Rolling Stone is one of my favorite magazines, not just for its music coverage but for its smart, well-written articles on politics, crime, the environment, television and sports.
But it is primarily a music magazine, and on that front it rarely disappoints. Sure, the editors have their favorites, as well as artists they like to bash for no apparent reason, but as a summary of mainstream and just-outside-the-mainstream popular music, it’s invaluable.
Over the next two weeks I’ll feature ten artists I discovered via a single recent issue of Rolling Stone (the one with Bruno Mars on the cover). Some of these were on my radar, some nowhere near it.
Eleanor Friedberger definitely falls into the latter category. What a name! I’d expect to see Eleanor Friedberger teaching English Lit at an all-girls school before fronting a rock band.
Friedberger has released two solo albums, after a stint with The Fiery Furnaces. Her latest is titled Personal Record.
And read me a book on your phone
Here’s the return of your skeleton key
Oh baby, the places we’ve gone
If that was goodbye then I must be high
You know I’ll be seeing you soon
If that was goodbye then the snow in July
Is handed in the middle of June
Give me your toothpaste, give me your ointment
Give me your body and then
Keep this in amber, keep our appointment
Remember the things that we said
If that was goodbye then I must be high
You must be the sugar I need
If that was goodbye then I am a fly
And the future’s guaranteed
‘Cause when I’m with you, everything’s treasure
I forget what it’s like to be gone
I’m far from the town, in the suburbs of your pleasure
I’ve been in exile so long
I’ll try not to stare at the sun, oh,
I’ll try not to stare at the sun
I’ll try not to stare at the sun
Go out and get coffee and synchronize showers
I try not to look at the clock
Goodbye to your castle, wave from the tower
And drop me a light from the dark
If that was goodbye then you must be high
And maybe I’m loosing a thread
If that was goodbye then the sea has run dry
So I’ll fill it with tears instead
‘Cause when I’m with you, everything’s treasure
I forget what it’s like to be gone
I’m far from the town, in the suburbs of your pleasure
I’ve been in exile so long
I’ll try not to stare at the sun
I’ll try not to stare at the sun
I’ll try not to stare at the sun
‘Cause when I’m with you, everything’s treasure
I forget what it’s like to be gone
I’m far from the town, in the suburbs of your pleasure
I’ve been in exile so long
I’ll try not to stare at the sun
I’ll try not to stare at the sun
I’ll try not to stare at the sun
Meet Me In Montauk 
I’ve been a regular subscriber to Rolling Stone for years, but there are two other magazines which I find essential reading every month, both published in the UK. UNCUT and MOJO review almost 200 CD’s and movies every month (of the two I believe UNCUT is the better magazine). Over the years they have turned me on to countless artists I would not otherwise be exposed to. One might think they lean towards UK artists, but that isn’t the case at all. UNCUT turned me on to Ron Sexsmith in the 90’s, they raved about his “Other Songs” release and even featured “Strawberry Blonde” on their free CD with each magazine. I would highly recommend these two mags for continued musical/reading enjoyment.
I have gone in and out of reading Rolling Stones over the years, but I have always found it to be a worthwhile read, and I should get back into it…maybe the online version if that exists.
As for today’s feature…she seems like a cross between Chrissy Hines and Zoe Deschenel. I like her sound.
Good pick on Friedberger — I’m seeing her live next week and as the kids say, super excited. Oddly enough, I was never a big fan of the Fiery Furnaces – nothing against Eleanor’s brother Matthew – but solo, some of the rougher edges that make/made the Furnaces not my cup of tea are traded for some really exquisite pop sensibilities without betraying that quirky, indie sound. I agree on the Chrissie Hynde comparison (and I do love the Pretenders) – I think she’s somewhere at the intersection of Hynde and Patti Smith, maybe with just a dash of Lisa Loeb’s vulnerability tossed in.
This is the first single off her sophomore album (drops June 4) – her previous solo album Last Summer is well worth checking out… it’s a bit less bouncy (if the lead single from this new one is a good indication) than this effort, but still excellent and in my opinion, definitely in the thus far decade’s must own list. The cut “My Mistakes” is probably my favorite off it.