Ah, me. It's always when I swear I will be posting that my brain gets paralyzed and nothing inspires me to write.
This is just a pathetic, diminutive post to share a music video I'm addicted to right now. This post might have been better if blogger had not shut down yesterday because now I find I am too tired to finish this post properly after this evening's miniature meltdown. {Heh... heh... *sigh*}
Anyhow, I've been watching Julie Feeney's music videos lately. {Artist bio in a nutshell: Julie Feeney is an Irish singer/songwriter/producer/conductor etc.! Let's just say, she can do it all!}
At first, I just watched her videos for the videos themselves, but then I started going back for the actual music. Today I am posting my favourite of her videos, 'Love is a Tricky Thing'. (But I would recommend the other two: the quirky, catchy 'Impossibly Beautiful' and the beautiful 'Aching' which really will have you aching by the end, in a good way.) 'Love is a Tricky Thing' is my favourite because I like the song and lyrics best and the video is just too darn cute! Definitely one you want to jump into and walk around in.
Alright, that's all for now. Oh, on an unrelated note, I turned 18 last Saturday! Now I can get duly punished for all my crimes. Oh dear. :P
Friday, May 13, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Sleeping At Last
I solemnly swear I will post at least three times in May! April went by freakishly fast. For most of the time, I was legitimately busy... {Imagine that!} Thankfully, this month's artist of the month was a no-brainer for me: Sleeping At Last.
I only discovered their music recently, as in a few weeks ago. I found them by happenstance during one of my rare youtube browsings and by happy coincidence they were offering their 2009 album Storyboards for free on NoiseTrade! {I would just like to say, I was perfectly willing to pay for it on emusic but my account was on hold last month and I got impatient, wanting to listen to them when offline.}
Sleeping at Last is composed of Ryan O'Neal {lead vocals, guitar & piano} and Dan Perdue {bass & keys}. Their music touched me like no band's has in a while. Their lyrics are definitely a highlight; they are poetical often with an underlying spirituality. And on the album Storyboards, at least, many of the songs have beautiful orchestral arrangements. Since stringed instruments speak to my soul, this makes me quite happy.
On another note, this year Sleeping At Last is doing a project entitled "Yearbook" and are releasing a three-song EP for every month of the year which is a pretty spiffy idea, I think!
I haven't yet become as intimately acquainted with the album Storyboards as I would've liked, since I know some favourites don't always become evident til after numerous listens. But this song, 'Slow & Steady' has been a stand-out track for me so far.
Listen:
{Again, I repeat my promise: I will post at least three times in May; I will no longer be such a slacker! ...Not on this blog, at any rate. :P}
I only discovered their music recently, as in a few weeks ago. I found them by happenstance during one of my rare youtube browsings and by happy coincidence they were offering their 2009 album Storyboards for free on NoiseTrade! {I would just like to say, I was perfectly willing to pay for it on emusic but my account was on hold last month and I got impatient, wanting to listen to them when offline.}
Sleeping at Last is composed of Ryan O'Neal {lead vocals, guitar & piano} and Dan Perdue {bass & keys}. Their music touched me like no band's has in a while. Their lyrics are definitely a highlight; they are poetical often with an underlying spirituality. And on the album Storyboards, at least, many of the songs have beautiful orchestral arrangements. Since stringed instruments speak to my soul, this makes me quite happy.
On another note, this year Sleeping At Last is doing a project entitled "Yearbook" and are releasing a three-song EP for every month of the year which is a pretty spiffy idea, I think!
I haven't yet become as intimately acquainted with the album Storyboards as I would've liked, since I know some favourites don't always become evident til after numerous listens. But this song, 'Slow & Steady' has been a stand-out track for me so far.
Listen:
{Again, I repeat my promise: I will post at least three times in May; I will no longer be such a slacker! ...Not on this blog, at any rate. :P}
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Tennis
I have been inexcusably neglectful as of late! Life has not been busy, necessarily... but it's been rather strange. I've been feeling rather strange, at least. I have felt very apathetic about many things, mainly my schoolwork... and writing coherent blog posts. April rolled around too fast and I was caught unprepared with no artist of the month and instead of buckling down to pick one, it became the elephant in the room {AKA my brain}.
The choice was obvious, really. But as I said I've been feeling apathetic blahblahblah. But, better late than never, right? So, finally, I bring the you April's artist of the month, Tennis!
Tennis is married couple, Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley. This year they released their debut album, Cape Dory, which has a pretty awesome backstory. After saving money for four years, they bought a sailboat and basically ran away from home for eight months. They sailed around the Atlantic coastline, adventuring and also writing the songs which were later to make up their album. Consequently, they have created the most sun-drenched, ocean-soaked record I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. Their music is perfect for summer or listening to when one has spring fever {which I've been diagnosed with :P}. What's also cool is they recorded it the "old school way" so it sounds like it stepped out of a 1950's or 60's jukebox. Read this interview with Alaina Moore on emusic to learn more about the recording of the album and also why their cover art looks the way it does. ;)
The title track, 'Cape Dory', is probably my favourite song off the album. I've found I'm a sucker for a good "sha-la-la"!
Listen:
The choice was obvious, really. But as I said I've been feeling apathetic blahblahblah. But, better late than never, right? So, finally, I bring the you April's artist of the month, Tennis!
