Someday Soon I Will Forget This Junkyard

Martin Newell - Julie Profumo

These things have been slowing down a bit because it’s more work than I thought to have something to say about these songs that isn’t a load of self indulgent dribble. Thinking about making this into a weekly dump of a few songs plus a roundup of other fascinating music-related links. Because I’d love there to be some sort of transactional relationship here, like I’m not just doing this as a display of how brilliant I think I am ( I don’t), I’m super curious for anyone to share their thoughts regarding what this thing is, or how it could be of more value to you…because time and attention should remain your most majorly valued riches besides friends and health. Feel free to comment, or even write me.

I’ve always loved Martin Newell, even though I only found out about him in recent years. The strange timelessness of his recordings, combined with the low visibility of their influence on musicians that have become much more known add to that mystery and cult status for me. For example, MGMT, who brilliantly covered "Only A Shadow” from the Cleaners From Venus release Midnight Cleaners. I only was introduced through a list of favourite tracks by Deb Demure of Drab Majesty, who I’d first seen the night before and was so mesmerized and amazed that I spent the next morning wrangling my caterwauling hangover with a lot of weed and a deep dive of anything Drab Majesty related I could find on the internet. It’s as if something lost has come full circle, although that “hipster” quotient is likely highly annoying to his older long time fans who I imagine have created a very personal relationship to England’s Most Published Living Poet.

Only A Shadow is a perfect song, no question, and sits in a special list of songs etched onto my heart, Wreckless Eric - Whole Wide World. Songs that express all the glory and hope, but also bruises of a young dreamy heart. But Julie Profumo is a song of a different sort that resonates with me as an adult, hurt by the world yet still a believer in its possibilities.

There’s a documentary in the works (or possibly finished) about Martin Newell. He’s certainly deserving, like Billy Childish, that other great British punk eccentric. There’s so much to respect about his disinterest in playing by any industry games when they never seemed interested, and his utter devotion to the poet’s heart. I’m greatly drawn to his dedication to continue even when the success he anticipated eluded him.

Also, not enough respect gets paid to his recording technique. Ariel Pink most certainly picked up a thing or two here; calling his releases lo-fi is a disservice, a typically classist description. They are otherworldly and go around the limitations of that kind of colonial imposition. Yeah, I said it.

Maybe the romanticism he evokes strikes particularly loud to me in this time where music, its consumption, and fandom are being bitcrushed into streaming ones & zeros and 280 character hot takes about an album that no one will give a shit about in less than a year. I can take this song to the grave with me happily.

Like what I’m doing here? Let me know by suggesting it to someone else that may like it. Not into this song? Stick around for the next one, it may be what you didn’t know you needed! Remember, there are only two genres of music here at SERMONS!: good and bad, and I have to much to do to waste time on bad music.