As we come towards the end of the chapter, I have a second trick up my sleeve to present, which will then complete the pair of memorable articles I've written around the internet, and which I feel deserve a place here.

An article I wrote about Slint's wonderful album Spiderland back in July of 2004 when I was only eighteen, as it appeared back then, but with the additional loveliness of two songs of theirs, which I've previously presented on this blog, to accompany it, 'Nosferatu Man' and 'Good, Morning Captain'. Enjoy, and 'twill be followed by the final Musical Extravaganza, with following on the 3rd of August a summation of the lot to conclude the chapter.

20th July 2004, 02:53 PM

(post/indie-rock) Slint - Spiderland

Yeah, David's in Zwan.

Spiderland is my favourite album that I've got and Slint are my favourite band that I've heared! I kinda 'understood' what the album was about a few months ago, and came up with a concept for it - I don't know whether Slint intended this concept though. I can't decide whether there's one concept for the whole album, or two seperate concepts for each side. If there's one, then the same guy is involved (read on) in all the songs. If there's two, then the first three songs are about a guy called Don (hence the track entitled 'Don, Aman [a man]', and the latter three tracks are about a completely different guy. I'm going to set it out very simply because I'm not too great with words. Anyway, here goes:

Breadcrumb Trail

Don goes to the amusement park and meets his wife to be.

Nosferatu Man

For some reason the bastard's a vampire (Nosferatu) and he ends up sucking his wife's blood ['Like a bat I flushed the girl']. I presume she ends up being a vampire like him ['I snuck away from my queen's brooding stare' (a bit vague though)]. They keep tormenting each other throughout the rest of the story - now Don's a vampire, now his wife is (I don't know anything about vampire's but I suppose they have something in common with the warewolf who supposedly turned into the wolf form when the full moon was shining, so something would trigger off the vampireness in a vampire - I don't know).

Don, Aman

Don's at some kind of party and he decides to go outside ['Don stepped outside'] to get some fresh air and think about what he's done to his wife.

Next concept, maybe. It could be the same one though - if Don is the Captain of a ship.

Washer

This is basically a flashforward (opposite of a flashback) from Good Morning, Captain. Don (or some other guy) is now dead ['Goodnight my love, remember me as you fall to sleep. Fill your pockets with the dust and the memory, that rises from the shoes on my feet...'] and he's singing this song back to his wife (she's probably dreaming it). He's basically comforting her, telling her not to worry ['I know it's dark outside, don't be afraid. Every time I ever cried for fear was just a mistake that I made...']. He then tells her that stuff on Earth doesn't matter at all once you move on ['Wash yourself in your tears and build your church on the strength on your faith...'] and suggests that stuff you do on Earth doesn't affect what the hell happens to you afterwards - therefore, crumbling the idea of religion (which I despise). Nice one Brian!

For Dinner...

Our hero's wife is just having dinner the day after she's had her dream and the absence of lyrics states very obviously that there's very little action going on at this dinner table. I love this piece because it gives you the opportunity to make up your own mind about what she's thinking, and to reflect on all that 'Don' said in her dream.

Good Morning, Captain

Here is where we find out how 'Don' dies - or at least we find out that he's shipwrecked, and far from home. I still haven't completely made my mind up about these lyrics, as to where everyone is, etc. The 'blood stained eyes upon the beach' I suppose are Don's crew who have managed to get to safety, looking at the ship where Don is still.

***

I hope I've been interesting. I find it kind of weird that I get pulled towards the lyrics on Spiderland because I usually just love music without listening to the lyrics too much. I think with the fantastic quality of the musicianship and the lyricism that Slint have brought together it's necessary to listen to their music as one big whole, instead of as seperate instruments playing together with lyrics on top (or underneath as the case is sometimes). Just out of interest, my favourite song is 'Nosferatu Man'. I love the lyrics on 'Breadcrumb Trail' though, and I love 'Good Morning, Captain' aswell. And I love the lyrics and music on 'Washer'. Oh man... I just love this album! My favourite songs on Tweez are 'Carol', 'Warren' and 'Pat'. I love the whole of their untitled EP. I almost wish they had made a few more albums. I'm sure they wouldn't have spoilt what they did with Tweez, Spiderland and their Glenn/Rhoda EP.

Thanks for reading.