Much Better Sundays

Obvious Errors: Poor Execution is a 15 track, 25 minute CD put out by Snowfield, the solo music project of Alex Mitcalfe Wilson. If you live in Wellington, you probably know Alex, who puts out the zine Cupcake Monsters. Alex is very good at writing about music. Making it? Not so much.

Admittedly, Snowfield is not the sort of music I would choose to listen to, particularly after the live shows where the backing track didn’t match up to the instruments actually being played. So it was a great relief, when listening to Obvious Errors, to find the beat wasn’t off. Mostly. I think that was deliberate.

The album is probably more interesting for what it speaks about than musically. It reminds me of things like Frase + Bri, but dirtier, more eclectic, not about crushes. Lyrics are recited, chanted even, rather than being sung, and tend to be in the background. I was disappointed reading the liner notes to find “a cat still wants tui birds” was actually “a cat still wants to eat birds”. I think I like my version better. But that gives an example of the type of topics Snowfield discusses. It’s definitely political, punk in anger, and not just the DIY aesthetic.

I like this CD best when there’s lots going on; track 12, The Execution of Things, is my favourite. Some of it I plain don’t get, short tracks that leave me confused as to what they’re trying to do. Most of it I’m just not interested in.I admit I don’t like minimalistic music – even so, I don’t think the songs here are very successful. You can’t doubt the sincerity, but I think you’d need particularly experimental tastes to appreciate this.

But you can find out for yourself! Snowfield is playing at Space Thing, 2pm this Sunday, to celebrate the release of his 7″ split single, the other side being contributed by Alps, whom I don’t appreciate either. But if you do, then maybe you’ll want to check Snowfield out.

This review was based off a complimentary copy of the CD provide by the artist. Bet that’s the last time anyone gives me free stuff. Sorry, Alex!

I didn’t go out this weekend. This wasn’t just laziness, and I have an excuse:

I spent my last $20 on the new So So Modern CD. (Okay, technically second-to-last. Bus tickets. I have to get to work somehow.)

I didn’t even get to listen to it straight away. Thank god somewhere on Lambton Quay had it or I wouldn’t've had time to get it at all. So it had to wait till after work today. My mother had to remind me; I was reading an exceedingly violent book. Possibly she just wanted to hear it herself.

When you’re reading a book that ends with the main character’s death, it’s really nice to listen to music that makes you feel so good. Do I like it better because I know the songs, because they remind me of awesome times at awesome gigs? Probably. I think I like them anyway, in my own house, with no risk of hearing damage or tall guys pushing ahead in packed out crowds. It’s fun times without the stress. It’s knowing there’s good in the world even as a teenaged cult member in your novel hangs himself – that book was even more Lord of the Flies than Lord of the Flies.

So gosh, I love it. And I’m grateful I live at home so I didn’t need that $20 for, say, food. Instead I get to listen to pure awesomeness, and all is well with the world.