The beautiful and incredibly talented Jenn Grant just keeps popping up with song after song that never fail to stir up emotion, whether pure happiness or something much deeper and less often confronted.  The song that I am going to share with you today, "White Dove", came on the radio this morning and it instantly made me think of the sound of 50 and 60s girl groups.  Like the songs of those groups, this song induces an undeniable urge to dance and simply be happy.  Luckily there was no one else around at work this morning so I could do just that!  I highly recommend exploring her catalogue beyond this because it is filled with highly underrated and beautifully crafted songs.  Enjoy! 

My friends I have neglected you most terribly!  Life has been busy and filled with things that make me happy of late and I seem to have found little time or focus to sit down and write to you...  My apologies!  However, a new song that suits my happy state and sun filled days has made a reappearance in my life and I had to share it with you!  The song is "Brighter than Gold", the latest single from The cat Empire's new album Steal The Light. Perhaps you are like me and this kind of music makes it impossible for you to sit still or perhaps you will listen to it and not like it at all.  For me it is impossible not to feel happy as soon as I hear it!  The drum and bass beats are infectious and then Harry comes in on trumpet along with the Empire Horns... and Ollie on the piano and seriously... how can you not dance? Or at the very least smile!

Well, despite my intentions to keep up with writing and sharing here I have fallen far behind!  Life has caused me to put music aside for the past few weeks and that has played a major part in leaving me feeling unsettled and not at all myself.  Both writing and music keep me somewhat centred and so, spending the last hour or two sharing and listening to music as been wonderful and I had to share some of that feeling with you.  Because I have been so remiss you get two versions of a song, both great...  The original is by Prefab Sprout and the song is "Bonny". 

The cover, however, is the one I most wanted to share with you and it is by Tom Smith of The Editors.  As it is late I will simply say, god I love this man's voice and the emotion he brings to a song!  Hope you do as well...

I woke up this morning in a funk.  Yes a funk.  That is the only way to describe it and it can be near impossible to get out of one, particularly if you wake up already completely immersed in it!  So after plodding about feeling horrible and getting mad at myself for wasting my day off, indulging my mood, I turned on the radio to CBC Radio1 and Q and encountered something powerful and passionately different.  A friend had told me about Ben Caplan and the Casual Smokers a year or so ago and I did not fully catch on to him.  This morning, however, him and this live performance was exactly what I needed to hear.  Caplan's voice crept out of the speakers growing with its intensity, backed by rich layers of drum, violin, cello and acoustic guitar, drawing the ill humours from my body.  This man's voice rises up from the pit of his stomach, he sings from the depth of his soul.  He is not by any means a pretty singer, his voice and face contort simultaneously as he pours his passion into the microphone and he also has wild and crazy hair which suits his voice to a tee!  But he is clearly a talented performer and musician.  So here is the song I turned the radio on "Down to the River".  And if you want to experience and even wilder more theatrical side of this artist check out the other song that he preformed on Q "Strangers". 

In the age of youtube, iTunes, mp3 files and shuffle the experience of listening to an album from start to finish is fading into the distance and to my mind it is an incredible shame.  Albums are a thing of beauty, they are art and the order in which songs are put on the album takes thought and planning, they are not simply thrown in to a bag and chosen at random.  Some artists know when they are recording songs which one will be the first on an album or the last.  Noel Gallagher said he always knew his song "Stop the Clocks" would be the final song on an album before he had even finished thinking up the rest of his album Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.  Listening to a full album in the right order, like reading liner notes, gives you a broader connection to the artist, maybe even a deeper understanding of them and what they are trying to convey in their creations.  One album that I never get tired of listening to, playing from start to finish and singing loudly along to is Draw the Line by David Gray.  Gray is one of those artists that seems to have been rather underrated in North America and he has not received the acclaim that I believe is due... I have never understood quite why.  His ability to craft a rich, layered and powerful song is staggering!  People seem to know a few of his songs like Babylon, White Ladder, Sail Away and Be Mine but when it comes down to it, the bulk of his brilliant song writing and artistry has passed people by unnoticed and underrated.  The album Draw the Line.  was released in 2009, his 8th studio album and, as is to be expected from him, is full of powerful, intelligent lyrics and both haunting and soaring melodies.  I saw him in concert a few years back and the experience was breathtaking and inspiring, you can tell that he feels the music in his entire body and puts his heart and soul in to the creation and delivery.  It was probably one of the better concerts I have been to!  So if you can, listen to the entire album, explore his other music as well try songs from the album Life in Slow Motion another breathtakingly beautiful album in my opinion.  This song, "Breathe" is an incredible song which is shows his depth of thought and true skill! 

