Jonah Matranga/Kevin Seconds - Split
Jonah Matranga/Kevin Seconds
Split
The 7-inch is more a curio favored by collectors and completists than the casual fan, so perhaps it's appropriate that one of Jonah Matranga's two songs on this split with Kevin Seconds is a novelty track. As the title suggests, “I've Always Wanted to Write a Song Commanding People To Dance!” is a dancefloor paean with vocoder vocals and a goofy lyrical line that encourages the listener with the admonition “this dancefloor ain't going to shake itself.” Sure, it's hard not to crack a smile when he taunts the hipster boys about being afraid of looking funny, telling them, “You can twitter bullshit about your best friend later,” and imagining a gun to their head with the threat to dance or die. But that's about the only situation where you'd want to listen to the song more than once.
The other track, “Daylight” is more in keeping with Matranga's oeuvre–a slo-mo acoustic ballad swallowed in emo sentiments and longing for end of the night. It's well-suited to a downbeat mix CD as a heart-wrenching closing track, but it doesn't fit all that well here, nor is it one of Matranga's more lyrical poignant tunes, despite the spare beauty of his singing.
Indeed, it's a shock to the system when Kevin Seconds' half arrives, with the hard-charging bluegrass-tinged strum of “Grip On Yr Own.” It sounds like something that'd fit easily on a Crosby, Stills And Nash album–which is fine if that's your thing, but it's pretty forgettable. Seconds' other song, “Life Unknown” is more entertaining, bolstered by some nice backing vocals a percussive chug to the acoustic strumming. In it, Seconds sings, “I was told if I'd write this song, I'd soon belong,” while seemingly referencing Ralph Waldo Emerson, the father of self-reliance and individualism. At least, that's what it seems, as he addresses to a fellow named, “Emerson.” It's nice, but sounds more like a late-album track than a must-have. If you love either artist perhaps you'll feel the need, but others are counseled to save their pennies.
BlackTop http://www.blacktoprecords.org/
