The New Pornographers: “The Bleeding Heart Show” (2005)
There are certain so-called indie rock bands whose stuff will better justify the “classic” label years down the road. The Shins, certainly. And, for similar reasons I think, the New Pornographers. The combination of A.C. Newman and Dan Bejar’s smart and hooky songwriting, Neko Case’s contributions as vocalist, and the always-tasteful referencing of classic pop and rock of the past are the strengths that put them near the top of their class.
“The Bleeding Heart Show” eschews typical alternating verse-and-chorus structure for an arrangement that gradually builds momentum from beginning to end, a trademark writing style of Roy Orbison and…few others, actually.
The song was featured in the 2007 Morgan Freeman movie Feast of Love, as well as TV ads for the University of Phoenix and eMusic.
And just one more thing: I’ve never understood why the band didn’t sequence this as track one. If ever a song was suited to open an album this is it.
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2012/03/14/songs-you-may-have-missed-52/
Mar 19, 2013 @ 23:06:28
I don’t even mind the opening couplet of ‘arms & charms’. I love how Neko tries to sing harmony, but her sledgehammer voice just crushes everyone else. Like vintage Tim Kerr in the crease.
Mar 19, 2013 @ 23:09:45
There’s a metaphor!
I never even caught the arms/charms rhyme (usually enough to disqualify a song for me).