MOG

What is up with foreign fondness for Bruce Springsteen's "State Trooper"? You know how few shows I go to these days (that's very few, if you don't know) and I've recently seen two artists (Jarvis Cocker and tonight the Veils) cover this song. I kind of don't get it. It's very dark and spooky, yes, and both did a good job — I'm certainly not one to argue with any well-earned Springsteen appreciation, but I feel like it's become too obvious, that song. Especially now. Bands should come to me. I will assess your situation and pick you an appropriate Springsteen song to cover.

Anyway, the Veils were excellent this evening, though I was bummed out that they didn't sing anything from The Runaway Found, their just plain glorious first album.

So I'll play something from it now. It's a tough call. "The Tide That Left and Never Came Back" is clearly the catchiest. "The Leavers Dance" is an absolute dream. "Vicious Traditions" is dark and hypnotic and my favorite. But maybe the best mix of all that they are in one song is "Talk Down the Girl." Dig the deliberate laziness in the chorus. It's like the perfect combination of restraint and total surrender all in one. Five stars.