SXSW preview: s'all blurred out: Kristin & Marley focus on SALEM

In which soldout begins to join the fucking cacophony about SXSW.

Kristin talked to Marley for about an hour about Salem Friday Feb 26.  It was crazy. The original schedule of the chat/listening party was only supposed to be three songs. It didn’t work out like that, which the girls suppose is often the case with SALEM. Once you start learning about their mythology and hearing the music, you get oddly sucked into their web. Below, you can listen along with Marley and Kristin. Draw your own conclusions, but you’ll definitely be as mystified as they were.

Marley: ok. so we're going to listen to SALEM!

Kristin: Here we are. About to listen to Salem. What shall we start with?

Marley: Russ tells me we're going to start with When You Sleep

  and then move on to Skullcrush

  and for dessert, Trap Door

  i'm being instructed to get a drink.

Kristin: bam bam bam

bam bam bam

This isn't as immediately frightening as I thought.

Marley: I can't not think about the Glasslands video

 heh heh jacking off

Kristin: Right? The little girlish voice saying "jacking off" is jarring.

Marley: yeah... I'm not so scared. but it's daytime and if I were at Glasslands which is pretty much an unfinished basement of a venue… I'd be cowering.

Kristin: I really like how the tapping part weaves in and out of the beat. That's strange.

Marley: apparently the genre is Fuckcore.

Kristin: We probably will cower at SXSW. We will probably be far too close to them.

Marley: oh is that it?

Kristin: Abrupt End.

Marley: right? WHAT IS THE ANSWER? DO YOU LAY AWAKE?! DOOOO YOUUUUU?

Kristin: Even if the receiver of that question does not, she still wins, just by saying it.

Marley: true!

Kristin: THE QUESTION IS WHAT MATTERS.

Marley: wow. score 1 for salem. like, taking someone’s tweet and making a terrifying song out of it

ok...I dont know if I'm ready for something called skullcrush

Kristin: omg, exactly. They can do it in 140 characters or less.

 Marley: music for our times.

 Kristin: Well. At least they're not being obtuse with their song titles.

 Marley: if I can quote entire song lyrics in a tweet--win.

    ...on the other hand... now I'm really scared of SKULLCRUSH

Kristin: Play button?

 Marley: ...yes.

 Kristin: My heart's thumping. Let's go.

Kristin: bwaaaaaaaaam bwaaaaaam

Marley: yeah I like it.

Kristin: I'm actually kind of surprised by how much I'm liking it.

Marley: it's not really setting itself apart from other distorted-noise-beats stuff but I'm down.

Marley: someone's whispering...

Kristin: AW I can't hear the words properly. I haaate that.

I like how the vocal fits into the structure of the song, but I'm disappointed I can't actually tell what he's saying. That always makes me feel I'm...being lied to, or something.

Marley: is it like...the sound of a skull being crushed?  onamonapia?

Kristin: How your hearing would be, were your skull being crushed?

Marley: eeee that IS scary.  I dont feel like this song is really going anywhere…like, verse, chorus... ??

Kristin: SALEM IS MAKING ME UNABLE TO FORM A SENTENCE

Marley: repetitive noise confusion music what? FUCKCORE!

Kristin: Are we listening? What is listening?

Marley: woah. yeah, def a band to see live

Kristin: Okay. The abrupt endings are a pattern.

Marley: maybe not so much one to rock out to on the subway/in your car/whatever

knowing how to end a song=not SALEM's thing

Kristin: Ohno, notthesubway. That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Marley: the thing is you can't tell if the noise is the music you're listening to or the noise of the subway, which both builds on and takes away from the point...

Russ is suggesting we listen to Dirt before Trap Door  b/c it was the single

THEY HAD A SINGLE!?

Kristin: Hell, we got ourselves into this. We need to follow through.

To where did they release this single? The followers on the Flickr account?

Marley: the interwebs?

HAHAHAHA

their...fans?

Kristin: *stoically*

Marley: ahem. ahem.

nice original beatssss! (kidding)

slowed down vocals are funny...not so much scary

Kristin: It was at this point that I had to check that I was on the right song. Single?

Marley: did he just say Salem??

Kristin: fluff? fllluuuuufff?

Marley: shummmm

Kristin: shin hay ma choo choo doo

Marley: I guess knowing it's a voice but not being able to discern words is pretty scary.

Kristin: I'M ALONE IN THE HOUSE

Marley: like, there's someone knocking in the walls kinda shit

Kristin: They live at the end of a

Marley: HAHAHA

Kristin: five and a half minute hallway

Marley: yeah I was going there next.

Kristin: ABRUPT. Again!

Marley: hehhh. I dunno I feel like Dirt is the beginning of something much more epic or it could be. like, where they end it, they could have thrown in some heavy beats and started a dance track

SALEM WINS AGAIN!

Kristin: That's Salem: 3. Us: 0. Or us: 3?

