Mixtape 15: Early August 2005

1. The Double – Idiocy
2. Panthers – Thank Me with Your Hands
3. Radiohead – Big Boots (Live)
4. Pixies – Rock a My Soul
5. Pavement – Shady Lane
6. Sigur Rós – Glósóli
7. Silver Jews – How Can I Love You (If You Won’t Lie Down) (Video)
8. Belle and Sebastian – The Stars of Track and Field
9. Sleater-Kinney – Modern Girl
10. The Olivia Tremor Control – California Demise 3 (Live)

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In August I trekked through the length of Cape Cod and Boston, freed myself of the shackles of hazy big city society and possibly suffered brain damage as a result. Before stepping into what I was pretty sure would be my last car ride (or one that would at least change the way I thought about car rides), I loaded up the old iPod with a whole bunch of free mp3s, most of which I've since forgotten. One that "Idiocy" came from the Matador website, to promote The Double's then-forthcoming Matador debut, Loose in the Air. At first, I thought it was alright, good enough maybe to be #7 on a playlist (no offense, Mr. Berman), but little more than that. But gradually, I found, this song's radness sneaks up on you. Most reviewers have inexplicably written The Double off as an Interpol soundalike, completely ignoring the fact that they lack their labelmates' trademark indy swagger and showmanship. I love Antics (and Bright Lights, albeit to a slightly lesser extent), but Loose in the Air is more cerebral, less eager to make friends. It sounds alternately like And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out-era Yo La Tengo and early Geffen era Sonic Youth. I guess "Idiocy," the most accessible and mainstream-friendly track, could be described as Matadory, I'm really surprised that Interpol is the best that everyone can do. "Thank Me with Your Hands" piles more guitar lines on top of each other than I ever thought possible. It can get quite intense, you listen under the right circumstance. "California Demise 3" is a great summer song. That's really all I can say.