Mmm. Yes. Just what I needed: a nice new singer-songwriter to...sink my teeth into? Wrong words, right idea.
Trevor Powers aka Youth Lagoon, is a 22 year old American whose music 'set the blogosphere into a state of watery-eyed rapture' earlier this year. His debut album 'The Year of Hibernation' is well worth taking some time over (you can listen to snippets of the whole thing here), as although his sound feels like a combination of artists heard before, I'm finding it hard to pin point exactly who. To throw the word 'unique' out there would be rash, but it's tempting. Check him out:
This man is basically my new crush. Ajimal is the 'dynamic-in-ear-collaborative-experiment' of Fran O'Hanlon the name of which came from a surreal experience where he heard a preacher in Haiti who used to be the personal voodoo priest to Papa Doc during his dictatorship. Ajimal was his voodoo name.
In his own words, Ajimal writes about 'the way that music and medicine and art and ideas and science and stories and hallucinations combine and interplay' and this can be heard in his music which can be anything from acoustic folk to electronic haze. He has his first EP due out at the beginning of next year - keep your eyes (and ears?) peeled!
Check out his profile on Soundcloud here to listen to a bit more of him.
Now that my Bestival posts are done and dusted I can finally get on to all the new music I have been listening to of late. From Woodkid to Ajimal to a new Frightened Rabbit EP, there is a lot of exciting stuff out and about at the moment. Once such important album I have been listening to pretty religiously since its release a few weeks ago is 'A Creature I Don't Know' by the wonderful Miss Laura Marling. If you are yet to hear it/buy it stop being such a fool and click here. Just had to say it.
Otherwise let your ears sample some of this man:
Woodkid.
This french music video and film director seems to be a man of many talents. Woodkid aka Yoann Lemoine, has directed videos for the likes of Katy Perry and Taylor Swift yet as any of his music fans will know, they are a far cry from the kind of music he makes himself. From having Agyness Deyn in his music video to duets with Lana Del Rey (music's new IT girl), Woodkid is quickly becoming big - if you haven't heard him already make it a priority. The word unique is thrown around a little too quickly these days but in this case I think it is justly applied. From large brass sections to intense and powerful african style drumming, it isn't just a song, it's a piece and at times almost an underscore that could accompany a large roman battle scene. If you are a fan then you can buy his EP off iTunes here (£3.49 well spent) or have a listen to 'Brooklyn' and others on Soundcloud here. For a proper taster here is 'Iron':
I bet the suspense has been unbearable. But finally, here it is. Now Sunday proved to be the best of my three music-packed days despite fantastic performances from Ellen and the Escapades, Dry the River and Lucy Rose on Friday and Saturday. It was just that not only did I barely have an hour in the day where I wasn't watching someone but I walked around the festival going from incredible performance to incredible performance.
My day was kick-started with a cracking set from Johnny Flynn in the Big Top. He sang most of his new(ish) album 'Been Listening' released last year and clearly has a blast when he performs with the Sussex Wit. I have already put up a video of Johnny and Laura Marling singing 'The Water' recorded in Marling's back garden but for those of you who haven't heard much of the album have a listen to 'Kentucky Pill'- Zane Lowe's Hottest Record in the World back in March or 'Howl':
Lanterns on the Lake.
A band I feel I have feature quite a bit on here and who I was so excited to finally see play live. The Newcastle sextet seemed to captivate the audience. I found myself slowly swaying or being really cliche and closing my eyes to 'appreciate' the folk melodies fusing with the electronic atmosphere. Either way, I found myself rather refreshed when they finished their set. You can read more about them in their Guardian interview here or buy their debut album released little over a month ago on Bella Union - 'Gracious Tide, Take Me Home'. This is 'Lungs Quicken' taken from that very album:
Keston Cobblers' Club.
Are a band I stumbled upon whilst waiting for my phone to charge and were to give me more than a new band to listen as they featured a friend of mine playing a cameo on the tambourine - it was a surreal set. Have a wee listen to their new song I have put up below or check out their website to find out more about this lovely uke/accordion/trumpet/hand clapping band. They will heel your soles!
James Blake.
