Just Cold 10/13/2012 David Byrne and St. Vincent Love This Giant

   Well, it's a beautiful Saturday morning, and it is a good time as any to get right into the tunes. David Byrne & St. Vincent – Love This Giant. While cruising around the city of spotify this morning in search for a playlist to put together for my blog, I discovered this album. I use the term "discovered" lightly because, although I have been aware of the album, I simply have not devoted the time to listen to it. That, my friends, is what we call a huge mistake. This quirky, funky, abstractly melodic work of art is deserving of the highest priority in anybodies life. Seriously, put down whatever you're doing right now and listen to this album. It's worth it. On your way to the alter? Your bride/groom and guests can wait.

    

    I expect nothing but excellence from David Byrne, having grown up in a home where it was not uncommon to hear three or four Talking Heads albums a day. I may have not ever had a lot of money, but in my world where music is the most important thing ever, this is what I call having a privileged childhood. So anyway, being a huge fan of all things Byrne, I went into this knowing I would be getting into something awesome.

    

    It is the X factor that is St. Vincent that pushes this album beyond my already high expectations. I have heard a couple St. Vincent songs, but I wouldn't say I spent a lot of time appreciating her music. Therefore, having made it clear I'm fairly unfamiliar with her as a solo act, her work with Byrne is out of this world. Listening to this album for the first time makes me imagine what it must have been like to be the first person to hear Paul Simon and Art Garfunkle sing together. They just go together. It definitely impresses me how two established musicians can get together and come out with something totally different as their freshman effort. And all this is just a first reaction focusing on their voices!

    The backing music is just as fresh, which completes the painting of a wonderful world brought to life on Love This Giant. Backed by a brass section and electronic influenced drums and bass, each song seems to be a musical entity of it's own, but they all come together to form a theme. The theme, in my opinion is "Hey! Here's something new! And Awesome! Check it out!" The Afro-beat sound in songs such as The One Who Broke Your Heart was not all that surprising coming from Byrne, however, the funky Electronica inspired  subtle guitar work brings just enough freshness. Throw in St. Vincent's disco era influenced melodies on tracks such as Who, and you have something completely new in an industry that has not seen nearly enough innovation in the last 13 or so years.

    Love This Giant is just the call to arms we need in a musical world in danger of going flat. So do yourself a favor; put off whatever you're doing and embrace something new.

That's all for now, 'till next time, keep it cold
-C