The Folk Implosion - One Part Lullaby

 

The Folk Implosion – One Part Lullaby

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

The city of Los Angeles has a strange effect on artists. The ghosts of it’s past haunting the works of its current residents. Trent Reznor lived at the former house of Sharon Tate while making Nine Inch Nails’ masterpiece The Downward Spiral but moved out after being thoroughly frightened by its gruesome past.

Lou Barlow understands this as well. After making noisy indie rock with Sebadoh for six years, he decided to give bedroom electronica a try. So, he moved west, partnered up with John Davis, and together they recorded tracks for the movie Kids. Thus, The Folk Implosion was born.

But no one could’ve predicted how well it would turn out. Barlow penned the trip-hop pastiche “Natural One” for the soundtrack. It combined acoustic guitars, electronic beats, and groovy bass. The clean yet underground sound was not unlike the territory Beck was mining at the time.

The track was the most successful thing Barlow had done to date. It peaked at no. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. four on the Modern Rock charts.

The Folk Implosion followed this up with another album, Dare to Be Surprised in 1997. However, this one was much more indie rock oriented. And while it was very good – great at times – it didn’t have the unique qualities of “Natural One.”

So, Barlow and Davis did what any band with ambitions and commercial potential would do in the late 90s. They signed to a major label. In fact, they signed to the same major label – Interscope Records – which put out the aforementioned Nine Inch Nails record.

Questions about the band still remained, however. Could Barlow and Davis recapture the glory of the Kids soundtrack? And could they go even higher commercially? Both questions would be answered very soon. One Part Lullaby was released in September of 1999. It was a return to the trip-hop sounds of “Natural One.” But how did it compare?

The album starts where Kids left off with “My Ritual.” With its trip-hop beat and smooth vocal from Barlow, it’s almost a carbon copy of “Natural One.” While this might hurt it as a standalone track, it works within the context of the album.

Barlow seems overwhelmed by the expanse of his new city. He says – rather ambiguously – he’s “had too much to feel tonight.” It could be interpersonal related, or it could be chemically inspired.

“Free To Go” is perhaps the most upbeat and catchy song on the album. Barlow sings of growing up in relation to key events in his life – playing baseball in the backyard, learning how to drive. It’s a song of losing patience with the growing process, but it’s also joyous at the same time.

Musically, it’s mid-tempo pop rock with only slight electronic flourishes. It’s a slightly adult contemporary sound Barlow would later embrace in 2005 on his debut solo album Emoh. But it fits just as well here.

The title track is an electro-pop lullaby that almost reads like an ingredients list. “One part lullaby, two parts fear/Another animal mixing with the atmosphere.” Barlow seems to be describing his day-to-day “struggles to survive” in an eerie, detached way. It’s an oddly effective tool.

On “Chained To The Moon,” Barlow sings about “filling [his] lungs with the sky.” Musically, it’s a trippy mix of folk, hip hop, and gospel – with a choir harmonizing over a backwards beat. The chorus describes feeling trapped, but the dreamy quality to the music suggests Barlow doesn’t really mind.

The specter of Los Angles is explicitly addressed on “EZ LA.” A downtempo, downbeat electropop tune, Barlow’s lyrics ironically describe “another beautiful day.” It’s almost as if Barlow is bored with the weather or he feels unsettled by his surroundings.

Barlow later revealed to Marc Maron that he struggled with meth addiction during this period, which demystifies some of the darker lyrics. But only Barlow knows the depths of his struggles, giving the album a murky, ghostly quality.

Oftentimes, an artistic reinvention is a misguided attempt at staying relevant. But sometimes, it can bring an artist to new creative heights. In the case of The Folk Implosion, the latter was true. Lou Barlow may be known as an innovator of indie rock, but his fusion of acoustic guitars and trip-hop beats on One Part Lullaby is where he peaked.

Interscope Records/1999

 

 

 

Fountains of Wayne – Utopia Parkway

 

Fountains of Wayne – Utopia Parkway

By

Jesse E. Mullen

Being a filmmaker is a lot like leading a band. You block out shots with precision. You direct your actors into position. And you coax the best performances you can out of them. Perhaps no musician understood this better than Adam Schlesinger.

The Fountains of Wayne bassist and main songwriter met singer Chris Collingwood at Williams College and quickly formed the group. They released an eponymous album of power pop in 1996. But it was his soundtrack work that brought him to a new level of fame.

Tom Hanks contacted Schlesinger to write the music for the 1996 cult film That Thing You Do! Having his name attached to an a-list actor meant that Schlesinger had doors opened to him that no one would’ve previously thought possible. He did soundtrack work for numerous film and tv productions.

All of which informed his writing when Fountains of Wayne returned to the studio to record Utopia Parkway. The sound was bigger, almost cinematic in scope. But the question still remained – could Schlesinger equal the impact of his soundtrack work, both critically and commercially?

The album opens with the title track. It’s mid-tempo piano rock until the chorus when the guitars crash in and the groove changes to a start-stop rhythm. Lyrically, the song describes the struggles of a budding band to adjust to life on the road.

It would be depressing if not for Collingwood’s upbeat delivery. Buying a cheap van, girlfriends who miss you on tour, not playing any original music. This band can’t catch a break. It recalls the story of That Thing You Do!, where a young band struggles to adjust to having a hit record.

“Red Dragon Tattoo” and “It Must Be Summer” are both catchy power pop in the vein of the debut album. Schlesinger’s melodic hooks never sounded better than within the context of Fountains of Wayne. As a tight band with chops and chemistry, they take his songs to another level.

