Mark Eitzel 'Live From Copenhagen'

All of the albums that have been released this year may just pale into insignificance next to an amazing recording that has been made available on the net, but surely should prompt Mark Eitzel to release an official live album from his recent solo tour.

I was already disappointed not to have seen Mark on his tour where he was accompanied by Marc Capelle on piano, but the emergence of a superb quality recording of his show in Copenhagen on 31st October has made me even more envious.

Eitzel sounds on absolute top form and the format of the show suits him perfectly. Not having to play guitar allows Mark to concentrate fully on his vocals and he sounds relaxed and totally at ease. His singing is as strong as it has sounded in a long, long time and the recording is on a par with the incredible 'Songs of Love Live' as a document on how it is to see Eitzel live.

In between songs he tells stories and jokes with the audience. Some of the songs are light-hearted, especially a priceless 'Patriot's Heart' but he also delivers achingly beautiful renditions of classics such as 'Last Harbor' and a showstopping 'The Nightwatchman'.

Eitzel's career has been somewhat haphazard in recent years but he is still writing amazing songs and playing enthralling shows. I hope he does another tour like this, it suits him, he sounds happier than I've heard in a long time here. I hope he also has a soundboard recording of a few shows on this tour because an officially released document of this brilliant show would be an absolute winner.

This recording is a reminder, if one were needed, of what a huge, huge talent Mark Eitzel is.

10 for the 00s

Since everyone else is doing it, I've been considering my favourite records of the 2000s. Over the coming weeks I will be writing about each one before coming up with a final list, so here in no particular order, are my favourite ten records of the 2000s....and believe me, even getting to this stage wasn't easy and I should say that Songs:Ohia's 'Magnolia Electric Co', Arcade Fire's 'Funeral' and Tindersticks' 'Waiting For The Moon' were about as close as it is possible to get to making the final ten. I may even expand the list to 20 at some point.

American Music Club' Love Songs For Patriots'
The Innocence Mission 'Befriended'
The Innocence Mission 'We Walked In Song'
Joanna Newson 'Ys
Low 'Trust'
Radiohead 'In Rainbows'
Sun Kil Moon 'Ghosts of the Great Highway'
Tindersticks 'Can Our Love'
Tindersticks 'The Hungry Saw'
Wilco 'A Ghost Is Born'

Port O'Brien 'Threadbare'

Port O'Brien return with the follow-up to last year's joyful 'All We Could Do Was Sing', an album written on a fishing boat and containing ramshackle acoustic-based songs which tugged at the heartstrings whilst encouraging the listener to sing along. The band are, essentially, a duo. Both Van Pierszalowski and Cambria Goodwin sing and play instruments and both have jobs outside of the band. Goodwin's brother died whilst this record was being written and while it is not a solemn album, the dominant themes are life, death and friendship as well as finding pleasure in the simple things in life.

Musically things haven't changed all that much. 'Threadbare' in general is a little less hurried than its predecessor, the songs are allowed to breathe a little more and it is generally a touch slower. There is certainly nothing here as out-and-out celebratory as 'I Woke Up Today. Port O'Brien certainly have a way with melody though. Most songs here, whether slow or fast, have a memorable melody and are very hummable. Pierszalowski's 'My Will Is Good', in particular, is extraordinarily catchy.

The key difference between the two records though is that while everything on 'All We Could Do Was Sing' was enjoyable, here there are some great songs....and they are mostly those featuring Goodwin on vocals. 'Tree Bones' starts off as a gentle strum before building into a swirling anthem and finishing with Goodwin singing quietly and starkly over minimal backing, its a song of growth, life and then decay, disarming, affecting but joyful. The title track and the two versions of 'High Without The Hope' that bookend the album create similar moods with slow arrangements and Goodwin's ghostly vocal combining to usher in a sound not unlike Mimi Parker-fronted Low songs.

There is certainly a split between Goodwin's songs and Pierzalowski's. The latter are generally livelier, the ramshakle 'Oslo Campfire' with its chants and yelps being a key example as well as the buoyant 'Leap Year', the nearest thing here to the carefree abandon of 'I Woke Up Today'. The exception that proves the rule though is the album's centrepiece 'Calm Me Down', an epic ballad sung by Piewzalowski, patiently building into an impassioned chorus and a string-laden coda. Its perhaps the best track here.

'Threadbare' is not a record that will provide instant gratification. Its a varied, sometimes difficult, album that demands patience and a willingness to explore. It is also a beautiful set of songs and delivers, through sadness, a feeling of joy and life-affirment. A record about friendship, love and life. Great stuff.

['threadbare' is out now on City Slang]

Tindersticks return!

Just when I was getting a little bored with new music and thinking that things had been a bit disappointing lately....Tindersticks are back.

The follow up to last year's incredible 'The Hungry Saw' is called 'Falling Down A Mountain' and will be released on 4AD (such a good fit) on January 25th. We have a tracklisting:

Falling Down a Mountain:

01 Falling Down a Mountain
02 Keep You Beautiful
03 Harmony Around My Table
04 Peanuts
05 She Rode Me Down
06 Hubbards Hills
07 Black Smoke
08 No Place So Alone
09 Factory Girls
10 Piano Music

and what's more, you can now hear 'Black Smoke' on the band's Myspace and it is a quite wonderful, dark, but catchy number that will have you singing along in no time.

Tour dates to follow soon, we hope.

currently listening to...

Mark Eitzel 'Klamath'

and pretty much nothing else.

This record is such a grower. I'm always excited to hear a new Eitzel record anyway and as I wrote in my review, this one does contain some really excellent songs, but initially I found the use of pro-tools distracting and a bit irritating. Give the record time though and it all comes together and makes sense. A record you really need to spend time with and allow to weave its magic.

Just thought I'd say.

still here

Sorry for the lack of updates.

Have not been well over the last week but am also suffering a lot disillusionment about the lack of any genuinely exciting new music around at the moment.

I've mostly been listening to old stuff, as well as the sublime Sleeping Years single (which is also beautifully packaged and presented, so you need to buy the 7" single) and the Hope Sandoval album.

I don't think 2009 has been a vintage year and I can't remember the last time I really loved a new album by a new band. Am currently listening to lots of new stuff though, including the Broken Records EP and albums from the XX and Local Natives so will report back soon.

In other news, the guy from the Fiery Furnaces has made a REAL idiot of himself by slagging off Radiohead (a crime anyway) without being in possession of a) the facts and b) a clue. What a berk.

Also, there is apparently going to be a Pavement 'best of' next year. Hope we're still going to get the 'Terror Twilight' deluxe edition too.