And so we come to the last post of the year. As I’m using a PC at my parents’ place because my laptop is currently a virus infested pile of uselessness (yeah thanks, hackers) and I’m sitting down the hall in the extremely un-air conditioned part of the house, this will be brief!
New Year’s Eve will be a fairly low key event for me this year, as it is most years. I don’t get too caught up in the whole New Year’s stuff I have to say. Last year I did go down to Melbourne for the whole fireworks in the city experience (haven’t done the Sydney one you see pictured above though), but all I really remember is getting trapped in a big bottleneck crowd crush, unable to escape for nearly 40 mins. It was hot and sticky and I don’t cope with crowds at the best of times, let alone in the middle of a heatwave. Ugh, never again.
I will leave you today with a hodgepodge of new tracks (well new to me at least) that I’ve been sampling this week. Have a fantastic New Year’s Eve, whatever highjinks or antics you get up to, and I look forward to talking to you all and sharing more wonderful music with you next year. Here’s to 2010! Oh, and there’s apparently going to be a blue moon tonight, so in honour of this event I’ve included a little something from a certain man you may have heard of, Mr Elvis Presley. Enjoy!
Oh, I do love this – ‘Say My Name’ by Destiny’s Child* getting the Hidden Cameras treatment. A live, stripped down version, it has a more wistful vibe, rather than the more sassy and confrontational feeling of the original. You’ve gotta love the drums kicking in midway, and I can’t go past the extended saxophone solo in the middle. Lovely stuff.
Yes! The third and final part of the Contrast Podcast Festive Fifty is up, as voted by contributors and listeners of the Contrast Podcast! Head there now to listen to me gush on about Withered Hand – an introduction that was recorded when I was still deeply involved in those first few flushes of new music love. How high did it place though? You’ll have to go visit to find out!
You’ll also be able to find out what came in at #1. I don’t actually agree with the top track this year – it’s by a band that I’ve tried several times to get into but just can’t seem to ‘get’. Oh well. I’m sure there are plenty of people who would say that about my choice of this year’s best song!
Some of you may remember that my pick for the best song of 2009 was Withered Hand’s ‘Religious Songs’, which you can download here. I won’t leave you empty handed here though – check out ‘Cornflake’ from Good News below.
I think I’ve told you this before, but I often download songs without listening to them first. Usually, it’s the words that accompany the song that convince me to grab it, although exceptions to this rule include songs by bands I’m already familiar with or covers.
Once I’ve got a bit of a stash happening, I’ll load them all onto my iPod and listen to these unknown songs all in one go, quite often while I’m exercising. I’ve not been running as often as I used to because I got my bike all fixed up so I’ve been riding in the mornings instead. I usually follow the same route, which includes riding over a bridge, following dusty river tracks and back over the bridge where I then snake around the quiet streets of my neighbourhood. It’s lovely.
Yesterday morning was a stash morning, where I dumped a whole lot of unknown stuff on the pod while I tied my shoes, remembering to lace one through my house key, which I’m terribly paranoid about leaving behind (yep, I’m a freak). This track popped up fairly early in my ride, and I was immediately hooked. Fittingly titled ‘Bicycle’, it’s by Yarn Owl who hail from Washington USA (thanks to Music For Robots for the heads up).
Simple lyrics, sung with a barely a breath between them, paint a picture of a girl riding her bicycle through the streets on her way home.
you on a bicycle riding down the street
am i gonna meet you tonight?
maybe in a park maybe in a dream
that sounds more right to me
what ya gotta do that you need to be
pedalling your bike at such a speed?
you on a bicycle, such a lovely girl…
The second half of the song steps it down a notch, words are more spaced and take on a yearning wistfulness.
you’re coming home from your job at the library
all the way across the bridge
you’re coming home from your job at the library
memory repeats the clip
Want more from Yarn Owl? Head to their website to buy their recently released cassette (yes, you read that right) Tiny Dots, which fortunately comes with a digital download, which is lucky really because I haven’t seen a cassette player in years and my trusty old Walkman died many moons ago.
Image: That’s my bike, Old Faithful. Previously used on the odd occasions we couldn’t convince Mum to take us to the bus stop and had to make our own way. Recently recalled into service and performing admirably.
