SWEEP FREQUENCY #376: The Little Dog Laughed
New tunes by Lava La Rue, Amy O, Yoshika Colwell, So Totally, L.B. Dub Corp, and more...
OPENING RIFF: “Los Angeles, give me some of you! Los Angeles come to me the way I came to you, my feet over your streets, you pretty town I loved you so much, you sad flower in the sand, you pretty town.”“ — John Fante, Ask the Dust
SMALL TALK: I’m doing a wild running relay from Los Angeles to Las Vegas for the third year in a row next week, and it’s become something of a tradition for me to try to get some reading in that evokes at least some of that trip and the region. This year, my first addition to my Speed Project reading list is Ask the Dust, a 1939 John Fante novel that’s probably best read as a young aspiring writer instead of an aging has-been, but its evocation of Los Angeles is hard to resist. If his introduction accompanying more recent copies didn’t give it away, you can see the massive influence the novel had on Charles Bukowski immediately, and the vivid descriptions of the derelict sides of the city have a beautifully twisted rhythm to them. While it’s a favorite of younger folks, it’s much easier to get every last punchline about Fante’s stand-in, Arturo Bandini, being comically self-absorbed in the way every aspiring writer is. The novel ends in the Death Valley area, too, which feels perfectly appropriate for next week’s shenanigans. Speaking of things meant for stupid young folks, I’ve lamented the death of the dumb raunchy comedy a few times in this space, and Ricky Stanicky scratched a very specific itch for me after an exhausting weekend of moving. While some newer comedies in this sphere are critically lauded, this one feels like a throwback in the sense that it’s so dumb that it’s divisive among critics, and it’s certainly not “good” in the traditional sense no matter how many times it made me laugh. Still, it was fun enough in the moment, and seeing Zac Efron crushing Narragansett Lager and John Cena rocking an ALF t-shirt pretty much guaranteed that I’d have to like it on a personal level. Let’s get to this week’s new music.
Nearly Every Song From Every 2024 Newsletter Will Be Available in Playlist Form: SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
1. LAVA LA RUE - "PUSH N SHUV": While I've sung the praises of Lava La Rue in this space before, they're stepping up their game with the first single off their debut album. Tailor-made for the early days of spring, "Push N Shuv" is a funky, grooving R&B jam complete with a nice little flute solo in during the chorus, as La Rue's vocals and rapping make for a perfect match with producer Karma Kid, whose fingerprints seem to be on every great record at the moment.
2. AMY O FEAT. GLENN MYERS - "DRIBBLE DRIBBLE": It's been a while since we've gotten a full-length record from Amy Oelsner, but this single is a terrific way to announce a new record. With an assist from Glenn Myers, "Dribble Dribble" will instantly hook you with its slightly grungy take on bedroom pop, with the subtly shredding riffs pairing nicely with the call and response between Oeslsner and Myers.
3. YOSHIKA COLWELL - "IT'S GETTING LATE": My life is not in much of a meditative state right now, but this equinox gem from Yoshika Colwell is a good reminder to appreciate the world around you. With lush, piano-laden production, "It's Getting Late" is a rousing, beautiful tune that feels like it should be coming from a veteran at the peak of their powers rather than a supremely talented singer-songwriter's debut single.
4. SO TOTALLY - "DOZ ROSES": It feels like every new band falling under the increasingly vast shoegaze umbrella has to choose between shimmering beauty and distortion-fueled dizziness. Philly's So Totally opt for the latter, and it suits them perfectly on "Doz Roses," which finds profundity under its sonic assault thanks to Roya Weidman's terrific vocals.
5. L.B. DUB CORP FEAT. ROBERT OWENS - "YOU GOT ME": Luke Slater has a ton of aliases to go with his many huge contributions to dance music over the past few decades, and the revival of his L.B. Dub Corp alias is a cause for celebration. An equal reason for joy is that the first single, "You Got Me," features one of the finest house singer of all time, Robert Owens, lending his soulful pipes for a slice of dance nirvana that feels equally foreboding and joyful.
PARTING SHOTS: An oral history of Pitchfork is an obligatory share in these parts. You might as well enjoy this year's March Madness because they seem hell bent on gutting it in favor of a few extra bucks after this. I'm kind of reveling in all of the negative reviews of Lauren Oyler's new essay collection (yes, I think i've fully turned on her style at this point). Rest in power to newsletter fav Cola Boyy, who made amazingly groovy jams and was an inspiration as a political and disability rights activist to boot.
ENCORE: "PENNY GIRL"