I think it is safe to say that every single person crammed into the Big Top was not only blown away by the blustery Sunday afternoon weather but by the performance Blake gave. I was fortunate enough to get up close and personal with the barriers at the front and felt incredibly involved in the performance (or as involved as one can be when they are not onstage/playing an instrument/mixing sounds/all of the above). If you already a fan then you can download his new EP here or watch his performance of 'Wilhelm Scream', imagine it louder and with more atmosphere and pretend you were there:
Daughter.
As I headed over to the bandstand, I was pretty excited about the final three acts of my weekend. The bandstand's sunday night line-up included Daughter, Ben Howard and Marcus Foster all three of which were on my 'must-see' list. The wind had really picked up and as Elena Tonra made her way on to the exposed stage it was clear she was going to struggle to keep her guitar plucking fingers warm. But she showed little sign of being bothered by the weather and soldiered on to give a wonderfully understated performance. Listen to her EP here or for a little taste watch this video for 'Run' filmed entirely on a tube train:
Ben Howard.
Although Marcus Foster headlined the Bandstand, Ben Howard kind of upstaged him and became the highlight of the evening. Struggling at first with tech and feedback and clearly freezing, Howard was cheered on by the kind and enthusiastic crowd. He visibly warmed to the audience and it became a snowball of happiness as Howard's performance went from strength to strength. Despite timing restrictions Howard then had to give in to a unanimous demand for an encore - I did feel a little sorry for Marcus having to follow him but Howard really was the best end to my Bestival weekend. He's touring at the moment so catch him if you can!
Although this post is long overdue, it is a testament to those acts still engrained in my memory.
Saturday was fancy dress day down on the Isle of Wight and upon it descended Sid Vicious, Nancy, three sparkly, eye-blinding, wig wearing 70s Bee-Gee wannabes and Cher. There were fewer acts I was desperate to see so the day itself felt a lot more relaxed. I started off with a bit of Dry the River who were fantastic. A good crowd turned out to support and they didn't disappoint. 'No Rest' was a particular highlight and the video that comes with it is a corker:
Alice Russell.
Although scheduled to follow Dry the River, I found myself in the Psychedelic Worm tent watching a three piece band from Sweden. Either Alice Russell had changed her sound and look and swapped her husky rich tones for some awkward wolf howling or this wasn't her. Turns out she had been pushed back to later in the evening after a Mr Ed Sheeran. She was worth the wait and provided something different to my weekend of acoustic or ethereal performances. She had stage presence, a fantastic belt, accompanied by a fun-loving jazz band and yet she still could be someone you'd see in your local karoake bar. Not to everyone's taste but I loved her.
Ed Sheeran.
The man of the moment. Even the fact that his songs are now being sung on the X-Factor hasn't put me off. And it seemed the rest of Bestival felt the same. For some ridiculous reason Sheeran was put in the Psychedelic Worm Tent - which was by no means sizeable and meant that if you wanted to hear him (there was no chance of actually catching a glimpse unless you were at the front) you had to either be packed shoulder to shoulder at the back of the tent or be packed shoulder to shoulder in the queue outside the tent. He did give a great performance (from what I could hear) but next year he'll be gracing the main stage. Where he should have been all along...
This lucky person managed to get to the front to see Sheeran and hear the crowds singing along to A-Team. They were probably crushed by the end of it though.
Tall Ships.
These boys were probably my highlight of the day. On the smaller stageof Sailor Jerry's their relatively large crowd adored them and the band were clearly delighted with the turn out. Definitely one to watch (and to listen to) and will no doubt be gracing one of the larger stages next year. Sadly I couldn't find any good-quality videos of their performance but this is 'Plate Tectonics' from last year's EP 'There is nothing but chemistry here':
What an original post title I hear you say. Well, having returned from a cracking weekend I thought I would share the highlights of my Bestival. From fancy dress to gale force winds, my short visit to the Isle of Wight had moments of pure magic due to a mixture of great company, great atmosphere and most of all, great music.
Friday.
I awoke to my friend telling us we had our first band of the day sorted. 12pm. Big Top. The Correspondents.
Not knowing what to expect, the rest of the gang followed and I followed and were pleasantly surprised. The Correspondents were lively, entertaining and kick started the weekend with a bang. This song was particularly entertaining for us and is accompanied by the cutest video of all time!
Ellen & The Escapades.
This was one of the bands I was going to stop at nothing to see. And they didn't disappoint. They handed out copies of their newest single, they played a beautiful version of 'Here Comes the Sun' and they even had people forming human pyramids in the audience. It was a special gig.
