Monthly Archive for November, 2007

The Last Town Chorus - Wire Waltz

2006_artists_den.jpg

I was visiting The Artist Den website recently and found The Last Town Chorus. About a year ago I was introduced to their music by accident. I had fallen in love with the sound of the lap steel guitar, thanks to Ben Harper, and in my search of artist that played it I found The Last Town Chours band. They’ve had an ever changing line up but one thing or person who has remained constant has been Megan, and thankfully for them. She has a beautiful voice and can play the lap steel, I mean what more can you ask for.

Some of you may recognize her by the song “Modern Love” it was in the t.v show Grey’s Anatomy last year. I guess one good thing that can come out of these shows is that who ever is choosing the music is doing a great job.

You can preview her latest album “Wire Waltz” below Buy iTunes:

1. Wire Waltz -| mp3
2. You -| mp3
3. Modern Love (Written by David Bowie) - stream - mp3
4. Caroline -| mp3
5. It’s Not Over - |mp3
6. Understanding -| mp3a/>
7. Boat -|
mp3
8. Huntsville, 1989 - | mp3
9. Wintering in Brooklyn - | mp3
10. Foreign Land - | mp3

 
 Oregon - The Last Town Chorus [5:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Modern Love (David Bowie Cover) - The Last Town Chorus [4:04m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Fred Chichin R.I.P.

Damned coincidence ! I was checking ‘Because‘ website Syd matter’s record label, in order to get more information about his coming dates in New York… and i’ve read a press release announcing the death of Fred Chichin, Rita Mitsouko’s frontman. Such a sad sad day.

Ghost Days - Syd Matters new 2008 album

Syd Matters Band

One more step in my french tour, and we’re already projected in the coming year, with the announce of Syd Matters third full length on January the 14th : Ghost Days.

Syd Matters is Jonathan Morali scene name : a mix between the two Pink Floyd members (Syd Barrett / Roger Waters) which betrays the parisian songwriter’s backgrounds.

An Ep called Everything Else is plan to be release in the coming days (december the 3rd, listen to the album title. I’ve also post a song from his first album A Whisper And A Sigh released in 2003.

 
 Everything Else - Syd Matters [4:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Black & White Eyes - Syd Matters [3:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Syd Matters is touring from November 28th to December 4th with his four-piece band in New York. Check his website or his space page for full dates.

Jesca Hoop - Enemy

jescahoop.jpgToday is your lucky day. I’m in a music state of mind. Jesca Hoop was on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclictic this past September and left a pretty lasting impression on Nic Hartcourt, so much so that he named her album his #1 pick on his Top Ten Album’s of 2007. You can check out his other picks down below.

I’m really excited about where music is heading and in particular where women singer song writers are taking it. It’s been a great year of new albums and it’s fantastic to see that there are some talented woman out there brining the music to the forefront. Some of you might like this album and some may not. I found it to be different and somewhat refreshing. A fellow blogger describes this album perfectly:

First of all, what the hell is going on with “Kismet”? It is simultaneously one of the most unique, strange, interesting, engaging and challenging records I’ve heard so far this year. The girl has some serious musical multiple personality disorder thing going on, and somehow it all works well. Album opener “Summertime” is like a strangely looped alt-country hit, heading straight into “Seed of Wonder,” which has a very hip hop M.I.A.-like feel to it, mixed with odd Native American tribal dances. Then you get soft acoustic ballad “Enemy,” which is another stylistic shift. I could keep going through all 11 tracks, but then when you listened there would be no full-on surprises left. I’ll just say this much: you get pieces of gypsy/Eastern European dance, blues, jazzy elements from the 1940’s, tango, and drum n’ bass stylings- all of which manage to surprise and impress. It’s amazing how flawless the transitions are and how many curveballs get thrown at you over the course of the record. Adventure is the word I’d use in describing what it’s like listening to this. Foronheit

Head on over to KCRW and check out the performance if you like what you here, buy here album.

