wanted to be taken, the days when that mattered are long behind us, and the reason they are popular now is because their work is so awesomely bombastic that it’s hard to believe it was made unironically (and if you have read Hall & Oates liner notes, you know they are not the ironic types). And because any seriousness is lost on today’s audience, all one is left with is the Fun Factor. When you have The Bird and The Bee take Hall & Oates and treat them as elder statesmen for a tongue-in-cheek society that wants to be taken seriously, what ends up happening is similar to when you watch a bad movie that is in fact much too bad: you watch and giggle for about a half hour, then suddenly get bored with being ironic about it and just want to be entertained.

And it was at this moment that I realized the best thing to do was to switch back over to the originals, where things were not ironically and strangely awesome, but rather sincerely and lamely AWESOME. And to be honest, they groove a lot harder (which can’t be said for H&O often). This is not a bad album by any means, but it doesn’t feel necessary or inspiring in any way either. Perhaps I need to give it another three decades to truly get it.

Thanks for reading.

Photo by: Pär Olofsson

‘Everything I am, and everything I want to be.
All I want to achieve, I already have in me’

Backed by a thunderous wall of fat synths and kicking bass, sharp guitar and cracking snares, carried on the silvered voice of an agathokakological angel sent from pop heaven on-high, these are the words of O’Spada, and as soon as you hear them you know them to be true.

O’Spada’s sound is the quintessence of fresh. It transports you to the past and future simultaneously, pulls your moneymaker forever in both directions, and forces your surrender on both fronts to the fundamental power of the groove. Listening to O’Spada is a time-quaking, chromosome-shaking mitosis of the soul, proving once again that Sweden is making the best pop music per capita of any country.

Here’s a taste (turn up that bass):

If that doesn’t get you moving, congratulations, you’re a corpse. Thankfully, there are many warm bodies across the globe getting down to this fledgling dance outfit, and after just two stellar singles released (their second, ‘Ten Strikes’, is one of 2009’s most joyous odes to infidelity (listen below), O’Spada has the world hungry for more. With an album set to drop a few months from now, I had the chance to chat with them for an exclusive trans-Atlantic interview.

This is O’Spada.

Our standard opener at dysonsound: Beatles or Stones?
Julia: Beatles. Better songs.

O’Spada Special: Prince or Stevie? Or: is there a third option?

Julia: I love both! Prince has probably inspired O’Spada’s sound more, but Stevie is a huge inspiration as a singer and composer.
Johan: Yeah, Stevie is probably one of the best singers there is.

How did you as individuals get into music, and how did you come together to form O’Spada?

Julia: We met when we studied improvisation together, and formed O’Spada in 2006. Our original keyboardist left the group in 2007, and Christopher joined. About the same time, we started getting more serious about O’Spada.

O’Julia, your vocals are astronomically beautiful. Was there a specific point in your life that you sort of found yourself vocally, when you realized you could do what you do with your voice? Who inspired you to sing?

Julia: Thank you! My first big inspiration was TLC when I was 11. I practiced and practiced and the voice came little by little. During my teenage years, singers like Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield were my main inspiration. I didn’t sing in public until I was 18 years old, when I started studying jazz and taking singing lessons, which of course affected my sound. By the same time, I injured my vocal chords (permanently)from screaming too loudly at a jam, and that affected my voice too.

How would you describe your sound? What makes O’Spada’s music what it is?

Julia: The combination of the stubborn vocals, often expressing strong emotions, and the puzzle-like arrangements, where noone plays very much, but when the pieces are put together, there isn’t much space left. Our grooves are often based on many small riffs.

Samuel: It can also sometimes be atmospheric and a kind of “wet”sound, but still, we always keep in mind the groove and the rythm and we would never allow it to get smudgy.

Julia: Our first songs (e.g. Time) were made 3 years ago when O’Spada was very much my own project. Pretty soon though, that changed, and we became a proper band, which of course affects the sound. I don’t think anyone of us would have guessed we would sound like we do now, and that’s the beauty of it, we didn’t know this sound until we created it, little by little.

Samuel: We definitely know more now of how we want O’Spada to sound, and our next album will hopefully be written during a shorter period of time and probably, because of that, more uniform.

The first time I heard ‘Time’ was through Youtube (the DIY video) and it made my heart pop out of my chest and my brain burst into flames (semi-figuratively). The unexpected discovery of brilliant music can have that effect. What music has made you do that in the past (your formative years), and what music has made you do that most recently?

Julia: Why, thank you! I remember the first time I put on my first P-funk record, (Parliament’s The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein) I immediately felt it was the beginning of a long and wonderful friendship. Another example is when I first heard the Swedish band Little Dragon a few years ago.

