Writing this blog for the last couple of years has been an enormous pleasure. Looking back on all the posts, I have a great record of all the music I have heard, how my tastes have changed a bit and evidence of the joy I get from discovering great new music. Sometimes though, I have to document my disappointment with an album and that is especially difficult when it is an album by an artist who I have been a fan of for many years.
...and I have been a fan of Juliana Hatfield's since the early 90s, a couple of her records are two of my all-time favourites. 'Only Everything', released in 1995 and lost in the middle of grunge and britpop was a brutal but celebratory record of anthems, hard-hitting and euphoric. 'Beautiful Creature' just a few years later was a tender album of ballads, though lyrically just as brutal as 'Only Everything'. Hatfield has fought the good fight for nearly 20 years now and in the last ten she has still produced great moments, particularly on 2002's 'Gold Stars' collection and 2004's patchy but occasionally inspired 'In Exile Deo'.
Whereas for most of her career Juliana seemed to fluctuate between producing loud, abrasive records and tender heartfelt ones, the last couple have been firmly placed in the middle of the road, musically and lyrically and her last full-length 'How To Walk Away' was disturbingly bland. So, a solo acoustic album of off-the-cuff, raw and heartfelt numbers seemed a great idea. Hatfield plays every instrument here and most of the songs on 'Peace and Love' are just acoustic guitar and vocals. Unfortunately and surprisingly, this does not make for a pleasurable listening experience.
Back on 'Beautiful Creature, a song recorded in this manner 'Slow Motion' sounded simply stunning. Gentle, spare but full of tension and drama, it was one of the most beautiful and poignant moments of her career. Nothing here comes close. The opener and title track is a simple plea for the 'peace and love' in the title, with generic lyrics over even more generic acoustic guitar. It is twee and ever so crushingly dull.
So much here follows that template. 'Why Can't We Love Each Other?' follows exactly the same formula, non-descript guitar and the title repeated over and over again. It sticks in your head, but you don't want it to.
There are some good moments, so to make myself feel better, perhaps I should talk about those. 'Butterflies' is lyrically childlike and musically quite lovely with some nice piano and a pleasant melody, 'Evan' (yes, that Evan) is full of heart on sleeve reminiscing with a nice coda and 'Unsung' is a pretty instrumental.
Elsewhere though, most songs drift past without capturing the imagination or holding the attention and that is after repeated listening. 'Peace and Love' unfortunately sounds like a bonus demos cd that might be given away free with an album to show how the songs sounded before they were worked out properly. It is intimate, yes. But it is also weak.
It gives me no pleasure to write this review. I paid for this record, I'm a fan...I wanted to love it.
4.0
['Peace and Love' is out now on Ye Olde Records]
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Beach House 'Teen Dream'
This has hardly been off the TracksandGigs stereo for the last couple of weeks, but my own record-reviewing rules now permit that I have to live with an album for at least that amount of time before writing about it. I've made some mistakes in the past, you see.
Not this time though, because I've consistently loved 'Teen Dream' from the first time I played it and subsequent listens have served only to confirm and enhance its status. This is the third Beach House album, but somehow I've missed the previous efforts from French-born Victoria Legrand and Baltimore native Alex Scally. Legrand sings and plays organ, while Scally contributes guitar and keyboards. Their sound is best described as dream pop, sometimes sounding like a glorious mix of Mazzy Star and Cocteau Twins.
The first thing that struck me about 'Teen Dream' is what a visual and cinematic record it is. Each of the ten tracks seems to occupy its own world, creating strong pictures and feelings. Opener 'Zebra' is a sweeping, majestic symphony with Legrand singing beautiful over swirls of keyboards, guitar and cymbals. This sets the scene perfectly for a memorable collection of elegant pop songs, sweeping you up in emotions before you even get round to thinking about the lyrics, the music is rich and very spacious.
In truth, most of the songs (or 'pieces' might even be a better description) are highlights. 'A Walk In the Park' has a lonely, yearning vocal over a simple keyboard and drum machine background and sound impossibly soulful and timeless, 'Norway' is the-one-you-may-have-heard-on-the-radio, opening with the foreboding "we were sleeping until you came along.." and building into a chorus with the longest possible stretching out of the word 'Norway'. While the most immediate and catchy tracks are frontloaded, one of the best is right at the end...'10 Mile Stereo' sounds like a soundtrack to footage of the Winter Olympics if ever I heard one, moving from quiet, inspirational vocals into a surging drum-machine led mid section which is almost hypnotic.
