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February 10, 2005
lou barlow :: emoh
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Lou Barlow is back, and it feels good. The intent of the title's pun is obvious: Barlow did more than anybody to launch the mostly dismal 'emo' movement of maudlin, coarse confessional indie songwriters. The students have lost the plot; the master is back for school.
I dare say this is the best single Barlow record since he broke from Dinosaur Jr. It's certainly the most sophisticated and consistent. However, I must admit I missed out on the Folk Implosion and some other stuff Lou has released in the last few years. Emoh has inspired me to catch up on that period, and go back to my old favorites, like The Freed Weed and III.
For old Barlow/Sebadoh fans, this is the same old sound, cleaned up in places, but no more than the best-recorded Sebadoh material like Bakesale. He's added a few production ideas, mostly with unobtrusive drum loops. The songs range from good to fantastic, if you spot him the goofy kitty song at the end - it acts like an extra track.
Perhaps the best moment of all is the genius 80s cover, provided below. A great surprise, and a real achievement.
If you're new to Lou, perhaps the right comparison is Iron & Wine (sample). Most Sam Bush fans would cherish this record, I'd imagine.
There's a treasure of additional info, demos, etc. from Lou himself here. For old-time Sebadoh fans, a major discovery: tracks from many rare 7" singles (thanks for making them digital, no thanks for devaluing my copies).
In other writing, Pop Matters, Pitchfork, and the London Observer all make good arguments that these songs don't live up to the glory days, despite being solid. They variously mark down their grades as a result.
Is there a reason this record came on the heels of the nuevo-emo (but excellent) Bright Eyes stuff?
Legendary (mp3)
Round-N-Round (mp3)
Posted by borrowed_tunes at February 10, 2005 08:53 PM
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