Neil Halstead has just released his latest album Palindrome Hunches and the few songs I've heard so far are absolutely beautiful. A singer-songwriter with a great voice and even greater songs, a rare combination. The songs remind me a lot of Nick Drake, which is among the biggest compliments I can give to a musician, Neil is either related to Nick Drake or inspired by him. Doesn't really matter, his music is of the same fine quality. That new album is still finding her way to my mailbox, but I'll surely get back on this one. Beauty in all its forms!
No loud Monday Morning Kick-Off this week. Sleep wouldn't come most of the night and I refuse to wake up for now. Perfect little songs like Paper Aeroplanes writes them so well are just what I need today. Have a good week.
Here's some Sunday Night Jazz for your listening pleasure. Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey played at the North Sea Jazz Festival this year and it was one of the best concerts I've seen this year.
They have released their latest album Race Riot Suite last year and played the entire album for us. Hearing this live was absolutely beautiful, but the album is also very good. It is Jazz with a fine edge to it. It's roaring, sizzling, hammering and it's got a great vibe to it. Now that I'm listening to it again all day, I can assure you that this is excellent 'feel good'-music.
Race Riot Suite is their 21st album and there's a special theme about the 1921 Tulsa race riot. You can even download an iPad-app with all the background information or find out more about it on their website. That brutal piece of history has evolved into a stunningly beautiful album on which the jazz combo makes vivacious music, taking you on a journey into history.
One of the best concerts and one of the finest additions to my ever-growing collection of music for 2012: Race Riot Suite.
Two months ago The Foreign Films released a new single called "Sweet Sorrow / You Were My Summer Sun". Two fine songs, released together, just like last year. "Sweet Sorrow" is by far my favourite, is has a great Beatlesesque sound to it and half a dozen other great influences. But it's still his own sound. After that fine duo-release from 2011, The Foreign Films have (or has, in case of a one-man-project) done it again!
Strike three for my "a-fine-song-every-evening"-theme, I randomly came up with last night.
Rural Ghosts are back! 4 months and 4 days ago (I swear I don't plan this shit) I admitted to love "Bright Side" from their March-release Rural Ghosts EP and they've released their new single "Eyes" about 4 weeks ago. And I just can't get enough of it. Think Snow Patrol, but better and darker. Perhaps I Am Kloot is a more suitable band for comparisation (thinking out loud here..).
B-sides "Scatia" and the Manchester version of "Eyes" (whatever that may mean) are both pretty nice tracks and make this a fine 'complete' release, but that single version of "Eyes" is simply beautiful. Get it (for free) @ http://ruralghosts.bandcamp.com/.
In Februari of this year Burningboy released his debut EP The Dark Months and it is a Beauty! Four fine songs with "Rise (to Meet You)" as the best display of this man's qualities. An intense voice that reaches into your soul combined with a fast guitar makes this a song easily played over and over again.
It's songs like this that makes me love music so much.
Let's celebrate the shit out of our weekend by dancing and singing like crazy with this new fantastic song by New Hands. It's got a good 80s-feel with that rolling bass and the great low voice of singer Spence Newell, but when that keyboard sets in, we immediately set sail for the 90s and everything beyond. This is Saturday-night music as it should be!
KOPPS are releasing their new EP Fuck Jams on the 25th of this month and it's gonna be booming as hell! These 2 new tracks are probably the best songs they've ever made. "Bastard Baby" is a great floor-filler with a pumping sax and powerfull beat. "Mourning Sex" with Joywave is more mysterious and melodic, but perhaps the best KOPPS-song I've ever heard.
These 2 songs have been on constant rotation ever since they were released and I can't wait till the rest of the EP (3 more tracks) is open for listening and (undoubtfully) loving. Music doesn't get more sexy than this!
It's been a while since I've truly fallen in love with an entire album. There have been short loves for great songs and desperate loves for EPs or albums that eventually just contained 1 or 2 beautiful songs, but I'm happy to tell you all that I'm in love again. Finally.
John Donovan is the name of this fine singer-songwriter, just 23 years old and right up there with my favourite releases of 2012. In the last few days I've compared him with Nick Drake, Hip Hatchet and Eels. Big names, but they suit him well.
This is an album that has stolen my heart. I can listen to it from start to finish over and over again. There is not a weaker moment on it and every new song that starts immediately wins you over. As it always is with the finest albums, there is no telling which song is my favourite. As soon as the next one sets in, thát is my favourite for the moment!
This is an album so beautiful I will be listening to it for the rest of the year. And probably for years to come. John Donovan deserves all our support, all your love and you should get your ass over to http://music.johndonovanmusic.com/album/on-exit to get yourself a free (!!) copy of this hidden pearl of bedroom folk. You'll love it. It's all you'll be able to.
From their recently released new album Twenty-Five for the Rest of Our Lives, have a good week with this fine start by The Henry Clay People. This is waking up with a BANG!