'Teen Dream' provides a wonderful listening experience. Legrand's vocals are rich and textured and the soundscapes are deceptively minimal, providing diverse and evocative backgrounds. Thoroughly enjoyable and a rewarding listen which reveals more of itself each time you play it.
9.3
['Teen Dream' is out now on Bella Union]
Not this time though, because I've consistently loved 'Teen Dream' from the first time I played it and subsequent listens have served only to confirm and enhance its status. This is the third Beach House album, but somehow I've missed the previous efforts from French-born Victoria Legrand and Baltimore native Alex Scally. Legrand sings and plays organ, while Scally contributes guitar and keyboards. Their sound is best described as dream pop, sometimes sounding like a glorious mix of Mazzy Star and Cocteau Twins.
The first thing that struck me about 'Teen Dream' is what a visual and cinematic record it is. Each of the ten tracks seems to occupy its own world, creating strong pictures and feelings. Opener 'Zebra' is a sweeping, majestic symphony with Legrand singing beautiful over swirls of keyboards, guitar and cymbals. This sets the scene perfectly for a memorable collection of elegant pop songs, sweeping you up in emotions before you even get round to thinking about the lyrics, the music is rich and very spacious.
In truth, most of the songs (or 'pieces' might even be a better description) are highlights. 'A Walk In the Park' has a lonely, yearning vocal over a simple keyboard and drum machine background and sound impossibly soulful and timeless, 'Norway' is the-one-you-may-have-heard-on-the-radio, opening with the foreboding "we were sleeping until you came along.." and building into a chorus with the longest possible stretching out of the word 'Norway'. While the most immediate and catchy tracks are frontloaded, one of the best is right at the end...'10 Mile Stereo' sounds like a soundtrack to footage of the Winter Olympics if ever I heard one, moving from quiet, inspirational vocals into a surging drum-machine led mid section which is almost hypnotic.
'Teen Dream' provides a wonderful listening experience. Legrand's vocals are rich and textured and the soundscapes are deceptively minimal, providing diverse and evocative backgrounds. Thoroughly enjoyable and a rewarding listen which reveals more of itself each time you play it.
9.3
['Teen Dream' is out now on Bella Union]
Saturday, 23 January 2010
Eels 'End Times'
Break-up albums seem to be all the rage these days. Noah and The Whale's excellent 'The First Days Of Spring' was an enthralling account and dissection of the last days and aftermath of a relationship and the new Eels record seems to be designed from a similar template, but with some differences.
'End Times' begins with 'The Beginning', a flashback to the opening days of the relationship when everything was "beautiful and free". Delicate and acoustic, it seems to set the scene for the unraveling of the story to come. Instead, Everett moves right to the end with 'Gone Man', a fuzzy rocker which thematically links the end of the relationship with the deterioration of the planet. Its a great track and easily the most raucous recording here.
From here on, the album mainly focuses on acoustic laments, heavy on self pity and sorrow. 'In My Younger Days', for example, is beautifully sung but deeply depressing as Everett describes how he would have been able to shrug off a setback like this...if he wasn't so damn old. Here and there, the songwriting is so accomplished that it rises above the gloom. 'A Line In The Dirt', with some piano and a falsetto vocal, encapsulates the end of the relationship in a verse and a chorus (including the killer line..."she locked herself in the bathroom again/ so I am pissing in the yard")and is the best track on the album.
Things are more interesting too when Everett moves away from the acoustic laments. 'Paradise Blues' is livelier again with some anger in evidence, while 'Apple Trees' is a sad, spoken word reminiscence but sounds fresh and different.
The album, of course, describes Everett's real-life separation and divorce and there is no resolution towards the end of the album. 'Little Bird' is the nadir, with Everett describing a bird on his porch as his only friend, over a lifeless guitar tune this really is too much. The closing track 'On My Feet' predictably describes Everett's attempts to move on from his pain.
Everything here, with the exceptions of 'Little Bird' and the similarly unspeakable 'I Need A Mother', is eminently listenable and accomplished but the middle part of the record is filled with too many samey downbeat laments. I know this was never a record that would be full of joy and laughter but at times it is seriously hard work. There is still enough here though to show that Eels remains a quality singer-songwriter and capable of real innovation.
