Musical Discoveries Circa July 2009

Jamie T via last.fm

Its been a while since I've done a [music] post, so I thought I'd do one now. So without further ado here are my top 3 things of the moment (presented in glorious Spotify link form if you'd care to click the links):

1. Jamie T - Sticks n Stones EP

The anthemic title track is sure to be a hit, with the same great poetic storytelling versus shouty chorus that made Sheila so popular, but the other tracks should definitely not be overlooked: St. Christopher is a sweet little song that shows a stripped-back, sensitive, melodic side, On the Green has more than a hint of The Libertines about it and The Dance of the Young Professionals is a suitably daft finisher with drunkenly swaggering lyrics set over a Brahms sample.

2. Regina Spektor - Far

With it's combination of chirpy hook-heavy radio-friendly tracks with a few more unusual offerings in between, Far feels very much like the logical extension of Begin to Hope. The melodies have grown slightly, sweeping higher and further, and the production, which is altogether more glossy, reflects this.

3. Florence + The Machine

Florence Welch and posse's debut album 'Lungs' was released a couple of weeks ago, and I have yet to hear it! But if the tracks floating around the Hype Machine are to be any guide, it's gonna be an absolute corker. With huge songs which build from ethereal, reverb-laden and harp-ornamented verses to pounding tribal drum choruses with pulsing guitars and belting vocals. Highlights so far include 'Cosmic Love', 'Blinding' and 'Dog Days are Over'.

And that's 3. Laterz!

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Obligatory Update

Image via WikipediaBeing painfully aware that I haven't posted anything in ages, here is 'a post' that I hope may once again open the floodgates to tidal waves of entertaining and informative articles for many months to come.

Obviously the fact that I haven't posted anything means that nothing of note has happened over the last month. Global financial crisis? I don't have any money and therefore don't give a shit. In fact, using my lovely graduate overdraft that I couldn't possibly pay back, I'm probably a part of the problem. Which I'm choosing to believe makes me powerful. Hear that Wall Street?! Want your £2,000 back? Well you can fuck off! HAH!

Here's a list of facts:

• Voyager One are good. Not massively original but good.
• I tracked them down after their music was featured on a recent update to LG15:The Resistance, (also featured here), now in its 5th week and turning out to be a good Buffy for the Myspace generation.
• Dead Set, E4 Big Brother Zombie mashup penned by Charlie Brooker (Nathan Barley co-writer/satirical bastard), sounds awesome.
• Big Art is Massive.

Anyway, apologies for such an arbitrary update. It's not you, it's me.

Assorted Rubbish

OK!

Been spending a lot of time working on the final preparations for the Alrewas Arts Festival, which kicks off next week. It's going to be an extravaganza of community art projects and workshops, I'll post a round-up of some of the highlights soon. Expect to be impressed.

I designed the logo. Hope you like it!

Couple of pieces of tasty tunage for you:


Lykke Li - Swedish girl with quirky voice and nice tunes. Bit Feist-y, but with a more produced electronic sound.

MAX RAPTOR - a shameless plug of my mate's band. They keep getting better with classic, infectious, shouty rock. Great performers who shredded up Barton Heartfest on Saturday. Also catch them at the Alrewas Arts Festival Party in the Park (Sat 13th).

Spoon - they're just great. Can't stop listening to the Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga album.

and finally, love it or hate it, this tune is going to be massive. You heard it here first.

The Natural Confectionery ad I posted the other day had been bothering me as I was convinced the voice was Dixon Bainbridge from The Mighty Boosh. Turns out I was right: Matt Berry (also of The IT Crowd and Garth Merenghi's Darkplace) does indeed provide the voices. So that's alright then.

Music!

Hey Hey,

Been listening to a lot of new music recently and I thought I'd take the time to share some of it with you!

Noah and the Whale - happy-go-lucky nu-folk stylings from this Twickenham-based band. Highlights include '5 years time' which you in the UK may well have heard (as it's everywhere), others include '2 bodies 1 heart' a slightly twee but very sweet love song and 'You can call me Al' a nice cover of the Paul Simon classic.

Girl Talk - crazy mash-up attention-deficit insanity. Latest album is available on a Radiohead-style pay what you want system. Check it out here.

Flobots - Handlebars (DJ Shadow remix) - currently very popular on the fantastic Hype Machine, this remix of Flobots' Handlebars is very hard to resist with a more pronounced beat and slightly more...fully-formed and threatening feel to it.

Finally, Sondre Lerche (official site with more tunes here). Great Norwegian singer-songwriter, with great voice and great tunes. Became aware of him as the composer of the 'Dan in Real Life' soundtrack, the end title track being 'My Hands Are Shaking' which I'm currently very much addicted to. By turns slightly folky, by turns a touch more contemporary jazzy. I love it.

Right. Better go back to endlessly applying for jobs now...

Laterz!