Parades – ‘Loserspeak in New Tongue’

Parades – ‘Loserspeak in New Tongue’ (mp3)

Like a lot of peeps, I’ve been a fan of Parades for a while. The singles I’d heard mixed splashes of electronica and interesting rhythms with understated guitars and big vocals. Though those earlier songs like ‘Dead Nationale’ and ‘Past Lives’ were pretty exciting in their own right, that hint of adventure in the arrangements suggested that perhaps their best work would be found on the non-single cuts. Although the first half of their debut Foreign Tapes is strong, the back half totally proved that theory correct and won me over.

I wasn’t sure which song to post given that the last four tracks of the album (from the above through to ‘Vulturehood’) mark the records high point (with ‘Hunters’ and ‘Springboarder’ also up there). In the end, ‘Loserspeak in New Tongue’ is the song I’ve come back to most, drawn in by its refusal to settle for a conventional structure. It’s reminiscent of some of Foals’ album cuts, with yelping vocals riding an odd rhythm that’s kept check by tight drumming, while the rest of the instruments building up to  consecutive climaxes helped largely by the pounding piano.

Possibly my favourite Australian track of the year and a real accomplishment for the young band. Colour me well impressed.

www.myspace.com/parades