7.6
['End Times' is out now on Vagrant]
'End Times' begins with 'The Beginning', a flashback to the opening days of the relationship when everything was "beautiful and free". Delicate and acoustic, it seems to set the scene for the unraveling of the story to come. Instead, Everett moves right to the end with 'Gone Man', a fuzzy rocker which thematically links the end of the relationship with the deterioration of the planet. Its a great track and easily the most raucous recording here.
From here on, the album mainly focuses on acoustic laments, heavy on self pity and sorrow. 'In My Younger Days', for example, is beautifully sung but deeply depressing as Everett describes how he would have been able to shrug off a setback like this...if he wasn't so damn old. Here and there, the songwriting is so accomplished that it rises above the gloom. 'A Line In The Dirt', with some piano and a falsetto vocal, encapsulates the end of the relationship in a verse and a chorus (including the killer line..."she locked herself in the bathroom again/ so I am pissing in the yard")and is the best track on the album.
Things are more interesting too when Everett moves away from the acoustic laments. 'Paradise Blues' is livelier again with some anger in evidence, while 'Apple Trees' is a sad, spoken word reminiscence but sounds fresh and different.
The album, of course, describes Everett's real-life separation and divorce and there is no resolution towards the end of the album. 'Little Bird' is the nadir, with Everett describing a bird on his porch as his only friend, over a lifeless guitar tune this really is too much. The closing track 'On My Feet' predictably describes Everett's attempts to move on from his pain.
Everything here, with the exceptions of 'Little Bird' and the similarly unspeakable 'I Need A Mother', is eminently listenable and accomplished but the middle part of the record is filled with too many samey downbeat laments. I know this was never a record that would be full of joy and laughter but at times it is seriously hard work. There is still enough here though to show that Eels remains a quality singer-songwriter and capable of real innovation.
7.6
['End Times' is out now on Vagrant]
Monday, 18 January 2010
Scout Niblett 'The Calcination of Scout Niblett'
I first heard the music of Scout Niblett seven years ago when I saw her supporting Smog. I was immediately drawn to the exhuberance and simplicity of her songs. She performed solo, alternating between playing drums and guitar but always singing in a quite unique voice, in turn pure and mournful and then vibrant and full of enthusiasm.
Her albums since then have been somewhat patchy, best of all was 2004's 'I Am' which captured best the quiet/loud/quiet/completely demented style of her live shows.
Here she returns with her sixth album, once again produced by Steve Albini. The combination works well since Niblett has, this time, gone for a sound which is heavy on spine chilling electric guitar walls of sound. It is a stripped bare as things can get, usually just guitar or drums with Niblett singing over the top. Her voice has developed into a thing of beauty. She either wails over the top of the loud feedback-drenched workouts or laments with a plaintively pure, soulful voice over the softer ballads...
In truth 'ballads' is a slightly misleading word here because even when things are quiet, this record is full of ice cold menace and you are never far away from a lightning bolt of electric guitar or a flourish of full-band accompaniment. The songs blend seamlessly into one another and the record is certainly presented as a traditional LP, twisting and turning through different moods.
This is far from easy listening but as a mix of garage and blues with a soul singer at the helm, it works well. Musically 'Calcination..' is a dark, fearsome record but when Scout sings the blues, it will melt your heart.
7.5
['The Calcination of Scout Niblett' is out now on Drag City]
Her albums since then have been somewhat patchy, best of all was 2004's 'I Am' which captured best the quiet/loud/quiet/completely demented style of her live shows.
Here she returns with her sixth album, once again produced by Steve Albini. The combination works well since Niblett has, this time, gone for a sound which is heavy on spine chilling electric guitar walls of sound. It is a stripped bare as things can get, usually just guitar or drums with Niblett singing over the top. Her voice has developed into a thing of beauty. She either wails over the top of the loud feedback-drenched workouts or laments with a plaintively pure, soulful voice over the softer ballads...
In truth 'ballads' is a slightly misleading word here because even when things are quiet, this record is full of ice cold menace and you are never far away from a lightning bolt of electric guitar or a flourish of full-band accompaniment. The songs blend seamlessly into one another and the record is certainly presented as a traditional LP, twisting and turning through different moods.
