Well, this is a nice early Christmas present. I didn't even know about this EP until a week ago (see last wednesday's post), ordered it straight away and received it incredibly quickly considering it was coming from the States.
The Innocence Mission have never given the slightest hint that they are even capable of making a bad record and their last two albums ('We Walked In Song' and 'Befriended') have been utterly beautiful, sad but at the same time full of hope and joy, so I had high hopes for this EP, which contains tracks from their forthcoming new album and other exclusive tracks.
There is nothing new here at all, The Innocence Mission are hardly likely to make a drastic change of direction now. Karen Peris sings beautiful lyrics, always sounding as if she is smiling as she sings and Don Peris still plays with his distinctive, expressive guitar sound. Their songs always sound so fresh and wide eyed. In particular, 'You Draw the Streets of Rome'is gorgeous, layers of guitar, piano and harmony vocals over a simple melody and a lyric about seeing the world anew and "being braver than I am here".
Elsewhere 'From A Homeland' is a classic comforting Innocence Mission song, sounding like it could have been on 'Befriended', with Karen Peris opening it by singing "let's not be restless my darlings". 'A Thousand Miles' is a reworking of an old song and the drums and fast pace make it sound like it would have fitted well on 'Small Planes'. 'Pioneering' is probably my favourite though, piano led and featuring really visual lyrics which seem to provide commentary on a tour of a city; "Oh drive on, drive on".
There are eight tracks in all, three of which are really pretty instrumentals. Sounds like the new album, due next Spring, will be something special again.
As ever, impossibly beautiful.
*****
['Street Map' is out now on cd direct from www.theinnocencemission.com ]
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Monday, 8 December 2008
mutterings
- How am I supposed to get more of the T&G Albums of the Year list done, when all I can do (apart from work of course..) is listen to the incredibly good Tindersticks 'Live in Glasgow' and the unbelievably comprehensive Pavement 'Brighten The Corners' re-issue. I have to admit, I have not yet found time to listen to the vinyl live album, but the second cd is keeping me very occupied. Loving the session tracks and the early versions of 'The Hexx'.
- Heard some lousy news today. Pinnacle Records, one of the biggest UK indie music distributors has gone into administration. Pinnacle distribute(d) for a huge number of quality indie labels including Rough Trade, Fat Cat, Bella Union and Drag City. A lot of quality releases are going to be delayed. This is really sad, as well as worrying. Keep buying records folks, and buy them from independent shops.
I'll continue the top 20 of the year, tomorrow...
- Heard some lousy news today. Pinnacle Records, one of the biggest UK indie music distributors has gone into administration. Pinnacle distribute(d) for a huge number of quality indie labels including Rough Trade, Fat Cat, Bella Union and Drag City. A lot of quality releases are going to be delayed. This is really sad, as well as worrying. Keep buying records folks, and buy them from independent shops.
I'll continue the top 20 of the year, tomorrow...
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan 'Keep Me In Mind Sweetheart'
One could say that Isobel Campbell's record company are finally putting some effort into giving her career the promotion it deserves. Her second album with Mark Lanegan 'Sunday At Devil Dirt' was only released in May, yet last month we had a totally un-necessary re-release with a live bonus disc (and a version of 'Sand' that made it hard to resist) and now we have a new EP of songs from the album's sessions that didn't make the cut.
Far from being a pre-Christmas cash-in though, this EP is a revelation and well worth a fiver of anyone's money. 'Sunday At Devil Dirt' combined some dust ballads with less successful attempts at blues and soul, this EP focuses on the former, with stripped down, simple arrangements that best suit Lanegan's marvellous baritone.
'Keep Me In Mind..', the only track here to appear on the album, is a lovely, gentle ballad but is bested by 'Asleep On A Sunbeam' a woozy lullaby that sounds a lot like a Christmas Carol that I can't quite place. 'Fight Fire With Fire' is great too, a description of the fine line between love and hate that humourously namechecks several dodgy 1980s heavy metal albums. Elsewhere 'Violin Tango' does what it says on the tin, 'Rambling Rose, Clinging Vine' is a country standard and 'Hang On' is a pretty ballad, sung by Campbell who is sounding stronger on vocals with every record she records.
Much of this EP is as good as or better that the material on 'Sunday At Devil Dirt'. The six songs fit together well so there was obviously a grand plan behind leaving them off the album. This is a really warm sounding record with lots of piano, acoustic guitar and of course Mark Lanegan's voice. No song mentions Christmas or has anything to do with the festive season, but it all feels strangely seasonal.
****
['Keep Me In Mind Sweetheart' is out now on V2]
Far from being a pre-Christmas cash-in though, this EP is a revelation and well worth a fiver of anyone's money. 'Sunday At Devil Dirt' combined some dust ballads with less successful attempts at blues and soul, this EP focuses on the former, with stripped down, simple arrangements that best suit Lanegan's marvellous baritone.
