Friday Cover Up - Sweet Lights, Its Daniel Johnson And His Monkey!

Well, this is a special way to see out the week. We have spoken many times about the sweet autumnal nostalgia that is Sweet Lights - but never in a million years did I expect to have four Beatles covers ('A Day In The Life', Cry Baby Cry', 'For No One' and 'Too Many People'), from the man recorded backstage with none other than the inimitable Daniel Johnston! Of course it should be known that Sweet Lights is Daniel Halperin, who's one of the Capitol Years, Johnston's backing band - nevertheless, these videos are a beautiful snapshot. Not much else needs to be said. Its very ad hoc and lo-fi - thus making it something else altogether to behold. Enjoy, and have a stellar weekend ok!

The Sweetest, Lightest Man On Earth

Philadelphia's Shai Halperin AKA Sweet Lights is too legit to quit. Seriously, how poptastic is 'THe Shortest Man On Earth'? Each release that comes along is stretching the pop boundaries, and its just great to hear someone who is offering tunes that are so effortless in their effervescence. A step up from his self titled debut last year - and that's saying something.

Sweet Lights - The Shortest Man On Earth

Sweet Lights Needles Bill

Sweet Lights has released possibly his best song off his sunny self-titled debut last year in 'A Hundred Needle Pins'. He has made stellar videos in the past, but he has really outdone himself here, trading in videos of himself as a child doing mad breakdancing, with...Bill Cosby. Or more directly, a montage of the opening dance credits from various seasons of The Cosby Show. Its brilliant, very well orchestrated with the music. The constant cut back to Cosby's face halfway through is very funny indeed.

I do love me a bit o Bill...

Get Sweet Lights here.

Sweet Lights - A Hundred Needle Pins from Sweet Lights on Vimeo.

A Friday Cover Up + A Ballad of John And Yoko...By Sweet Degrees

Its been quiet on the Sonic Masala front this week, I must admit. We are still yet to post the Naked On The Vague/Grass Widow/Wetdog gig review and photos, although I wrote it the day after, plus the level of inactivity after our big breakthrough interview on..erm, Breakthru Radio on Thursday is a little disconcerting (check it out here - its The Anatomy Of A Blogger show on 14/10/10). On top of being embarrassed by my unease when in the hot seat (although in context, it was rushed, I had a bus to catch to Cambridge in less than an hour), both Paul and I have been inundated by outside influences - AKA work. So the only way to get back on the horse, is to saddle up to our staple Friday Cover Up. Today Im in charge, so Im going for someone who is much more obscure but much loved here in my dusty corner of the SM world.

Sweet Lights self released a self titled album a little while ago (which you can grab here) that was a beautiful pastiche of eclectic pop workings that stick to you like prickles in your socks. Now he has released a cover, and I must say I was floored. Its not an overly redefining working of the track rather than the choice of cover - the Travelling Wilburys. I actually found myself grinning for the entirety of the first listen, then immediately played it again - a win in my books.

Sweet Lights - Handle With Care (Travelling Wilburys cover)

And while Im at it, remember the clip Sweet Lights made for his track 'Message On The Wire'? The lil Scott Baio kid breakdancing his arse off? Well, believe it or not, that handy breakin action is actually Mr Sweet Lights himself as a kid - amazing! Id want to launch that on the world too - all I was good at was falling off my BMX and drawing kick-arse vehicles of death with rockets and machine guns, that somehow came off looking like clogs. And now he has patched up a vid for another track, ''You Won't Be There' - a lil homage to John and Yoko. And seeing as the bearded weird One would have hit 70 just a week ago, its a fitting touch - he truly is a sweet structuralist of pop music. Enjoy the weekend SMers!

Sweet Lights - You Won't Be There from Sweet Lights on Vimeo.

Atari, Kanye, Hanggliders, baby Chachi

Sweet Lights have a music clip out for their track 'Message On The Wire'. Its a nice breezy jangly languid pop number, reminiscent of something like Fruit Bats, so much so I put on a Fruit Bats album immediately afterwards! But this is intercut with some Kayne intro madness, a breakdancing Scott Baio child clone, and Atari Pitfall shenanigans. Its a quirky showreel to a nice little track.


Sweet Lights - Message on the Wire (K$nye Edit) from Sweet Lights on Vimeo.

Sweet Lights is Philadelphian songspider Shai Halperin (he led The Capitol Years and was at one time part of Daniel Johnstone's backing band), and Sweet Lights will be out next month. Here's 'Message on the Wire' in mp3 form, plus anotherie for your pleasure!

Sweet Lights - Message On The Wire
Sweet Lights - Are We Gonna Work It Out