This is far from easy listening but as a mix of garage and blues with a soul singer at the helm, it works well. Musically 'Calcination..' is a dark, fearsome record but when Scout sings the blues, it will melt your heart.
7.5
['The Calcination of Scout Niblett' is out now on Drag City]
Saturday, 16 January 2010
Tindersticks tour dates
Whoever booked the Tindersticks London show for their 2010 tour has made a serious error. I have seen the band around 20 times, mostly in London and at some wonderful venues...Royal Court, Union Chapel, Royal Festival Hall, Somerset House...and now what do we get? Shepherds Bush Empire.
Yep, the most inappropriate booking decision I have heard in a long time. ATP are promoting it so I am blaming them. They are playing the infinitely more special Queens Hall in Edinburgh though so I would suggest UK fans try to make that one. I am lucky enough to be seeing them at one of their European dates so will report back from that. UK dates are below anyway. In other news I am currently assessing the new Shearwater and Scout Niblett albums so will write about those next week.
Tindersticks UK dates:
Monday 22 March - Edinburgh, Queens Hall
http://www.seetickets.com / Venue Box Office: 0131 668 2019
Thursday 23 March - Manchester, Cathedral
http://www.seetickets.com
Friday 24 March - London, Shepherds Bush Empire
http://www.atpfestival.com/events/tinderstickslondon2010/tickets.php
Yep, the most inappropriate booking decision I have heard in a long time. ATP are promoting it so I am blaming them. They are playing the infinitely more special Queens Hall in Edinburgh though so I would suggest UK fans try to make that one. I am lucky enough to be seeing them at one of their European dates so will report back from that. UK dates are below anyway. In other news I am currently assessing the new Shearwater and Scout Niblett albums so will write about those next week.
Tindersticks UK dates:
Monday 22 March - Edinburgh, Queens Hall
http://www.seetickets.com / Venue Box Office: 0131 668 2019
Thursday 23 March - Manchester, Cathedral
http://www.seetickets.com
Friday 24 March - London, Shepherds Bush Empire
http://www.atpfestival.com/events/tinderstickslondon2010/tickets.php
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
New Joanna Newsom album....
Was starting to wonder if either of the two artists who made the seminal American albums of the 00s (that's Joanna Newsom and Sufjan Stevens..) were ever going to follow them up or if the weight of expectation was just too much.
It would seem not, for Newsom at least. After a day of cryptic messages, photos and trails, it has been confirmed that Joanna will release her third full-length album on February 23rd (probably Feb 22 in the UK). It is called 'Have One On Me', which has led some to speculate that it may be free or there may be some other innovative idea behind it's release. Either way, this could not be much more exciting and confirms that 2010 is looking just unbelievably good at the moment. Newsom is currently touring Australia and has dates in the U.S to follow.
It would seem not, for Newsom at least. After a day of cryptic messages, photos and trails, it has been confirmed that Joanna will release her third full-length album on February 23rd (probably Feb 22 in the UK). It is called 'Have One On Me', which has led some to speculate that it may be free or there may be some other innovative idea behind it's release. Either way, this could not be much more exciting and confirms that 2010 is looking just unbelievably good at the moment. Newsom is currently touring Australia and has dates in the U.S to follow.
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
More brilliant Pavement news
2010 has already officially been declared 'The Year of Pavement', what with all of those reunion shows taking place this Spring and Summer, but just when you thought things couldn't get any better..
..Pavement will also be releasing a best-of compilation entitled 'Quarantine The Past: The Best Of Pavement' on March 9 2010. This is a 23 track compilation spanning Malky and Co's career from 1989 to 1999 with remastered songs from each and every album and EP. It'll be out on cd,LP and if you really must, download.
I can't give you a tracklisting, for the simple reason that the tracklisting itself is the subject of a fantastic competition which could see you win tickets to Pavement's New York show (with flights and hotel rooms paid for!), the chance to have your tracklisting choice pressed up into a special LP or a complete set of Pavement vinyl on Matador. Its a fantastic idea, sure to get the forums buzzing with dream Pavement track and setlists. Full info here:
http://www.matadorrecords.com/matablog/2010/01/05/pavement-quarantine-the-past/
And finally, the news that the end of the year will see 'Terror Twilight', the band's final album, get the full deluxe re-issue treatment.
The Year of Pavement indeed.