The less important things in life have a way of sneaking in and taking over.  They stop you from doing what you love and they focus your mind on stress, deadlines, anxiety and aggravation.  This is one reason why I love music in the way I do, it provides us with a chance to stop and a reason to look at the little things, the simple moments that we overlook or push aside thinking we will have time to experience them later.  Taking the time to listen, and I mean really listen not just with your ears but with your brain, your heart and your soul as well, should not be considered a luxury.  Don't wait.  Stop and give yourself permission to let yourself go, just for a few minutes.  Stop and listen and while you're going down that path, stop and look at the sunset, watch a bird fly, roll down your car window and let the wind make a mess of your hair, lay down in the grass and watch the sky, smile at strangers.  Each thing on its own may seem insignificant but like pennies they add up and your life will be richer for them.

The song that I have chosen is most definitely worthy of your time, it is a little bit of sunshine wrapped up in a voice that is reminiscent of Xavier Rudd and Cat Stevens.  The song is called "Let Her Go" by Passenger (yet another British artist and I have a friend to thank for turning me on to this guy!).  Mike Rossenberg, the real name of Passenger, has a unique voice that might at first make you wonder if you like it or not but it doesn't take long for the obvious passion he puts in to his creations to take hold of you and draw you in.   

The song that I am going to share with you tonight is one that I just heard about 20 minutes ago and immediately thought 'I want more people to know this song".  And so here I am, sitting at my computer telling you all to listen to this fantastic new song!  I had The Strombo Show on the radio in the living room and as I walked by the sound that came out of the speakers in the darkened room, drew me in to sit directly in front of the stereo and just listen.  That is one sign of an excellent song!  At first I thought it was a new song by The Shins because the vocals are very similar to those of James Mercer but instead it was the latest release, "Needles", by the Canadian indie band Born Ruffians.  So here it is, I hope you enjoy!    

Well folks, my apologies for going quiet for so long.  It has been a busy April so far! 

As it was the Junos last night and KD Lang was inducted in to the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame I thought I would share a song and two musicians that I have always loved.   KD Lang and Roy Orbison both have incredibly rich, powerful and unique voices with the ability to send a chill down your spine.  For those of you who haven't heard their duet on the song "Crying" you likely wouldn't think of these two artists together.  Their voices, however, blend together and enhance one another in an ethereal way.  At times it is hard to tell the difference between their voices, so seamlessly do they mingle.   Lang inherited the song from Orbison when he passed away and preforms it regularly in varying degrees of brilliance.  She is a Canadian treasure, an icon and no one else can do quite what it is that she does.  There are many different songs you could listen to, to understand this but I have recently come across this old, live version of her singing "Crying" without Orbison and it is truly beautiful.  So in celebration of her truly deserved induction in to the Hall of Fame take a listen to this song and as John Lennon said, "turn of your mind, relax and float down stream" the journey is transcendent.

I turned on the radio recently and found myself transported to the 50s, to an era when auto tune and electric guitars had yet to overrun mainstream American music.  But to my surprise the song they were playing was not by a contemporary of James Brown or Chuck Berry but rather by an artist who only just released his debut album, Signs and Signifiers, last year.  JD McPherson captures the simplicity of music from the 50s but that is not to say that his songs sound simple, they are full of soul, joy and energy.  There is a video, another from the Mahogany Sessions, of him playing his song "North Side Gal" on a street somewhere.  It is just him playing his hollow body guitar and singing and someone playing the stand-up bass; the bass gets in to your core while the joy that comes through in McPherson's voice is infectious.  It is simply impossible for you to sit still when you hear it and honestly, I don't understand why there isn't a crowd dancing in the street!     

You know how, in the book (or the movie for you non-readers) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, there is the character Mike Teavee?  And he uses the machine, against Willy Wonka's advice, which sends him through space and in to the television set, after shrinking him to a fraction of his real size?  If I remember correctly there is talk of how he could end up with his molecules all scrambled and all of his body parts might not come back together in the correct order...  Well, today is one of those days where I feel like that has happened to me!  I feel as though my molecules have all been scrambled up and most fell back in to the right places but there are a few out of place and it has left me feeling unsettled, as though something is not quite right.  When that happens it is very hard to put your mind to much of anything but on days like this, there is one thing that I have an overwhelming need for and that is powerful, stirring songs.  They ground me in a way nothing else can.  So, today I have been scouring every inch of my I-pod for just the right songs to reorganize and settle my wild molecules.  There are two very different songs that I can usually count on and it is clear in listening to the two that there is no formula for the style of song that works... The first song is "Part of the Queue" by Oasis from their album Don't Believe The Truth.  It is a big, swelling song with an energy in its rhythm and very human lyrics.   