Marley: how do we win at this? I think we win for taking them seriously... or...um...I dont know

Kristin: I'm not sure. I hope we get cupcakes.

Marley: IF WE DONT DIE, WE WIN.

Kristin: Right. If we make it through, the world wins.

Marley: phew. I think we'll come out of this alive (famous last words)

Kristin: shhhh. Are we composed for Trapdoor?

Marley: ahem. I'm good

Kristin: I sat up a little straighter. Onward, play button.

Marley: ooh dancier already.

Kristin: ROOF ROOF omg I love it.

Marley: oof oofff  I ain tryina lil bey?

Kristin: i ain't tryin' to look bad?

Marley: ...Wire reference?

Kristin: or something to that effect?

Marley: I'm just a little juice?

Kristin: i love it i love it

Marley: is his voice really this low?

Kristin: i bake too much? yes?

Marley: oooh car crash!

hey do not touch! so I'ma thrown down

Kristin: CAUSE YA'LL CANT SEE NUTTIN oof oof roof roof

Marley: I need a lyric sheet to fully appreciate

I can't feel shit...

Kristin: i'm thug, i'm bone? i am going to listen to this eight hundred more times.

Marley: oh another car crash

s'all blurred out hey bitch I can't see shit

Kristin: i lost my capital letters in the interest of imparting to you how much i love this in the most expedited manner

Marley: hahahaha I'm terrified

Kristin: “maybe I should leave?” NO DON'T GO

Marley: this guy eats kittens for breakfast. I'm pretty sure.

Kristin: I'm swaying back and forth a little bit. (oh noes not kittens)

Marley: ok I might be rocking out a little... because i'm scared he'll get mad if I dont

1 more minute

Kristin: I know you see both of me?

Marley: and... I missed that

Kristin: car craaaaash!

Marley: I's trying to get high and something something car crash!

Kristin: it's a motif.

Marley: yeah I like the message. I think?

ooh good fade out ending!

Kristin: I want to give them two points for that.

Marley: this one's a winner. go Salem.

 apparently...there is a video...for Dirt??

 Kristin: And they've proven they can end a song somewhat suitably.

 Marley: yeah. I dug it

 should we... dare we...

Kristin: I mean, we may as well. We've come this far and we've held up admirably.

Marley: true! cupcakes and kittens for all!

 (kittens=not for eating)

Kristin: cupcakes for breakfast! not kittens!

SALEM - DIRT from ACEPHALE on Vimeo.

Kristin: okay, there's no music

 the lack of music IS the music

Marley: yeahhh

 uh oh I forsee another car crash.

Kristin: That car won't be long for this world.

Marley: true

Kristin: She is distressed.

Marley: s'all blurred out

ok music

what the crap people… crying in the car... carbon monoxide?

Kristin: hanging boobies. This is pretty graphic.

Marley: but then s'all blurred out!

this song is apparently about body image

omg climbing on the car it's v. xfiles Aaaaaahhhhh

Kristin: Like, the woman in the car is looking at the naked woman, crying that she is not the naked woman?

Marley: what the...

 the naked woman is a fantasy

Kristin: avant a go go

Marley: a phantasmmmm

she's getting up and …uh

Kristin: I really don't know what just happened.

Marley: silence. me neither. I'm a little upset about the crying and the nudity

Kristin: Silence feels heavy now.

Marley: true. I think salem is not meant to be analyzed. it's meant to be experienced!

Kristin: The nudity was gratuitous--in a bad way. Don't get me wrong. I love gratuitous...but...what?

Marley: yeah

I liked the crawling on the car stuff--way scary.

but the just hanging around naked outside the car..wha?

Kristin: paradise by the dashboard NOOOOO

Marley: yes! I LOL'd

 I'm trying to draw a conclusion about SALEM

and I cant stop thinking about a teenager's mom's unfinished cinderblock basement

Kristin: Let's see...well, I'm glad at least that the music matches the mythology.

I know, right? And a noose and a Jason mask.

Marley: they've got an honest if completely fucked up image.

Kristin: THIS IS MY BEDROOOOOOM

Marley: aaaahhhh! don't go down there!

Kristin: Jack wants us to put the lotion on our skin.

Marley: they've ALL read house of leaves

Kristin: I just creeped myself out.

Marley: noooo jack noooooo

Kristin: They LIVE House of Leaves.

Marley: YES. I was thinking that too!

Marley: I mean. I think it's going to be an experience seeing these kids live

Kristin: Me too. I actually can't wait.

Marley: and when I say kids I mean kids.

Kristin: I KNOW. They're babies.

Marley: my conclusion is that I want to see more and see/hear it live because I need the full sensory experience.

Kristin: We have not defeated you, but we have survived one round.

Marley: mmm yeah.

Kristin: It's a listener/musician game of Axis and Allies.

(here Marley and Kristin began to look at “lyrics” in an attempt to make sense of SALEM.)