..Pavement will also be releasing a best-of compilation entitled 'Quarantine The Past: The Best Of Pavement' on March 9 2010. This is a 23 track compilation spanning Malky and Co's career from 1989 to 1999 with remastered songs from each and every album and EP. It'll be out on cd,LP and if you really must, download.
I can't give you a tracklisting, for the simple reason that the tracklisting itself is the subject of a fantastic competition which could see you win tickets to Pavement's New York show (with flights and hotel rooms paid for!), the chance to have your tracklisting choice pressed up into a special LP or a complete set of Pavement vinyl on Matador. Its a fantastic idea, sure to get the forums buzzing with dream Pavement track and setlists. Full info here:
http://www.matadorrecords.com/matablog/2010/01/05/pavement-quarantine-the-past/
And finally, the news that the end of the year will see 'Terror Twilight', the band's final album, get the full deluxe re-issue treatment.
The Year of Pavement indeed.
Monday, 4 January 2010
Tindersticks 'Falling Down A Mountain'
Hard to believe it is over sixteen years since I first heard a Tindersticks song. Since then they have pretty much consistently been my favourite band and for a time in the early 00s, I felt like I knew what I was going to get from a new Tindersticks album - no surprises but no disappointments either.
That all changed with the hiatus and line up change that took place after 'Waiting For The Moon', eventually seeing the band return with a great set of songs and a renewed sense of energy and purpose for 2008's 'The Hungry Saw'. Now with another slightly tweaked line-up, they return with 'Falling Down A Mountain', the most vibrant and alive Tindersticks album since their debut.
Whereas 2003's 'Waiting For The Moon' album was polished and precise, sounding like each song had been meticulously rehearsed before being recorded, 'Falling Down A Mountain' is deliciously off the cuff. The opener and title track originated from a melody recorded onto mobile phone and built into a glorious, jazzy six minutes with Terry Edwards' trumpet taking centre stage over some laid back bass and guitar with Stuart Staples' understated vocal contributing to the mood rather than dominating the song. Its a wildly different opener for Tindersticks and while things never get quite so adventurous again, what follows is a collection of songs showcasing the band's various different styles, including some new ones, giving in the sound of a Greatest Hits collection.
'Harmony Around My Table', for example, wouldn't have sounded out of place on 1999's soulful 'Simple Pleasure', building into a rousing crescendo with 'doo-wop' style backing vocals and Staples cutting loose with a terrific vocal that demonstrates how much he is enjoying the band's reinvigoration. 'Peanuts', a quirky duet with Mary Margaret O'hara and 'She Rode Me Down', a mariachi style song with a memorable flute sound throughout, both bring memories of old glories but it is the second half of the album where the band sound supremely confident with a string of career highs.
'Black Smoke' is a heady rush of a song, coming on ever so slightly like the Velvet Underground, with Staples' voice emerging through the fog to sing lines like "I can see the outline of my feelings now", it is frenetic, unstoppable and triumphant. They follow it with the Stones-ish 'No Place So Alone', excellent electric guitar from Neil Fraser, layered vocals and witty lyrics ("he's mooching round my kitchen now/ he's whisking up my eggs"), poppy, loose and jangly, I can see this getting some radio airplay if released as a single.
'Factory Girls', which follows, is simply gorgeous, one of the finest Tindersticks songs. It builds from a beautiful extended piano introduction into a majestic, swirling middle-part with Staples singing his heart out and then fades away again. The opening is impossibly sad ("its the wine that makes me sad/ not the good times that I've had" and then Staples' vocals soar to sing "I'm standing up and not falling down", it is momentous, triumphant...a quite beautiful song.
'Piano Music' which closes the album is an instrumental, with many more instruments used than the title suggests, building into several different sections and styles. A fitting end to an adventurous album.
Tindersticks returned in 2008 with 'The Hungry Saw', an album that showcased the style that made me love them back in the 90s. They haven't tried to replicate that here, instead they have made the album they wanted to make, without worrying about what had gone before. This is an adventurous and vibrant record. It may take Tindersticks fans a while to get used to the changes, but this is an album that will stand the test of time and may end up being one of the very finest records of 2010.