'Keep Me In Mind..', the only track here to appear on the album, is a lovely, gentle ballad but is bested by 'Asleep On A Sunbeam' a woozy lullaby that sounds a lot like a Christmas Carol that I can't quite place. 'Fight Fire With Fire' is great too, a description of the fine line between love and hate that humourously namechecks several dodgy 1980s heavy metal albums. Elsewhere 'Violin Tango' does what it says on the tin, 'Rambling Rose, Clinging Vine' is a country standard and 'Hang On' is a pretty ballad, sung by Campbell who is sounding stronger on vocals with every record she records.
Much of this EP is as good as or better that the material on 'Sunday At Devil Dirt'. The six songs fit together well so there was obviously a grand plan behind leaving them off the album. This is a really warm sounding record with lots of piano, acoustic guitar and of course Mark Lanegan's voice. No song mentions Christmas or has anything to do with the festive season, but it all feels strangely seasonal.
****
['Keep Me In Mind Sweetheart' is out now on V2]
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Tindersticks 'Live From Glasgow'
It doesn't happen often that your favourite band make no new music for five years, you pretty much give up on them releasing an album ever again and then they return, sounding fresher and better than ever and make perhaps their most cohesive record to date and become your favourite band all over again.
That is what happened this year with me and Tindersticks. Without giving too much away about my 'Album of the Year' list, 'The Hungry Saw' completely floored me. It is a beautiful, creative album and its the sound of a band falling in love with making music again. Without Dickon Hinchcliffe's violin and string arrangements, missed though he is, the music is allowed to breathe more and David Boulter on keys and Neil Fraser on guitar make their most telling contributions to a Tindersticks album in a decade.
Seeing them play live this year has also been a joyful experience. I've seen them twice so far and will see them again in a couple of week's time. Mixing the whole of the new album with assorted oldies has worked perfectly and the band have never looked happier or more confident.
This live cd is a document of a gig in Glasgow in October. It follows much the same setlist as the gig I saw in Brighton a month earlier, so see that review for a more detailed description of the set. It sounds fantastic. Without a string section, the arrangements are more stripped down and on songs like 'Boobar' and 'The Other Side of The World' this works so well, the guitar really taking the lead. The middle section of the set is devoted to 'oldies' and actually showcases some of the band's overlooked gems from more recent albums, like the pocket symphony 'Say Goodbye To The City' and their most beautiful ballad to date 'Dying Slowly'.
When I saw Tindersticks play in Brighton, I was struck by how happy they looked, particularly Stuart Staples and what a contrast this was from their last few gigs in 2004. This shines through here again. Rather than just running through the songs, each gig at the moment has a creativity and a spontaneity right from the memorable opening with David Boulter playing 'Introduction' whilst the band walk on, one by one. Tindersticks always send an audience home with a slow number, and here they finish with a sparse, intimate version of 'The Not Knowing' from their first album. It is spellbinding.
No mark out of 10 here because I am rapidly losing objectivity when it comes to Tindersticks, but this is a perfect souvenir for anyone who has seen them play live this year.
['Live From Glasgow' is out now on beautifully packaged and designed cd. Onlyy available from shows on their current tour]
That is what happened this year with me and Tindersticks. Without giving too much away about my 'Album of the Year' list, 'The Hungry Saw' completely floored me. It is a beautiful, creative album and its the sound of a band falling in love with making music again. Without Dickon Hinchcliffe's violin and string arrangements, missed though he is, the music is allowed to breathe more and David Boulter on keys and Neil Fraser on guitar make their most telling contributions to a Tindersticks album in a decade.
Seeing them play live this year has also been a joyful experience. I've seen them twice so far and will see them again in a couple of week's time. Mixing the whole of the new album with assorted oldies has worked perfectly and the band have never looked happier or more confident.
This live cd is a document of a gig in Glasgow in October. It follows much the same setlist as the gig I saw in Brighton a month earlier, so see that review for a more detailed description of the set. It sounds fantastic. Without a string section, the arrangements are more stripped down and on songs like 'Boobar' and 'The Other Side of The World' this works so well, the guitar really taking the lead. The middle section of the set is devoted to 'oldies' and actually showcases some of the band's overlooked gems from more recent albums, like the pocket symphony 'Say Goodbye To The City' and their most beautiful ballad to date 'Dying Slowly'.
When I saw Tindersticks play in Brighton, I was struck by how happy they looked, particularly Stuart Staples and what a contrast this was from their last few gigs in 2004. This shines through here again. Rather than just running through the songs, each gig at the moment has a creativity and a spontaneity right from the memorable opening with David Boulter playing 'Introduction' whilst the band walk on, one by one. Tindersticks always send an audience home with a slow number, and here they finish with a sparse, intimate version of 'The Not Knowing' from their first album. It is spellbinding.
No mark out of 10 here because I am rapidly losing objectivity when it comes to Tindersticks, but this is a perfect souvenir for anyone who has seen them play live this year.
