tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78660199313963906222024-03-05T22:31:48.044+01:00Sofistar MusicSophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-15226575315446752782012-07-10T23:52:00.000+02:002012-07-10T23:52:09.976+02:00Dour Festival Memories: 2004 - chaos and rock'n rollI'm quite surprised that I still have memories of Dour Festival 2004, it was an excessive year.
Popbitch hosted a tent and we had great great fun.
None more so than with 2 intoxicated skinny leather-clad Finns from New York who were having the time of their life: <b>Dead Combo</b> (no, not the Portuguese duo, but the Suicide worshippers)
This story cannot be told but it involves a naked Nuutti (Who had lost all clothes, ticket planes, passport...) strong vodka, my beautiful friend Camilla and a DJ set by 2many DJs vs James Murphy on the main stage.
It was rock'n roll, it was great fun!
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If any of you know what Harri and Nuutti are up to today, let me know!
Dour starts in 2 days, 2 days!Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-21244553380764679672012-07-10T01:00:00.001+02:002012-07-10T01:00:58.545+02:00Best Dour memories:1997 Happy birthday Carlo! Arkarnaso 1997 Catherine, Vero and I were celebrating Carlo, Mister Dour festival's birthday with a cake when suddenly this cute little pixie entered the kitchen and joined us for a piece of cake. I won't say any more of Catherine and I's adoration for the little pixie's rather poppish band (or his bassist for that matter)nor will I dilvuge any secrets from our driving them back to their hotel (no, really)
This is very much in the guilty pleasure genre. hey it was 1997 ok?
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it's also the only review I ever did for Serge Coosemans that he appreciated "rubbish band, but i can finally see that you can do more than smile, not bad for a girl" love you too S!Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-65696494764142137612012-07-03T22:01:00.000+02:002012-07-03T22:04:26.293+02:00Dour Festival best memories: 1996 G Love & The Special SauceLets go backward by 10 years: direction <a href="http://www.dourfestival.be/en/history/index/1996">1996</a> for very different genres<br />
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By then Dour festival was starting to attract some big big names like <b>Iggy Pop</b> or <b>Coolio</b>.<br />
Now, even when you work backstage at a festival, toilets are always a test of nerves. At Dour there were 2 proper toilets and some portaloos.<br />
I prefer proper toilets. So I headed there. No queue, just one person in the loo. hurrah! I wait. Then a young singer arrives. We wait. We wait some more. We look at each other thinking that we knew what that person was doing in there. We wait some more. We start laughing and joking about the state of the loo after the lengthy visit. Then the door opens. who else but Iggy pop steps out, happy as larry. I can therefore confirm that rock stars go for number 2 like everybody else.<br />
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Oh yeah the young funny singer who was waiting with me for Iggy to be done? A certain <b>Brian Molko</b> who still had hair...<br />
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Now another embarrassing moment in 2006 was meeting the guys from <b>G Love and The Special Sauce</b>. I was a big fan back then and found mister G Love rather tasty (especially shirtless playing football next to the tour bus)<br />
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The 2 other musicians probably thought I was nice as they invited me to visit their golden tour bus ( yeah I didn't fall for that one, don't worry) and I got a lovely pink T-shirt that I still own today.<br />
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During that time, the production team went to see G Love himself and asked him to sign a demo tape for me. The only "star" signature I ever got. And I was mortified...<br />
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<br />Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-67377821296391594712012-07-02T20:45:00.003+02:002012-07-02T20:50:52.047+02:00Dour Festival best memories: 2006 T-Raumschmiere<a href="http://www.dourfestival.be/en/history/index/2006">2006</a> one of my favourite year ever at Dour. The electronic bill was magnificent
and the cherry on the cake for me came in the shape of German electropunk maestro <b>T.Raumschmiere</b>.<br />
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I was my with good friend Mike who had received a backstage pass due to his shoulder being in pieces and after I finished work and a few drinks we wandered in the dark from stage to stage until we arrived in the middle of T.Raumschmiere' set. It was a proper WOOOOOOAAAAAAH moment- we both felt like we were very lucky to witness that and we were galvanised by the power and strength of the German's music. His show was raw and brutal but very honest and energetic. he contortioned his body into odd shapes, like he was bringing his many tattoos alive. It was punk. It was electro. It was<b> my best moment at Dour Festival.</b><br />
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(funny thing is that in my memory he has his full back tattooed as a spine - looks like I dreamt that one)<br />
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In 2006 I was working at the press desk and didn't have much time to see a lot of concerts but I managed to escape my duties to check the Californian folky duo <b>Two Gallants.</b><br />
I really liked their 2nd album What The Toll Tells ( on Saddle Creek) and their live show was perfect for a mid afternoon festival, full of odd and funny things, like a dummy...<br />
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The last big memory from 2006 was another American duo: <b>Giant Drag</b>. It was my favourite live band from that year having seen them at a raucous show at the Barfly. The transition to late morning Belgian festival wasn't a smooth one but once Annie got into the spirits of things, the end of the gig was fabulous and very much IN YOUR FACE. Proper festival appearance!<br />
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More info about Dour 2012: full line up, tickets etc... on their <a href="http://www.dourfestival.be/">site</a> of courseSophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-86897390023616210852012-07-01T13:36:00.000+02:002012-07-01T13:36:14.793+02:00Dour Festival best memories: 1993 - Miranda Sex GardenIn 10 days The 24th Dour Festival will take place in that little coal mining village of Dour. To celebrate this massive event, I wanted to share with you my 10 favourite musical moments at Dour Festival throughout the years. My love story with DMF (shush Alex!) started at the first edition in 1989 but i was consumed in 1993 when I first started working with the team. My job was to welcome the bands and make sure they were ok during their stay. Cool, right?<br />
1993 was also the year when foreign indie bands appeared on the bill a bet that has now become the festival signature.<br />
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Musically I was excited to see The God Machine live and to meet face to face with lead singer Robin Propper Shepard for the first time: he was tall, handsome, dressed in black and made furiously good music.<br />
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Since then Robin has moved on to creating Sophia and has spent a lot of time in Brussels, we've become mates but on that day the young me was mightily impressed and I enjoyed the show enormously !<br />
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The other big memory from 1993 was less musical but more linked to what happens backstage. One big name of the bill was Londoners Miranda Sex Garden. they were signed to Mute and had made a name for themselves marrying beautiful vocals with wall of sound type guitars. Think of The Corrs but indie and with plenty of drugs.<br />
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The show was heavy, chaotic and very noisy. Great! In the dressing rooms though it was a funnier affair. The band were out of it and started stripping to jump in the tiny fountain that was added in the backstage area to make it pretty.<br />
This is one of my fondest memory of Dour, silly as it sounds...<br />
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More tomorrow<br />
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Sx<br />
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<br />Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-46706024909005063212012-06-02T21:50:00.000+02:002012-06-02T21:50:24.137+02:00En Francais avec MiossecLa FRRRRRANCE: country of wine, cheese, grumpy French Men, La Nouvelle Vague, le Cancan and some old musical heros.<br />
I quickly stopped listening to music made in France, apart from Brel (a Begian), Brassens (family tradition), Gainsbourg (who doesn't?) and Noir Desir, the only French band deserving the rock title in my then young opinion.<br />
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Then in 1995, a new singer from Brittany caught my ear and finally reconciled me with songs en Francais. His name <b>Christophe Miossec.</b> The song: Non, Non, Non, Non<br />
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His first album <b>Boire</b>, showcased a very direct, even sometimes violent writing style using unashamedly tough words backed up by sparse but melodic music. He was compared to Gainsbourg by lazy people who had not enough references, but this comparison highlighted the great quality of this album and atypical singer.<br />
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The album closes with the great <i>Que Devient Ton Poing </i><br />
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A few years later, in 1997,I was working for Miossec's label and had to take care of his press days. Back then he was a beast of excess, both charming and vulnerable yet defiant and self-destructive. When we worked on the promotion for his second album <b>Baiser</b> (which could be understood as kiss but is here meant as fuck - a great example of the man's cultural dichotomy) he used to like calling me 'salope' with a lot of affection... I keep great memories of these times despite this unfortunate nickname.<br />