9.4
[This was reviewed from a promo. 'Falling Down A Mountain' is out on January 25th on cd and vinyl via 4AD. There is a special edition vinyl version from Constellation Records in the U.S]
That all changed with the hiatus and line up change that took place after 'Waiting For The Moon', eventually seeing the band return with a great set of songs and a renewed sense of energy and purpose for 2008's 'The Hungry Saw'. Now with another slightly tweaked line-up, they return with 'Falling Down A Mountain', the most vibrant and alive Tindersticks album since their debut.
Whereas 2003's 'Waiting For The Moon' album was polished and precise, sounding like each song had been meticulously rehearsed before being recorded, 'Falling Down A Mountain' is deliciously off the cuff. The opener and title track originated from a melody recorded onto mobile phone and built into a glorious, jazzy six minutes with Terry Edwards' trumpet taking centre stage over some laid back bass and guitar with Stuart Staples' understated vocal contributing to the mood rather than dominating the song. Its a wildly different opener for Tindersticks and while things never get quite so adventurous again, what follows is a collection of songs showcasing the band's various different styles, including some new ones, giving in the sound of a Greatest Hits collection.
'Harmony Around My Table', for example, wouldn't have sounded out of place on 1999's soulful 'Simple Pleasure', building into a rousing crescendo with 'doo-wop' style backing vocals and Staples cutting loose with a terrific vocal that demonstrates how much he is enjoying the band's reinvigoration. 'Peanuts', a quirky duet with Mary Margaret O'hara and 'She Rode Me Down', a mariachi style song with a memorable flute sound throughout, both bring memories of old glories but it is the second half of the album where the band sound supremely confident with a string of career highs.
'Black Smoke' is a heady rush of a song, coming on ever so slightly like the Velvet Underground, with Staples' voice emerging through the fog to sing lines like "I can see the outline of my feelings now", it is frenetic, unstoppable and triumphant. They follow it with the Stones-ish 'No Place So Alone', excellent electric guitar from Neil Fraser, layered vocals and witty lyrics ("he's mooching round my kitchen now/ he's whisking up my eggs"), poppy, loose and jangly, I can see this getting some radio airplay if released as a single.
'Factory Girls', which follows, is simply gorgeous, one of the finest Tindersticks songs. It builds from a beautiful extended piano introduction into a majestic, swirling middle-part with Staples singing his heart out and then fades away again. The opening is impossibly sad ("its the wine that makes me sad/ not the good times that I've had" and then Staples' vocals soar to sing "I'm standing up and not falling down", it is momentous, triumphant...a quite beautiful song.
'Piano Music' which closes the album is an instrumental, with many more instruments used than the title suggests, building into several different sections and styles. A fitting end to an adventurous album.
Tindersticks returned in 2008 with 'The Hungry Saw', an album that showcased the style that made me love them back in the 90s. They haven't tried to replicate that here, instead they have made the album they wanted to make, without worrying about what had gone before. This is an adventurous and vibrant record. It may take Tindersticks fans a while to get used to the changes, but this is an album that will stand the test of time and may end up being one of the very finest records of 2010.
9.4
[This was reviewed from a promo. 'Falling Down A Mountain' is out on January 25th on cd and vinyl via 4AD. There is a special edition vinyl version from Constellation Records in the U.S]
Saturday, 2 January 2010
Various 'Portland Stories'
One of the records that got me out of my "I don't want to listen to ANYTHING" musical hiatus was a limited edition compilation album that I bought on an absolute whim called 'Portland Stories".
It is a collection of nine songs, produced and compiled by Heather Woods Broderick. She rode her bike to different locations in Portland and recorded on a four-track, various singer-songwriters performing their songs as live. Consequently, amongst these recordings we have tape hiss, false starts, spontaneous applause and a more intimate feeling than I can remember on any album for quite some time.
Portland is certainly a city filled with talented songwriters but all of these performers were new to me. The idea behind the project pretty much encourages solo guitar/vocals songs and that is what we have here just about exclusively. Consequently despite featuring nine different artists, the record flows very well and will appeal to anyone who likes alt country, slowcore artists or just accomplished singer-songwriters.
Generally the album works best when the songs serve as fleeting vignettes and introductions to each artists, the couple of five minute plus songs feel somehow like the performer is outstaying their welcome! The highlights for me are Kele Goodwin's touching and gentle 'Kite Strings', Michael Elias' trad-country offering 'Halfway There' which is not short on cliche but is warm and heartfelt and Nicholas A Marshall's slightly sinister 'Into The Night'. Mention must also be made of 'Galveston' who is actually Christopher Ashby, his offering 'Never Ask Why' is so reminiscent of M.Ward that I wondered if Ward himself was actually making a guest appearance, it must be something to do with the Portland air.
