It’s Hard To Find A Pearl In The Heart Of A Girl

Junior Senior “Take My Time” – Much of the new Junior Senior record is exactly what you might expect from them, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but sorta feels that way when it’s contrasted with this track.. It’s not exactly worlds apart from what they normally do, but the over the top tweeness is dialed down considerably, they pass the mic to an unknown woman (I have no liner notes, sorry) and the result is something like Off The Wall-era Michael Jackson with vocals by Kate Pierson from the B52s. (Edit: It actually is Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson from the B52s!) Excellent stuff, and not nearly as selfconciously joycore as the rest of the songs from the album. (Click here to pre-order it from HMV Japan.)

Blood on the Wall “Mary Susan” – I worry sometimes that my response to faux-Kim Deal/Krist Novaselic basslines like the one in this song is strictly Pavlovian, and I’m just conditioned from my youth to immediately love most anything that sounds like it. I know this isn’t totally true, but it’s amazing how much this brand new song can make me feel like I’m back in 1994, drawing pictures in my bedroom and rewinding songs on tape over and over again. I knew that this song would eventually end up here from back when I saw Blood on the Wall play it live when they opened for the Fiery Furnaces back in the spring – it was just that potent and immediate for me. I guess there’s always been a void in my life waiting to be filled by a song that sounds almost exactly like Doolittle-era Pixies being performed by Mudhoney. (Click here to buy it from Smartpunk.)