The second song is "Rise to Me" by The Decemberists from their album The King is Dead (one of my favourites of 2011).  This song is the opposite of "Part of the Queue" it is soft and melodic with elegant poetic lyrics.  The song is driven by Colin Meloy's passionately presented vocals, a wonderful harmonica solo and the sorrowful pedal steel guitar.  Two completely different songs, one that lifts me completely up and out of myself before settling me back in and a second that simply soothes.  Whether you ever experience the feeling I spoke of or not these are both brilliant songs that are absolutely worth the time it takes to listen to them. 

Hello all three of you who read this!  Sometimes I wonder if anyone reads what I write or listens to the music but at least I feel like I am sharing my discoveries. 

I don't know why I do this but I will see the name of an artist repeatedly and something will stop me from listening to them.  Over and over again I will think that I won't like them so I don't even try.  I did this with Mic Christopher, one of the first artists I put up.  When I finally broke down and listened to him, Sidney Lanier's quote "music is love in search of a word" made sense to me.  My world would have been lessened by not clicking on that link and listening to the song "Heyday" by Christopher.  A similar thing happened recently with the artist Lisa Hannigan.  She is Irish, like Christopher, and actually preformed with him.  I finally watched a concert I found on Youtube with her and James Vincent McMorrow (another wonderfully talented Irish musician worth checking out).  This concert was a brilliant proper introduction to Hannigan.  Her voice is warm and rich and her Irish accent comes through in a wonderful way.  Her voice has an ethereal quality and like all of the other musicians I have talked about her music is true art.  The video I have posted is three songs from the Hannigan/McMorrow concert I mentioned.  Enjoy!     

I can't imagine what it would be like to be a busker, singing and playing your heart out and having people walk by without glance, let alone stopping to appreciate your talent, maybe give you some money.  I got to thinking about this when I was listening to a Scottish artist I recently came across by the name of Rachel Sermanni.  Following her videos around Youtube I found one of her singing "Ae Fond Kiss" written by Robert Burns, for something called The Mahogany Sessions (if you don't know about The Mahogany Sessions you should check them out, brilliant new artists preforming live and unplugged in some unique and beautiful locations).  Sermanni's performance of "Ae Fond Kiss"  is soft and haunting, her voice fresh and her manner seeming innocent.  There is a captivating quality to her singing style and it is hard for me to understand that people can walk right past, upon hearing it, and not feel the urge to stop.  You should also check out her own song "The Fog" which I am currently listening to on repeat!

Some songs relax you, some energize, some make you weep with relief that you are not alone in how you feel, some make you dance uncontrollably, and then there are those songs that the minute you hear them you are somewhere else.  The British band Alt-J recently won The Mercury Prize for their album An Awesome Wave, which puts them in some pretty prestigious company and listening to their song "Something Good" I can understand why.  This song transports me to my car as I drive down a long open road.  The sun is shinning from a brilliant blue sky dusted with wisps of cotton clouds, my windows are rolled down and my hand is held out in the wind, riding the waves of the car created current.  Though I have only listened to the song indoors, on my crappy computer speakers I can imagine the feeling of that moment perfectly, it's a feeling akin to flying and it is called, Bliss.  

On a slightly different note the voice of the singer, Joe Newman, is unique and appealing in its unusual tone and the band draws on a wide variety of styles to create something just as unique as Newman's vocal style.

 



p.s. don't let the opening drum beat confuse you in to thinking you are listening to a cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday"! 

(Sorry the video isn't a proper video!)

This past week has been full of crisp blue skies, flowers blossoming, heat in a glowing sun... I fall asleep to the constant undulating chorus of frogs and wake up to crisp misty mornings as the sun is rising.  The other day I sat down by the ocean upon a rocky point and listened to the water lapping gently against the water's edge.  A seal popped in and out of the water as seabirds bobbed on the surface.  The sun warmed my body as I felt tension flow off of my shoulders.  Mountains and evergreen forests, illuminated by the sun in a multitude of shades and colours, encircled me and all I could think of while I sat there was "how can I live somewhere so beautiful and want to leave so badly..."  But then I hear a song like Hold Back The Night by the band I Am Kloot.  They are a British band and there is something in their sound, as there is in so many other British artist, that inspires me, stirs my soul.  So take a listen, perhaps it will stir something within your soul as well, maybe you'll simply think it is a good song or maybe you won't like it at all.  Either way it is 5 minutes of your life spent experiencing something new! 

Neko Case.  She is a poet.  She is an artist.  She is amazing. 

Her work would be beautiful as poems but she takes it to this completely "other" place when she blends her vocals with her words.  Her work with The New Pornographers had an alternative punk style which, while I can appreciate, I never truly got in to.  Looking at it now I find it strange that I am a fan of A.C. Newman's solo work and Neko Case's solo work, both of who are members of The New Pornographers!  Her last two albums Fox Confessor Brings the Flood and Middle Cyclone are what made me a fan of her work, they are full of stories hauntingly told and while they are not always conventionally beautiful, the lyrics are exquisitely rich, real and natural.  But, don't take my word for it, let her convince you herself!       

