The National Trust
I recently mentioned the idea of the all important "bridge" track in a posting. For DJs who spin eclectic sets and jump from genre to genre, there's nothing more important to keeping a dance floor moving and the evening flowing than a track that spans styles. The beauty of said tracks is that they are often few and far between and most importantly, the DJs best kept secret. But a recent promo sent from Thrill Jockey is simply too good to keep for my self, wallowing clandestine in my crates for the occasional gig. While their monograms may be similar, you'll have little trouble confusing The National Trust from Brooklyn alt-rockers The National. The sophomore release from Neil Rosario and company, Kings and Queens, is an absolutely masterful batch of songwriting spanning decades of influences -- from Motown era R&B to the yacht rock of Loggins and Collins, McDonald and the Doobies; from early Detroit techno to current Bugz in the Attic-style UK future soul. No post could do the breadth of this record justice but "It's Just Cruel" is a great start melding the opulent sound of late 80s electro funk (think Prince, Cameo) with a taut, undeniable broken beat, falsetto vocals and an avalanche of processed bass and synth. This is compositionally strong and produced with no holds barred -- slap bass, dirty horns and a fantastic upper register Funkadelic synth melody. Perhaps one of the most danceable tracks ever released on Thrill Jockey, the venerable Chicago imprint known more for their cerebral rock than their hedonist future disco -- Mouse on Mars and Adult as the exceptions of course. I sure as hell hope this record gets some attention (the last, Dekkagar, was tragically underappreciated) because unlike a lot of albums that get lost in the hype machine, this is full of stylishly well-developed, intelligently written songs. Sure, there are definitive 80s moments, but the most nostalgic element of Kings and Queens is not in its tone but rather in its uninhibited approach to using every aspect of the studio. Resources
The National Trust :: It's Just Cruel
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