I was watching a special on the Grammy’s the other night and was thinking what happened to all the great duets. I’m almost afraid to admit but I am a closet Barbara Streisand fan .. I know, I know, I know … but I have to admit I love her music. There’s a point to this, what was it? Oh, yeah great duets they had one of Neil Diamond and Barbara Streisand that got me thinking what happened to duets?
Well this may not be for everyone, but I don’t know a single person who at one point wasn’t, still is, or secretly listened to Led Zeppelin. I recently wrote about Alison Krauss, she’s been known to do a lot of collaborating with different artist, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to find her doing one with Robert Plant. I say it shouldn’t but I am quite surprised non-the less. You can find all the information on the new album called “Raising Sand” on their official website. You can also stream and buy the album there as well. I think this album has answered my question. This goes far beyond just a duet, it’s a perfect collaboration.
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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
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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.
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.
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.
Immediately after streaming his first full length album from his website, I went out and bought Joshua James previous two EP’s including ‘B-Sides It’s Dark Outside’ and ‘Fields & Floods’ right from his myspace page released this past February.
‘Fields & Floods‘ is a collection of traditional Christmas songs - which I have to confess are far to much for my mood. Not only because we were in February, but especially because I don’t like Xmas songs. The only one song I came to appreciated was ‘O Tannenbaum’. Tastes and colours… anyway, when sung with the proper accent ‘O Tannenbaum’ is a really great tune : what a satisfaction to watch children’s eyes full of joy - things can spoil if those afore mentioned kids decided to sing it along with you - so be careful, do not repeat the chorus too many times ! Sure you’ll pardon me with my interlude - experiences deserve the sharing…
So I’ve received an e-press release this morning from Joshua James announcing the Official release of ‘Fields & Floods’. I can’t stand those kind of marketing strategy (but who wants to listen to Xmas songs in February ?) - I have to recognize all the talent he has pushed in those intimate versions.
“This collection was recorded at my home studio from 2006 to the present. I played all of the instruments on the record including: guitar, drums, keyboards, glockenspiel, bass, banjo, mandolin, and accordion. I wanted to do the whole thing by myself to make sure that I liked all of the production on it.”
Well impressive ! More ! I have to admit that my audio player is looping regularly on a couple of these beautiful songs no matter the season - God forgives me ! One of my favorite on Fields & Floods is his version of ‘Veni Veni Emmanuel‘ which is a really old song. Couple sources dated its lyrics from the 8th century and music : 15th century French plain song melody. On Fields & Floods original release, this track is the hidden eleventh. It appears that the iTunes version contains only 7 tracks ! No better advice than to check first Joshua James website for buying this great collection including the amazing and original track : ‘Winter Storm‘ !
If you really prefer ‘O Tannenbaum’, thanks to leave this website right now !
If not, you should absolutely buy the ‘B-Sides It’s Dark Outside’ at the same time.
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Second step in our French ballad : New Pretoria ! I discovered this French band in one of my recent web peregrination and to be completely honest, I still can’t believe my ears !
‘The Backyard’s Legacy‘, is this bands first full-length, self-released album. It initially came out this past January and as of the 15th of October, a wider new edition has become available at many stores, and not to mention you can also buy it on iTunes and emusic.
A deep dark baritone voice - à la Stuart Staples, guided us through varied atmospheres, referring to many dictionaries and appealing to some common background : Lynch, Morricone, Faulkner… We’re not in France anymore ! From track to track, universes and references are switching without any repetition. The density of this collection is simply amazing ! In this ten track collection New Pretoria rose to the alternative country higher places along with bands such as the Walkabouts, Tindersticks or Calexio…
We sent a couple questions to New Pretoria front-man Stéphan Lipianski.
YCD : Could you please tell us your story with music ? Stéphan : I’m some kind of music addict. I loved music even before loving good music and I loved singing even before playing an instrument (sorry for my friend’s ears for so many years !). I’m a quite poor guitar player (even if I play for 10 years now) but, hopefully, my musicians are better than me.