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Baiser was crude but a stunning album. Like a harsh spotlight on the life of malfunctioning man, it explores themes like (in)fidelity and other couple issues without hiding behind modesty or images. A cock is a cock in Miossec's work<br />
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I've always enjoyed his use of the French Language, which he did in a more aggressive and less poetic way than a lot of his contemporaries. He is able to be both disarming and terribly macho in 3 minutes, like he does in Le Celibat. You don't know if you want to pity him or hit him hard in the face...<br />
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In 1998 came <b>A Prendre</b>, his biggest commercial success, which I never really connected with. It was followed 3 years later by <b>Brule</b>, an album that completely passed me by.<br />
I became reacquainted with Miossec in 2004, when he released <b>1964</b>. An album more mature and polished but that hinted more at the compositions of his early career. The first single was the stunningly sad <i>Je M'En Vais</i><br />
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sorry, wiping those tears.<br />
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Mio doesn't just sing about relationships, he also enjoys depicting ordinary lives or celebrate his roots, like his hometown of <i>Brest</i><br />
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L'Etreinte, Finisteriens and Chansons Ordinaires were released in 2006,2009 and 2011, but that will be for another time.<br />
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Bon week-end!<br />
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PS: thank you @waldorf_be for the inspiration<br />
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<br />Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-55722347877254053742012-05-06T21:23:00.000+02:002012-05-06T21:52:11.469+02:00Desert Island album II: Humbug by The Arctic Monkeys<link href="file://localhost/Users/sophiechevalier/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, last night I had
a dream about <b>Guns n Roses</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> despite the fact that, like everyone else, I spent
the whole day playing the Beastie Boys back catalogue. Why on eartah did I dream
of them?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I woke up a bit
worried that I would be humming the Guns all day, I mean I loved them back in
the days and they were one of the first band I REALLY got into but, well, today
their tunes are still fab at beer-filled parties but maybe not as the
soundtrack to a rainy Sunday in May.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My rock genes HAD to
do something and put a wrong right...I felt an urge to listen on The Arctic
Monkey's third album <b>Humbug</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> to remember all that is not cliché about rock' n roll
(and I do love a good cliché or two)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Humbug then,
definitely an album I'd have to have on a desert Island, just because 3 years
after its release and thousands of listens later, I still discover subtleties
about this magnificent piece of art and I always get that rush of excitement
and pleasure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Not much so than on
the first track of the album, my favourite track of theirs <b>My Propeller</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Turner</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">'s voice is much deeper,
more menacing, whispering than on previous records, a very seductive tone indeed; he
controls its effects perfectly to fit the hypnotic rhythm section.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">As always the lyrics
are top notch and with that modulated delivery, the band reaches what sounds to
me like a prefect rock song. It always takes me on a throbbing trip and I keep
wanting more...<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Track number 2 was
the first single, <b>Crying Lightning</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">; it took me a while to take it in. Musically it's a
bit louder and angrier (the album is part produced by <b>Josh Homme</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> after all) but I finally
fell in love with the lyrics: <i>"And my thought got rude as you talked
and chewed on the last of your pick' n mix" </i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Ok, I admit I adore singing
the chorus out loud in my flat and it feels fucking great (maybe not for my
neighbours), the way each word musically falls into the other one<i> 'Your past
time consisted of the strange and twisted and deranged and I hate that little
game you had called Crying Lightning"</i></span><span style="font-size: large;"> and delivered in that Yorkshire accent makes
it even more perfect. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Now, we arrive at <b>Dangerous
Animals</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, a
syncopated little number that follows the same high tempo and quality as the
first 2 songs. Here the fuzzy guitar riffs are the heroes, fusing with
beating drums and a warm bass line. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">That fast &
furious rhythm is broken up by the intro of <b>Secret Door</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> a more melancholic tune,
still held together by strong pounding by <b>Matt Helders </b></span><span style="font-size: large;">who must be one of the best
rock drummers out there<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Now that we have our
breath back, it's time to dive back into the fast and furious <b>Potion
Approaching</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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name="movie"
value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Pxv7G98xnrE?version=3&hl=en_US"></param>
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value="always"></param>
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src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Pxv7G98xnrE?version=3&hl=en_US"
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height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Much more punk rock
circa 1992 than the rest of the album it's an uppercut to the jaw that turn
into a vicious repetition 'yours is the only ocean", threatening to turn
into a Led Zeppling homage song.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Half way trough the
album <b>Fire and the Thud</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> sees Turner at his most seducing, telling us dirty secrets in the ear
enticing the listener in his world in a song that relies more on atmosphere
than brute force to make its point.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The 2nd masterpiece
of the album is <b>Cornerstone</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, the sad and beautiful tale of a lovelorn guy seeing
his ex girlfriend everywhere he goes. Turner does dreamy as well as he does
sexy.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">They did a few
acoustic versions for radio shows<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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value="true"></param>
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name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
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src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cqUvXrA3T-g?version=3&hl=en_US"
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height="360" allowscriptaccess="always"
allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Again, the lyrics
stand out, very clever use of the English language. He's at his most precise
with his observations of our every day lives.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"I elongated my
lift home, Yeah I left him go the long way home. I smelt your scent on the
seatbelt and kept my shortcuts to myself" <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">With <b>Dance Little
Liars</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, we're
back into the throbbing yet menacing territories that inhabit the album as a
whole, with fabulous rolling drums and a great guitar solo at the end.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Penultimate track, <b>Pretty
Visitors</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">,
starts like a Nick Cave song but quickly speeds up into the rockier and heavier
track of the album. Here, Turner spits his lyrics and let them click and clack
with a vigour in contrast with backing vocals during the chorus that sound like
they're slowed down.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, <b>The
Jeweller's Hands</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> closes this great album with a stoner note. The album was partly
recorded in the desert and this song reeks of psychedelic drugs and
contemplation. The bass vrooms (it should be a verb, really) and warms up
everything. When the guitars emerge at the end, together with another
repetitive chorus, like a mantra, it makes you just long to start playing the
whole album again...<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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name="movie"
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type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640"
height="360" allowscriptaccess="always"
allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So go on, download or
buy this brilliant album if you don’t own it yet and play it loud, it is a
seminal album that will be played by your kids and grandkids who will ask you
"hey did you like them when you were young?" Would be silly to answer
