11. The Dirty Projectors "Stillness is the Move"

Where do you and I begin?

The first time I heard The Dirty Projectors was when I saw them open for TV on the Radio and I could not stand them. I thought, 'this is what the bru-ha-ha is about?' As Bitte Orca gained more and more acclaim, I resisted. It wasn't until a few months ago did I finally relent and gave them another shot. I began with "Stillness is the Move" and my initial resistance gave way listening to what is essentially a love letter to appropriation. Twitchy jam band guitars, Afro pop, slow jams, Top 40 pop - have I missed any others? It's absurd that this song exists. It's absurd that a band like The Dirty Projectors exists and makes music that on paper sounds absolutely ridiculous but somehow works. Amber Coffman's tour de force lead vocals are what won me over; it's hard to deny her beautifully acrobatic performance, so in tune with the song's rhythm and making the absolute best of her limited range. While I'm not totally convinced that The Dirty Projectors are the best thing going, I have conceded that "Stillness is the Move" is a truly exceptional song.