Treefight for Sunlight.
Thinking I was seeing Treetop Flyers (Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition winners) I wandered along to the Psychedelic worm ready for some sweet acoustics. Turns out I was wrong and instead stumbled upon the delights of Swedish Treefight for Sunlight - it was a mistake I'm not sad I made.
Esben & The Witch.
I wasn't sure what to expect from Esben & The Witch. I'd heard good things but thought I may need to see them live to fully appreciate them. Rather than just playing a set list, it felt like the group has set out to create an entire performance, taking their audience somewhere else with them. With an air of mystery about them, Esben & The Witch brought a bit of je ne sais quoi to our Friday afternoon.
Lucy Rose.
I wasso looking forward to seeing Lucy Rose play and made sure I was front centre for her set at the Band Stand stage. With the sun setting behind her, the sparrow-like Lucy captivated the audience many of whom had come to see Benjamin Francis Leftwich who was playing after her. He played a great set but I felt it was Lucy who stole the evening with her performance. Have a listen to her wonderful new song Scar which she performed in her set and in the AllSaints Basement Session at Bestival:
Middle of the Bed - vintage Lucy Rose.
Overall, pretty great start to the weekend. And it only got better...
What's that Laura? You're listening to A Creature I Don't Know - the much anticipated third album by the superstar Laura Marling? But I thought it wasn't available until next Monday?
Ah young grasshopper - this is very true. But thanks to the Guardian, you can listen to the entire album free of charge before it hits the masses in one weeks time...
A firm new favourite. With sultry caramel tones that could make a wolverine purr, Lana del Rey has described herself as the "gangsta Nancy Sinatra" who wants her music to be "the sonic equivalent of a Vincent Gallo film". The 24-year-old New Yorker fuses 1950s jazz with modern hip hop and tops it with soft girly vocals; it's a combination that works so wonderfully it makes you wonder how there can really be so few artists putting out this kind of music. She hasn't officially released anything as yet but I will be keeping my eyes very much peeled.
I can't quite believe I haven't put anything up about this band yet for not only are they pretty brilliant, the small girl in the big hat is a friend of mine. So, We Aeronauts are super. They have the great trumpet melodies of Beirut, are cheerier than your average folk band and remain wonderfully original despite the growing number of large, multi-instrument folk groups. You can catch them at small festivals around the country or they tend to gig in or around London/Brighton/Oxford. Have a proper non-youtube listen here if you like them.
Young The Giant.
A wonderful American band who are a bit more mainstream compared with my usual listenings (they are about to start touring with incubus) but great nonetheless. I particularly like this acoustic version of I Got.
Hiatus & Shura.
Once again my favourite trusty blogger Flying With Anna has led me straight to an undiscovered gem. Looking forward to the EP being released - in the mean time this video is wonderful.
Lucy Rose.
I'm already a big fan and have written about her before, but this beautiful version from Watch Listen Tell (the best channel on youtube if you didn't know) has been on repeat for the past few days:
Just one last video from We Aeronauts as this video makes me smile - for reasons made clear a few minutes in...
The name has in fact been flying around for a while; all on-the-ball bloggers pricked up their ears a while ago and wrote their insightful blurbs. But better to jump on the band wagon late than never (possibly?!) so here I go. A young man of 18, O. Chapman continues to spread his gruff tones and folk blues around our fair capital. His voice works so well with Faith Barker, who you can hear as the female vocalist in duets - and as a general songwriter he is very much up there. If you want to catch him then take a look at his gig list here. Otherwise soak it all in. It'll go down smooth.
While these live versions are great, the finished product is just as, if not more, beautiful so I'd recommend checking out his myspace.
Not much to say other than I have sort of fallen in love. Coeur de pirate (aka Béatrice Martin) is a 21 year old French Canadian singer. There is little for me not to like about her - she sings in french, she uses the glockenspiel and she writes quirky yet dainty melodies. You can listen to more of her here or wait for her second album due out later this year.
Can't talk about any sort of French music without putting a bit of my favourite francophone musician up here:
Yann Tiersen.
Everything about him is genius. You make recognise the relatively famous piece below. The Piano is a beautiful video I just stumbled across with Tiersen's music set to it and La Plage is just another great piece I like to listen to.
