Song of the Day No.57

Good Times

by Jim O'Rourke (Insignificance, 2001)

Hailing from Chicago and the experimental post-rock jazz scene that Tortoise, amongst other acts, sprang from, Jim O'Rourke has been a busy boy. Aside from his extensive recording discography and film score credits O'Rourke has been busy the other side of the glass too. The list of acts he has produced or mixed for is a as long as a long arm can get; from Sonic Youth, Smog and Faust to Joanna Newsom, Wilco and Judee Sill, this boy has done it all. It is evident that between all this, writing his solo material and finding time to play with Sonic Youth, Gastr del Sol and others O'Rourke's influence stretches far and wide. Indeed, even his musical style is all-encompassing having at one time or another written material that could fall into the jazz, rock, indie-pop, noise, avant-garde and electronica pigeonholes.

Insignificance is a poppy indie-rock offering with a few moments of experimentalism seeping through. With a generally upbeat feel to the songs you would expect 'Good Times' to continue in such a vane, but it doesn't. Instead we hear lightly plucked guitar, mournful slide, subtle bass and delicate vocals. The song is pondering, though not ponderous, in outlook and gently fills the four minute duration with tender emotion.

AR