Grizzly Bear and The Dirty Projectors

Lately I've been telling anybody who will listen that Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest and The Dirty Projectors' Bitte Orca are fab albums.

Because they are.

They're fab and they're sexy. As winsome as any consumer item hatched by a Danish design studio or French fashion house (especially if the French fashion house has a Japanese designer). You know, things you can buy to make yourself more attractive within the current cultural context.

I'll admit that these albums might up the 'excess' component of your collection, but not to the point of 'vainglorious excess' I wouldn't think.

Part of the appeal is how unclear the pronunciation of each title is. You and your date can giggle over it, and speculate, which will lead to all sorts of hand holding and wonderful, shared moments.

The first song on Veckatimest is my current favourite and I think it would do many relationships a world of good to get on board.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy is wonderful.

His album The letting go is to be encouraged in any potential life partner's CD collection. It just makes sense. The songwriting is interesting, varied and engaging, and Dawn McCarthy's harmonies are glorious.

Yes it may be an introspective musing on death and loss, but life ain't all disco and rock festivals, you know.

The usual obsession rule would be enforced, obviously. Will Oldham's excursions into acting, lauded or otherwise, have no bearing on Bonnie 'Prince' Billy.

I wonder if there should be a depression equation though?

Most of the Drag City record label is fine by me as far as all that goes too. It is not merely the preserve of bearded bohemians who drink only elm tea, and if elm tea is your major vice you could make a worse partner anyway.

There's an interesting Jim O'Rourke connection to many of the artists too, which I don't think is a bad thing.