Samuel: I get that feeling from music so seldom that it’s sad, but last year I actually had three favourite albums that I loved and listened to almost exclusively. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus, Miike Snow – Miike Snow and Justice – Cross (I know; I was late on this one). I need something new now though, please help me.

Are your songs written by an individual or collectively? How did your first singles evolve, and can you listen to the end products at this point and allow yourself to think: DAMN, that’s us?!!??

Julia: I have written the lyrics and the vocal melody to all of our songs so far, but all of us contribute with beats and song sketches. We always work out the arrangements together, and that’s definitely the point when the songs become O’Spada songs.

Samuel: For me, it’s very hard to enjoy listening to our album since we’ve been working on it for such a long time. It’s  a bit like when you listen to your favourite album a little too much, you know it’s good music but you need to take a break to be able to enjoy it again. Despite that feeling (which might be only me) we’re all very proud of how this album turned out and that we made it all by ourselves. If people like our music, we’re the ones to take all the credit!

Who produced your recordings so far? How has the recording experience been?

Julia: We are our own producers – people often say they’re surprised how alike the music sounds live and on our studio recordings. Samuel is our recording engineer, so when it comes to recording techniques and sound effects etc, he’s in charge. Our album was mixed by Ollie Olson, so he added an extra touch to the sound, too.

Samuel: Since we had no money to buy studio time we had to record everything the DIY way, everything is recorded in our rehearsal place and in our apartments. I think we’ve learned a lot during the process of recording, how we want to do things, and maybe even more how we don’t want to do things. Some things could’ve been done much smoother and better, but since we did it all by ourselves and had noone to tell us what to do we had to learn the hard way. We don’t now how the next album will be recorded, but if it’s going to be another DIY record, we’re ready!

Currently, O’Spada has released two killer singles and has an album on the horizon. Which excites you more: having a stack of kick-ass singles to your name or creating the ultimate album experience for listeners? (Both is not an answer on this one)

Julia: Hm, that’s a very tough question. I’m really looking forward to releasing the songs that takes a bit longer to get into, but add very much to the atmosphere of our music. But most of all, we aim for hits that hit the listener fast and hard, so I guess if I have to choose, I’m going for the stack of kick-ass singles.

When will the O’Spada album be available to the yearning masses? Will there be a vinyl release (as I mentioned, I’ve burned a hole in my ‘Time’ single)?

Julia: The album is due in May, at least in Europe. I really hope for it to be released on vinyl, but we don’t know yet.

Is there another single preceding the album’s release?

Julia: Pay Off, probably in May.

I saw that you recently played London. Where else have you been? What has been your most exciting experience(s) as a touring band?

Julia: Actually, we’ve mostly played in Stockholm, with a few trips to other Swedish cities such as Gothenburg. London was our first foreign destination, and it was very exciting, we loved the audience and plan to go back there later this spring. I think for me, our coolest venue was an opera stage in Stockholm (Folkoperan), where we played this New Years Eve. We were up on the balcony in this old theatre, and it was such a rush playing there, blinded by the spotlights.

When in the name of all that is good are you coming to the US? We want to have a party (O’Party?).

Julia: We’re very eager to O’party in the US too! Hopefully, we’re coming later this year.

What is your ultimate goal as a band?

Julia: We’d really love for this album to find us new audiences, and to be able to go on a big tour with it. Ultimately, we want to be able to work full-time with music.

Feel free to answer any or all of these last couple questions. They are a little silly.

Which song, by any artist of any era, do you wish you had written & recorded? Why?

Julia: I’m a sucker for Human Nature…

Samuel: I wouldn’t mind being the writer of Toxic (Britney Spears).

Which song currently has the highest Play Count on your iTunes (or music player equivalent)?

Julia: Right now, our own album. It’s just been mastered, and we’ve listened to many different versions of the songs. Out of that album, maybe Pay Off, our upcoming single, or Rainbow, a lovesong in shuffle.

Favorite Movies?

Julia: Some of my favourite directors include Cassavetes, Fellini, Bunuel, Polanski and Allen. Last time I fell head over heels for a movie was Annie Hall.

Favorite Artwork?

Julia: Hm… I decorate my walls with Gilbert & George and M.C. Escher.

What is the coolest thing in the immediate space around you right now? (For example I have a big clock sitting next to me. It has a black & white picture of Alfred Hitchcock holding the slate from ‘Psycho’ on it. Is that cool? Who knows?)

Julia: A brass, 30′s style tape dispenser  my father gave to me 10 years ago.

Johan: A Monstera deliciosa plant.

Samuel: The vinyl cover of Pink Floyd – Wish you were here. I’m not into Pink Floyd, but that cover is just wickedly cool.

Do any of you experience synesthesia when writing, performing or listening to music? If so, what color(s) is O’Spada’s music?