I heard this on Xfm last night and though everyone seems to be raving about Birdy right now, I didn't really know who she was. But this cover of The XX's 'Shelter' has firmly placed her on the radar.
I've been meaning to finish this post for sometime particularly since my laptop recently decided it had had enough and lost a lot of the new music I'd been listening to. So here they are, officially recorded: my current favourite picks.
Ben Howard.
A little gem from Devon who, like Sheeran, is an up and coming singer-songwriter whose fame has been spread by word of mouth and a devoted fan base. He's been featured in an article in the Guardian in which my favourite blogger (miss flying with anna) was quoted so I feel there's no way I can't like him. Check him out at Grassroots or Greenman festival this summer, I'm going to try and see him on the 24th October at the Social.
WatchListenTell who I covered a while ago seem to like Mr Howard too. Yes it's the same song but it's pretty amazing how different it sounds. Have a listen to Empty Corridors too - it's an incredible live performance and one which I could only hope to see live.
Alela Diane.
Recently announced as the main support act for the Fleet Foxes July USA tour dates, Miss Diane is an American singer songwriter whose first solo public appearances were at the invitation of Miss Joanna Newsom. If Newsom invites you on stage, you know you're destined for great things. Her new album Alela Diane and Wild Divine is out now but I'm a big fan of her live performance with Alina Hardin which I've posted below.
Ed Sheeran.
A big up and coming star is Mr Sheeran. In fact, more than that, Sheeran is all the rage right now and has been for a while. You may known him for his well-coveraged song 'The A Team' but personally I love his version of Wayfaring Stranger, a well-known British spiritual/folk song originating in the early 18th century. Jamie Woon and Eva Cassidy also do great covers of this. He's playing at Bestival which I'm excited about - I'll definitely be getting myself along to see him.
Feeling sad that you haven't listened to any original Mumford and Sons for some time? Never fear. This is one of their new songs they are performing right now - Hopeless Wanderer.
Or check out anything by 'The Wedding Band' which is Mumford and Sons and Friends playing together. They released an EP available at a few gigs they played last year but if, like me, you were unsuccessful in getting hold of said EP youtube will have to do. It's great to listen to for that summertime country feel. Listen.
This is more of note to myself of the upcoming gigs in Nottingham I need to book tickets for. As I find it relatively impossible to keep my mind on one track for longer than a few minutes, I thought it wise to write them all down while they were still on my mind.
Avi Buffalo and Admiral Fallow - 13th July. Bodega
Slow Club - 12th Sept. Bodega
Dry the River - 14th Sept. Bodega
Emmy the Great - 18th Sept. Glee Club
Benjamin Francis Leftwich - 4th Oct. Glee Club
Bombay Bicycle Club - 17th Oct. Rock City
Yann Tiersen and Lanterns on the Lake - 22nd/24th Oct. Leeds. Manchester
Ben Howard - 24th Oct. Bodega
Anna Calvi - 5th Nov. Rescue Rooms
Friendly Fires - 14th Nov. Rock City
Wild Beasts - 20th Nov. Rescue Rooms
One of the many things I love about folk is that as a general rule, it is more gender equal than your average music genre. There are few girls in heavy metal, few girl gangster rappers and very few indie girl bands yet folk music boasts an impressive amount of female input and creates better music because of it. From Laura Marling and Caitlin Rose to The Staves and Ellen and the Escapades, the girls have made their mark and are making the nu-folk scene what it is. Below are some more of folk's Wonder Women.
Sarah Jarosz.
Miss Jarosz has been making waves in the Nashville folk/blues/country scene for a little while now. She has real stage presence and a self-confidence in her performance unlike that of Laura Marling who comes across quite nervous and timid on stage. She is touring in the UK as of July 14th - I'm going to try and catch her at the Glee Club in Nottingham on July 22nd.
Lucy Rose.
The name has been on the lips of many and for good reason. If you haven't heard of her already then take a listen to her new song 'Place' below - you'll understand why I don't feel the need to write more.
Cold Specks.
A new treat brought to my attention by my favourite trusty music blogger Flying with Anna. Originally known as Basket Figs, this Canadian now lives in our fair capital and is starting to make a name for herself with her rich husky vocals. Listen to Send Your Youth or Holland for a taster - both are quickly becoming my songs of the moment.
