Bennett Shares Glass Ball Single

After time away from the local scene, Bennett has returned to the Memphis musical world, this time on their own, fleshing out a collection of songs that’s likely to charm as well as offend. Admittedly, I felt a blast of emotion here. I loved the stuttering drum opening, met by twinkling guitars and synths. But, then there was this warble that threw me off; I wasn’t sure where to go, but the groove kept me tethered, dragging me along for the ride. As the track unfolded, those vocal forays fleshed out into more traditional crooning, kind of reminding me of playful artists like Jarvis Cocker. That playfulness pushes into the song too, especially in the latter half, with the song moving into a more theatrical pop realm. It’s one of those tunes where at first I was completely bamboozled. Like, WTF?! But, I went back again…and again…and again. This debut single here comes courtesy of Goner Records.

Cool Old Jam from The Barbaras

Well, this is an old song, but it’s probably going to be brand new to those of us outside of Memphis who hadn’t heard of The Barbaras.  Legend has it that Jay Reatard recorded the band, which featured Steven Pope (of his then touring band), but in anger told the band he scrapped the recordings.  After his unfortunate demise, these tunes resurfaced on some of Jay’s old recording equipment, and the great people at Goner Records are going to be releasing the collection, The Barbaras 2006-2008, on October 30th.  This track’s definitely made its way onto my daily playlist, and it has a mellower tone than some of the other tracks, just showcasing the songwriting of the group during their prime. Take a listen.

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