Lyrical twang, ‘teacher’ Beck
Leslie Stevens
Depression Descent (Thirty Tigers)
The second track from the country singer’s forthcoming album, “Sinner,” carries listeners on a lyrical roller coaster ride. Backed by an expert band, Stevens begins the song on Christmas and moves through a complicated New Year’s Day before setting herself at home watching Johnny Cash on the TV.
In between, the longtime Angeleno, best known for leading Leslie & the Badgers, eases into the two-word chorus with a melancholy resolve: “Depression, descent.” Filled with twang and driven by a midtempo, snared-snapping beat, the track was produced by Jonathan Wilson and features contributions from a backing band whose resumes include stints with Paul McCartney, Elton John, Bright Eyes and Father John Misty. As such, it’s a seamless recording, as finely tuned as the pedal steel line that weaves through the work.
Crack band or no, this is Stevens’ work. Like such kindred spirits as Lucinda Williams and Jenny Lewis, she seems uninterested in asking Nashville’s permission to write songs and unconcerned about whether her themes are too complex for commercial radio. Another new song, “12 Feet High,” stars her soaring voice, which hits notes with the ease of Dolly Parton as Stevens describes trying to “keep the weakness from my poetry,” only to realize “it sneaks back in just like a honey bee.”
The Bird & the Bee
Hot for Teacher (featuring Beck) (Release Me Records)
Taken from the duo’s forthcoming album, “Interpreting the Masters Volume 2: A Tribute to Van Halen” (Aug. 2), singer Inara George and producer Greg Kurstin harness a cheeky song by Pasadena’s finest rock export and transform it into a dynamic, jazzfueled docudrama about a teacher-student tryst.
It’s a ridiculous song, made more so with the aid of Beck, playing the teacher that narrator George is crushing on. In the original, singer David Lee Roth delivers a spoken play-by-play on the affair; here, it’s Beck. He asks Kurstin to keep it down and discusses “Moby-Dick” before wrapping up the class. Then he adds, “Inara, I’m going to have to ask you to stay after class.” Gross? Yeah, but the Bird & the Bee aren’t advocating; they’re just reinterpreting.