no, right?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-80315255807513728772012-04-21T13:35:00.000+02:002012-04-21T13:45:56.034+02:00It's Friday, I'm in LoveWarning: this blogpost contains high levels of saccharine <3<br />
<br />
It's officially spring and despite the constant rain, you can see a sparkle in people's eyes and a smile on a lot of faces. yes it's spring and tis the season to be in looooove.<br />
Musically there are many more heartbreak songs than 'oh my god I'm so happy I'm going to explode' ones, a genre more reserved to autotuned radio pop or bands like Coplday but, even old rockers are allowed to revel in their own happiness as <b>The Cure </b>proved in 1992 with one of their most famous song: <b>Friday I'm in Love</b><br />
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Talking of famous songs, we have the "most-covered-song-on-youtube-but-never-equalled" <b>First Day of My Life</b> from <b>Bright Eyes</b>' 2005 album I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning.<br />
It's sweet, it's a tad naive, very hopeful and altogether brilliantly romantic!<br />
Here's a live version<br />
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Obviously, for every occasion, there is a fitting <b>PJ Harvey</b> song. I usually prefer her pissed off but she does a great job at being in lust and in love. <i>"I can't believe life is so complex when I just want to sit here and watch you undress"</i> has got to be in the top 10 lyrics ever. <b>This Is Love</b> was released in 2000 in her most commercially acclaimed album Stories from the city, Stories From The Sea<br />
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Ok, I'm a bit greedy so here's my other PJ-In-Love favourite track: <b>It's You</b> from her following album Uh Huh Her in 2004.<br />
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If indie electronica is more your style, Ben Gibbard's <b>The Postal Service</b> have written a lovely song as B-side to single We Will Become Silhouette. <b>Be Still My heart</b> is all about the hopes of a bourgeoning relationship.<br />
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<br />
Another man who is consumed by love, is brit singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt on his first album Here Be Monsters in 2001. She Fell Into My Arms is a pretty song that will put a smile on your day.<br />
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<br />
Last but not least for today, my very favourite: <b>Beth Orton</b>'s <b>Central Reservation</b>. '<i>I can still smell you on my fingers and taste you on my breath</i>' how sexy is that? Very!<br />
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<br />
I realise there are actually quite a few happy-happy-joy-joy-i-have-a-stupid-smile-on-my-face tracks that are also musically good so give me your favourite falling in love songs and we'll do another post soon.<br />
<br />
Enjoy Record Store Day, buy loads of music, be happy and go kiss that attractive stranger <br />
<br />
xx<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-85815703002006548872012-04-15T16:40:00.001+02:002012-04-15T16:44:35.330+02:00Death Grips wake up an old grumpy music loverSo there I was, lamenting my recent lack of excitment for new music. Am I becoming too old? Too blase? Too 'yeah seen it before and got the T-Shirt'? All the music I've enjoyed recently has come from old bands most of whom I liked when I was 18 already.<br />
The song I've obsessed about the most in 2012 is 1,5 year old, the SUPERB 'Spain' by <b>Blonde Redhead,</b> band formed in 93 in NYC, on their latest album Penny Sparkle<br />
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This song title is especially apt as I've been revisiting my old <b>Spain</b> albums, we're talking about Josh Haden's band now. They too are making a come back and will be playing Les Nuits Botaniques in May (yeah I have my ticket already, you bet!) Once again we're talking about 90s music, as Blue Moods of Spain was released in 1995.<br />
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Maybe it is because I have a fondness for slash-your-wrists-music (well I love a good rocking tune too you know) but I've been musically subdued lately and failed to get OHMYGODexcited in a while. That was it, I was just another old fart...<br />
<br />
BUT then one day, I noticed a enthusiastic tweet from the taleted BBC reviewer and lovely bloke Mike Diver (<a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/mikediver">@mikediver</a>) he was reviewing a hip hop album by Sacramento-based trio <b>Death Grips</b>. He sounded so excited (and we've often had similar taste in music) that I fell compelled to hit youtube and discover what the hell he was all about. WOOOAW proper hip hop with such intensity, urgency,dissatifaction...and a sound that took a few listens to really digest.<br />
Mike is better with words than me, so I'll let you read is <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/9bcg">review</a> to get a sense of what that album "money store" is all about.<br />
As for me, it feels like I've been punched in the face, the stomach and the ears and it got my heart pumping. Try it if you dare!<br />
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Single 'Guillotine' is quite astonishing and doesn't appear on Money Store, probably slightly easier to digest.<br />
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Sometimes, we need to get out of our comfort zone to get a kick in the ass and get going again. A few years ago it was Blakroc and These New Puritans who administrated said kick, today it's Death Grips and I F*cking thank them for that!<br />
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One last for the road, got your seatbelt on? It's Blackjack<br />
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Death Grips are on <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/deathgripz">Twitter</a> and they will have a second album out later in 2012 - Money Store is in the shops now<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHx60e-ukgZX36xFOsxb1nuxCZLGpcuuVrCrAerske1RQLZ9PrNZDTgBDttE8i51Aw5u0wEn6c6fSr4whDEz-qJAS1MWzvG3QgM4cLBIg5YKo-RJ20wS5kvxGWkJkrwma5SPXfeEXZQE/s1600/Picture+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHx60e-ukgZX36xFOsxb1nuxCZLGpcuuVrCrAerske1RQLZ9PrNZDTgBDttE8i51Aw5u0wEn6c6fSr4whDEz-qJAS1MWzvG3QgM4cLBIg5YKo-RJ20wS5kvxGWkJkrwma5SPXfeEXZQE/s320/Picture+2.png" width="315" /></a></div>
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Spain are playing the <a href="http://www.botanique.be/activite/spain-12052012">Cirque Royal</a> on Saturday 12/05 and Josh haden is also on<a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/joshhaden"> twitter</a><br />
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<br />Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-82976249477354925232012-02-13T00:25:00.002+01:002012-02-13T00:27:13.144+01:00Desert Island Albums: Afghan Whigs "Gentlemen"<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is torture, choosing 10 albums to take on a desert island. But it forces us to look at the crème de la crème in our CD collections. Those albums without fillers that have accompanied us for a long time. Albums that we keep going back to over and over again, like our musical best friends. It's obviously unfair to the more recent music as we have not yet had the time to create a special relationship with those chords, choruses...they're not yet part of our history. But hell... that's life, right?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So the first album I'd take with me on that dreaded desert island is Gentlemen by The <b>Afghan Whigs</b>. As starters, I'd like to stare at pictures of <b>Greg Dulli </b>if I was stuck on an empty island. The Greg Dulli version 1992 more than the 2012 one, mind. No offense Greg, but you were mightily sexy back then.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGTBMkCaCsRKxvcx24AYBq73fWxV7_lqX6tuywSeN8ktGJHgd8lK9K-2JzOgxAAdEPyRn2RbXGXJyuLjMpYWpGVlIidgzq-DPvssP0QS7qzJEHY8Q8IMbSWgj2UopiZ1k9Wn553IIyD0/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-02-13+at+00.06.03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGTBMkCaCsRKxvcx24AYBq73fWxV7_lqX6tuywSeN8ktGJHgd8lK9K-2JzOgxAAdEPyRn2RbXGXJyuLjMpYWpGVlIidgzq-DPvssP0QS7qzJEHY8Q8IMbSWgj2UopiZ1k9Wn553IIyD0/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-02-13+at+00.06.03.png" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So Gentlemen, Afghan Whigs's 4th album, released in 1993 after the succes of Congregation and it's anthemic "Miles Iz Dead"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I instantly fell in love with the artwork. I usually hate kids in films, ads, etc... but that picture...waaaw it says a thousand stories.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The still teenager Sophie loved the tortured lyrics from a bad boy with a little boy's heart inside who wants to love but still courts pleasure instead. Oh dear...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">To this day this album has meant a lot to me and I like to blame it for my poor taste in men :-D</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yes Greg Dulli, it's all you fault, you hear me?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The album starts with "<b>If I were Going</b>" which sounds like a menu for the 10 tracks to follow, borrowing lyrics from other tracks on the album. it's a grand entrance that does whet the listener's appetite. Perfect opening then</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Song number 2 is the title track, a grungy affair in which our hero wants to be understood and screams at the top of his lungs that he is not a bastard. oh no.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then comes one of my highlights of the album "<b>Be Sweet</b>" - the rhythm slightly slower but with more pathos, the lyrics have time to ferment and reach their full meaning. