sounds chiefly pastoral

Posted about 1 year ago

Artist:

The Sugar Oaks
Album:

No One Can Love You Like Me
Track:
- PLAY
- QUEUE
Girl on Girl

Girl on Girl : The Sugar Oaks : No One Can Love You Like Me : 4:01 the last two bands to have tickled my folkie fancy have been Field Music from the UK by way of Sunderland, with their sophomore album Tones of Town in early 2007, and The Sugar Oaks from the US by way of Orlando, with their debut EP Red Grapes in the City in early 2008. dissimilarly, of course.

No One Can Love You Like Me

The Sugar Oaks sound dauntlessly pastoral, at once recalling prog-folk rusticity and radio-folk idyls. or, just because mogger deadmandeadman hit me with "neo-traditionalists" the other day ;p, let's make that neo-pastoral, Matthew Gersting's undebauched-boy voice delivering such a line as: "From where does my cell phone ring? Maybe from Germany, maybe from Paris, France, maybe from a circumstance you might be tempted to advance."

[ERRATUM] that would be Chris Belt's voice sans debauchery, not Matt Gersting's. sorry, TSO. (:

the new news is The Sugar Oaks are back with a three-track CD single, No One Can Love You Like Me, from whose titular track i pulled out the above lyrics, and from where comes the invitingly ribaldrous-titled Girl on Girl posted on here - a charmingly worded ode to coming of age, i think. i am happy to report that the new stuff retains the virtues of the earlier stuff, with a markedly tighter sound. the best news is The Sugar Oaks, bless their always generous selves, are active moggers and you can listen to the new stuff here: http://mog.com/The_Sugar_Oaks http://www.myspace.com/thesugaroaks http://www.thesugaroaks.com

it is also a sound that reminds me of Kenneth Branagh's adaptations of As You Like It and Much Ado About Nothing, or makes me miss playing The Curse of Monkey Island, whether or not that helps.

It was on that hot afternoon She knocked on the back door of my room My mom wasn't home I was conveniently alone

The door opened to the west She came in with the sunlight It was shining through her dress And her thighs were silhouettes

How could I forget?

lyrics excerpted from Girl on Girl

Comments (15)

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poebegone says i mogged Red Grapes in the City ]here[ or revisit it through this awesome track. Los Rebeldes : The Sugar Oaks : Red Grapes in the City : 3:58
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oddly i woke up with the phrase "chiefly pastoral" stuck in my head. it is the title of a poetry collection by Irish poet-dramatist John Cunningham. i found a poem of his that wraps this post up fittingly: The Hawthorn Bower John Cunningham PALEMNON, in the hawthorn bower, With fond impatience lay, He counted every anxious hour That stretch'd the tedious day. The rosy dawn, Pastora nam'd, And vow'd that she'd be kind; But ah! the setting sun proclaim'd That woman's vows are--wind. The fickle sex, the boy defy'd! And swore, in terms profane, That beauty in her brightest pride Might sue to him in vain. When Delia from the neighb'ring glade Appear'd in all her charms, Each angry vow Palemon made Was lost in Delia's arms. The lovers had not long reclin'd Before Pastora came; "Inconstancy," she cry'd, "I find In every heart's the same. "For young Alexis sigh'd and press'd, With such bewitching power, I quite forgot the wishing guest That waited in the bower."
Permalink posted 06/09/2008
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poebegone says if you haven't already listened... Tones of Town : Field Music : Tones of Town : 3:06
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Working to Work http://mog.com/dermahrk/blog_post/95943 I'm Tired (from the debut album) http://mog.com/my_clever_cat/blog_post/120755 you may also know David Brewis, one-half of FM, as School of Language. just one more Cambodia photo, speaking of pastoral, this time of the magnificent Ta Prohm ruins in the Angkor Wat complex:
Permalink posted 06/09/2008
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fistula spume says That album cover looks chiefly awesome. Haven't heard of any of these and they all sound pretty great. I especially liked Dark Dark Leaves. I like what I've heard of Field Music so far. Great stuff Poe.

Permalink posted 06/09/2008
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Bartleby says Candidly ribald is also how I would qualify the sound of The Sugar Oaks, at least from the two excellent tracks you've offered us. They conjure up one those pastoral painting by Van Gogh (e.g. "La Méridienne" or "The Siesta") where you catch yourself daydreaming of other frolicking... I've never heard of John Cunningham and will seek him out at the first opportunity at my library. -- This post is such a treat both for the ears and the tongue (especially with that poem). Thank you, Poe. (PS: I hope you'll forgive my lewdness but your tree looks very graphic to me, highly suggestive of dendrophilia)

Permalink posted 06/09/2008
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Cody B says English novels are coming to mind..lazy,lolling for the neo-pastoral set. Field Music sound like they get to the city more often..Girl On Girl was my fave.

