Norman Palm vs. Belle & Sebastian

Written by Father Guido Sarducci IV // September 10, 2010 // Music, The Conservatory // No comments

Like This and Like That is the new column from Snobcast extraordinaire, Father Guido Sarducci IV. The procedure: Every morning (OK, maybe not every morning) Guido will snatch the first crisp, clean & new mp3 he stumbles upon, listen to it at least once, and then find an old song (ten years or more) for some good old-fashioned compare and contrast. The purpose: To draw a line between the modern and the out-of-date. The premise: To expose the kids to their past while also showing the unfashionable adults that there’s great new music being made every day. Thus, if you like This than you might like That.

“Easy (Renaissance Man Remix)” by Norman Palm vs “I Could Be Dreaming” by Belle & Sebastian

More than anything, Norman Palm is quirky. He’s a visual designer from Berlin who sometimes lives in Mexico City. His first album is titled Songs and was actually a 200 page book of his visual work accompanied by 11 songs. His new album, Shore to Shore, does not come with a book. Regarding his new album: “I am very happy about finishing the new album, trust me: It was a lot of work. I will have a drink or two the day it comes out and later this year I will go on tour and play the new songs for you.” Yes, he’s adorable. In it’s original form, “Easy” is calm and seductive. This Renaissance Man remix turns the song into a sloppy house beat.

[audio:http://godonnybrook.com/home/wp-content/themes/mimbo2.2/images/06-I-Could-Be-Dreaming.mp3|titles=I Could Be Dreaming]

I’ll admit I’m stretching this one a bit. Norman Palm makes easy listening electro. Belle & Sebastian make chamber pop. Norman is a solo visual designer based in Berlin. B&S is a seven piece formed in Glasgow in 1996. So where do these songs converge? For me, it’s in the feeling. Not in the sound or structure but in the dream like feeling. Obviously, “I Could Be Dreaming” is the more topical dream, while “Easy” is the “trying to stay afloat” dream. Listen, and tell me what you think. Also, listen for cello player, Isobel Campbell, reciting a passage from “Rip Van Winkle” over the outro.