The mountains said I could find you here
They whispered the snow and the leaves in my ear
I traced my finger along your trails
Your body was the map, I was lost in it
Floating over your rocky spine
The glaciers made you, and now you’re mine
Floating over your rocky spine
The glaciers made you, and now you’re mine
Angus & Julia Stone are on the road again next March, their tour set to coincide with the release of their second full length album Down The Way. Aussie tour dates are up and running, with UK, Europe and US shows planned for April and May.
16 Mar 2010 8:00 P
ANU BAR Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
17 Mar 2010 8:00 P
Wollongong UNI Wollongong, New South Wales
18 Mar 2010 8:00 P
Newcastle UNI Newcastle, New South Wales
19 Mar 2010 8:00 P
Tanks Arts Centre Cairns, Queensland
20 Mar 2010 8:00 P
Tivoli Brisbane, Queensland
21 Mar 2010 8:00 P
Lake Kawana Community & Arts Centre Sunshine Coast, Queensland
24 Mar 2010 8:00 P
Hellenic Hall Hobart, Tasmania
25 Mar 2010 8:00 P
Palace Theatre Melbourne, Victoria
26 Mar 2010 8:00 P
Metro Theatre – SOLD OUT Sydney, New South Wales
27 Mar 2010 4:00 P
Metro Theatre – Exclusive U18’s preview “soundcheck performance” Sydney, New South Wales
27 Mar 2010 8:00 P
Metro Theatre – SECOND SHOW ANNOUNCED Sydney, New South Wales
28 Mar 2010 5:00 P
West Coast Blues and Roots Festival Fremantle, Western Australia
31 Mar 2010 8:00 P
Settlers Tavern Margaret River, Western Australia
1 Apr 2010 8:00 P
Astor Theatre Perth, Western Australia
2 Apr 2010 8:00 P
Thebarton Theatre Adelaide, South Australia
5 Apr 2010 4:00 P
Byron Bay Bluesfest – Main Stage Byron Bay
They’ve already released the first single, ‘And The Boys’ which you can check out below. I’m liking this one, it’s a bit fuller in sound than some of their previous stuff, and I’m always a fan of the tracks that Julia takes the lead on. I also like the line about time and its ability to bend your ideas, and the imagery in the chorus: and there’s gold falling from the ceiling of this world…
So the big day is finally here. Since I’m writing this on the eve of Christmas Eve, I can’t honestly say exactly what I’ve done today but if the past few years are anything to go by, I’ve received my gifts by now and I’m busy helping my mum and my sisters make good food in the kitchen. Every now and then I’ll nick outside to field a ball or two during our neverending game of backyard cricket while the fellas hover around the barbeque checking the lamb and putting together various toys/bikes/swingsets.
I make mixtapes for my sisters each Christmas. Here’s one of the mixes that Elspeth will be receiving. Make sure you grab the links while you can – I have a major cleanup planned after all this Christmas hoopla is behind us!
Girl In The War – Josh Ritter
Castaways – Shearwater (download here)
Madame Shocking – The Silent Years (download here)
Northern Lights – Bowerbirds (download here)
The Colour That Your Eyes Changed With The Colour Of Your Hair – Carissa’s Wierd (download here)
Oslo Novelist – Grand Archives (download here)
East – The Weather Station (download here)
Alter Ego – Jean-Louis Aubert Bad Diary Days – Pedro The Lion
Now You Are Pregnant – The Wave Pictures
Charlie Darwin – The Low Anthem
Wax and Wire – Loch Lomond (download here) Familiar Light – Asobi Seksu
In Excelsis Deo – There Will Be Fireworks (download here)
Black Ice – Ohbijou
Folding Chair – Regina Spektor
With This Ship – The Basics
When You Walk In The Room – Fyfe Dangerfield (download here)
Here’s hoping you’ve had a safe and happy Christmas!
I’ve been a fan of Dead Letter Chorus since I saw them live earlier this year in Melbourne, along with Canada’s Hey Rosetta. They were kind enough to send me a Christmas present, which was nice and all but kinda rude too because now I feel bad since I didn’t get them anything.