Nic Harcourt’s Top Ten Albums of 2007

1. Jesca Hoop
Kismet (Columbia)

2. Ting Tings
Demos (Self-Released)

3. Salt & Samovar
Old Joy, New Joy (Self-Released)

4. Radiohead
In Rainbows (Radiohead.com)

5. Aqualung
Memory Man (Columbia)

6. Seawolf
Leaves In the River (Dangerbird Records)

7. Great Northern
Trading Twilight for Daylight (Eenie Meenie)

8. LCD Soundsystem Sound Of Silver (EMI)

9. Federico Aubele
Panamericana (ESL)

10. OnceOriginal Soundtrack
(Sony)

Jesca Hoop w/ the ditty bops - live on kcrw 9/19/07
1. summertime
2. intelligentactile 101
3. enemy
4. money
5. seed of wonder
6. love and love again

 
 Enemy - Jesca Hoop [3:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Catherine Feeny - Mr. Blue

cf.jpgPhilly born, LA transplant and now living in the U.K., Catherine Feeny is one girl you should keep your ears out for. It seems like I’m missing my old stopping grounds The Hotel Cafe, what a wonderful place to discover new artist.

Catherine played a lot at the Hotel Cafe until she decided to move across the pond and start recording. She recently re-released Hurrican Glass. You can find it on Amazon, iTunes, and her official website.

Independent Review:

This is a re-released version of a great album that came out last year. Decent female singer-songwriters are ten a penny but there’s something about this album that stands out from the crowd: it’s definitely Feeny’s unique brooding and melancholic voice but also the dark and acerbic lyrics which often have as their counterpoint gentle, sweet melodies. Hush Now, Mr Blue and Radar are all examples of the above. I hope it finds the audience it deserves.

Upcoming Shows

Jan 19 2008 8:00P
Centre Culturelle, Courcelles Courcelles
Jan 20 2008 8:00P
Tey, Belsele Belsele
Jan 21 2008 8:00P
Spirit of 66, Verviers Verviers
Jan 22 2008 8:00P
Ancienne Belgique, Brussels Brussels
Feb 1 2008 8:00P
Celtic Connections - Oran Mor Glasgow

 
 I Still Don't Believe You [3:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Mr. Blue [1:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Meiko - How Lucky We Are

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Olly recently wrote about Mieka’s album “Elijah Drop Your Gun” which got me thinking about another singer Meiko. She is a local singer/songwriter that plays often at The Hotel Cafe, as a matter of fact you can find her there this Wednesday night at 10 pm. Many around town have been singing her praises, including Paste Magazine :

“I arrived in time to catch a gorgeous set from Meiko, a waitress at Hotel Café and from what I heard last night, my pick for their next big success story. If Nic Harcourt hasn’t begun to champion her yet on his ‘Morning Becomes Eclectic’ show, it’s just a matter of time.” -Josh Jackson, Paste Magazine

I mention Maika because I think they have similar music in style, feel and emotion. So if you dig Meika you might just like Meiko.

[CDBaby] [Amazon]

 
 How Lucky We Are [2:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Kings of Convenience - Homesick

I really need to get my laptop out of the bedroom. I keep telling myself I need to get to bed earlier but I find myself stumbling, it’s just so addictive. I was checking out a picture Susana posted of her and I on her myspace page. As I was getting ready to click on the picture she had this song streaming on her page. I must have listened to over and over again. I keep telling her to post something on here, she has amazing taste in music. The song was “Day’s I had with You” by Kings of Convenience. I had never heard of them before, so here I am hours later just in awe of this guy. Erlend Oye, is a very busy musician who plays in multiple bands one which is Kings of Convenience.

From what I’ve been able to find on some great blogs about him, he’s not only sung as the duo Kings of Convenience (with Eirik Glambek Boe), The Whitest Boy Alive, and as guest vocalist on James Figurine’s song “All the Way to China.” He’s made so many guest vocal appearances it was difficult to keep track of them.

Which brings me to this song I found earlier today, not the one on Susana’s page, but this song called “Know How.” It features Feist she joins him halfway through the song. I think by far my favorite song of all the one’s I’ve listened to today is “Homesick”, I say today because I’m sure that’ll change the more I listen to these guys.

I also posted other songs I found from various bloggers “Failure,” a song off their 2001 release Quiet Is the New Loud, a live version of “Until You Understand”, “I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From” and “Homesick” as well as a youtube video of “Misread”. So if these isn’t enough information to get you hooked on this guy than I don’t know what is.

Now if we could only get Susana to start posting some of her wonderful finds.

Buy
Buy
Buy
Buy
Buy On iTunes

You can also listen to more songs on The Whitest Boy Alive Myspace, Misread on Songza and lastly his own site Erlend Oye. There is so much on this guy it’s unbelievable I totally missed out on him.

 
 Know How (featuring Feist) [3:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Until You Understand (Live) [4:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Failure [3:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 I Don't Know What I Can Save You From (Royksopp Remix) [4:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Homesick - Kings of Convenience [3:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download