Laura Marling.
This girl just goes from strength to strength; you have to remind yourself that she is only 21. I thought she was incredible at Glastonbury - many feared the Pyramid stage would dwarf her but she shone and didn't try to overcompensate. Instead she gave a truly beautiful performance and retained an intimate feel despite the thousand-strong crowd. Her third album is on the horizon and I couldn't be more excited. Here is a little snippet - prepare for great things come September!
The Lovell Sisters.
A small family band made up of Jessica, Megan and Rebecca Lovell. As an incredibly talented bunch, these ladies between them play the fiddle, dobro, lap steel, mandolin and guitar as well as being well known for their tight knit harmonies. They are currently not together whilst Jessica is in college but a reunion is likely in the future. In the meantime, Megan and Rebecca have regrouped to form Larkin Poe.
Larkin Poe.
Now they may be one fiddle down with Jessica not in the band, but two thirds of the Lovell sisters still do pretty well. After all they are amazingly talented musicians: Rebecca won the MerleFest mandolin contest when she was only 15 making her the youngest person (and only woman) to win a MerleFest instrument competition. Although hard to top the original, I like what they do with this cover of Teardrop.
A new find for me she may be, but Alice Russell has been around a while. She was brought to my attention after I spent even more time going through the live acts playing at Bestival this year - I want to make sure I don't miss any gems. And boy did I stumble across one. With a voice that could make a wolverine purr, I cannot recommend this epic cover enough:
Will do my research on her and be sure to report back post Isle of Wight visit.
If you have never seen the film 'Once' then you are missing out. The story of an Irish busker and a shy Czech cleaner is a subtle and uplifting tale with some breathtaking music. Having watched it when it first came out back in 2006, it quickly became the unsung hero of the Oscars and the quirky indie film on everyone's lips. The title song of the soundtrack 'Falling Slowly', a duet between Hansard and Marketa Irglova won the Oscar for Best Original Song which you can listen to here.
Although Hansard is currently frontman for his band The Frames and one half of The Swell Season folk duo with Irglova, I feel he's best solo. His song-writing and performances are incredibly passionate, packed with raw emotion and heart-breaking intensity that you can't help but believe every lyric he sings. He has the talent of an award winning song-writer but the unassuming character of a street busker. Two of my particular favourites are below: 'Say it to me now' and 'Leave' plus a duet with Irglova.
I feel like my last week has been filled with Bon Iver. Not only did my friend manage to nab me a ticket to see them in October but there has been all this palava surrounding the new album. It does seem forever ago (geddit? oh dear...) since the debut album was released, which means that the build up to the second one has been monumental. The record was accidentally made available for a short while on iTunes last week allowing a lucky few to download the album before it's official release date; naturally this has resulted in a frenzied witch-hunt for any scrap of new material that may have been released.
Sadly the only preview I could find was this video of 'Michicant' which Justin Vernon performed a little while ago but has apparently been changed for the new album. Still pretty amazing though:
and so today marked the first day of what will be an entire month of me living on my own. With my two medic housemates away enjoying their post-exam time off, i must find ways of entertaining myself when the evenings draw in and the rehearsals finish - oh dear, how full of self pity i sound.
anyway, this evening i stumbled across some documentaries by 'fred and nick' who have been following some of my favourite artists - i thought i would share them.
Mumford and Sons: Gentlemen of the Road.
(this is part 1 of 4)
Laura Marling: A short film
and then Mumford and Sons plus Laura Marling (sensing a pattern here?!)
I need to see this band asap - good job they are going festival crazy this summer. Having just played at The Great Escape, the rest of their summer itinerary contains appearances at Dot to Dot, the Deer Shed Festival, Truckfestival, End of the Road and...Bestival! Success.
'I love you, Sleepyhead' is my personal favourite (Winter version is best) as it has a real Sigur Ros feel to it. If you too like songs with a slow gradual build of instruments then LOTL are well worth you having a listen to. Their chilled folk feel make them incredibly easy to listen to and their use of percussion really made me warm to them. If they grow on you, they have a little blog too: http://www.lanternsonthelake.blogspot.com/
I can't wait to see them live.
