Spencer Krug has made another record under the name Moonface, this time with the help of some new friends. The third product of an ongoing series of changing collaborations and approaches to tune-making is called With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery (out April 17th).
Siinai, a Finnish band Krug met when Joensuu 1865 (the band spawing Siinai’s birth) toured with Wolf Parade in Europe during 2009, provided the music for the album while Krug concentrated on the lyrics (and a little keyboard). Those familiar with Sinnai’s first album, Olympic Games, know the band focuses on heavy, repetitive, and slow subtle hypnotic changes without the use of a vocalist. Krug saw this as an opportunity for the two bands to work together.
While in Helsinki, Siinai developed rough ideas and jams, then sent the sessions to Krug in Montreal. Back and forth ideas were swapped, lyrics developed and a rhythm established. Krug travelled to Finland in August of 2011 to work on demos and write new songs.
The lyrical theme of this album is heartbreak. According to Krug, it was not planned, but became obvious halfway through the writing process. Some recently battered, still mildly swollen, heart snuck its way into the first lyrics written, so he went with it. He wrote songs based on his own experiences with heartache, stories told to him by friends, and drummed up scenarios of ill-fated love that were absolute fiction.
“Teary Eyes and Bloody Lips,” available for download on soundcloud, is one example of the theme of troubled love. Krug sings, “We never knew that being cruel was such a cool thing to do” as he reminisces about simple times changing quickly. In “Headed For the Door” he bemoans, “She was searching for an answer / But the answer was a war/ I headed for the door.”
Krug’s vocal presence matches well with the simplicity and rawness of Siinai. No performance dates have been set for the near future, but it will be interesting to see Moonface and Siinai matchup during a live performance. Jagjaguwar releases With Siinai: Heartbreaking Braveryon April 17.
Moonface
With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery
Out 04/17/12
1. Heartbreaking Bravery
2. Yesterday's Fire
3. Shitty City
4. Quickfire, I Tried
5. I'm Not The Phoenix Yet
6. 10,000 Scorpions
7. Faraway Lightning
8. Headed For The Door
9. Teary Eyes And Bloody Lips
10. Lay Your Cheek On Down
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