YCD : What did you grow up listening to ? Stéphan : It’s quite difficult for me to answer this question because it would lead me to confess shameful things. I’ve long been into Variety in a broad sense. I remember listening things such as François Feldman when I was 10. My first encounter with pop or rock music was with bands like Pink Floyd (which I still love) or Queen. I was very also found of Elton John . Later (15-16 years old) I became a great follower of the brit pop period. Pulp, Blur, Oasis, that kind of band. But around 17-18 I turned to more indie things. I remember being astonished listening to Cat Power in my bedroom. It’s a quite strong memory.
YCD : According to Syd Matters - you’re an Englishman in Paris ? Stéphan : I’m a legal alien ! He said I was some kind of Englishman in Arizona. Why not ! But that’s not the truth. I think I’m very French in my musical approach even if my influences are English or American. I don’t pretend to be American, or English. I’m just playing with words, pictures, stories from this Anglo-American culture. I’ve always loved American movies, music and literature and I think that’s where my music and my words are coming from.
YCD : Is there a particular song that you’re really proud to have written ? Stéphan : I really like Joining Jack on our first record. It’s a very simple song with very few things around. That’s maybe the only song on the record which could have been played with just an acoustic guitar and my voice. For the other songs I’m more proud of the work we’ve done together as a band.
YCD : Is there a song you wish you had written ? Stéphan : Many ones ! But I would say There is a light… by The Smiths because it’s a beautiful one and I think that I could have expressed things just as Morrissey did. It’s a very romantic and very naive song.
YCD : What’s on your stereo at the moment ? Stéphan : Proof of Youth by The Go Team. I really love that band because they’re young, they have a dirty sound, they are mixing pop, hip-hop, rhythm ‘n blues. And they have two drummers ! Cease to Begin by Band of Horses which is one of my favorite actual American band. I really like the voice and the production of the record.
YCD : Projects ? Stéphan : Too many to mention. We’re trying to promote our album (which is not very easy) and to book shows for 2008. But I also lead our own structure, French Toast : I organize show and try to help some Parisian bands to record and promote their music. Later in 2008, I think we will record a new album. Some of the songs on this one are really old ones. I hope we won’t take too much time to record new ones.
After couple years of silence, Dale Grundle, the ex-leader of the Catchers is back this year with the unexpected release of a trilogy! Under the name of ‘The Sleeping Years’, the Northern Irish singer songwriter, gratified us with three 5 tracks EPs : ‘You and me against the world’ in March, ‘Setting fire to sleepy towns’ in June and ‘Clocks and Clones’ this late October. Three remarkable limited editons Eps mailed to you, dedicated and with handcrafted sleeves… Don’t wait too long !
Dale confessed in an interview to Attica, that the name of his new band is a wink to his past years of pause. It appears that the recovery is really prolix as a first full length album is only awaiting for a label to be launch early 2008 !
A voice rather close to Andy Whittle’s, a purified pop - solo work forced, turns his new composition into a real folk sound with predominance of cords and piano. : sure you will enjoy !
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but it is impossible to create that that like a forum or
at least a photo to add ато the text simply not interestingly
looks and it would not be desirable to read at all?!
referi : There is no I understand that you need to discuss all,
but it is impossible to create that that like a forum or
at least a photo to add ато the text simply not interestingly
looks and it would not be desirable to read at all?!
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‘Fields & Floods‘ is a collection of traditional Christmas songs - which I have to confess are far to much for my mood. Not only because we were in February, but especially because I don’t like Xmas songs. The only one song I came to appreciated was ‘O Tannenbaum’. Tastes and colours… anyway, when sung with the proper accent ‘O Tannenbaum’ is a really great tune : what a satisfaction to watch children’s eyes full of joy - things can spoil if those afore mentioned kids decided to sing it along with you - so be careful, do not repeat the chorus too many times ! Sure you’ll pardon me with my interlude - experiences deserve the sharing…
actual American band. I really like the voice and the production of the record.
After couple years of silence, Dale Grundle, the ex-leader of 
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