'Portland Stories' is such a rewarding little album, it reminds you why you fell in love with music in the first place. It is limited to 369 copies, beautifully packaged and the sleeve notes contain information and links to each of the artists featured. If you're looking for a gentle, heartwarming album to start the year with, I can't think of anything better.
8.5
['Portland Stories' is incredibly limited but as of now is still available through Sonic Pieces ( www.sonicpieces.com ). You won't find this in HMV.]
It is a collection of nine songs, produced and compiled by Heather Woods Broderick. She rode her bike to different locations in Portland and recorded on a four-track, various singer-songwriters performing their songs as live. Consequently, amongst these recordings we have tape hiss, false starts, spontaneous applause and a more intimate feeling than I can remember on any album for quite some time.
Portland is certainly a city filled with talented songwriters but all of these performers were new to me. The idea behind the project pretty much encourages solo guitar/vocals songs and that is what we have here just about exclusively. Consequently despite featuring nine different artists, the record flows very well and will appeal to anyone who likes alt country, slowcore artists or just accomplished singer-songwriters.
Generally the album works best when the songs serve as fleeting vignettes and introductions to each artists, the couple of five minute plus songs feel somehow like the performer is outstaying their welcome! The highlights for me are Kele Goodwin's touching and gentle 'Kite Strings', Michael Elias' trad-country offering 'Halfway There' which is not short on cliche but is warm and heartfelt and Nicholas A Marshall's slightly sinister 'Into The Night'. Mention must also be made of 'Galveston' who is actually Christopher Ashby, his offering 'Never Ask Why' is so reminiscent of M.Ward that I wondered if Ward himself was actually making a guest appearance, it must be something to do with the Portland air.
'Portland Stories' is such a rewarding little album, it reminds you why you fell in love with music in the first place. It is limited to 369 copies, beautifully packaged and the sleeve notes contain information and links to each of the artists featured. If you're looking for a gentle, heartwarming album to start the year with, I can't think of anything better.
8.5
['Portland Stories' is incredibly limited but as of now is still available through Sonic Pieces ( www.sonicpieces.com ). You won't find this in HMV.]
Friday, 1 January 2010
Album of the 00s
Since everyone else is doing it..
I'm not going to make a list but I should say what my album of the decade is. I've known what it would be for some time, barring some sort of miracle. It is 'Befriended' by The Innocence Mission. This is maybe the most beautiful set of songs I have ever listened to, barely a week has gone by since 2003 without me returning to it at some stage. I have written extensively about it on here before, but if there is anyone out there who hasn't heard it, I strongly recommend that you check it out.
Thank you to Karen and Don Peris for making such a wonderful album, a record that will always stay with me.
I'm not going to make a list but I should say what my album of the decade is. I've known what it would be for some time, barring some sort of miracle. It is 'Befriended' by The Innocence Mission. This is maybe the most beautiful set of songs I have ever listened to, barely a week has gone by since 2003 without me returning to it at some stage. I have written extensively about it on here before, but if there is anyone out there who hasn't heard it, I strongly recommend that you check it out.
Thank you to Karen and Don Peris for making such a wonderful album, a record that will always stay with me.
2009
Music-wise I'm glad 2009 is over. For a couple of creeky months at the end of the year I fell out of love with music for a bit. Hitting one of those spells where nothing I played made any sense and walking round listening to podcasts for most of the time. I was in a rut, caused at least partly by a bunch of sub-standard albums that I'd hoped for better from. Music for a while felt stale and lifeless.
I was dragged out of this rut by the exceptional new Tindersticks album (more on that very soon) and listening to the Velvet Underground. Music is starting to make some sense again.
I don't think that 2009 was a vintage year but there were some records that did more than tread water or cover old ground. These were the records that I kept returning to and the ones that I'll treasure from a pretty bad year for new music...
God Help The Girl 'God Help The Girl'
A superbly crafted pop record. It told a story but more importantly than that, it was great to listen to, revealing a little more each time you played it and introduced the wonderful vocal talents of Catherine Ireton. The closing track spoke to me a lot too and became a real comfort. A truly accessible, imaginative and quite splendidly fun record.