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The only video I've found is a live recording but well, the Dulli charm sure translates well that way too</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"Ladies, let me tell you about myself</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I got a dick for a brain</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And my brain is gonna sell my ass to you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now I'm OK, but in time I'll find I'm stuck</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">'Cause she wants love, and still want to fuck"</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Yeah proper romantic that, but girls will be girls and for some reason some of us find that appealing. Call the doctor please!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Onto track 4: another fabulous moment on the album "<b>Debonair</b>"</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">another live performance as I can't seem to find any proper recordings - and gosh the 90s haven't seem so far and outdated than today...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"Hear me now and don't forget</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm not the man my actions would suggest</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A Little Boy, I'm tied to you</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I fell apart</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That's what I always do..."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Can you feel the tortured soul, can you? Don't you want to take him in your arms? huh?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mid album, comes <i>the</i> slow, that terribly saaaaad song with tears rolling on everybody's cheeks. The moment couples fall apart "<b>When we Two parted</b>" but damn they manage to still make it sound sexy (and sick). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Track 6 et 7: "<b>Fountain & Fairfax</b> and <b>What Jail Is Like</b>" are two very fine poppy grunge tracks in the same vain as the rest of the album, with lyrics and a delivery that clack! in your ears and abdomen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dulli stays a repentent macho, the guitars are syncopated and the bass vroooms warmly to keep us at arms reach, like a victim happy to stay with its jailor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then comes <b>My Curse</b>, one of my favourite piece of music EVER. This track is so f*cking sexy with lots of other emotions attached. I've had many different relationships with that song and its slightly provocative lyrics, its dramatic music and this little je-ne-sais quoi that has always touched me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Just close your eyes and listen to this little gem:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"And there's blood on my teeth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When I bite my tongue to speak</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Zip me down, kiss me there</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I can smile now</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You won't find out...ever"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The last 3 tracks from the album always kinda pass me by, just like after great love making, you hear them, its good but what was before was so good and so intense that it never really registers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Since 1993 I must have listened to Gentlemen thousands of times, it's been a good friend giving me bad advice for nearly 20 years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I saw the Whigs just before the release of the album, in 1992 when they played in a small venue in Leuven. I was a young music fan and after the show Dulli spontaneously came to shake my hand and said "thanks for coming to the show". I was in love. I bought a T-shirt and vowed that Afghan Whigs would be my favourite band forever.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This year they are starting to tour again and I bloody well hope to see them live, hopefully in a venue and if not at a festival.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The grunge sound has aged a bit and the lyrics don't touch me the same way today but I still love that band and that album for being my good friends all these years. So yes, I'll take them with me on a desert island.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-40736359618272316712012-01-30T21:23:00.000+01:002012-01-30T21:23:56.037+01:00Jack White, on his own, without interruptionToday, <b>Jack White</b> has officially released his first solo single. Titled <b>Love Interruption</b>, its musical landscape borrows more from the Country and Americana tradition than to his usual energy-filled blues-rock. It's even, dare I say it, kinda middle age sounding.<br />
The man is growing up I suppose, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it's gracefully, right?<br />
Make up your own mind:<br />
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You can download the track via iTunes, as of now.<br />
The full album, <b>Blunderbuss</b> will hit the stores (digital or not) on April 24th, there is no word yet on a solo tour to support the release.<br />
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Time to have a look at some great tracks written by this retro loving king of rock:<br />
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<b>The White Stripes</b>:<br />
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Ok, I'd better go full exposure here: I LOVED the White Stripes and I don't think any other White-led project has ever captured my musical emotions quite like them.<br />
I have found memories of travelling between London and Brussels with De Stijl or White blood Cells on my discman (yeah I didn't have a iPod in 2000/2001) in the Eurostar terminals and feeling like I was somewhere else with a tiny fire in my belly.<br />
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It is in the Brussels train terminal that I completely fell in love with <b>The Union Forever</b>, for some reason it hit the spot and reminded me of the power of the grunge of my teenage years.<br />
"What Would I Like To Have Been? Everything You Hate" rhaaaa talk about teenage angst<br />
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Then in 2003, they released Elephant and it was the great Live period. Saw them many times and was always awed by the sheer energy two people can create on a stage. The boy's got charisma<br />
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I always think it's a shame 7 Nation Army got so popular in football stadia because it's a fantastic song but it's lost its appeal a bit. Over exposure does that to a song<br />
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<b>Raconteurs</b><br />
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The mix of voices between <b>Brendan Benson</b> and White was just great, and the whole cuckoo image of the band worked well. We still had the rootsy rock'n roll feel even if it was probably poppier than anything White had released before.<br />
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<b>The Dead Weather</b><br />
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I never really go back to that album, but I love the video and rock clichés of the first single <b>Treat Me Like Your Mother</b> :)<br />
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Obviously, his production work has been a lot more mellow and this is why we should not be surprised to se White release a country tinted album in 2012.<br />
His collaboration with<b> Rome</b>, the Danger Mouse & Daniele Lippi project:<br />
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Ok I have to stop here or we'll be listening to White music until next week. The guy's only 36 and he's been involved in so many projects, it a wonder he finds time to sleep.<br />
I will leave you with the last conundrum: is White singing backing vocals on <b>Electric 6</b>'s hit High Voltage or not?... answers in the comments ^^<br />
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<br />Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-28169223080270361582012-01-04T22:40:00.000+01:002012-01-04T22:46:09.588+01:00Whet my appetite, 2012Ok, we're 4 days into 2012 and it already looks like it will a phenomenal musical year... I for one am quite excited.<br />
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None more so than a few days ago when I hear the new teaser track from Anja Plaschg, aka <b>Soap & Skin</b>. The moody Austrian songstress is ready to swallow us again into her dark waves of dramatic melancholic tunes, mixing piano and electronic noises. A recipe she will keep on using in <b>Narrow,</b> a new 30-minute mini album that will arrive in our lives on February 14th<br />
Here's the teaser:<br />
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Then there is the old bat, <b>Cat Power</b> who's recording a 9th album that should be released later this year. For Xmas she gave us an extended version of <b>The King Rides By</b>, a track that was on her 1996 album What Would The Community Think (My favourite album of hers for its raw emotions)<br />
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Talking of bands that have a strong history of releasing excellent albums, step forward <b>Tindersticks</b>, the trio from Nottingham; led by the inimitable voice of Stuart Staples.<br />
<b>The Something Rain</b> will be their 9th output since 1993 and it contains 9 beautifully crafted songs that will please the fans. Medecine is the lead single<br />
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A more recent, yet skilled and delicate singer-songwriter to release an album early 2012 is <b>Perfume Genius</b>. Behind this moniker is Seattle based Mike Hadreas. His first album Learnings got the attention of the press and many a music lover. He's ready to seduce us again on February 20th with a new album called <b>Put Your Back N2 It</b><br />
Check out this somptuous <b>All Waters</b><br />