Gabrielle Huber, who shares lead vocal duties with fellow band member Cameron Potts, recorded this gorgeous version of ‘Silent Night’ below. Take a listen – the girl sure can sing, make no mistake. There’s no instrumentation apart from that voice and some ethereal backing vocals about halfway through. Lovely.
Silent Night – Gabrielle Huber (mp3 link removed by request – buy from iTunes here)
This will be the last ‘live’ post for the next few days as we finally knuckle down and get serious about all this festive business. I will be spending tomorrow concocting delicious dishes for the big day, and no doubt eating half of them before Carols has even kicked off on the telly. It’s gonna be tough. I have set up a few posts to pop up over the next few days though, so if you need a break from Aunty Mildred or are sneaking in a quick trip online to order that CD you asked for that nobody bothered to buy for you, you can always stop by here as well for some top tuneage and maybe another Christmas track or two.
Onward!
White Pines is the performing name of Joseph Scott, who is joined when recording and touring by an assortment of musical friends. February will see him and his band opening for Strand Of Oaks in various locations around the US – visit myspace for details.
It’s not the tour I’m excited about though (for one obvious reason – I’m on the other side of the bloody world) but it’s the recently released EP Face Made Of Wood. This landed in my inbox a couple of weeks ago, but I’ve sat with it since then and it’s become one of my favourite releases of the year, full of rich imagery, gorgeous vocals and beautiful instrumentation. I’ve always preferred a strong EP where every track makes its mark, rather than an album consisting of several songs that feel like filler tracks, there only to pad out the length of the album, and this EP is packed full of notable songs.
Opening track ‘Foot Of The Cross’ contains a lovely swaying melody and it’s quickly apparent that Joseph Scott is a man with serious vocal talent. ‘Foreign Tongues’ has strings, so yeah. Say no more, I love it. ‘Wolves Will Shiver’ is where the EP really steps it up a notch I reckon. Opening line January hit hard this year sets the mood immediately and the whole song sparkles with winter imagery. Northern Hemisphere winter imagery, that is. It really is the kinda track you’d play quietly in the background as you curled up in front of a roaring fire, cliched as that idea might seem.
The two concluding tracks are my favourites. ‘Our Things In The Street’ begins with layered strings and scattered cymbals before melding into a simple, instantly hummable melody. Joseph’s vocals are especially lovely on this track, and there’s some seriously gorgeous banjo in parts – the more I delve into the whole folk/alt-country movement, the more I appreciate this humble instrument. ‘Speak With The Dead’ draws the EP to a stunning close, starting slow but building at each verse with the addition of more instrumentation (is that a saw I hear in the breaks between verse and chorus?) until it takes off about halfway through when the drums kick in for real, quietening again to whisper soft before a gorgeous string finish. How I do love a gorgeous string finish.
So yes. I love this EP. You should too, and you can prove your love, or at least kickstart your affair, by heading to Jumberlack Media and coughing up 6 of your best American/Canadian dollars, or the international equivalent.
Our Things In The Street – White Pines (I’m only streaming this one, because it’s only a 5 track EP, but I still wanted you to have the chance to hear it)
By now you might be a wee bit weary of me mentioning Meursault so often on these pages, but it’s the last time I’ll be talking about them for the next little while – at least until they go ahead and send another awesome release our way, that is.
Meursault have recently released two vinyl 7” singles, both from their 2008 full length Pissing On Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues, ‘The Dirt and The Roots’ and ‘A Few Kind Words’. Each single also includes reworked versions of both ‘William Henry Miller’ tracks from the Nothing Broke EP. I have to admit to being a little skeptical of these new versions when I first heard about them – how could they possibly be improved, I wondered?
Turns out I had nothing to worry about – both of the new versions retain their magic, even with the inclusion of more electro elements. I love the depth of sound created by the extra background strings in ‘Part 1′ (at least I think that’s what’s happening back there) and I can’t get over how much I love ‘Part 2′. It begins with choppy cello and crackly static and when that bass beat kicks in, followed by sweeping strings and all those ohhh-ohhhhs… well, you know you’re listening to something special.
