TRACE is a queer Vietnamese American songwriter and filmmaker, and Ariel Loh is a trans queer Asian American producer. The pair have just released a cover of "Sài Gòn," a Vietnamese song made famous by Carol Kim (TRACE's mother) fifty years ago. The song is included in NEW WAVE, a documentary about the 1980's New Wave scene in Vietnam. The cover version is a delicate sounding version of dream pop. You can tell it was recorded with love and appreciation of the original. The song is as minimal as you can be while still having a lush and full sound. TRACE and Ariel Loh have made an intensely intimate cover of a song very close to them, and it can be heard in their recording.
TRACE says of her new single:
"The first time I heard 'Sai Gon,' I was captivated—it was my mom singing nearly fifty years ago. I heard it on a vinyl called Saigon Supersounds that Y Vân’s granddaughter actually told me about. I bought it right away. When I asked my mom if she remembered, she laughed, saying, 'That was so long ago, I guess that is me.' Though an anthem of sorts about the heart of Vietnam during a war-stricken time, her recording has this upbeat French pop and New Wave influence that makes it easily my favorite version of the song. Yet, learning she recorded it just before the Fall of Saigon added emotional weight to the music for me.
"When I heard about a documentary called New Wave, I was eager to get involved, as my mom had been a part of that musical movement. And so in perfect time, and along with my friend and collaborator, we recorded and covered 'Sai Gon' for the film. It was nerve-wracking, but one of the greatest honors of my life. My mother’s legacy is powerful, and I’m grateful to share my heart through this song."
You can listen to TRACE and Ariel Loh's version of "Sài Gòn" below. For more on TRACE, check out the artist on Instagram. More about the film NEW WAVE can be found here.
Somehow Peter Prescott of Mission of Burma and Volcano Suns has another band that I never knew about. Minibeast already released an album that I completely missed back in 2012, and they are currently at work on the follow up, Free Will. Based on a track from the upcoming album, "High Sea," Minibeast shares some common sonic ground with Mission of Burma, but with an added emphasis on the groovy side of things. It's basically the noise and dissonance of Burma but heard through a 60s surf groove, as if Frankie and Annette were punks. You can listen to "High Sea" below. Minibeast currently have a Kickstarter to help fund the final production of Free Will. You can get more information on that here . It should be out sometime in June.
With this weekend's upcoming Newport Folk Festival, we thought we'd highlight some of this year's can't miss acts. We're focusing on the bands playing smaller stages and earlier in the day. I mean, you're obviously going to see Ryan Adams and Jack White. Instead, these are the acts worth getting there early for, and seeking out the smaller stages. Phox Friday, 1:50, Quad Stage Phox hails from Baraboo, WI, the winter home of the Ringling Brothers' Circus. I'm not sure if that is connected to their music or not, but Phox has an otherworldly charm and a magical feel. They come across as a more grounded St. Vincent or a less intense version of early Tori Amos. Their music is simply beautiful and uplifting. Reignwolf Friday, 2:55, Quad Stage Truly pushing the boundaries of what can be considered "folk" are Reignwolf. Reignwolf is Jordan Cook, who sounds like a mixture of The Black Keys and Queens of the Stone Age, mixed with just a lit...
Earlier this week I was expressing sympathy for Limp Bizkit. Limp Bizkit just don't seem to be riding that surge of 90s nostalgia that all sorts of other terrible bands from that era are. Sure, they're terrible. But are they really that much worse than Filter, Alien Ant Farm, and other bands on those 90s nostalgia packages. And then this video is released. The first lyrics to the song are literally "Go fuck yourself." It then features Fred Durst sitting on a toilet, bikini clad chicks pretending to fellate garden hoses and leaf blowers, and Fred Durst talking about fucking bitches, all while wearing a hoodie and a backwards red baseball hat. Then Lil Wayne comes out. Please keep in mind Fred Durst is a 42 year old man.
