Can't You Let it Slide, Just This Time

The Sharp Things - I'll Always Be Y our Loser, Honey.

Sometimes the timing on these things is just right. Maybe if this had come on some happy fall day I would've hated it. Maybe if this had come on the hottest day of the year I would've chucked it right in the trash. Turns out it landed on my desk on a gloomy June day in Los Angeles during a particularly rough patch, and it slapped me in the face like a bucket of water. It's exactly what I needed to hear today -- both instantly familiar in song style and entirely new somehow. It reminds of when I first put Tom Wait's "Little Trip to Heaven" on my worn out turntable. This song is simply gorgeous and I love every second of it.

I am so glad that someone is still making music like this. This is earnest, melodic, expertly arranged pop music of the highest quality. Right up with early Tom Waits, Burt Bacharach, and maybe even Randy Newman, this is just plain good music. But this isn't to say that the Sharp Things are simply the torch-bearers of a tradition. They own this music, and it fits in with the musical movements of 2005 just fine, if you ask me.

This exceptional track comes off of their second album Foxes & Hounds. What I like about this is that it has nothing to do with being cool, or being a hipster or any sort of scene. It's just great music that fits anywhere. I'm always looking for folks who are trying to make music for music's sake... folks that record in the old fashioned way with full string and horn arrangements. I love stuff like that.

So, the Sharp Things are a huge band... sometimes numbering 8, other times 15. It's tough to tour with that many folks, but they've got some shows coming up. You can check their site for more info on that and to buy the album. Highly, highly recommended.