"I'm tired this game, I'm tired of this race, I'm tired of these chains that bind me.  I wanna be free, free to let go, let all that is good inspire me. And I... I keep running on empty, thinking maybe i'll see a sign..."

It never ceases to amaze me how a song can say all that is in your heart, as if the song writer has a stethoscope to it and is listening in, translating its every beat in to a completely different kind of magic.  But then we are all human and though it feels like we are alone in the way we are feeling we never truly are... you just have to find those songs that say what you feel and hold them close!  Those lyrics are from the song "Amen" by Sarah Slean, a rather incredible Canadian talent (she is also married to Royal Wood who I posted a song by a month or so ago).  She has an air of theatrics about her but it is well balanced out by a powerful, beautiful voice and poetic, song writing ability that leaves me a little envious!    

The past few weeks I have been regularly in a place where I must listen to a country radio station and country has never been my favourite genre...  Some songs I do enjoy, some I actually really like but when the radio constantly plays the same songs over and over again, drilling them in to my mind and my subconscious I can't stand it!  So it is incredibly refreshing to turn on the radio and hear a song like "Free" by Graffiti6, a duo out of London.  Honestly, "Free" is all I know by them, as of yet, but I love it and it sounds reminiscent of Annie Lennox. Every time I hear it I can't help but sing (even when I don't know all the lyrics and can't hit the notes!)  It came on the radio when I was making dinner tonight and I couldn't help but dance around the kitchen as I cooked.  Using a phrase straight out of one of the country songs drilled in to my head, 'I double dog dare ya' to try not moving when you hear this song!

You know when you watch a musician preform and there's that moment when they close their eyes? 

A shift comes over their face and you just know that they have given themselves over to the music, that they are not simply singing, they are feeling the music in their core, in their very bones.  I wonder sometimes if they have gone beyond their body, if perhaps they are connecting with their muse and they have completely forgotten that there is an audience watching them.  Those are the musicians that create true music, the ones that create art because they have to, not because they want fame or fortune.  Music is who they are.  When I am witness to moments such as that there is a feeling these artists project that draws me in, when they lose themselves I lose myself as well.  There are two songs that come off the top of my head but there are numerous artists that have this effect on me.  Paolo Nutini does a live cover version of the song, "I'd Rather Go Blind" made famous by Etta James.  I can only imagine what it would be like to see him preform this song live because watching it on youtube is spectacular, he puts everything in to the song and for me the results are something else.  The second song, "Sailing to Philadelphia" by Mark Knopfler with James Taylor.  Every time I hear it, it soothes me, carries me away somewhere where I feel weightless.  Some might find that weird but if that's the case you simply haven't found the right song for you or you just haven't truly listened! 

 

 

Perhaps I could take that string of musicians further but I've been feeling British of late so instead I am going to share two songs, that I never get tired of hearing, by the British band The Waterboys.  There isn't much that needs to be said about these guys, their music says it all...

Chloe Charles is an up and coming Canadian singer-songwriter, a very talented, individual one...  She is also Julian Lennon's step sister.  I have only come across her fairly recently and do not know much of her work but what I have heard makes it very clear that she is unique; in her voice, her song writing and even her personal style.  So based on that I will leave you with the song "Soon On A Snowflake" and let you make up your own mind.  It may take a few listens to decide how you feel, but if you're interested at all after this song check out "Water" and "Business". 

 Julian Lennon has been on my mind a lot of late  which fits in perfectly with my line of connections.  Julian is John Lennon's son from his first marriage and like his half brother Sean he went into the music industry.  It is hard to see him or hear him sing and not make the connections to his father but he is his own artist and while I am sure the name doesn't always hurt, he made his way on his own terms.  There has always been something about him that I can't help but like.  I will say straight out that I do not love all of his music but there is just something about him as both a person and an artist that centres me and makes me want to be a better person.  His latest album, released in 2011, is called Everything Changes and it is truly beautiful.  For me it is the perfect quiet evening listen.  Put it on the stereo, lay on the couch or the floor in the dark and just let it wash over you.  There is a spiritual message to a lot of his work and together with the soothing, dream-like quality of his vocals and melodies I challenge you not to feel at least a fraction calmer!  He is an old friend in the lonely moments of life and a rey of light into darkness and uncertainty.  On top of that Julian has now begun to show his photography and he has another talent in that area, his work is worth checking out.