Tennis is married couple, Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley. This year they released their debut album, Cape Dory, which has a pretty awesome backstory. After saving money for four years, they bought a sailboat and basically ran away from home for eight months. They sailed around the Atlantic coastline, adventuring and also writing the songs which were later to make up their album. Consequently, they have created the most sun-drenched, ocean-soaked record I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. Their music is perfect for summer or listening to when one has spring fever {which I've been diagnosed with :P}. What's also cool is they recorded it the "old school way" so it sounds like it stepped out of a 1950's or 60's jukebox. Read this interview with Alaina Moore on emusic to learn more about the recording of the album and also why their cover art looks the way it does. ;)
The title track, 'Cape Dory', is probably my favourite song off the album. I've found I'm a sucker for a good "sha-la-la"!
Listen:
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Lisa
Get your ears ready folks! Today I am sharing my favourite song of the past couple months, 'Lisa' by The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers.
Quite a band name, non? (From hereinafter, I shall refer to them as "The Prayers and Tears" for brevity's sake.)
According to their myspace, The Prayers and Tears are "an incomprehensible mess of a band, comprised of the various members, benefactors, patron saints, and onlookers of the bu_hanan collective". But as best I can figure out, the root of The Prayers and Tears is Perry Wright.
You can go check out their website if you would like. You can even get some free dowloads there, including the EP that contains the song I am posting today!
'Lisa' is a song they recorded for Esopus Magazine back in 2005. I just happened to come across this song on another blog and I am so glad I did because, well, I love it. I love everything about it... the somber, subdued vocals; the slightly out-of-tune piano; the plaintive violin; the lyrics that make your heart ache... All these things add up to make a pretty special song.
I actually think I downloaded the song before I listened to it. The first time I heard it I was a bit distracted and there were other noises so I couldn't really hear it. But later, in the midnight stillness, I listened to it while lying in bed and was amazed.
The lyrics are definitely one of the highlights for me. I would recommend listening very carefully to them or reading along. {One of the commenters on that lyrics site I just linked, says that he remembers [whoever wrote the song - Perry, presumably] saying the song was about "an adult sending a letter back to his eight year-old self." Whether or not that is true, that is my favourite interpretation of this song.
Listen:
Quite a band name, non? (From hereinafter, I shall refer to them as "The Prayers and Tears" for brevity's sake.)
According to their myspace, The Prayers and Tears are "an incomprehensible mess of a band, comprised of the various members, benefactors, patron saints, and onlookers of the bu_hanan collective". But as best I can figure out, the root of The Prayers and Tears is Perry Wright.
You can go check out their website if you would like. You can even get some free dowloads there, including the EP that contains the song I am posting today!
'Lisa' is a song they recorded for Esopus Magazine back in 2005. I just happened to come across this song on another blog and I am so glad I did because, well, I love it. I love everything about it... the somber, subdued vocals; the slightly out-of-tune piano; the plaintive violin; the lyrics that make your heart ache... All these things add up to make a pretty special song.
I actually think I downloaded the song before I listened to it. The first time I heard it I was a bit distracted and there were other noises so I couldn't really hear it. But later, in the midnight stillness, I listened to it while lying in bed and was amazed.
The lyrics are definitely one of the highlights for me. I would recommend listening very carefully to them or reading along. {One of the commenters on that lyrics site I just linked, says that he remembers [whoever wrote the song - Perry, presumably] saying the song was about "an adult sending a letter back to his eight year-old self." Whether or not that is true, that is my favourite interpretation of this song.
Listen:
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Foreign Slippers
So... um, sorry for only posting twice in February. I was going to post again but I had forgotten how short February is and I ran out of days. I figured I would just forget about posting again and instead actually post my "Artist of the Month" on time for once! Quelle idée! ;)
Apparently I've been listening to a lot of great EPs lately. If you'll notice, the last three artists of the month have all had EPs that I've loved. Hmm...
Though I did not do this on purpose, you'll be happy to know I'm am keeping that trend alive with Foreign Slippers as the artist of this month!
Apparently I've been listening to a lot of great EPs lately. If you'll notice, the last three artists of the month have all had EPs that I've loved. Hmm...
Though I did not do this on purpose, you'll be happy to know I'm am keeping that trend alive with Foreign Slippers as the artist of this month!
{No, I have no idea what she has on her head. I think it looks pretty awesome, regardless.
Also, picture was found here. Since I actually found it on someone's photostream and not just randomly on google, I though I'd give credit.}
Foreign Slippers is Gabrielle Fröden (with Phil Wilkinson on drums). She was born in Sweden but is based in London. So far she has released two EPs: Oh Death and It All Starts Now. I was not aware of the latter's existence till yesterday. You can download it for free here. Actually, I am listening to it for the first time as I type this. Incredible, right? So far it sounds great!
I suppose it goes without saying that it is her Oh Death EP I am familiar with. I first came across her music a few months ago. Her song 'Packed the Car' was the first I heard and let's just say, I was instantly hooked. Soon afterward I downloaded the full EP. Her music is full of nostalgia, quiet longing and absolute beauty. Oh Death is perfect for listening to while sitting by the fireside and dreaming of past, warmer days.
Listen to 'Packed the Car':
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