Home: Sexteen (Brah/Jagjaguawar Records)
Indie pop w/southern rock + bar-band tinges. Most songs about sex…hence, be careful about FCCs (most songs probably aren’t playable…refer to song titles to get the idea). I’m not sure whether this is meant to be taken seriously as sensitive love songs or as a sophomoric joke (lyrics claim “f****** is currently my favorite form of expression”.) Lyrics are awkward + embarrassing, but that’s probably just my prudish sensibilities. Anyways, the musical configuration of the songs work pretty well; sounds a bit like Spoon, but w/ southern influence and garage rock leanings; driving, straightforward guitar work gets the job done, and bar-band vox pretty convincing. Songs are fairly varied, from twee to garage rock to funk. This would have been a decent record if not for the “concept” (yes, rock ‘n roll is fundamentally about sex (and sometimes rebellion), but this is a bit much (for the radio, at least)). If you care about FCCs, play #3, 1, 11 (most of the better songs are too explicit to go on air).
FCCs: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 19
1) 3:12 – first sounds like song from kids show, then indie rock kicks in. electric guitar, piano sparkles. Melody climbs scale.
2) 2:34 – mid-tempo indie pop/rock w/flaming lips strings. Explicit description of coitus. FCC?!
3) 3:15 – up-tempo cool rock w/ driven guitar. No FCCs, unless thin euphemisms count. Ends with moaning male vox.
4) 3:15 – bouncy bar-rock. Cool guitars. Graphic lyrics about adult-oriented activities. FCC for language and content. suddenly cuts off.
5) 3:58 – quiet piano pop. Sparkling xylophone. Graphic description of reproductive acts. FCC.
6) 2:36 – messy garage rock w/ southern flirtations. Explicit euphemisms. FCC?
7) 5:45 –sensitive, yearning pop. Harpsichord melody. Falsetto whisper-moan vox. Percussion + bass rise near end. Explicit euphemisms. FCC.
8) 3:58 – midtempo rock. funky guitar + bass. Compressed soul vox. feels cool at first, but then…CONTAINS SAMPLES OF A GUY CALLING A 1-900 Sex Number NUMBER. FCC!!
9) 1:43 – cool driving rhythm. Scrappy garage rock. Not quite explicit enough for FCC
10) 2:12 – laid-back, soft pop. explicit. FCC for grown-up words + themes.
11) 3:37 – driving garage rock guitar. Heavy instruments, but light feel. I couldn’t make out any FCCs, although the lyrics are still euphemistic, I think.
12) 2:33 – laid-back indie pop. cool start-stop beat sounds like a skipping record. Double-vox. Staccato organ/xylophone. FCC f*** (but as an explicative…)
13) 5:24 –funk wah guitar. Slow, retro feel. Staccato vox. Euphemistic lyrics, but nothing nastier than lots of soul lyrics. Borderline FCC.
14) 2:29 – starts slow, organ. gets faster, more frantic. Robert Plant elocution + lyrical depth. Driving rock chords + piano.
15) 3:18 –melodic, relaxed pop. Slow + bouncy. Cool organ + electric guitar. Explicit lyrics…FCC.
16) 3:17 –fast punkish rock. Compressed, buried vox difficult to decipher…possible FCC. Gets about as explicit as the title.
17) 3:43 –syrupy piano + cheesy sensitive lyrics (“I’m just as vulnerable as you/to the waxing moon”). Retro soul feel…emulates baby-making music. Slight euphemism near beginning.
18) 3:48 –buzzing electric guitar groove. sweet squawking guitar. Double syncopated drawling vox. Kinda creepy vox....hard to understand, but I think FCC.
19) 2:03 – Reprise of first track. up-tempo rock-pop. melody rises up scale. Happy pop. FCC a**..