Julia: I associate all kinds of stuff with colors. But I can’t pick a specific one for O’Spada. Time is orange, Ten Strikes is blue, and many of our songs are black.

Could you teach me how to write something in Swedish, perhaps with an oblique reference to famed Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus?

Samuel: “I utav adel och I andre som frie gods begären vad trängens I här rivens och slitens om ynka få gårdar? Drager dit till desse land som rödjer eder så stora gods och eder själv lyster och vars och ens makt tillåter! Jag skall eder med privilegier och frihet försörja, hjälpa och all gunst bevisa.”
- Gustavus Adolphus the Great’s speach to the swedish parliament in the year of 1617.

It’s old swedish, and I really don’t know what he is saying. Found it on Wikipedia…

O’Spada – Ten Strikes

Just browsing around the music blogosphere today, I stumbled across a couple new tunes from Mr. Thom Yorke, the frontman for Radiohead and now another band, the newly christened Atoms for Peace (which features Flea on bass… am I the only one that finds Thom and Flea sharing a stage kinda funny? Thom Yorke with a tube sock on his junk?). This time, however, the alien chanter was performing a few songs solo, all of which some intrepid nerd was awesome enough to record. As I sat there watching & listening, I was overwhelmed by the majesty of his songwriting, and was doubly overwhelmed thinking about how LONG I’ve been listening to this man’s every recorded move, and how INCREDIBLY OFTEN I have felt this exact same way about whatever he has to show me.

The point is: I am no longer the 14-year-old dweeb I once was when I first heard ‘Paranoid Android’, and I don’t get knocked on my ass by music nearly as often or easily as I once did. But this man continues to do it to me every time.

So I have concluded, right now, that unlike many of our favorite aging rock gods, who with each new track slip further and further away from what made them great, Thom Yorke seems to be getting closer and closer to pure unfettered gorgeousness the longer he exists on this planet. At this point I am convinced he will continue to make beautiful music until he is no longer able to lift a guitar or raise his voice, and even then I wouldn’t count him out. For fans of music, we should take a moment to realize how wonderful that really is, and while you do, watch this:

Now, I love the holidays, and I love holiday music, but I have never been the type of person to turn my car radio to a holiday station on Thanksgiving and let it run on through the New Year. In fact I’ve never even attempted it, as I always assumed I would be googling “euthanasia centers Boston” by about December 1st (don’t bother trying by the way; most of them, for some reason, draw the line at humans). But despite my trepidation toward this practice, for the last few days I had no choice but to get a crash course on what it means to be a Holiday Radio Junkie.

The drugs are quick. As soon as I was picked up from the airport, I was dropped into a world of jingle bells and pre-war jazz pop, taken to dizzying heights by triple modulating standards and soft rock holiday covers that go to the chorus no less than five times a song. As we pushed through hour after hour, I could feel myself slipping. I began to see, through the fir-scented mire, how a person could get pulled into this seedy world and never recover. With a catalogue of songs that is shockingly small, holiday radio can ensnare even the strongest person in its spiraling labyrinth of sameness, like the swirling underbelly of a powerful waterfall does to the unmindful rafter, placidly allowing its victim to twist and struggle to exhaustion before finally succumbing to the still calm of brain death.

I myself quickly OD’d on the yuletide dementia, having such a low tolerance, and before I knew it I found myself lying back and taking each and every Nick & Jessica cover with a frightening level of enthusiasm. This twisted, cruel euphoria lasted a week straight with absolutely no breaks (I have the Comcast music channels, the aforementioned car radio, and my unresting and easily hooked brain to thank for the smooth musical transitions from car to mall to car to home to black, imageless sleep and back again). By the fifteenth or sixteenth separate rendition of ‘Little Drummer Boy’ (which easily has the wackiest array of covers in the holiday canon, from Whitney Houston to Anne Murray to Daughtry) I started to have unrelenting visions of sugarplums dancing in my head… horrible, hellspawn sugarplums. Of course, those could have also been blood spots from the blown vessels in my brain; I don’t really know what sugarplums look like. (Incidentally, the difference between googling ‘sugar plums’ and ‘sugar plum’ is mildly startling. Check the image results for both).

On the plane ride back north, I rocked and sweated, cut off from the feed, sucking on candy canes in the bathroom just to keep myself sane. It was a brutal recovery, much like Ewan Macgregor’s in ‘Trainspotting’, only in my case the ceilingbabies were shaped like sugarplums… or possibly naked men bent over a couch (have you googled ‘sugar plum’ yet???). But as soon I was home, with my faithful iPod by my side bumping secular chunks of beauty, the stillness and non-festive-ness of the situation allowed me a much-needed reprieve from the holiday madness. I have been to the edge and back, people, and I am proud to say I am a better man for it. Or not.

Thanks for reading, and happy holidays.