Songbird
Jul
25
Trap Door
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I turned 31 last week… It was a non-stop celebration to help ease me into this turning point in my life. 31? Really? How is this possible? But it is, this is my reality. And I joke around that no one is to refer to me as 31, from this point on I am forever 30. Like a vampire. Ha! We all know there is no magical way to stop time. I am a grown up… Holy crap, I actually have to act like one now…
You may recall the post about Strand of Oaks, which you can find here. The man behind the band, Timothy Showalter has just released his third full length album, Dark Shores. My oh my can Showalter create some haunting folk-rock ballads. Dark Shores is another beautiful collection of songs about love, painful memories and being honest with his emotions. I can relate to his lyrics and his mix of acoustic folk with just the right amount of edgy rock roughness. This new album is one to remember in 2012.
“And when you give it all away again/ Give a little bit back to me”
Dark Shores 2012 (self-released)
Jun
25
You Always Keep Around
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Jesse Marchant is a singer-songwriter from Canada, I mentioned him last year when I first came across his music. He is something special… I find myself wanting to poor myself a glass of red wine and sit on the porch on a chilly summer night and listen to his acoustic goodness. He is so gentle and I feel his sorrow, I want to dive deep within his lyrics and listen to my soul breathe as he does. Marchant has become one of my new favorite singer-songwriters and his new album, Stray Ashes is breathtaking. Marchant gets more bold and stronger on tracks like Moonwatcher. He stays true to his roots with stunners like Crooked Branches and You Always Keep Around… Beautiful. This album is quite the pleasant surprise for 2012.
Stray Ashes 2012 (Western Vinyl)
Jun
19
Moon Dust
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Loving this new solo album of Frankie Rose… L O V E.
Interstellar 2012 (Slumberland Records)
Jun
11
The Waves At Night
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It’s getting late and I am getting tired.
Something dark and haunting on this chilly Monday evening. Take me away Matthew Houck…
The Waves At Night – Phosphorescent
Pride 2007 (Dead Oceans)
Where are we and where do we
And where will we finally
Trade our teeth for rays for wheat
To lay and sleep underneathO love too eager to cross
O love we meet and you pause
O love too eager to cross
You see what you’ve lost?The crazy streets, amazing grief
The taste of sweet offerings
The blazing heat, the naked beasts
Great barrier reefs, all for theeO love too eager to cross
O love we meet and you pause
O love too eager to cross
You see what you’ve lost?The waves at night all brave and bright
The dance hall lights, o all your life
To lay and weep, to trade our teeth
To aim and achieve grace and peace
Jun
5
It’s All Okay
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It has been awhile, friends. A long while, even when I was here I was never fully here. I was never really anywhere for awhile. Drifting. Lost at sea…
But I think you have to lose yourself sometimes to remember who you really are and what you want in life. I am happy where I am ending up, who I am turning out to be. I am still learning, I am definitely an apprentice… But I am getting there. At least now I know where I am going.
I have a soft spot for Julia Stone and her brother Angus Stone. Whether it is an album together, or a solo project, I am drawn to their acoustic singer-songwriter folk music. Julia Stone’s new album, By the Horns, is beautiful and poetic with a bonus cover of ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’ from one of my favorite bands The National. Bonus points. The album is a beautiful dark sophomore effort. I will say that her vocals are not for everyone. And for me I do prefer Julia paired with her brother, duet style, to balance out the soprano girlie voice she has.
Angus Stone is also coming out with a solo album, Broken Brights, which is set to be released next month. You can download ‘Bird on The Buffalo’ from the new album at eMusic or Amazon to give yourself a little taste.