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Obviously, as I have mentioned it before I can't wait for Feb 6th as it means the great man himself <b>Mark Lanegan</b> will be back with a solo album that simply cannot be bad - what with a title such as <b>Blues Funeral</b> :-D<br />
A track that's been doing the rounds lately is<b> The Gravedigger's Song</b><br />
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Add the new Dirty Three and a new Last Shadow Puppets on top of that list and you understand why I CAAAAAANT WAIIIIIIIIT<br />
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What about you? any other album is tickling your fancy?<br />
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Sx<br />
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<br />Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-91428180277845353622011-12-20T22:31:00.001+01:002011-12-20T22:36:55.337+01:00let's get dirty againOh my words, how excited was I last week when I saw a tweet from <a href="http://thequietus.com/articles/07584-dirty-three-announce-new-lp">@thequietus</a> announcing that 2012 would see the release of a new Dirty Three album. AMAZING!<br />
This calls for a blogpost but be warned, this is a personal story :)<br />
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Back in 1998, I had become friends with chicago musician <b>David Grubbs</b> of Gastr Del Sol fame. David was touring Europe to support his very good solo album The Thicket and we bonded over our love of literature (he has an amazing knowledge) and my passion for Cassavetes films.<br />
If you're not familiar with his work, which I will admit is not always easy listening, here's a digestable Gastr Del Sol track "Season Reverse"<br />
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So one day, I got an email from David telling me that his Australian mates would be playing in Belgium and that I was not allowed to miss them because they're fabulous and he had played the piano on some tracks from the new album. Sound dudes! Turns out I had to do press for them on the day of their show as I was looking after the Bella Union Catalogue back then. The band turned out to be <b>Dirty Three</b> and they were opening for PJ Harvey, to support their sublime 4th album <b>'Ocean Songs'</b>.<br />
The fact that we had a friend in common started a connection and to this day i remember that press day very fondly as one of my favourite throughout my career. And it's always a joy to bump into them at festivals.<br />
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Here are Warren Ellis, Jim White and Mick Turner in action at the time. Set up the scene guys, low lights, cuddle up in the sofa and just follow the music...<br />
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In March 2000, they put out a mini album that inherited a great title: <b>"Whatever you love, you are"</b><br />
The opening track is probably my favourite Dirty Three track. I especially love it live, as Warren Ellis compensates the wordless music with stream of consciousness stories he tells the audience between the songs. Oh yeah Dirty three are an immense band live.<br />
"Some summers they drop like flies", I find myself consumed by this song, the narrative, the seduction...it's like being at sea with the cold wind in your hair, it takes me places and I hope it will do the same to you.<br />
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In 2005, they released <b>Cinder</b>, an album on which they invited 3 friends to record vocals on their dreamy music. One such friend is <b>Chan Marshall</b>, aka Cat Power. Turner and White have toured extensively as her backing band. Jim White, the best drummer in the world, is still in her Dirty Delta Blues Band today.<br />
The result of that collaboration is <b>Great Waves</b><br />
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So...no new music since Cinder, since 2005 but now in 4 little months we'll have something to look forward to as the boys will be back in town with <b>"Look Towards The Low Sun"</b> and I can barely wait to be transported by this hairy baroque indie!<br />
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Before I leave you to your dreams, there's another collaboration that I want to write about, it dates from 2001 and is called In The Fishtank 7 ( Konkurrent's studio sessions). Our 3 troubadours joined forced with my other top band Low for 6 tracks of pure magic.<br />
"I hear Goodnight"<br />
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I suggest you go buy their back catalogue, indie bands need you, right? And please go see them live but make sure I still have a ticket ok?<br />
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Sweet dreams<br />
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<br />Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-85991190546003537972011-12-12T14:23:00.000+01:002011-12-12T14:26:52.649+01:00A Guide to Heartbreak music part IISo here we go, Part II of our Guide to heartbreak music, a little SOS kit ready when you need to feel understood in your pain, cuddled in your unhappiness and to help you get back up on your feet<br />
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First, you don't need violins to make a good heartbreak song, some electronic bands have even managed to create superb tracks filled of melancholy and regrets...<br />
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The most obvious one is by <b>Everything But The Girl</b> back in 1994 when they left their old folky style to venture into more electronic territories. <b>Missing</b> is a sad as a grey rainy day in an industrial town:<br />
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More recently, another duo ( Danish this time) have also crafted a perfect anthem for all the masochists amongst us who can't help but play the love martyr game - I blame the period dramas like Pride & Prejudice by the way...<br />
<b>Trentemoller</b> then, on their 2010 album Into The Great Wide Yonder with the mournful voice of Josephine Philip <b>"...Even Though You're With Another Girl"</b><br />
get your tissues ready, the video is as beautiful as the song:<br />
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Alt Country is an other style that has spawned many a sad love song. I have to include <b>Ryan Adams</b> in here, but he has written way too many beautiful tracks to choose one, but fair's fair and I'll go for <b>"Come Pick Me Up"</b> on his first album, the aptly titled Heartbreaker in 2000. It's full of regrets with hints of hope, perfect for a heartbreak. Here's a live version ( you can laugh at his dress sense too)<br />
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In a more lo-fi genre, <b>Death Cab for Cutie</b> too have a knack for lyrics that go straight to your heart and lacrimal glands. On Plans, their fifth album in 2005, there is a song I keep going back to when I need a good cry. <b>"Someday You Will Be Loved"</b> with its perfect video. Strangely enough I don't find it that hopeful...<br />
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Some old classical songs add some gravita to the heartbreak, after all love pain is as old as the world, right? Here, <b>Nina Simone</b> covers Screaming Jay Hawkins's "<b>I put a spell on you</b>" in a haunted way. If the original (1956) was rather eccentric and out of the ordinary, Simone's cover is full on melodramatics with over the top strings and rolling tears<br />
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Talking of putting a spell on a loved one, here we have the unrequited love version from English singer songwriter Matt Hales aka <b>Aqualung</b>. On his first self titled album in 2002 he hit the jackpot with this distressed and poisonous "<b>Strange & Beautiful</b>" - stalker alert!<br />
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Obviously we can't talk of heartbreak song without mentioning the one king song to rule them all. No need for an introduction, just sing along and shiver:<br />
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So, take good care of your hearts, kids, as <b>Saint Bonnie</b> sings it eloquently: "it's a heartache, nothing but heartache, hits you when it's too late, hits you when you're down. It's a fool's game, nothing but a fool's game. Standing in the cold rain, feeling like a clown..."<br />
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I listened to a couple more Smith tracks like that and then, the magic of Youtube operated: on the right hand section there were some rubbish recommendations as often but...omagaaaad I have forgotten about <b>Codeine</b>, I used to love that band. I avidly listened to available tracks and here we are!<br />
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Codeine formed in 1989 in New York and were part of the <b>Slowcore</b> mouvement, like Low, Red House Painters, Galaxie 5000, Bedhead,... However, they were labelled as pioneers of a more indie type of slowcare (yeah, this is a bit silly)<br />
So basically you have the monotonous, bleak lyrics and repetitive hypnotic guitars but with bursts of indie rock here and there. nice.<br />
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Perfect example:<b> Sea</b> on their 2nd album "<b>The White Birch</b>"<br />
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Their discography is very simple as it only encompasses 2 albums:<br />
Frigid Star in 1990 and The White Birch 4 years later. The band, led by <b>Stephen Immerwhar</b> split the same year, in 1994.<br />
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<b>3 Angels</b> was on their first LP<br />
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The good news is that Mogwai have managed to get Immerwhar & co out of their Codeine hiding and the band will perform on May 26th at Alexandra Palace for the Mogwai curated event I'll Be You Mirror.<br />
Hopefully they'll have fun and tour some more afterwards. we can only keep our fingers crossed.<br />
