Guest Blogger, Issue 22, Magazine
Das Racist Review Thao’s Know Better Learn Faster
Stephen Blackwell :: Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 12:00 pm
Thao | Know Better Learn Faster | Kill Rock Stars
Himanshu Suri: Way to have a great voice Thao Nguyen. This is hand clapping melodic folk unabashed guitar fun with no frills. There’s no psych rock or lo-fi sound of internet fickle fandom shtick either. Yo, remember last night you said you wanted to play hell of shows in barns? This would be sick to see in a barn. A real hootenanny.The strings on the title track are something else too. I just read that Andrew Bird is responsible for the violin on there. Makes sense. I don’t typically like acoustic music but I’d love to hear this hell of stripped down—just Thao and her guitar with a little accompaniment. Wait, this song “The Give” is kind of exactly what I meant. I’ve listened to “Cool Yourself” five times now and don’t intend on stopping. Overall it’s a little spastic too, like a folky Unicorns. That’s a good thing.
Victor Vazquez: This is definitely some Barn Music. If I was in a barn watching this I’d definitely be slapping my leg. I might have a jug of moonshine even. I see how you’re refreshed by the clean production, it’s almost like some late Pavement or Silver Jews in that respect, but to tell you the truth I kind of tend to lose interest for that same reason. The whole thing has a nineties alternative earnestness that more folks these days seem ready for now maybe cause Obama is kind of like Clinton? She does have a good voice though.