It seems to be the combo of the moment. And once you are aware of them, you start seeing them everywhere; like when you spot ants of the pavement..sort of. As I am such a fan of male/female vocals working together whether it's in a band or just for the one off song, I have put together a small list of my favourite musical pairings:
She & Him.
Ahhh...Zooey deschanel. So beautiful, so talented and so kooky - when I discovered she could sing, play piano AND ukelele I fell even deeper in love with her. Along with her other half M. Ward, they make quirky sixties sounding alternative pop and are now seen at all the coolest/swankiest festivals i.e. Coachella.Volume Two (their second album) came out last year. This is one of the highlights:
Scarlett Johansson and Pete Yorn.
And you thought she couldn't get any hotter - all the girl crushes are coming out now. Like Deschanel, Johansson's got sultry pipes which make for great singing too. She's been paired with Pete Yorn for a little while now and together they have a electro blues/country feel to them. Sounds like an odd combination I know, but I think they make it work:
Slow Club.
Although a relatively new find for me, it seems everyone is going Slow Club crazy at the moment. Their voices work beautifully together and they have a real calmness when performing. Going to try my best to see them in Nottingham in September.
And finally. Sadly these two are not a permanent duo (they should be if this song is anything to go by) but a few friends of mine recently performed it the charity gig I organised and completely brought it back to life for me. Martha Wainwright and Gary Lightbody (plus the rest of Snow Patrol...) take it away thank you please.
Today I strolled to campus with the biggest grin on my face.
Last night I put on a live music event in aid of READ International and with the help of some wonderful friends, raised nearly £400. I was so chuffed that so many came to support the event and that people agreed to perform despite some having never performed in public before. Overcoming the nerves, the evening was filled with truly great performances. One of the highlights for me was the performance of 'Galway Girl' by my friends Paddy, Charlotte and Will. This clip below is the original version performed by Sharon Shannon and Steve Earle. It's a heart warmer.
Ps A big thank you again to everyone who was involved in the READing Festival - I am seriously considering putting together another one in the coming months with another bunch of talented babes. Will keep you posted.
My mum may be a nutjob but I love that she will call me just to tell me she heard a song on the radio that she thinks I would like. Turns outher recommendation of 'For 12' by Other Liveswas a good'un as the bandare becoming a pretty big deal, even my favourite music blogger Flying with Anna has just put them as one of her 'New Treats'; an achievement in itself. Their new album Tamer Animals will be available in the UK come end of August but you can listen to it free here. Zane Lowe is already a fan and if he likes them, you know they're cool.
After a day cooped up inside a dark art gallery when the sun is shining brightly outside, there is nothing like coming home, lying in the garden and listening to The Staves. The three sisters are the experts of mixing beautiful folk harmonies with a dash of midsummer night-esque magic. This summer you can find them at Secret Garden Party, Moseley Folk Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival and End of the Road Festival.
Check out their blog here for some more info on what they get up to.
As festival season fast approaches the big names are on the tips of everyone's tongues: Glastonbury, Benicassim, Latitude, Bestival, Reading, Leeds, Secret Garden Party, Green Man etc. But there is a small family festival which has caught my eye and got my fingers tips itching to put in my deets and purchase a ticket. It's name? The deer shed festival.
Along with a crafts market, cabaret evening, birds of prey display and a crackin' line-up, this has weekend of fun written all over it and will only get bigger as the years go by. You can purchase a £59 weekend ticket, a Saturday and Sunday £45 or volunteer for two 3 hours shifts in exchange for your ticket. So who have they got playing then?
Matthew and The Atlas - one of the great bands of the folk scene, yet to have their serious breakthrough but are currently supporting Mumford and Sons and are a band whose small gigs will soon be behind them.
I am Kloot - as headliners. I hadn't hear this trio before checking out DSF but they have quickly grown on me. Plus I love the video for this little number...
Caitlin Rose - Nashville babe Caitlin is already one of my firm favourite acoustic ladies and is on my list. Of people to see live. Not hit list. That would be morbid. Check out the video below AND definitely check out this amazing video Gorilla Man
The Go! Team - What's this? Something that isn't folk? Mental. The Go! Team are back (don't forget that exclamation mark) and will be an energetic and refreshing blast to the festival. Here they teach us how to spell Tornado.
Still need more convincing? Take a wee look at this lovely film someone made about the first Deer Shed Festival (July 2010) or check it out here for some more happy festival information.