After Harry Nilsson, for me, the obvious artist to go to is John Lennon.  Being a massive fan of The Beatles and Lennon is the reason that I even know who Nilsson is.  During 1974, in what is known as Lennon's "Lost Weekend" he rekindled a friendship with Nilsson and also went a little off the rails.  During the 18 month "Lost Weekend", Lennon caused a fair amount of trouble, along with Nilsson, and got a lot of bad press but he also was musically productive and collaborated with several musicians, including Elton John, David Bowie and Nilsson.  Lennon produced Nilsson's album Pussycats and on that album they recorded a song together, by Jimmy Cliff, called "Many Rivers To Cross".  It's a great song, one that is uplifting when you are feeling a little lost despite the fact that the lyrics aren't exactly cheery.  Considering all of the songs I could choose from for Lennon this is not an obvious choice, which is partly why I decided to share it, but don't worry I'm sure I'll be mentioning Lennon regularly and sharing more of his work because I love him so!  So take a listen to "Many Rivers To Cross" it might keep you company when you are feeling a little lost or lonely... it certainly does me.

Today I am thoroughly exhausted so I won't write much!  The next artist is connected to Tim Buckley through a songwriter.  Buckley did an amazing cover of Fred Neil's song "Dolphins" for his album Sefronia.  The best version, one which won me over and made me a true fan of Buckley's is the live preformance he did in '74 on the British T.V. show Old Grey Whistle Test.  Harry Nilsson, and also did a cover of a Fred Neil song, "Everybody's Talkin'".  Nilsson achieved a lot of success in the 70s and is probably best known for his songs, "One", "Without You" and "Coconut" (whether you recognize the names or not you'll likely know all three songs).  The song "Everybody's Talkin'" was recorded for the soundtrack of the film Midnight Cowboy and is probably Neil's best known song.  So take a listen and look up Buckley's Old Grey Whistle Test version of "Dolphins" as well, both are songs worth knowing.

I have been trying to decide one of two directions to go from Jeff Buckley: Glen Hansard or Tim Buckley.  Glen preformed with him in the 90s and they became good friends and Glen himself, is a wonderful talent.  Perhaps most well known for the film Once and the resulting duo The Swell Season he also has a band, The Frames, and his latest work is a brilliant debut solo album.  He was also a good friend and busking partner of Mic Christopher who I talked about in one of my first posts.  That being said, I decided to go the Tim Buckley route.  Tim was Jeff's father and although they had very little to do with each other during their all to short lives there are some striking similarities between them.  They look eerily alike, both have incredible, spine tingling multi-octave voices, pure talent for singing and songwriting and they both died entirely too young, Jeff at 30 and Tim at 28.

Tim was a talent that was, and still is, too often overlooked.  He released 9 studio albums and died with little more than an amp and guitar to his name.  His style changed throughout his short career as he dabbled in everything from folk, experimental rock, funk, soul even jazz but he can not be defined by a genre and because there is such a wide range in his music I will admit that not all of his work is my cup of tea but it means that it is very likely that most people will be able to find at least one song that strikes them.  His voice has the ability to make every hair on your body stand on end and his perfect pitch and vocal control is truly staggering.  With a beautiful vibrato, he could move effortlessly through his vocal range while maintaining a purity to his voice.  The textures and layers that he creates with the control he has over his voice is something close to perfection in my mind and I have yet to find his vocal equal.  For such a young man, he released his first album at 19 and died at 28, there is a richness and wisdom to his voice and songwriting that is rare.  Like his son, he filled each song with both power and softness, pouring emotion into every beat and of course they both made it look easy!  I am finding it hard to pick one song to post along with this so I am going to name a few of my favourites...  "Song to the Siren" (probably his best known), "Dolphins", "Sweet Surrender", "Look At the Fool", "I Never Asked to Be Your Mountain", and because there is just something about it that gets me every time (I have listened to it 5 times while writing this!) I am going to put a link to "Phantasmagoria in Two"...     

p.s. In a strange twist of fate that I find intriguing, Robert Plant, of Led Zepplin, notes Tim Buckley as one of his influences as a singer and Led Zepplin was Jeff Buckley's favourite band and a major influence on him... curious!

"Looking out the door i see the rain fall upon the funeral mourners
Parading in a wake of sad relations as their shoes fill up with water"

Lover, You Should Have Come Over

There is any number of artists I could go to next from Leonard Cohen... he has written countless songs over his nearly 50 years in the industry and those songs have been covered by a myriad of artists all around the world so the connections he has made are endless.  But because I mentioned him last post and I adore him I am going to take, what is likely the most obvious route, to Jeff Buckley.  Most people know him for his exquisite cover of Cohen's song "Hallelujah", a song that has been covered more than 300 different times.  Of course it comes down to personal preference but to my mind no one has come close to doing for the song what Buckley did.  His voice is ethereal and he does not sing the song, he becomes one with it, he pours his heart, soul and every ounce of his being in to every word, every syllable that he sings.  The result of merging Cohen's song with Buckley's voice and interpretation is something unearthly and if you have not heard his version you need to listen to it, and I mean really listen, devote the full 7 minutes to direct your attention to it entirely. There is absolutely no way that anyone could ever explain to you what came out of this man's voice when he sang and the effect that it can have on a person if given the chance.  Because Buckley's voice was so incredible a lot of people don't realize his skill as a guitarist.  For many years, he was known only as a guitarist amongst his peers and apparently his close friends didn't even know he could sing, with a range of 4 octaves no less!  And despite being known best for a cover he was a brilliant songwriter as well.  His only full studio album, Grace, has a number of original songs as well as covers and they are all worth listening to.  Anyway, I could clearly go on talking about him for a long time so I will leave it there with a recommendation to listen to the album in its entirety and a link to the title track which is written by Buckley and his friend Gary Lucas and really displays his vocal range and power as well as his skill as a songwriter and guitarist.            