By the Horns 2012 (Nettwerk Records)
May
23
Our Lives Worth Fighting For
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It has been awhile since Santigold released an album. Four years actually, and back then she spelled it Santogold. However, you will never hear me bad mouth an artist because they took too long to release an album. Look at Portishead, or look at my beloved Alexi Murdoch. He takes his sweet time in between albums. It is risky though in this world where there is a new gadget every day and the blog-o-sphere is quick to jump to the next new and interesting band so fast you barely have time to enjoy what you like right now. Master of My Make-Believe hit me right from the start, upon first listen I was already hooked. Her range is so varied that you hear so many great influences you never imagined could be mixed together and work. Santi makes it work and makes it her own.
The album starts out with an aggressive stomping reggae beat mixed with a dirty indie rock influence by the one and only Karen O. Then one of my favorite tracks, Disparate Youth, a heavily influenced island beat blended with a little indie dream pop. The chorus sings, Oh-ah, Oh-ah/We know now we want more/Oh-ah, Oh-ah/A life worth fighting for. So good.
There really isn’t a song on the album that I don’t like or that I find myself skipping through. Santi White is inspiring. She has just the right amount of attitude, but also has this soft gentle aura about her which gives her the ability to blend her musical tastes and create her own distinct sound. Her sophomore album is in no way a disappointment for me. The only fear I have is that I like it so much that I might kill it and it won’t stand the test of time like her debut album has. I just have to remember to take breaks from my favorites every now and again for the sake of our relationship.
Master of My Make-Believe 2012 (Atlantic Records)
don’t look ahead, there’s stormy weather
another roadblock in our way
but if we go, we go together
our hands are tied here if we stay.oh, we set our dreams to carry us
and if they don’t fly we will run
now we push right past to find out
oh how to win what they have lostoh ah, oh ah,
we know now we want more
oh ah, oh ah,
our lives worth fighting for
oh ah, oh ah
we know now we want more
oh ah, oh ah
our lives worth fighting for.so let them say we can’t do better
they have the rules that we can’t break
they want to sit and watch you wither
their legacy’s too hard to takeoh, we set our dreams to carry us
and if they don’t fly we will run
now we push right past to find out
oh how to win what they have lost.oh ah, oh ah,
we know now we want more
oh ah, oh ah,
our lives worth fighting for
oh ah, oh ah,
we know now we want more
oh ah, oh ah,
our lives worth fighting forin their heads, edge in their beds
in their eyes it shows
when the beacon breaks, well then you ask and they don’t know
oh tell me that, i turn my back, well the odds all stand beneath me
and they all said, i was mislead
and now the odds all stand beneath meoh ah, oh ah,
you’re frozen to your core
oh ah, oh ah,
our lives worth fighting foroh, we set our dreams to carry us
and if they don’t fly we will run
now we push right past to find out
oh how to win what they have lostoh ah, oh ah,
we know now we want more
oh ah, oh ah,
our lives worth fighting for
oh ah, oh ah,
we know now we want more
oh ah, oh ah,
our lives worth fighting for
May
14
Make It Shine So Bright
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A Montreal based quartet founded by brothers, Brad and Andrew Barr. Their debut album was released last year and I absolute love it. Highly recommended. For fans of Blind Pilot, Dawes, The Head and the Heart or just fans of beautiful gentle acoustic guitar folk mixed with some rock that brings you home.
Beggar In The Morning – The Barr Brothers
The Barr Brothers 2011 (Secret City Records)
Apr
18
Keep Your Love
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Occasionally an album will come around and blow me away. Make my bones ache because it is so good. I can feel it in my heart, my pulse speeds up and my body starts moving. I can’t stop it. I have listened to this debut album from The Lumineers over 100 times in the last 48 hours. The passion in the music of this Colorado based trio is sorrowful but it will lift you up and get you dancing to your broken heart. Which isn’t that what we all need? You have got to dance it off. Dance off the bad day, the disagreement, all the debt, the day to day bullshit. Dance it off. The Lumineers get you to stand up and sing-along to their bold anthem folk-rock and my goodness I needed an album like this. It is one that everyone can relate to and feel. I find myself getting lost in it and I am so happy they create the music they do. Go to their show, buy their music and merchandise, support them and spread the word. A mix of Blitzen Trapper meets Mumford & Sons and Of Monsters and Men and I fucking love it.
