Illuminated Radio
Lady Sam - Mavis The Dog (Newer Music Friday)
There’s a special place in my heart for rediscovered demos. Take a minimalist song that’s been lifted straight off the tape it was recorded on and I’ll eat it up every time. (The fuzzier the better!) I think this is precisely why I thoroughly enjoyed Mavis The Dog’s album White Plastic Chairs, and the opening song “Lady Sam” in particular.
It’s got a classic slow start, electric guitar gliding up and down in a style that could plausibly fit on any later Beatles album. Then you get the more classic strums that remind me more of a classic 70s rock ballad, with a snare lead-up that’s almost hidden underneath the crescendo of the guitar. It could also be hidden by the quality of the recording, which is such that it sounds like the tune is filtered through an old radio. In my mind, I see it as the kind that was originally white but now is yellowed, sitting on an end table & illuminated by a lamp with the warmest lightbulb shade available. I find that to make this already charming song even more endearing, as it gives it an aged feel that is particularly enjoyable to a throwback enjoyer like me. The vocals are gentle and sweet, yawning over phrases that seem to endlessly repeat, yet often differ by one or two words. While I feel like this track could have been just as successful at a harder/faster tempo, the laidback feel of a slower beat makes this song really shine.
“Lady Sam” is just one of the ten terrific tracks that make up White Plastic Chairs, an album that I know I’ll be returning to time and time again. Mavis The Dog’s unique recording style combined with beautiful lyrics & catchy melodies make for a blend that’s not to be overlooked.
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