Fluxblog 285: Boomers in Midlife Crisis | Stewart Lupton • Nina Adjoa • Gum Country • The Nix
This week's playlist is Midlife Crisis On Infinite Boomers 1986-1989, an exploration of what the icons of the 1960s and 1970s were up to in the late '80s as they faced middle age and the MTV era. A lot of it will probably make you cringe, but some of it is quite good. [Apple | Spotify]
October 5th, 2020
On The Cobblestone
Stewart Lupton “Three Chord Mansion”
In a better timeline, Stewart Lupton would have at least been able to complete the comeback he started with the one EP he released under the band name Childballads in the middle of the 2000s. He was in the process of reinventing himself as a sort of mid-60s Dylan figure, and I think he was doing it convincingly. Obviously, a lot of people aim for that, but he genuinely possessed the raw charisma and skewed poeticism to pull it off. A few more songs trickled out, including a couple from a radio session I produced for a public radio show in 2008 and another EP with a backing band called The Beatins in 2009, and after that he went totally silent until his death in 2018. It’s unclear how much music he made in the last decade of his life, but a 5 song compilation of lost Lupton songs has surfaced on Bandcamp and the most recent track is from 2010.
“Three Chord Mansion” is from his Childballads phase, and I dimly recall it being played when I saw them live a couple times back then. It’s a loose and groovy number featuring Betsy Wright on vocals and keyboard, and it sounds like it was recorded live to tape with the exception of Lupton’s vocal overdubs, in which he doubles his part in a lower register. The live feel suits Lupton well – it captures his ragged spirit without any studio dilution, and the recording centers the raw chemistry he had with Wright. She sings a backup vocal part that tips over into a lead if just by virtue of the strength and confidence of her voice, like she’s there to provide this traditional passionate country rock vocal while he plays it cool. It’s lucky to have this recording now, but also so frustrating – they sound like they’re just starting to figure out this dynamic. I’m sure whatever volatility that resulted in things falling apart is also what makes this sound so vital and present, but it’s hard to get around the “what if?” of it all.
Buy it from Bandcamp.
October 7th, 2020
Count Back From Ten
Nana Adjoa “Throw Stones”
“Throw Stones” is a song about suppressing rage that has a graceful and mostly placid tone while layering in elements of tension and unease. It’s not always subtle – after the first chorus there’s a sudden harsh tone like a “WRONG!” buzzer, and it’s like an involuntary facial tick that reveals a flicker of unrestrained anger before regaining composure. Nana Adjoa’s lyrics are direct but her vocal performance is very carefully modulated – polite, but just a bit vulnerable. Passive aggressive, but a little ashamed of that. It’s a song that struggles with the idea of anger, recognizing the emotional truth of it while despising cruel and destructive impulses.
Buy it from Bandcamp.
October 8th, 2020
No Voice Comes Out
Gum Country “There’s A Crumb”
The arrangement of “There’s A Crumb” conveys constant movement but not much in the way of forward momentum – it’s more like jogging in place with a vague frustration that you’re not sprinting ahead. Courtney Garvin’s vocal tone is muted and monotone as she sings about a social anxiety that keeps her from communicating, and it sounds like it’s something of a mystery to her even if it makes some emotional sense. The vibe of the song isn’t that heavy, but the feeling of “wait, what is going wrong, why can’t I do this” is strong. It’s a low-key twitch of angst that’s buried a bit below the surface in the hopes that people don’t notice you not functioning like you ought to.
Buy it from Bandcamp.
October 9th, 2020
Behind The Window In My Eyes
The Nix featuring Khloe Anna “The Drop”
The Nix is a spinoff of Franz Ferdinand, and while this new production duo featuring former member Nick McCarthy is covering different musical ground, there’s an aesthetic continuity in their focus on groove and air of wry sophistication. “The Drop” is a dance track with the energy of an action film sequence that cuts quickly as a way of boosting momentum and making the actions of the protagonists feel particularly decisive and intuitive. The razzle dazzle of the song is mainly in the sexual tension implied by the contrast of the male and female vocals – he’s projecting a casual confidence bordering on jaded indifference, and she’s playing up a mix of sultry and sassy. Again, very action film!
Buy it from Bandcamp.