Marley: Russ says "you can wear the heels but dont touch them clothes" is 100% a lyric

Kristin: "okay maybe i should go
but where is there to go?
you walk your ass for hours"

Do you feel like they mean you harm? Or harm to your mind? Is that the slightly queasy feeling?

Marley: eeeh yeah I kinda... I feel like theyre out to manipulate

Kristin: "no I'm getch you" Noooooo

Marley: they're really all about making the audience feel something. and that something is a terrifying sort of nostalgia

Kristin: Oh, no. He's trying to say he gets where I'm coming from. He does?

Marley: I can't imagine that's true.

Kristin: A terrifying sort of nostalgia. Interesting.

Marley: yeah

Kristin: Nostalgia for the time right before we were born. The time never experienced.

Marley: i think there's a feeling of being trapped, a teenage sort of aimless feeling and hazy and maybe a little drugged

Kristin: Yeees. Slightly juvenile.

Marley: hmmm. I'm completely sober.

Kristin: Basement-y. just like the pictures.

Marley: yeah!

Kristin: Like Jack's mom bursts in on his creative process all the time.

Marley: damnit mom!

Kristin: BUT WAIT. I can't imagine Salem's parents.

Marley: according to John his parents were ok

Kristin: From the BUTT article, right? BUTT I can't possibly believe that.

Marley: I sent the Butt Magazine article to my friend Cex with the note, "these kids are your jam"

 Marley: ok Russ is playing Tent. and it has discernible lyrics

 it's very angsty teenager gothy. they're so gothy! John's so cute when he says they're not

 Kristin: I'm putting it on.

 Marley: ok Tent. is weeeird

Kristin: I hear something about "flesh flesh" and "a man and a screw."

Marley: eeee

Kristin: This one's freaking me out a lil.

Marley: yeah

Kristin: "i don't know if you could tell/but i don't need help" bwwwhahahaha

Marley: yah...I disagree

Kristin: now with the flesh, now with the palms? I don't know if he's lost me OR FOUND ME

Marley: eee yeah

Kristin: There wasn't even an ending to that one.

Marley: I KNOW terrifying

Kristin: I don't think I can do much more, but maybe we should go out with that Streets of Philadelphia cover.

Marley: oh shit i'm down with that. (if people are still reading this at this point... and haven’t DIED!)

Kristin: (EVERYONE IS DEAD AND THEY DON'T KNOW IT.)

Marley: omg! that is the beauty of salem

 Kristin: slow and steady. and surprisingly reminiscent of the original.

 Marley: yeah

it's been a long time since I've heard the original

 streee-eeeets

Kristin: Hers is not a voice you want to hear beside your bed at four in the morning.

Marley: I like it

Kristin: JUST streeeeeets. Inclusive.

Marley: right, they want to make it universal (so said Jack in BUTT)

Kristin: This is sleepy.

Marley: yeah

Kristin: SALEM NAP TIME

Marley: awww I'd be too scared

Kristin: that's a terrible image, actually.

Marley: these kids dont sleep

Kristin: just put some stuffed animals in that image and viola, i have sketched your nightmares

Marley: omg...you realize you brought this full circle to when you sleep.

Kristin: Seriously! Salem voodoo!

They control our words.

Marley: our minds

Kristin: our souls

Marley: !!!

Kristin: we will prevail. Is this going on too long, or is my sense of time warped?

Marley: it's going on way long. it's 5 min long

Kristin: whoa, we still have a minute left. this is how they get our brains

Marley: yeah. I kinda dig this but not knowing the rest of their oeuvre I might not be so impressed

Kristin: It's not bad, but I do just want to lay down.

Marley: true and true

Kristin: Phew. Okay.

Marley: yeah well.

Kristin: I need to put on some reality TV or something.

Marley: that happened.

yeah. I'm going to watch something funny. or um. have a drink. or maybe take a nap.

Kristin: It did. Thank you for taking the journey with me. I don't think I could have done it alone.

Marley: oof.  ditto.

Kristin: oof off roof roof

Marley: !!! oh shizzle.

well. I'll see YOU on the 19th. for SALEM.

Kristin: We will be there and not be there at the same time.

Marley: BRACE YERSELF!

SALEM plays SXSW on Friday, March 19th at the Mohawk Patio, 9 PM. We’ll be there, so come and say hi. While you still can…



Comments

[Tom Butts]

I think this may be the worst commentary on Salem that I've ever read, it sounds like a couple 15 year old girls talking about music they just can't quite wrap their heads around. Their music is not about scaring you, it might make you uncomfortable but thats because its honest, its not goth. Just because they had some pentagrams on their myspace doesn't make them goth. I can understand why you might think that, but maybe it's because the music is a bit hard to understand if you aren't a bit fucked up deep down from something in your past.

[wify]

I have gone through the discussion of you both. I would like to know some information on mythology. I have heard about it before but don't have complete knowledge on it.
Regards,
Sex Toys