8.19.2009

Tigercity :: "Fake Gold"

An aside: [In April 2007 I wrote a high-concept article about seeing Tigercity. The narrative thrust of the piece was about how weird it would be if tigers organized themselves into a sustainable and cohesive social fabric. What if tigers, instead of being exotic jungle cats, were just like the rest of us? What if there actually was a "tigercity?"It was an exciting trip into magic realism and just the kind of thing I thought was groundbreaking 2.5 years ago.]

Tigercity released their six-song EP Pretend Not To Love in the fall of 2007. I more than expected them to blow up; national tours, college and maybe even modern rock radio. It kind of happened and it kind of didn't. Things should have been "awesome" for this band and they just got "good." In the intervening period, my major connection to the band was limited to seeing the lead-singer on an Uptown F train a few times.

Now, in late '09 the band looks ready to deliver with a full-length entitled Ancient Lover. Lead-single, "Fake Gold" is a glossy, stomping affair. The synths take over in the bridge and the production shine is as intentional as it is appropriate. The candor of the lyric, "I just want you to know/that I'm wearing fake gold," is as funny as it is crushing. We're dealing with artifice, image and how they can be divorced from reality; or maybe artifice as a form of reality. But this is a windows down, summer rock song and there's nothing fake about it.

Listen :: Tigercity - "Fake Gold"

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