Earl has always had something to respond to and Some Rap Songs is no exception. Despite the fact that most of it was written and recorded before the death of his estranged father, South African poet Keorpatse Kgositsile, the beauty and pain of Earl’s music has never felt more apparent, more on his sleeve, more honest.
Set to release OGFIL at the tail end of the year via Super Wimpy Punch Records, their latest is a shift in delivery, though a slight one. Instead of the band’s usual approach to letting the vocals peak way into the red with yelps and carefree ramshackle melodies, Johnny Steines opts for a story-telling approach, weaving colorful observations and an active sense of humor into spoken word.
“Post-Trash Live” returns for episode two. Careful to avoid the sophomore slump, hosts Nick Dooley and Dan Goldin discuss the idea of record label identities while sharing more of this year’s highlights. From “poptimism” to that one commercially acceptable noise rock band of the year, all is discussed together with new music.
Tompkins says he made this record “hunched over a 4-track, recording this music to damaged tapes that had been stored in my hot garage for over a decade and were always threatening to self-destruct.” Ocean Pines sounds like a record where a songwriter rediscovered the creative process. It’s an intimate record, made from the pure joy found in writing songs.