“Denise” is a post-grunge styled track which evokes the sound of The Smashing Pumpkins. It tows the line between pastiche and parody but is an effective summation of the era. Schlesinger was smart to not take the idea too seriously and the song succeeds because of this.

“Prom Theme” might be the highlight of the album. Upon first glance of the title, one would assume the song would be uplifting. But there is a darker edge to the lyrics. Schlesinger’s narrator is already thinking about the future and not in an optimistic way. He discusses aging and completely forgetting about his date.

The lyrics in the chorus paint a desperate picture. He addresses his date and tries to live in the moment. He wants to make it a perfect night, knowing full well it can never be recreated. But the true genius of “Prom Theme” is that it’s not about a teenager on prom night. It’s a man in his 30s looking back on fading youth.

Musically, the track is piano-led baroque pop with strings and Burt Bacharach horns. Chris Collingwood’s vocals form an emotional center around the lush arrangement, and he brings an optimism to his performance not otherwise heard in the lyrics.

Schlesinger is again in slower territory on “A Fine Day For A Parade.” A minor key power ballad about a housewife drinking her days away, Schlesinger shows that not all is right in suburbia. The track also shows Schlesinger’s skills as a craftsman. It never becomes overwrought or bogged down by a sagging tempo – unlike many ballads of this era.

Alas, success was not to be with the album. When Utopia Parkway was released in April 1999, the reviews were mixed with Pitchfork calling the lyrics “banal” and the music a “mall-walking soundtrack.” The band was dropped by Atlantic later in the year.

However, success was still in their future. The long-awaited follow up, 2003’s Welcome Interstate Managers had their biggest hit in “Stacy’s Mom.” Fountains of Wayne disbanded in 2011, citing creative differences. And Schlesinger died of COVID-19 in April of 2020. He was 52.

But Fountains of Wayne will always be remembered as masters of power pop. Although they had their biggest success later on, it was Utopia Parkway that laid the groundwork for that album. Adam Schlesinger created beautiful work – That Thing You Do!, Ivy – but he may have peaked here.

Atlantic Records/1999

 

 

XTC – Apple Venus Volume 1

 

XTC – Apple Venus Volume 1

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

You lead a successful band for 15 years. You’ve transcended genre, going from glam to post-punk to college rock and finally your own blend of sophisti-pop. Then you enter litigation with your record label and are forced to take an eight-year break from recording.

So was the story of XTC. The Swindon-based band – really a duo of Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding – had formed in 1972 and released a handful of classic albums. But problems with their record label Virgin led to a forced sabbatical in 1992.

That all changed in 1998 when XTC were finally freed from their contract. And in 1999, a brand-new album was released on TVT Records entitled Apple Venus Volume 1. Certainly, the years apart would have an effect on the music. But would it be as enticing as their previous work?

Things get off to a shaky start with the repetitive, art-pop groove of “River of Orchids.” Partridge seems fascinated by the way that words of English language sound when inverted – specifically “circus” and “circle.” And it is fascinating from a linguistics perspective. Just not for five minutes and fifty-three seconds. 

However, the track does set the stage for the stronger moments, utilizing syncopated strings. They transform the track from a clunker into an interesting – albeit skippable – introduction to the “new” XTC sound. Track 2 is where the real fun begins.

“I’d Like That” boasts a chugging palm muted acoustic guitar, clever wordplay, and gorgeous harmonies. Partridge seems to be having fun making comparisons between his partner and himself with doomed lovers of famous lore. But it’s not the only song of doomed love.

“I Can’t Own Her” speaks of Partridge’s unrequited love towards an unnamed woman, and the resigned sadness it brought him. Chilling strings and a fingerpicked acoustic guitar announce the track in grand fashion. But Partridge’s harmonious vocals bring it to another level. 

However, the most bitter tune on the album – as well as one of the best – is “Your Dictionary.” A sharpened barb to Partridge’s doomed marriage, it is extremely effective at displaying the singer’s contempt. 

“Your Dictionary” is relatively simple musically, but the lyrics are some of the most unique heard in pop. By spelling out a word and describing the antonym, it is an apt metaphor for the mind games and emotional abuse which can end a relationship.

Elsewhere, we hear Partridge combining psychedelic pop with Spectorian wall-of-sound production on “Greenman,” and harking back to childhood memories on “Harvest Festival.” The strings are out in full force on the former, and it’s a joy to hear through headphones. On “Harvest Festival,” we hear a sound not too distant from early Beach Boys. 

But it’s his sidekick – bassist Colin Moulding – who delivers perhaps the most satisfying track on the album in “Frivolous Tonight.” The song begins with a piano theme combined with horns, sounding not unlike Burt Bacharach. And the lyrics take it to another level.

Moulding tells a tale of people only want to talk about “trivial things.” And it’s all delivered in dry British humor (or humour, as they say.) When some poor soul wants to talk shop, he is ejected from the party in dramatic fashion.

Once the chorus hits, the listener is greeted by absolutely gorgeous harmonies by Partridge and guitarist Dave Gregory. It’s a defining moment on the album, and quite possibly of XTC’s discography as a whole. 

Sadly, this would be one of the last tracks to feature Gregory, as he left the band shortly before the record’s completion. A member of XTC since 1979, Gregory’s departure had a profound impact on the chemistry of the band – both personally and musically. XTC would release only one more album before disbanding in 2006.

Most bands – particularly a band that had been around for several decades – couldn’t take an eight-year hiatus and stay motivated. But XTC were not an ordinary band. Picking a favorite XTC record is often an exercise in futility, but Apple Venus Volume 1 makes a strong case as the pinnacle of the Moulding/Partridge partnership.

TVT/1999