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<br />Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-64436346881132981112011-11-07T20:03:00.001+01:002011-11-07T20:03:59.985+01:00Play it Greg, play...This month, London born crooner <b>Gregory Page</b> will release his...31st album <b>"My True Love"</b>. yups, never heard of him before? I only started following his career last year when his album Promise Of A Dream landed on my desk and, you know, crooners and me...<br />
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Give me a piano, a tortured man in a classy suit singing his love in a jazz bar and I say yes every time!<br />
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/8284430">"Saturday Night Blues" by Gregory Page</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/wiant">Wiant</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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I think my love for those whiskey-filled mournful songs come from my first listens of Tom Waits back Catalogue from the 70s: Closing Time (73), The Heart Of Saturday Night (74), Nighthawks at The Diner (75), Small Change (76), Foreign Affairs (77) and Blue Valentine (78)<br />
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So back to gentleman singer Gregory page then, his smooth voice and quaint, passé melodies are not for hipsters, he comes from a more traditional mould of song-writers, and probably because of that there is a great comfort in his beautifully crafted music, yeah you feel good and you can trust him with your ears and emotions, this guys will take good care of them.<br />
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Here he is playing live the first track of his new album "<b>It's You</b>"<br />
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This new album is his hommage to classical jazzy artists from another era like Louis Armstrong, Cole Porter and miss Billie Holiday.<br />
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In his previous album there were already some touches of old gramophone and perhaps happier times, like in this female led "<b>My Foolish Heart</b>", just close your eyes and you will be transported in time...<br />
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And one last one video for the road, another great live version of his "<b>Sleeping Dogs</b>" recorded last year for VPRO..., nighty night kids, no cold beds, and sweet dreams<br />
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PS/ once you've bought his new album also try his free <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/gregory-page/id399766113?mt=8">iPhone app</a> ( yup a man can long for simpler times but still be current. amen)<br />
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But then one day, you learn that he's throwing you away for a 15-year-younger-model (or 15-yr-older if he's into cougars), or you've found texts of a sexy nature to another woman on his cell or worst of all, you finally realise he actually kills the fluffy kittens at night ( Sorry male reader, I'm sure ladies do terrible things to you too, so feel free to apply the scenario that best fits your own story)<br />
DRAMA!<br />
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At times like these we are all allowed to wallow in self pity and what do most of us do? We turn to music to soothe our pain. After all, if rich creative beautiful sexy cool people can have a broken heart, it's only normal we do too.<br />
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<b><i>But what makes a good 'heartbreak song'?</i></b><br />
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1. first observation: we tend to <b>forget any notion of taste</b> when we have a heart in 1000 pieces. Some of the biggest torch songs have been written by those heavy metal bands in the late 80s and early 90s. Yes I'm talking about choruses as big as the band's hair, guitar solos on mountain tops and lyrics that are so very profound, every one of us can identify with it. My favourite in that genre is probably "You Don't Know What You've Got 'Till It's Gone" by Philly blues-rock-glam metal combo <b>Cinderella</b><br />
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2. the <b>lyrics</b>: I admit I'm already a sucker for good lyrics but when I need to feel sorry for myself after a break-up, I'm always on the look-out for the perfect lyrics that fit my mood and "oh my god that's <b>EXACTLY </b>how I feel' moments. Music (art in general) is a powerful identification mechanism - we are never alone to feel the way we do, and it helps...<br />
There are many contenders in this category , depending on how you feel: angry, sad, resigned, despaired, pretending to be fine, missing that horrible person who broke your heart,...or all those emotions at the same time.<br />
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Here's a selection for your perusal (this post is sponsored by Kleenex by the way)<br />
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>> For the delusionals amongst us, who still want to believe something is possible, the Penelope's of modern times will recognise themselves in this poignant<b> Emiliana Torrini</b> song ( esp, if like me you love red Chanel lipstick)<br />
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>> when you feel proper despair, tears rolling down your cheeks, forlorn and miserable,when you have reached rock bottom of sadness, there is nothing better (or worse?) than <b>Soap & Skin</b>'s Fall Foliage<br />
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>> OK, OK, boys too can be left heartbroken, unrequited love is more often their playground though, they don't do despair like the ladies do. Here's to you <b>Maxi Hecker</b><br />
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>> Then there's those songs, like <b>Cat Power</b>'s Good Woman, where the lyrics just hit you straight to the throat, you play it strong, you're ok, even though you're devastated but yeah this was the best decision, right? RIGHT?<br />
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We'll cover many more themes in the next installment of A Guide To Heartbreak Music, feel free to leave your best songs in the comments<br />
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3. it's not just the lyrics, though, the way our singer means those words, the music, the silence, the whispers followed by screams... all contribute to the general effet. Take my mum, she doesn't speak English and is not fond of music, but one day I sat her in the sofa, asked her to close her eyes and played her the <b>Jeff Buckley</b> version of Lilac Wine. She was in shock, she told me " I have no idea what he says but how he suffers, it makes me sad..."<br />
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4. There's also the <b>personal element</b>: songs or artists that meant something to your story and they hurt now, they really do. If they can have poetic lyrics and melodies full of regrets and melancholy you have a real winner.<br />
This one is very personal so again, leave your own tracks in the comments section<br />
<b>Richard Hawley</b>, always and forever..."Soldier On"<br />
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Next time, we'll go into other Heartbreak territories but that's it for now. Looking forward to hearing your best songs and opinions on this very grave subject.<br />
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I will leave you with <b>Peggy Lee</b>'s words<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">"...Then I fell in love, with the most wonderful boy in the world.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left;">We would take long walks by the river or just sit for hours gazing into each other's eyes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left;">We were so very much in love.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Then one day, he went away. And I thought I'd die -- but I didn't. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left;">And when I didn't I said to myself, "Is that all there is to love?"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Is that all there is, is that all there is</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545559; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left;">If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing.."</span><br />
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<br />Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-1594971363697941782011-10-30T11:01:00.000+01:002011-10-30T11:04:12.372+01:00Introducing Jessica JalbertThanks the great blog <a href="http://www.twentyfourbit.com/">Twentyfourbit</a>, I've come across new singer-songwriter <b>Jessica Jalbert</b>.<br />
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I can't find much about her except that she's from Edmonton, in Canada and she has an album titled <a href="http://jessicajalbert.bandcamp.com/album/brother-loyola">Brother Loyola</a> out about now.<br />
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Here's a lovely track, <b>Lack of a Lake</b>, that you can get for free on her <a href="http://jessicajalbert.bandcamp.com/track/lack-of-a-lake">site</a><br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/track=584419945/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" style="display: block; height: 100px; position: relative; width: 400px;" width="400">&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://jessicajalbert.bandcamp.com/track/lack-of-a-lake"&amp;amp;amp;gt;Lack of a Lake by Jessica Jalbert&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;</iframe><br />
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I love the sweet nostalgic feel of her sound, the voice reminds me a bit of Holly Miranda or a quiet version of Annie of Giant Drag fame.</div>
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It's not all twee and quietness though, single <b>Paris Green</b> does have some layers of guitars and beating drums. I'm a tad less convinced by her voice here though. </div>
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Last but not least for you electronica lovers, previous dream-pop single <b>Necromancy</b> has been successfully remixed to create a great soundtrack to a lazy Sunday Morning in bed.</div>
