nothing says summer like slow-burning art music. first up we have the great austin, tx five piece, the american analog set. when they’re on, the band’s slow, precise songcraft hits a sweet spot somewhere between fellow texans bedhead and obvious influence spacemen 3. “know by heart” is probably their finest album, but lately i’ve been digging “the wait,” off 1998’s “the golden band”:

[mp3] the american analog set—“the wait”

***

dirty three are an australian group that make instrumental rock as vast as the queensland sky. key to the group’s sound is the violin of frequent nick cave collaborator warren ellis. on “i really should’ve gone out last night,” ellis plucks his violin to devastating effect, multitracking that noise over other layers of his own playing. guitarist mick turner and drummer jim white are hardly slouches themselves, and play with a sense of economy that, paradoxically, makes the best work of the three sound spacious and huge. their 2001 disc “whatever you love, you are” is highly recommended.

[mp3] dirty three—“i really should’ve gone out last night”