Platitudes That Mean Nothing To Me

School of Language “Extended Holiday” – Whether he’s with Field Music, or effectively recording as a solo artist on the School of Language album, David Brewis’ meticulously crafted music gives the impression of being on the inside of a tightly-wound psyche. There’s joy and pain in the songs, but it’s mostly washed out by neuroses, and a nearly paralyzing level of self-awareness. This isn’t a complaint, mind you — the beauty lies in just how accurately Brewis can convey these muted emotions, and the thrill that comes when he pushes back on them, and attempts to escape the narrow confines of a super-socialized, overdeveloped super-ego. “Extended Holiday” is one of Brewis’ finest structures, but the song is at its best when his voice lifts up and threatens to knock it all down, as if to say “I know I have an id in here, somewhere!” (Click here to buy it from Thrill Jockey.)

Elsewhere: I wrote a “premature evaluation” of the forthcoming R.E.M. album Accelerate for Stereogum.

Meanwhile, on Fair Game: I totally forgot to mention last week that we had Bob Mould in session. Sorry about that.