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Now it's time for a croissant dipped into milky coffee, if you'll excuse me.</div>Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-90440837344076737362011-10-24T19:44:00.002+02:002011-10-25T11:47:47.237+02:00I fade into you again, and again<div class="p1">
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You live your life</div>
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You go in shadows</div>
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You'll come apart and you'll go black</div>
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Some kind of night into your darkness</div>
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Colors your eyes with what's not there.</div>
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Fade into you</div>
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Strange you never knew</div>
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Fade into you</div>
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I think its strange you never knew</div>
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That was the track that defined 1993 for a lot of indie kids and music lovers. <b>Fade Into You</b> by the Californian duo <b>Mazzy Star</b> on their 2nd album So Tonight That I Might See</div>
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How many teenagers wanted to get close and personal with <b>Hope Sandoval</b>...and I knew quite a few girls who wanted to be her as well...</div>
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The song has this timeless nostalgic feel, the sadness that lingers after a love affair ends...oh the tears that have been shed listening to this record!</div>
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So Mazzy Star then, Sandoval and <b>David Roback</b> appeared on the dream pop scene back in 1989, a year later they released a first opus <b>She Hangs Brightly</b>; the dark art nouveau with gothic undertones visuals of that album paved the way for the musical content: brooding and psychedelia-tinged folk with Sandoval's child-like voice half soothing half creepy</div>
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It took them 3 years to serve us a follow-up album: <b>So Tonight I Might See,</b> and with it came world-wide fame. The production is more mature and Sandoval's voice more seductive and velvety.</div>
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This is my favourite track on that album: 5 String Serenade ( I dare you not to melt)</div>
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After a Third album <b>Among My Swan</b>, the band went on a hiatus to pursue solo careers. Sandoval released a couple of albums and went on tour whilst Roback produced Beth Orton's Central Reservation amongst others.</div>
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Then last week, it was revealed that Mazzy Star would come back with a new song ( the first one in 15 years) with a full album to follow. That first single will be available for Halloween ( they always had a gothic undertone) and a small trailer hit Youtube.</div>
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Today, <a href="http://pitchfork.com/news/44386-new-mazzy-star-lay-myself-down/"><span class="s1">Pitchfork</span></a> brings us the B-Side from that single.<br />
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I'm really looking forward to a brand new slice of Mazzy Star. You?<br />
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<br /></div>Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-49464312500084799232011-10-15T13:45:00.002+02:002011-10-15T13:46:06.378+02:00Rejoice! Autumn Falls in NovemberFrom November 21st until the 27th in Brussels, Indie music will be celebrated via the wonderful <b>Autumn Falls festival</b>. It's been going on for a few years and the bill keeps showcasing impeccable taste in the talented and oddball musical landscape. About 50 artists will take part in this indie extravaganza in various venues throughout Brussels. Full listing on the festival's <a href="http://autumnfalls.toutpartout.be/Info_%26_tickets">website</a><br />
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On November 24th, don't try and call me or invite me anywhere, I will be at the Cirque Royal to watch 3 excellent acts do their stuff on stage. First up is <b>Pinback</b>, a Californian stalwart indie band that many of my music lover friends love love love ( yes you @exexalex and @mikediver). Since 1999 they've released 4 albums and a 5th one is planned for 2012. They're consistantly good live so it's a good <i>'entrée en matière'</i><br />
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For mains, it will be mister <b>Bill Callahan</b> of Smog fame, I've talked about him many times on this blog so won't spoil your intelligence with more rambling about how wooooonderful a songwriter he is.<br />
Callahan can be moody on stage but his voice and music are well worth the ticket fee alone.<br />
He gave us 12 lo-fi albums as Smog and has put out his 4th effort under his own name back in April. The single from <b>Apocalypse</b> was 'America'<br />
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Then the cherry on the cake that night will be <b>Low</b>, the trio from Minnesota who encapsulated the Slow Core genre in the mid 90s<br />
They released their 9th album "C'mon" earlier this year on Sub Pop. I love them, I just do : the harmonies, the simplicity mixed with some harshness and the lancinant, near psychedelic sounds...it's just perfect!<br />
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Autumn Falls holds another little gem in his programme: <b>She Keeps Bees</b>. If you like artists like Patti Smith, Cat Power or even old Pj Harvey you must try some She Keeps Bees. Live, you just want to hug Jessica Larrabee, she's standing there so fresh and un-starlike full of jokes and joie de vivre. Then she sings and her voices fills up the space with so much soul...<br />
I completely missed the released of Dig On last spring so here's an old favourite of mine 'Cage Match'<br />
You can see her at the Botanique on November 26th as support for <b>Pink Mountaintops</b><br />
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I'd also like to point out several other highlights quickly:<br />
On the 26th if She Keeps Bees is not your cup of tea and you prefer dancing, then head to the AB for <b>Metronomy</b> + SX + Holloys + Babe Rainbow and the great Germans <b>Tarwater</b><br />
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Now, still on the 26th the rockers amongst you will be making their way to the VK for a full dosage of decibels courtesy of Chrome Hoof, Part Chimp and Alkerdeel.<br />
And because Tim Cedar is a very old friend of mine from when he was in a band called Ligament here's a dose of <b>Part Chimp</b> to wake every up.<br />
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And for you, Lana Del Ray fans, try a dose of<b> Marissa Nadler </b>please, you may just be seduced by the real deal and she'll be in Brussels on November 27th with Scott Matthews and A Winged Victory For The Sullen.<br />
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<a href="http://autumnfalls.toutpartout.be/Home">Autum Falls</a> is a festival held in various venues across Brussels from November 21st until the 27th, organised by <a href="http://www.toutpartout.be/">Tout Par Tout</a> Booking agency<br />
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<b><br /></b></div>Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-27411604284497520712011-10-11T14:03:00.002+02:002011-10-11T14:03:21.489+02:00Dreams do come true, Cass<br />
Some artists are constantly good throughout their career, they keep creating beautifully crafted pieces of music. One such artists is mister <b>Cass McCombs</b>; he will be releasing his 6th album later this fall so maybe it's time to have a look at his prolific outputs.<br />
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I don't know much about McCombs apart from his music and the fact that his albums are put out by <b>Domino Records</b>. So let's focus on the music then...<br />
Back in 2003 he released a first album (after an EP the previous year) that was critically acclaimed. Simply titled '<b>A</b>' it showcased McCombs's talent for soothing melodies, odd lyrics and that latent dreamy sadness.<br />
First track is called <b>I Went To The Hospital</b> and leaves you in no doubt about the American's abilities. it's a terrific piece of music, what a way to start your first album!<br />
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2 years later McCombs came back with <b>PREfection</b>,an album that kept going in the same direction than its predecessor.<br />
Then in 2007 came <b>Dropping The Writ</b>, and with it a slight change of musical landscape: less reverbs, less indie postures, more Americana and folky sounds. As Pitchfork wrote at the time McCombs stopped gazing at his feet but started staring at the stars instead. And it worked a treat. On that LP there is a song "<b>Full Moon Or Infinity</b>" that probably is in my top10 favourites songe EVAH<br />
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Releasing albums at the rhythm of one every 2 years, we only had to wait until 2009 for <b>Catacombs</b>, yup the boy'still enjoying playing with words and is not afraid of auto-derision. For most of his teenage years and early adulthood, Mc Combs travelled across America and this 4th album is very much a troubadour on the road type of album. Again, the melodies are flowing effortlessly and softly in the listener's ears. First single was <b>Dreams Come True, Girl </b>with some vocals from Karen Black, and is tinged with 50s influences.<br />
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Back in April, McCombs served us a fifth helping of his original yet comforting music ("Wit's End") and lo and behold! we won't have to wait another 2 years for the next installment as <b>Humour Risk</b> (See, told you the boy was funny with words) will be with us in November. Reasons to be cheerful, right? We'll be well cosy at home this winter with an extra dose of McCombs. Yes, dreams DO come true ;-)<br />
