Hiss Golden Messenger / Matt Suggs
Split 7''
Merge
2014
Rating: 8 pretty tigers out of 10
The Merge subscription series keeps on rollin' - this time with Hiss Golden Messenger and Matt Suggs. The HGM offering, "Rock Holy," is an upbeat track with MC Taylor's vocals dominating the scene as per usual. The better of the two songs is Sugg's "This Is My Light," reminding me of why I listened so obsessively to his album from 2000 "Golden Days Before They End." The former Butterglory frontman has a way of writing new indie pop songs that sound like late sixties / early seventies AM gold classics. This track is actually very upbeat for him, and way too short...it's been over ten years since he released a new record, hopefully this is a sign of things to come?
Hiss Golden Messenger
Jesus Shot Me in the Head 7''
Tompkins Square
2012
Rating: 6.5 cream peaches out of 10
This single features a great song from the Hiss Golden Messenger album "Poor Moon." Twangy folk I guess you'd call it, Michael Taylor (formerly of Court & Spark) has an amazing voice that always holds my attention. And then there is side b - a dub version of the title track. Yes, dub. I'm not sure who was asking for a dub version of this, but you've got it if you want it. I don't particularly want it. I'd rather just keep listening to the original title track.
Golden Gunn
Golden Gunn
Three Lobed
2013
Rating: 6 lady rifles out of 10
Golden Gunn is the (mostly) instrumental side-project of MC Taylor (aka Hiss Golden Messenger) and guitarist Steve Gunn. I'm a big Hiss fan and don't know squat about Gunn, but it seemed like a record worth a listen. While a pleasant enough album, it didn't punch me in the gut like Hiss Golden Messenger did the first time I heard him and still continues to do.
Lately it seems like there has been a big push in instrumental folk rock getting released and garnering high praise from the press (and most definitely from my friends and acquaintances). It's all very nice music, but not overly interesting to me. The thing is I can't say a single bad thing about most of these bands and what they are putting out - talented musicians, nice compositions...I'd certainly much rather have this music playing in my dentist's office than the soft rock of the eighties that usually make my cavities worse. But...that's not the same as really liking the music is it? I don't yearn to put on a record like this. I'm not popping this in on a roadtrip and (not) singing along. Is this just my limitation or a limitation of the music? Yeah it's probably just me, but at the end of the day I'm grabbing that Hiss record over this Golden Gunn record nearly every time.
