{"id":288,"date":"2011-02-09T02:10:32","date_gmt":"2011-02-09T10:10:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/billchapin.net\/allthecitylights\/?p=288"},"modified":"2015-01-12T09:31:55","modified_gmt":"2015-01-12T17:31:55","slug":"racking-up-plays-under-the-gun-by-apex-manor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/billchapin.net\/allthecitylights\/2011\/02\/racking-up-plays-under-the-gun-by-apex-manor\/","title":{"rendered":"Racking Up Plays: “Under the Gun” by Apex Manor"},"content":{"rendered":"

These are the posts where I gush about some song that I\u2019ve got a huge crush on at the moment, and you put up with it and listen because you\u2019re a good friend.<\/em><\/p>\n

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\"Apex<\/a>
We'll let Apex Manor's Ross Flournoy get away with the massive cliche of posing in front of a brick wall because a) he's not scowling, b) the bricks are vertical and c) "Under the Gun" is really, really good. (via Merge Records)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/strong><\/em>“Under the Gun,” Apex Manor<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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Among the playlists in my sprawling iTunes library is one devoted exclusively to songs with a four-on-the-floor beat. (Why do I have such a playlist, you ask? The same reason I have a banjo playlist: Um … I’m not sure.) Four-on-the-floor is the rhythmic figure characterized by emphasizing all four beats in 4\/4 time. Wikipedia<\/a> says this was popularized by disco (if you’ve ever gone “oonce oonce oonce oonce” to simulate a dance beat, then you’re familiar with the style), but I tend to associate it more with Pistol Allen<\/a> cracking the snare on every beat of such Motown hits as “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)<\/a>.” In addition to that classic, my playlist features the drivng rhythm of such songs as “Live With Me<\/a>” by The Rolling Stones, “This Year<\/a>” by The Mountain Goats and “Kerosene<\/a>” by Miranda Lambert.<\/p>\n

The latest addition is “Under the Gun” by Apex Manor, a.k.a. Pasadena musician Ross Flournoy. After Flournoy’s well-regarded power-pop band The Broken West<\/a> called it quits, he reportedly spent time on his porch drinking and staring down a nasty case of writer’s block until he turned to the institution that has inspired countless rock ‘n’ rollers: National Public Radio. He decided to accept NPR blogger\u00a0Carrie Brownstein<\/a>‘s challenge to write and record a song in one week. The result was “Under the Gun,” an oh-so-meta commentary on deadline pressure.<\/p>\n

In addition to that relentless drum beat, the song features some gnarly guitar riffs and pop craftsmanship that would make Matthew Sweet proud.<\/p>\n

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[download it<\/a> from KEXP<\/a>]<\/p>\n

Apex Manor is playing with Film School, Gregory and the Hawk and Melted Toys as part of <\/em>Noise Pop 2011<\/em><\/a>. The show is at 8 p.m. Feb. 24 at Caf\u00e9\u00a0du Nord<\/a>, 2170 Market St., San Francisco. Tickets are $14. Call 415.861.5016 for details. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\"Share\"<\/a>\n