The Tindersticks – Hungry Saw (Live)

I had a girlfriend some years ago, that, among other grating habits, would drop pretentious art school lines like “that is soooo PoMo (as in Post Modern)”. To this day my friends get a kick out of ribbing me by quoting some of her more choice sayings.

Whatever her demerits, I certainly have to credit her for introducing me to The Tindersticks. At that point in my life, I had about 6 solid years of being heavily involved in college radio and, therefore, had access to mammoth amounts of music and, was perhaps a bit overconfident that if there was anything worth hearing music-wise that was released in the past few years, I already had. She gave me The Tindersticks “Curtains” album which I begrudgingly accepted, knowing that it would be lame and I would quickly have it disappear in the back of my cd collection, but within the first few seconds of listening, I was absolutely floored. (Unfortunately, and I am speculating, but I think she swiped the cd when we broke up.)

Earlier this March The Tindersticks came through New York and played the Brooklyn Masonic Temple on their short stateside tour supporting their new album. The choice of venue provided a worthy setting for a band with such an effortlessly exuded dapper stage elegance. This show has set a mighty high watermark for best show of the year. Truly incredible. During the show, I thought to myself, I wonder if The National is influenced by this band. If The National age and mature gracefully in a 30 year steady and incremental fashion (and this is no knock on The National), they might end up sounding a bit like The Tindersticks. This is “The Hungry Saw” from the new album of the same name.

Download: The Tindersticks – Hungry Saw (Live)