Rufus Wainwright and his partner, Jorn, had a baby with Leonard Cohen's daughter Lorca, so in a slightly stretched connection I thought I'd share one of my favourite Cohen songs.  Being a poet myself I find something incredibly appealing and undeniable about the way he writes, listening to it I long to be able to go to the places he must have gone to find the words he finds.  There is something about the song "So Long Marianne" that has always caught me.  Most people might automatically go to the song "Hallelujah" with the mention of Leonard Cohen and while that song is an incredibly brilliant song, for me his presentation of it does not work nearly as well as Jeff Buckley's and so instead, I will share "So Long Marianne" which is from Cohen's 1967 debut album Songs of Leonard Cohen.  The lyrics are, as would soon be seen as the norm from Cohen, pure and powerful poetry and though his voice is not the perfect singing voice it is, to me, perfect in its imperfection.

The fact that Sean Lennon and Rufus Wainwright crossed paths, preformed together a number of times and seemingly became friends is not surprising...  They are both New Yorkers (although Wainwright considers himself a Montrealer as well), of a similar age, born to famous musician parents, they are intelligent, creative, unique and theatrical musicians, they also both have distinctive, slightly nasal voices.  Wainwright is a unique character, a true artist in my mind.  I saw him a couple years back at Carnegie Hall and he started the show with a tribute to Judy Garland. We were asked before the show, not to clap between songs and Wainwright didn't say a word, just seemed to floated on stage in a long, flowing black outfit, train trailing out behind, sat down at the piano and drew us all in with his piano playing and incredible voice which flowed out in to every corner of the theatre.  The second half, he practically skipped on stage in a purple velvet coat and sweats (fancy ones of course), and once again stunned the crowd with his staggering talent to create soundscapes both vast and delicate at the same time and his ability to fill every song with raw and honest emotion.  And in what will likely remain one of my favourite artist flubs on stage, he choked on his own spit during "Hallelujah"!  The whole experience was unearthly.  I'm sharing two songs both from his latest album Out of the Game which, incidently, Sean Lennon plays guitar on the album. "Jericho" is the second single from the album and catches me anew every time I hear it.  The second one is a video of a live radio preformance of his first single "Out of the Game".  It shows how seemingly effortless his voice flows out of him so I thought I'd share it as well!

Right, so we are back to following connections between artists.  It always makes me happy to discover connections between artists or to see names I recognize in the liner notes of an album (which I one reason I love to by hard copy albums instead of mp3s!).  So it was a nice surprise to find that Harper Simon played guitar on Sean Lennon's album Friendly Fire.  It was four years before Simon released his debut album, so I did not yet know how much I appreciated him as an artist in his own right but I knew him through his band Menlo Park and because of his father.  Sean Lennon is another artist that I discovered through his father and I imagine most people could deduce who his famous father is!  His sound is not as clearly influenced by rock'n'roll in the way that his father's was, it has a more eccentric style which is particularly evident when you watch the film and music videos that go along with Sean Lennon's album Friendly Fire.  The album is his version of a break up album and to some it might seem melancholy, perhaps even melodramatic, and it's true that the album can in no way be called cheerful.  It's lead single is called "Dead Meat" afterall and the album wraps up with a song called "Falling Out Of Love" but don't let that deter you from giving him a listen.  Lennon's voice is unassuming and though it is in a more nasal range than most, to me it is beautiful.  It is suited to a more mellow mood and he knows how to use his voice to it's best effect, not trying to force it to go places it shouldn't.  Beautiful piano melodies and at times almost theatrical strings fill out the songs, accenting and lifting the songs, balancing out the humble, poetic and, at times, despairing lyrics.  I like all of the songs on the album for various reasons but just at this moment I am liking the short and sweet song Tomorrow.  His vocals are central to the song and they quickly build and then fade back ending on a guitar sound which I just noticed is actually very reminiscent of some early Beatles songs. Anyway, this is a long round about way of saying you should take a listen!