Stubborn Love – The Lumineers
The Lumineers 2012 (Dualtone Music Group)
p.s. sing the lyrics loud xx
SHE’LL LIE AND STEAL AND CHEAT, AND BEG YOU FROM HER KNEES
MAKE YOU THINK SHE MEANS IT THIS TIME
SHE’LL TEAR A HOLE IN YOU THE ONE YOU CAN’T REPAIR
BUT I STILL LOVE HER I DON’T REALLY CAREWHEN WE WERE YOUNG OH OH WE DID ENOUGH
WHEN IT GOT COLD OOH OOH WE BUNDLED UP
I CAN’T BE TOLD AH AH IT CAN’T BE DONEIT’S BETTER TO FEEL PAIN THAN NOTHING AT ALL
THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE’S INDIFFERENCE
SO PAY ATTENTION NOW I’M STANDING ON YOUR PORCH SCREAMIN OUT
AND I WON’T LEAVE UNTIL YOU COME DOWNSTAIRSSO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP KEEP YOUR LOVE
SO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP KEEP YOUR LOVE
SO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP KEEP YOUR LOVE
SO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP KEEP YOUR LOVEAND I DON’T BLAME YA DEAR FOR RUNNING LIKE YOU DID ALL THESE YEARS
I WOULD DO THE SAME YOU BEST BELIEVE
AND THE HIGHWAY SIGNS SAY WE’RE CLOSE, BUT I DON’T READ THOSE THINGS ANYMORE
I NEVER TRUSTED MY OWN EYESWHEN WE WERE YOUNG OH OH WE DID ENOUGH
WHEN IT GOT COLD OOH OOH WE BUNDLED UP
I CAN’T BE TOLD AH AH IT CAN’T BE DONESO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP KEEP YOUR LOVE
SO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP KEEP YOUR LOVE
SO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP KEEP YOUR LOVE
SO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP KEEP YOUR LOVE
Mar
21
Neither Here Nor There
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Hello! Nice to see you. It has been awhile, longer than I expected but that is life for you.
School, work, friends, sleep, music… All of this contributes to my lack of posting around here. Probably laziness as well. I do get lazy on occasion.
Austin, TX was amazing… Radiohead was unbelievable. More to come on that this weekend.
Tonight, Lost in the Trees. This album took me by the hair and forced me to listen. I couldn’t turn it off. Beautiful. I am not totally surprised based off the stunning 2010 album, All Alone In An Empty House. Ari Picker has gone through one of the most devastating loses and yet he has turned that loss into something so beautiful and profound. He has given life to a person who wanted nothing but to give up. He has given her a voice that she herself could never fully recognize. That to me is something amazing. Picker is a true musician creating breathtaking arrangements that are matched with his bold vibrato vocals and the end result is a remarkable album that speaks volumes. An album that touches everyone who lends their ears to it. It is an album of 2012 that should not be missed and if you have not yet heard his 2010 album please hit me up because it needs to be heard.
Neither Here Nor There – Lost in the Trees
A Church That Fits Our Needs 2012 (ANTI)
Mar
6
Break It Yourself
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As I get ready for a little vacation in Austin, TX I have been listening to some new music from Andrew Bird, Fun, Damien Jurado and Shearwater. Tonight before I leave on this trip I felt it absolutely necessary to share one of my favorite songs off of Andrew Bird’s new album, Break It Yourself. Does he ever have a bad album? I really can’t think of one album of his that is not beautiful and poetic. Andrew Bird is quite honestly in a class of his own and his new album is one that you must not miss.
When I return I will have tons of pictures and show reviews for you to lend your eyes and ears to. So beyond excited to see Other Lives open for Radiohead… A music lovers dream, well at least my dream. See you in a week!
Danse Carribe – Andrew Bird
Break It Yourself 2012 (Mom & Pop Music)
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