Permalink posted 06/09/2008
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Anna says Girl On Girl for me as well. And what an appealing cover! I'm intrigued. As far as your post is concerned....citing Much Ado About Nothing and The Curse of Monkey Island automatically gets you my e-blessing (not that you needed, but you know...) :)

Permalink posted 06/09/2008
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Marigold says Girl on Girl aye? I am not sure why, but it reminds me of a t-shirt I once saw with the following statement that I thought to be somewhat humorous... "I'm all for gay marriage....as long as both chicks are real hot" Another great post Ilay. Thanks dear!

Permalink posted 06/09/2008
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Augusts1 says Enjoying this, not heard of them, ilay you've done it again!

Permalink posted 06/09/2008
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poebegone says Sam, awesome, Dark Dark Leaves is my favorite track from Red Grapes in the City. you know, i had a similar reaction to the album art but completely forgot to mention - kudos to the artist! makes me think of Humpty Dumpty. i really dig Field Music, they're one of my most played. their lyrics annoy me at times but the tunes are so damn catchy like a summer's day. Michael, you sharp-tongued boy, the word "candid" belongs up there in the post. i love Van Gogh's pastoral paintings. when i first moved out and got an apartment, i filled one side of the bed with prints of those and the other side with his starry night bunch. Cunningham wrote pastoral poetry in the mid-1700s. i knew his poems in grade school, a very long time from now, but remember them to be, er, unabashed. (gosh, i wonder what that makes Kristiana, who has countless more Ta Prohm tree pictures than i do. i am a tree hugger at best, no dendrophile here. ;D) Cody, when i was writing the part about what The Sugar Oaks music reminds me of, English novels were trying to make their way to my brain but I could not come up with any! "lolling" also belongs in the post. "Field Music sound like they get to the city more often" - ha ha, i can work with that, the songs certainly sound more produced. i remember that Tones of Town got mixed reviews and the thumbs-down camp was mostly riled by sound production.

Permalink posted 06/09/2008
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poebegone says Anna, i am just as intrigued. it is probably connected with the slave-to-love kind of unconditional devotion that No One Can Love You Like Me, the "album" and the track both, seems to be about. your e-blessing is much appreciated in these parts, dear. my lord, i must tell you that i have yet to meet anyone online who also loves The Curse of Monkey Island - that was a first! Mike, t-shirt wisdom rocks my closet. i should mention that i just saw White Chicks - rather, sat through it with 100% curiosity and patience – for the first time on HBO so "real hot chicks" are coming on to me just a little differently right now. ;d Aug, whereabouts have you been, darlin'? i was just over at Mike's Spiritualized post declaring endless gratitudes to you and Britta for the generous M love to J. Spaceman and team!

Permalink posted 06/09/2008
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scotfree says Well, when I saw this earlier today, I felt like a kid who could not wait to get home from school dreaming of the secret candy stash. Listened once, and here it is 12:30 for a second and more attentive listen. More keyboard dominanace here. I like. A touch of Steely Dan crossed with Emmylou Harris?? I really would not have thought they had quite this sound in them, as you pointed out the adjustment to focus - right down to the grains of beach sand. Initially, I kind of missed the Red Grapes rawness but it's fading lightspeed. It's about time they put some more notes to all that fine poetry on their site!! I may have mentioned, but I lived in Orlando for a few years, and this stuff makes me downright adoptive-homesick.

Permalink posted 06/09/2008
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scotfree says And might I say, I'm ashamed for not "trusting" them on the last go-around. I knew I changed that pic for a reason...

Permalink posted 06/09/2008
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The Sugar Oaks says Poe, Thanks for the kind (and thoughtful, and interesting) analysis. Matt especially loved the "undebauched boy voice" part, although it was actually I who sang the line. Ha ha. We are just now starting to record a full length...will make sure you are among the first to have it. Cheers! Eric

Permalink posted 06/10/2008
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toronno says What a great CD cover. The illustration really attracted me at first - then the music did. Sounds like they really enjoy making music. Terrific selection, Poebegone.

Permalink posted 06/10/2008
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poebegone says
Scott, you must've been in an incompatible mood when you listened to them before. it happens. i mean, just before a client presentation, i'd probably play Fugazi, or Black Flag, and play The Sugar Oaks when it's done and i can rest easy.

arguably the biggest buzz surrounding Field Music last year was how they sound a lot like Steely Dan.

Chris / The Sugar Oaks, oopsie on the miscredit. i could swear i fact-checked it. if i were a pro journalist writing about a sample-happy hiphop tune, i'd have got my ass sued by now. y'all sound undebauched so it's even. (:

i am looking forward to the full-length, and from the looks it, so are many others. keep it up, TSO. cheers!

Toronno, hey, belated happy mogiversary! the cover art is awesome, yes. i mentioned several comments ago that it reminded me of Humpty Dumpty - just to balance that out, i'd add (1001) Arabian Nights and the Ramadan issue of Neil Gaiman's Sandman.

Permalink posted 06/13/2008