I can’t stand song lyric websites. They have too many pop-up ads and their message boards feature comments like “I really dig this tune. It drives me to a serene and moody state.” But occasionally I’ll give in and log on to see if someone has been able to decipher a particularly obscure line of My Bloody Valentine or Young Marble Giants. And I’m always sorry afterwards. Cobain was right. Words suck.
Most recently, I looked up the lyrics on This Is Our Music, the final album by Galaxie 500. It’s not that I can’t understand what Dean Wareham is singing; I just can’t seem to make myself pay attention. My brain says, “Eh. We’ll catch ‘em the next time.” My brain doesn’t care.
Neither did Galaxie 500. “It’s not like Dean said ‘I wanna be a singer,’ and had all these Morrissey lyrics,” said bassist Naomi Yang. The few phrases that do bubble up and stick are rapturously silly; lines like, “I wrote a poem on a dog biscuit/ But your dog refused to look at it” and “It’s all too much/ Cause you have another eyelid.” Keep in mind, everyone in this band attended Harvard University.
But, honestly, I kid because I love. At the top of this review, you'll see I’ve cited slowcore bands Low and Codeine as similar artists, and while both groups share Galaxie’s minimalist, measured technique, neither came close to matching either their weird humor or bright, albeit smeared, pop hooks. These are perfect pop songs -- funny songs, sad songs, love songs. Our Music’s two centerpieces, “Summertime” and Yoko Ono’s “Listen, the Snow is Falling” (they were a great weather band), achieve a majestic, burning magic that transcends any subgenre.
In 1997, all three Galaxie 500 records were reissued by Rykodisc, and today, considering the band received so little attention (even in their hometown) during their six-year lifetime, they’re pretty easy to find. In fact, due credit is still rarely given when it comes to their exceptional influence on modern indie pop; My Morning Jacket, The Shins, Slumber Party, and Band of Horses (to name a few) all owe something to Galaxie 500, the best Boston band of all time.