['Live From Glasgow' is out now on beautifully packaged and designed cd. Onlyy available from shows on their current tour]
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
new Innocence Mission EP
TracksandGigs couldn't be more excited if we had just been told we'd won the lottery. A new Innocence Mission EP is out....NOW!
Titled 'Street Map' it is their first self-released record since 2000's 'Christ Is My Hope' and contains songs from their new album, due in the Spring, as well as some songs that didn't make it onto the album.
You can order it now from www.theinnocencemission.com and unless you are completely crazy, that is what you will be doing as soon as you finish reading this. You can also listen to a couple of the songs on their site, but as of 2.21pm on 3/12/08, I am trying to resist doing this until the cd arrives.
Track listing? Here you are...
1. From a Homeland
2. Sunshine Roof
3. Pioneering
4. We Wake Up in the Earliest Blue of All
5. A Thousand Miles
6. Fair Hill
7. You Draw the Streets of Rome
8. Suitcase Waltz
Titled 'Street Map' it is their first self-released record since 2000's 'Christ Is My Hope' and contains songs from their new album, due in the Spring, as well as some songs that didn't make it onto the album.
You can order it now from www.theinnocencemission.com and unless you are completely crazy, that is what you will be doing as soon as you finish reading this. You can also listen to a couple of the songs on their site, but as of 2.21pm on 3/12/08, I am trying to resist doing this until the cd arrives.
Track listing? Here you are...
1. From a Homeland
2. Sunshine Roof
3. Pioneering
4. We Wake Up in the Earliest Blue of All
5. A Thousand Miles
6. Fair Hill
7. You Draw the Streets of Rome
8. Suitcase Waltz
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
continues....
17- Damien Jurado 'Caught In The Trees'
Slight change of direction for Seattle songsmith Damien Jurado. More upbeat songs with terrific harmonies, makes this his most rewarding set to date.
16- Sun Kil Moon 'April'
A really difficult album to get into. The songwriting is as strong as ever from Kozelek but the melodies take a while to 'click'. When they do, you realise that this is a really beautiful album and an album in the truest sense of the word - it works best played for start to finish.
15- Bonnie 'Prince' Billy 'Lie Down In The Light'
A long way from 'I See A Darkness'. Oldham sounds happy and content and this is a gorgeous, uplifting country record that contains some stunning duets. A light touch and a joyful album.
14-12 coming soon.
Slight change of direction for Seattle songsmith Damien Jurado. More upbeat songs with terrific harmonies, makes this his most rewarding set to date.
16- Sun Kil Moon 'April'
A really difficult album to get into. The songwriting is as strong as ever from Kozelek but the melodies take a while to 'click'. When they do, you realise that this is a really beautiful album and an album in the truest sense of the word - it works best played for start to finish.
15- Bonnie 'Prince' Billy 'Lie Down In The Light'
A long way from 'I See A Darkness'. Oldham sounds happy and content and this is a gorgeous, uplifting country record that contains some stunning duets. A light touch and a joyful album.
14-12 coming soon.
Monday, 1 December 2008
albums of the year...
between now and Christmas, T&G will count down our top 20 albums of the year. Before I start, I should mention the 'disappointment of the year'. If anyone had told me on January 1st that a new Hold Steady album wouldn't make this top 20, I wouldn't have believed it, but 'Stay Positive' didn't make the 20. The problems with the record just show themselves more and more as you continue listening, the rushed feel, the ugly production and the '...kitchen sink' mastering. Very, very disappointing and I notice that even the monthly music mags are now retreating slightly from their initial, hysterically positive reviews. Anyway, here's the first few from the T&G Top 20....
20- Willard Grant Conspiracy 'Regard The End'
A sombre, majestic, return to form from Robert Fisher and co.
19- Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan 'Sunday at Devil Dirt'
Mixing blues, folk and alt.country, this was a consistent collection of songs, some of which (like the supreme 'Trouble') already sound like standards.
18- She and Him 'Volume One'
Collaboration between M Ward and Zooey Deschanel. When it was good, it was a joyful, Spector-ish heaven! The 60s girl band style stuff sounded stunning and it was only held back from greatness by the slighly predictable country ballads.
15-17 coming up in the next couple of days. 'Film of the Year', 'Single of the Year', 'Reissue of the Year', 'Shop of the Year' and other such stuff coming all through December.
20- Willard Grant Conspiracy 'Regard The End'
A sombre, majestic, return to form from Robert Fisher and co.
19- Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan 'Sunday at Devil Dirt'
Mixing blues, folk and alt.country, this was a consistent collection of songs, some of which (like the supreme 'Trouble') already sound like standards.
18- She and Him 'Volume One'
Collaboration between M Ward and Zooey Deschanel. When it was good, it was a joyful, Spector-ish heaven! The 60s girl band style stuff sounded stunning and it was only held back from greatness by the slighly predictable country ballads.
15-17 coming up in the next couple of days. 'Film of the Year', 'Single of the Year', 'Reissue of the Year', 'Shop of the Year' and other such stuff coming all through December.
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