Cut of the Day: "Alone Again And...," Lilacs & Champagne

The title of this track is a winking reference to "Alone Again Or," the opening cut on Forever Changes, the kiss-off to the psychedelic era recorded by the band Love in 1967. And you can hear where Lilacs & Champagne members Emil Amos and Alex Hall—both members of the longrunning Portland post-rock outfit Grails—are making the connection: the acoustic guitar line that anchors the last three minutes of their tune is a slower version of the one played by Johnny Echols some 45 years ago. Might even be a sample, as according to all records of what this new project is trying to achieve, almost everything on this new project's second full-length, Danish & Blue, is sourced from other people's albums. 

"Alone Again And..." carries with it, too, something of the spirit of Love's masterpiece. Both records feel like they should only be listened to as the sun sets on a long summer's day. That point where you're winding down after a hearty BBQ'd meal and a few too many cervezas. You keep saying that you want to hop on your bike and head out to a show, but being sedentary and letting the world wash past you seems like a much more appealing option. Don't let the band's slow seduction moniker throw you: This is the track for the wind down and the slow, sun-baked sobering up. 

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WWeek 2015

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