 

"Everyone has choice, when to or not to raise their voice, it's you that decides"

Now, I know that I said that I was going to follow the links between artists for a while but as it is George Harrison's birthday today I thought I would recognize that and then next time I'll return to my path.  George would have been 70 today and it is still hard to believe that he has been gone for over 10 years...  One of his most beautiful solo songs, in my opinion, is "Run of the Mill" from his 1970 album All Things Must Pass.  He was a man who could speak truths wrapped up in captivating melodies.  His songs were often philosophical and spiritual and there is an honest quality to his voice and guitar style which make you sit up and listen.  Whether or not you believe what he did, you will be better for listening to what this man had to say, his words and music can take you places.          

I figured I would follow the links between various artists for a while and see where it takes us!  So from Paul Simon we will go to Harper Simon...    Harper, you might guess, is Paul Simon's son.  If you didn't guess by the name (afterall Simon is not an uncommon name) you would likely pick up the connection just by hearing his voice.  There is no denying that their voices are strikingly similar.  He has been around the music industry for a number of years (he's now 40), but understandably, didn't release an album until 2010.  I imagine being the son of someone like Paul Simon would make finding your own musical voice a bit tricky and it makes sense to wait until you are comfortable with yourself, your sound, and your ability to create music in your own way before putting your art out there to be ripped apart by critics who say you're riding on the wave of your famous father etc...  In my opinion it was well worth the wait.  I enjoyed some of his earlier work with the band Menlo Park but his self titled solo album is wonderful.  The beautiful, well crafted songs, both musically and lyrically, show that he clearly has his own song writing skills and his voice, though it is very similar to his father's, is simultaneously striking and soothing in its own way.  The first song that I heard from the album was "Shooting Star" and it drew me in to hear more, hopefully it draws you in as well!  

 

Also, I just discovered that he has a new album coming out in March and the first single, called "Bonnie Brae" is out, and this song atleast has a harder edge, more of a rock sound than his first album.  And that would make sense as, apparently he has worked with a number of artists, including members of Elvis Costello's Attractions, The Strokes, Bright Eyes and Wilco on it...  

 

 

 

 

Paul Simon... there's not much you can say about the man that hasn't already been said so I will say this, he is a BRILLIANT song writer and lyricist, truly brilliant.  I only wish that one day I could write lyrics (or anything at all) half as beautiful as his lyrics.  The song "Further to Fly" has been in my head for a few days so I thought I'd share it.  It's from the album The Rhythm of the Saints (which brings in a lot of Latin American musicians and rhythms in the way that Simon's earlier album Graceland brought in South American music).  So take a listen and read the lyrics, they're something else!  And as usual I recommend that you listen to more of the album... it's worth it.

Last week I posted a song by Jim James and I thought today I would share the first song I ever heard by his band, My Morning Jacket.  The more I listen to this man's work the more respect I have for him.  Every song I've heard so far has sounded different and has lead me somewhere fabulous.  If you are willing to let go and follow where the music takes you, you can experience some unexpected and brilliant additions to your life!  The song that I chose is "I'm Amazed".  It has a classic Southern rock sound to it (they were formed in the late 90s in Kentucky so that influence makes sense).  But as I said when I posted about Jim James' solo work, there is clearly a multitude of musical influences in this man's life so not all of their songs sound like this!  One of my favourites is called "Wordless Chorus" and it certainly sounds a lot different.  Anyway take a listen to this song and read the lyrics as well, written in list form they are biting and honest yet poetic.   

I have been thinking today about what I might consider the best love song and as usual I simply can't pick one...  And so I decided to pick one that is not the usual romantic (often sappy) Valentines love song.  Instead it is a slightly heartwrenching yet incredibly beautiful song called "You Can't Go Back" by  Royal Wood.  He is a brilliant Canadian talent with a soft, smooth voice excellently suited to singing the somewhat simple, yet heartfelt songs he has such a skill for writing.  His piano is also something that I find draws me in, particularly on this song.  So take a listen and if you like it and you want more I recommend checking out the song "I'm So Glad" a rather beautifully perfect song for Valentines Day!   

This song is one that I just heard for the first time today and while I have listened to is a few times now and listened to a few other tracks off the album I have yet to let it fully soak in.  However, I got a good first impression so I thought I'd share it right away.  The song is "A New Life" by Jim James (frontman of My Morning Jacket and member of Monsters of Folk).  It comes from his debut solo album Regions of Light and Sound of God which was released last week.  The song starts off slow and while it is pretty, it is very simple with just his vocals and basic guitar work, really there's not much too it. But then the percussion comes in and the song takes on a quality that harkens back to the simple percussive beats and acoustic guitar driven melodies of early rock 'n' roll (the song is compared to Del Shannon's "Runaway" by Rolling Stone magazine and it certainly wouldn't have sounded terribly out of place in a late 1950s sock hop).  Bit by bit a few other instruments and effects are layered in and as the music builds James' vocals take flight.  Early rock 'n' roll inspiration is writen all over the song and I'm loving it!  But don't expect all the tracks on the album to have the same vibe because the man clearly has many inspirations and his experimentations with them are reflected in unique and interesting ways on every track that I have listened to so far.  Although it is Jim James it does not have the heavier rock orientation that comes with My Morning Jacket, it is something entirely different and entirely intriguing!     

