Samtopia

The intro to Just From Chevron was probably my favorite part of the Dirty Projectors show a few weeks ago. That section really just does exactly what all the best Dirty Projectors songs do, it fits in enough technical proficiency to be eye-catching without sacrificing the heart behind the song. There isn’t a piece of the puzzle that doesn’t serve the greater picture.

See What She Seeing - Dirty Projectors

The bridge that comes 2 minutes in is just so sweet.

I Will Truck - Dirty Projectors

Good to know this video exists.

littlepapercone:

Ok, I want to talk a little bit about this song. I’m a huge Dirty Projectors fan, like huge, I saw them twice in the same year and use to listen to Bitte Orca, Rise Above, and the Getty Address religiously. I even developed a crush on Angel Deradoorian, for the sole purpose of liking them even more, probably.

Now i’m all for artists changing, in fact thats like my first rule, as an artist. Always change. Its one of the reasons I love Dirty Projectors, every album is diff.

Having said that, I don’t understand this song, like at all. I think its pretty awful, I don’t just dislike it I think its terrible and I hate it. Yes hate. Its cringe-inducing to me, to hear one of the most visionary and talented artists of my generation trying so very hard to write a “song.” That’s what it sounds like is happening here, Dave Longstreth is trying very hard to write a proper song as if all his other songs aren’t “normal.”

The orchestral break in this song is beautiful, but the rest of it, the guitar tone, part of the melody, the lyrics, its all incredibly sterile and boring. Also, I’m not saying songs with the word “dance” in the title have to be about dancing, or dancey, but it just sounds ridiculous when he is singing about dancing until he “finds” it, with this music accompaniment behind him. Like what dance does he plan on doing? I feel this song would soundtrack some montage scene in a movie about people having a good time at a beach bonfire. 

There may be something interesting about this song, and that is that it balances the different facets of the Dirty Projectors career, their orchestral past, and their pop-sensible present. That is a cool intention if that is the intention, but cool intentions don’t always make for cool songs.

Bowie pulled it off with Ashes to Ashes though.

I actually must say I was worried about the new Projectors album but this song has given me a fresh perspective on it. After hearing “Gun Has No Trigger,” my biggest fear was that Longstreth was just rewriting Bitte Orca but with less outlandish songwriting tactics. The truth is though that I do still like that song, and was I not so familiar with Bitte Orca I would have heard that song and thought it was really cool. Same goes for “Dance For You.” As much as I do love the Projectors for their weirdness and various incarnations, I do enjoy Longstreth’s attempts at pop songwriting and it’s becoming increasingly evident that Swing Lo, Magellan will be their poppiest record. I don’t think that “Dance For You” is a boring song per se, it’s just more simple and poppy. Moving in a pop direction is still a different direction for the Projectors and if the rest of the songs are as enjoyable as these two my opinion on this band won’t have differed. I would love to see another crazy guitar freakout album or more avant-garde journeys into composition, but I trust Longstreth to not sit idly on one idea for too long.

Seriously though what the fuck kind of album cover is that?? Especially after a cover as memorable as Bitte Orca’s? Not quite sure why they dropped the ball on that one.

bitte-orca:

Dave Longstreth in Under the Radar’s Winter (March/April) Issue

I would be pressed to think of a way to make Dave Longstreth look any stranger but I gotta give him credit, I would’ve never thought of the 90’s haircut. More than anything I’m just impressed.

dolphinshark:

Dave Longstreth Talks New Dirty Projectors Album

My my Dave, how long your hair has grown.