Camera Obscura 'My Maudlin Career'
There are similarites between my first and second choices and that is no coincidence. In a year when so much was dull and worthy, these records had a spark. Tracey-Anne Campbell and Camera Obscura produced their most finely crafted album yet, catchy melodies and tunes with heartfelt, personal lyrics that tugged at the heartstrings. Effortlessly good.
Mark Eitzel 'Klamath'/ 'Live From Copenhagen'
Eitzel's studio album was difficult and took a while to click with me. The mix of acoustics and electronics sometimes hiding great songs but they crystalised eventually and like every Eitzel record this had some stunning songwriting and also some pretty melodies. 'Live From Copenhagen' was not a real album (see my full review) but it was the most powerful live recording I have heard in years, the sound of an amazing songwriter singing his songs.
The Duke and The King 'Nothing Gold Can Stay'
I kept returning to this. Its such a listenable mix of folk and soul, lovely melodies, great songwriting but sounding so modern and unique. I really regret not seeing them play live yet.
Bill Callahan 'Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle'
A major return to form as Bill "gets dark again". Just great songs and moods.
The Mountain Goats 'Life Of The World To Come'
Great idea (each song was named after a bible verse), superbly executed. Some of these songs provoke an awful lot of thinking, deeply personal and beautiful songs from John Darnielle. The piano and vocals pieces were particularly heartbreaking.
Mentions should also be made of records by Hope Sandoval, M Ward, Morrissey (massively under-rated that one), The Twilight Sad and The Duckworth Lewis Method, all of which were really good.
As it stands, 2010 looks like being a quite incredible year. The Tindersticks album is incredible and there are albums to come from The Innocence Mission, Arcade Fire, Low, Radiohead and others. I am personally really looking forward to seeing Tindersticks play abroad for the first time and seeing Pavement play in May.
Lets hope 2010 lives up to expectations...
I was dragged out of this rut by the exceptional new Tindersticks album (more on that very soon) and listening to the Velvet Underground. Music is starting to make some sense again.
I don't think that 2009 was a vintage year but there were some records that did more than tread water or cover old ground. These were the records that I kept returning to and the ones that I'll treasure from a pretty bad year for new music...
God Help The Girl 'God Help The Girl'
A superbly crafted pop record. It told a story but more importantly than that, it was great to listen to, revealing a little more each time you played it and introduced the wonderful vocal talents of Catherine Ireton. The closing track spoke to me a lot too and became a real comfort. A truly accessible, imaginative and quite splendidly fun record.
Camera Obscura 'My Maudlin Career'
There are similarites between my first and second choices and that is no coincidence. In a year when so much was dull and worthy, these records had a spark. Tracey-Anne Campbell and Camera Obscura produced their most finely crafted album yet, catchy melodies and tunes with heartfelt, personal lyrics that tugged at the heartstrings. Effortlessly good.
Mark Eitzel 'Klamath'/ 'Live From Copenhagen'
Eitzel's studio album was difficult and took a while to click with me. The mix of acoustics and electronics sometimes hiding great songs but they crystalised eventually and like every Eitzel record this had some stunning songwriting and also some pretty melodies. 'Live From Copenhagen' was not a real album (see my full review) but it was the most powerful live recording I have heard in years, the sound of an amazing songwriter singing his songs.
The Duke and The King 'Nothing Gold Can Stay'
I kept returning to this. Its such a listenable mix of folk and soul, lovely melodies, great songwriting but sounding so modern and unique. I really regret not seeing them play live yet.
Bill Callahan 'Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle'
A major return to form as Bill "gets dark again". Just great songs and moods.
The Mountain Goats 'Life Of The World To Come'
Great idea (each song was named after a bible verse), superbly executed. Some of these songs provoke an awful lot of thinking, deeply personal and beautiful songs from John Darnielle. The piano and vocals pieces were particularly heartbreaking.
Mentions should also be made of records by Hope Sandoval, M Ward, Morrissey (massively under-rated that one), The Twilight Sad and The Duckworth Lewis Method, all of which were really good.
As it stands, 2010 looks like being a quite incredible year. The Tindersticks album is incredible and there are albums to come from The Innocence Mission, Arcade Fire, Low, Radiohead and others. I am personally really looking forward to seeing Tindersticks play abroad for the first time and seeing Pavement play in May.
Lets hope 2010 lives up to expectations...
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