Two Songs I Think You’ll Like

(JVO’s blog)

I get asked all the time which songs and bands I’m currently listening to. Unfortunately, I’m almost always asked at the wrong time … like when I’m just rolling off of a week-long Asia bender. It’s hard to talk new music when I’m in, excuse the expression, the heat of the moment.

When I really think about it, there are two songs from the past 12 months that I never stopped listening to: “Roman Ruins” by Line & Circle and “Joe’s Cult” from Sean Rowe.

Line & Circle

 

“Roman Ruins” will rocket you back to the dreamy, outsider-looking-in, jangle of early R.E.M. It’s hypnotized me into repeat listens that have stretched out over the past several months. “Carelessness,” the song’s B-side, is pretty great, too.

And then there’s Sean Rowe …

 

 

“Joe’s Cult,” from The Salesman and the Shark, deliriously unspools like a late night meeting between Leonard Cohen and Jonathan Richman:

 

What do you think? Yea? Nay?