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I hope you'll check this talented and orignal artist and am praying for him to give a show in Belgium soon. Despite following his career since 2003, I've never seen him live...<br />
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Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-30666076772494210742011-09-25T23:25:00.002+02:002011-09-25T23:43:46.605+02:00In Memoriam of SparklehorseFor the past 2 weeks I've been thinking about <b>Sparklehorse</b>, musical project of <b>Mark Linkous</b> who died back in March 2010. He's one of these artists that seem to influence so many others yet never got quite that high recognition he deserved. A sensitive soul who made a music layered with emotions, feelings and still at the heart of it a certain freshness and even naivety. To me, his music often shined with a lot of light and often triggered a smile.<br />
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Why am I thinking about Linkous at the moment? For 2 reasons: the first one is <b>Twin Falls</b> who's debut album <b>"Slow Numb"</b> was released mid September on CowshedMusic. This is another singer-songwriter hiding behind a band name, in this case West Country boy Luke Stidson.<br />
I found a link to their soundcloud and their song "Monkey is a singe" was reminiscent of Linkous' Sparklehorse. The rest of the album is more folky and alt country, you can download a free track on their <a href="http://nordicfir.com/twinfalls/">website</a> if you're curious.<br />
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<object height="81" width="100%"><param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F18022309&color=3b5998&width=398&height=84&show_artwork=false">
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<embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F18022309&color=3b5998&width=398&height=84&show_artwork=false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed></object><a href="http://soundcloud.com/covert-pr/twin-falls-monkey-is-singe">twin falls - monkey is singe</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/covert-pr">Covert PR</a><br />
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Reason number 2 for going back to my Sparkelhorse CDs is a superb musical project called "<b>A Winged Victory For The Sullen</b>". Composed of Dustin O'Halloran and Adam Wiltzie, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.awvfts.com/">AWVFTS</a> </span> marries classical music with some post-rock sounds and dusts the result with some ambiant to create absolutely stunning pieces of music. O'Halloran and Wiltzie were making music with linkous and created this hybrid project in his memory. Oh boy, it's sublime, moving, enthralling...when I told you he inspired many to create music.<br />
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Their self-titled album was released early September in Europe and if you like music that will keep you in its arms during the long winter night, this album is for you.<br />
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So thank you Mark Linkous, thank you for your 4 Sparklehorse albums, thank you for the collaboration with Fennesz, thank you for your Dark Night Of The Soul project with Dangermouse & Lynch and finally thank you for the legacy and still inspiring great people to make fabulous music.Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-91500370229308992562011-09-17T14:37:00.000+02:002011-09-17T14:37:42.792+02:00Future This: When Pink Turns GoldI very much remember the first time I heard "<b>To Young To Love</b>" back at the start of 2009 - it was heavy and dark like a winter rainy day. It was dangerous and seductive, it was hypnotic and inebriated, short of breath and spinning. You bet I loved it. The band, who chose the rather silly name <b>The Big Pink</b>, was signed by 4AD, which added a stamp of quality.<br />
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They followed this first single with <b>Velvet</b> which was more in the same veine: layers of guitars in a shoegazing mood, deep noisy electronica and slightly naïve lyrics delivered in a passionately bored tone ( yes it's possible) This band was creating very sexy music that brought us deliciously back to the mid 90s but with a current edge.<br />
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The album <b>A Brief History of Love</b> was a tad disappointing. It's not easy to create 11 tracks of the same intensity as their first 2 singles, even for seasoned musicians like Milo Cordell and Robbie Furze. However it led us to believe that they have what it takes to take the next album a step further.<br />
The gigs were urgent, sweaty, rock'n roll and mesmerizing, especially at the small AB club; the band was less convincing at festivals but that was to be expected despite their latest single Dominoes being played everywhere and transforming them into pop stars.<br />
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This week they're releasing a first full video for their new single out in November, it's called <b>Stay Gold</b><br />
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They've kept the same 'winning recipe' used on Dominoes with the big cheering pop chorus, adding touches of Celtic undertones. To me, it sounds weaker, even washed-up, it sounds like a band who are willing to be less creative to keep the masses happy. Good on them if it works I guess.<br />
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Maybe I'm too hard, it's still atmospheric and the lads have a right to play slightly lighter and easier music. Maybe I just liked them too much before.<br />
The full 2nd album <b>Future This</b> will be out still on <b>4AD</b> in January 2010 and whilst waiting for it I'll keep playing those first single of theirs, you know to keep the expectations high :-p<br />
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<br />Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-5190796171508101292011-09-11T19:04:00.000+02:002011-09-12T08:21:24.563+02:00The Phoenix rises againnaaah not those Phoenix
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It took me about 6 months to start liking music again. Add an extra 2 or 3 months to want to write about it and share bits of music that excite, endear, surprise me... and we reach 9 months. hum.<br />
Thing is, when you write for other people, it takes an extra energy or motivation to take to the computer again when you get back home late, when the last thing you want to see is a Facebook page or a blog.<br />
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But, here we go again. I took my time, but I now feel ready to talk about music with you, to go back to gigs and buy records. First, it started with a tour of my old favourite records: singing along, dancing in the kitchen, remembering how I know some songs by heart because the lyrics are so beautifully crafted. You know, falling back in love again. <br />
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Then I kept that little <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Sofistarmusic">Facebook page</a> that's been fed with snippets of new music that I came across. That's how I stumbled upon <b>First Aid Kit</b>'s cover of Fever Ray's <b>"When I Grow Up"</b>. And then... gosh I wanted to write about it!
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Covers, a difficult art: stay too close to the original and you get labelled a copycat without a vision, appropriate the song to your own style too much and you lack respect to the original. There is a fine balance. Some artists are master at surprising us with covers that manage to stay true to the songs ' roots yet shed a new light on it.
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Back to First Aid Kit, they first came to the public awareness in 2008 with a cover of Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song". The Söderbrg sisters followed this first good impression with a lovely album titled "<b>The Big Black & The Blue</b>" in 2010.<br />
Folky harmonies and that naïve seriousness only encountered in teenage voices made them stand out with what was a very decent first effort. <br />
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In 2012, they will be back with a 2nd album "<b>The Lion's Roar</b>"; to whet our appetites and show us how much they've grown they've just served up this stunning cover.<br />
I love the original: dark, moody and transporting us to the limit of danger. Yet this fragile cover, with all its differences stays true to the Fever Ray tracks whilst transposing it in a different world. Amazing feat by Klara and Joanna!
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Let me know what your favourite covers are and we'll do a blogpost or two about the best ones...and don't forget to keep your ears peeled for The Lion's Roar
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Welcome back!
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Sophie.Sophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7866019931396390622.post-76916584024541620482011-04-09T11:22:00.003+02:002011-04-09T11:38:08.914+02:00No Tall OrderOne of the highlights of the fabulous Nuits Botanique bill this year is the presence on May 20th of Kristian Matsson, the man hiding behind the pseudo The Tallest Man on Earth.<br />This Swedish singer-songwriter is responsible for 2 good albums: Shallow Grave in 2007 and The Whild Hunt this year. It won't be his first show at the Bota, a venue that loves seeing its artist grow.<br /><br />Matsson went through Jools Holland's studio and recorded this lovely Dylan-esque version of "Loving All"<br /><br /><object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ltV7dNxuYeY&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ltV7dNxuYeY&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />So will I see you on the 20th? come ooonSophie Chevalierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08533186003506756269noreply@blogger.com0