Over the decades recording music has become more and more focused on production and creating sounds and effects in the studio which, in some cases, could never be reproduced on stage (although as technology advances that is less and less of an issue).  Don't get me wrong, there are so, so many incredible recordings that have been created because of this and I likely would not be as big a fan of music if it weren't for that.  But along with that great music has come far too much over produced, over poked and proded music which in some cases is half decent and in other cases is just downright awful.  On top of that, albums take longer and longer to record and the money that goes in to some of them is staggering so it is refreshing and wonderful to listen to the album The Beatles' debut album "Please, Please Me" which was recorded 50 years ago today in an impressive 12 hours.  Their voices are raw and rich and there is both an energy and a sweetness that often gets lost in over production.  The album has two of my favourite covers that they did "Anna (Go To Him)" by Arthur Alexander and "Baby It's You" by Mack David, Barney Williams and Burt Bacharach.  Both songs are sung by John with a softness that is contrasted by his tearing vocals on Twist and Shout.  As usual I suggest you sit back and enjoy the entire album.  Stop doing whatever it is you are forever doing, sit down and listen to the whole thing from start to finish.  If you can't do that atleast listen to the two songs I'll put up here, one original and one cover both great songs that still sound brilliant 50 years later.    

Well I attempted to write a post and share a song with you yesterday but my words just weren't coming together but don't worry, you will get yesterday's song at another point (it's too good not to share!).  Today I am going to keep it short and sweet.  Dr. John has been around the music scene since the 50s and has had his own fair share of troubles throughout his life but he is still going.  His 2012 album, Locked Down, proved that, he may be in his 70s but the man has still got soul and a groove all his own.  So take a listen and see what you think!

  Every year, if you are lucky, there is at least one album that catches you, effects you in some way.  Perhaps it is one that you have been waiting impatiently for, the latest album of your favourite artist, or it might be one that catches you by surprise, completely changing how you feel about an artist.  There were a few such albums for me in 2011 and Sam Roberts Band's "Collider" was one that completely caught me off guard.  I knew of Sam Roberts, I knew his hits and liked them well enough but his latest release made me a fan.  There is a groove to the album that you can't deny from the heavy bass lines and driving percussion to the jazziness brought in by the saxophone.  The album still has Roberts' sharp, honest and poetic lyrics but for me there is a soul to it that I didn't catch from his earlier work.  So while I think that you should take a listen to a number of the tracks such as The Last Crusade, Without a Map, Graveyard Shift, Twist the Knife (the whole album really!) I will leave you with the one that got in to my bones.  Enjoy! 

This week I have been in a contemplative mood.  Considering life, the way that light streams through the trees in a certain way or how that one particular leaf on the bamboo bush catches a near inperceptible breeze and waves madly while everything else in sight remains perfectly still.  These moments of contemplation can some times turn into something confusing and sad or they can be magical and refreshing.  Listening to the right music at such moments can makes all the difference.  For me, right at this moment that music comes from the indie folk band The Paper Kites, from Melbourne, Australia.  With the likes of Mumford and Sons and The Lumineers (both great bands in my humble opinion), topping the charts all over the world there is chance for mellow tones of poetic, introspective lyrics and beautiful harmonies to be heard and appreciated.  So if you are feeling the need for something that may bring you a moment of clarity or perhaps your heart is feeling a little heavy and you want to see the beauty in the world that you have been missing lately then let The Paper Kites take you, let their beautiful melodies and vocal harmonies lift your heart.  It's a wonderful feeling that I recommend!  

So here we are.  The other day I experienced a moment of bliss when I stumbled across a musician I had never heard of on youtube.  The song "Skylarkin'" by the late Mic Christopher made me stop.  It is a sign of something great when you have no choice but to stop everything you are doing, turn up the volume and allow the song to wash over you.  Obviously not everyone reacts the same to every song but I think that every music lover has likely experienced a moment such as this.  As I listened to "Skylarkin'" for the third or fourth time in a row it really hit me how sad it is that a talent such as Christopher's could slip under the radar like so many overlooked artists.  And so I decided I would finally give this blog a try in order to share the music (old, new, under-rated and celebrated) that is inspiring me, amazing me and keeping me company as I find my way through my life.  So I hope you enjoy, at the very least, one song that I share and perhaps allow yourself a few minutes to lose yourself in something beautiful like this song "Skylarkin'"