don’t time fly when you’re having fun?

that last post *points down* was our fiftieth canter across the gallops of the internets.

back in the day when horse latitudes was a mere glint in these bloggers collective eyes it seems almost unfathomable that we’d get here so quick. an absence of a working computer (and complete lack on knowledge, know how and doubtless, talent) means i can’t post the next in the legendary canon of hl mixtapes to mark the occasion - which incidentally is, at least in my imagination, the bestest damn mixtape ever.

so until i or one of my compadres come with the goods you out there in internetland can occupy yourselves with this little slice of whistful indie-girl goodness (via GvB) from former polyphonic spree-er, current sufjan support act, winona ryder looky-likey and cute-as-hell in her own right, blogger’s favourite st vincent.
and as its been a while since we trumpetted how well connected we are it’d be a shame not to mention that hl’s favourite uk singer/songwriter jon bilbrough followed her onto stage in nyc last month too.

damn we’re good.

the song, ‘these days’ is a cover of a jackson browne track which he, in turn wrote for nico, and appears on her post vu, john cale produced, bedsit classic chelsea girl lp. having tired of nico’s glacial teutonicness some time ago i really like jackson browne’s own version but this st vincent cover from the tour ep she’s been hawking round the us and europe captures stuff i like about both versions.

her voice is sufficiently sad and gossamer to embue the regret tinged lyrics with the right amount of pathos but that descending bassline which plods nicely forward with the plinky guitar and subtle organ sound lift it out of the germanic drudgery of nico’s major heroin habit and 40 gitanes a day vocals. i’m not sure if its a gender thing but jackson browne’s version is more desperate, more broken, he sounds like he’s too tired to be bitter but should he able to muster the energy it might be a bile filled paeon. conversely “please don’t confront me with my failures, i have not forgotten them” in st vincent’s world is about the most self aware thing i’ve heard all day.

see what you think