Artist of the Week - Elbow

Yes, yes, I know, I have already had Elbow as my artist of the week, but I wanted to have them again just to draw your attention the their new album Build A Rocket Boys! which came out on Monday. I was looking forward to it for a while, so I went downtown and bought it as soon as I possibly could, and boy, I was not disappointed! It is rapidly becoming my favourite Elbow album! Each song is so rich, and Guy Garvey's voice and lyrics are on top form. Their sound has evolved again, and they use new instruments, along with the Hallé Youth Choir. The album is full of unexpected twists and turns, heart-swelling and tear-jerking. In short, it is fab!

Now, I don't ask my readers for much, but today I would really like you to do me a favour - try listening to this album! Even if you just go to iTunes, their myspace, website or youtube page and listen to the 30 second previews, please do give the songs a go! 

and maybe, if you like them, you could go on and borrow the album off a friend, or even *gasp* buy it!

Or, should you need more convincing, try this review by Kitty Empire http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/mar/06/elbow-build-rocket-boys-review who is far more eloquent than I am!

Artist of the Week - Sara Bareilles

Artist of the week may or may not be happening weekly - we shall see how my workload is like over the next few weeks. I chose Sara Bareilles today because her song "King of Anything" was all over the radio in Hawaii, and it reminded me how much I like her music.

Artist of the Week - Sara Bareilles

Sara Bareilles is a singer-songwriter from California. She acheived mainstream success in 2007 with her (now platinum-selling) debut album Little Voice and hit single "Love Song". She released her second album Kaleidoscope Heart last month. Her music is lead by her strong and distinctive voice, and her piano playing (although her second album has fewer single-voice-and-piano songs). Apparently the Obamas really like her, since she has performed at many White House events, and she has done quite a few collaborations with other artists, one of which I will feature here.

Gravity
Quite a popular one, off her first album

Machine Gun
I think this one really shows off her amazing voice


Winter Song (with Ingrid Michaelson)
Favourite of many youtube users, a simple and gorgeous duet

Between the Lines
She is well known for her honest and relatable lyrics


King of Anything
Definitely one of those "you go, girl!" songs!


Say You're Sorry
Deceptively upbeat

Artist of The Week - John Grant

Phew! It's all busy busy busy here at the moment. I'm taking 6 courses this semester, as well as attempting to get fit, so there is lots of running around back and forth to different classes and between classes and the swimming pool!

Artist of the Week - John Grant

John Grant is the ex-lead singer of the Czars, who last year released his first solo album Queen of Denmark. I first heard his music on the radio a few weeks ago, specifically the song Where the Dreams Go to Die and was smitten. He has a rich, almost old-fashioned voice which, when paired with his unconventional lyrics, makes something very magical and unique. The album Queen of Denmark, made with the band Midlake, is about his past struggles with alcohol and drug addiction, suicide attempts and coming to terms with being gay.

Where the Dreams Go to Die


I Wanna Go To Marz


It's Easier


Caramel


Fireflies


Sigourney Weaver


So what do you think of John Grant?

Artist of the Week - Fleet Foxes

Here we are, back to normal programming with a return to the beardy men's corner of the music world. I have been listening to these guys a lot in the past couple of days, since the sun came out. I think their music goes perfectly with bright, chilly days in the pacific northwest, probably because it was written here!

Artist of the Week - Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes are a five-piece band from Washington State. They have been around for a while, but began to come to real prominence with the release of their album Fleet Foxes in 2008. They have so far released two EPs and one album, though a second album has been in the works for a while. They are best known for their use of 60s-influenced vocal harmonies and many groups with a similar sound have popped up since their debut.

So, on to the music!

Mykonos
Probably my favourite Fleet Foxes song

Blue Ridge Mountains
I think this goes perfectly with winter sun.

White Winter Hymnal
This was a very popular single in the UK.


Ragged Wood
Just listen to those harmonies!


Heard Them Stirring
Really dreamy


Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
There is something very soothing about all their music

Artist of the Week - Dear Reader

Last artist of the week before I go home! Quite a short one this time. Since next week is going to be pretty busy (and who is going to be reading this blog in Christmas week anyway?) I probably won't be posting an artist of the week. You have no idea how excited I am to be going home for Christmas! It feels like such a long time since I was home last (well it has been almost 4 months), and I can't wait to see my friends and family, and give Molly the dog lots of cuddles. I have one exam left, on Saturday, then I am flying out on Sunday night!

Artist of the Week - Dear Reader

Dear Reader are a band from Johannesburg, South Africa. I first saw them at a festival a couple of summers ago, playing in a cowshed! They have released one album, Replace Why With Funny, and numerous singles.  I really don't know much about them apart from that, and that I really like them! I wanted to have something a bit different this week as I have been featuring lots of miserable men in the past few weeks!

Way of the World
This is probably my favourite song of theirs, along with Great White Bear. Very catchy!



Great White Bear
Great song with a tragic video




Dear Heart
Fun take on a love song



The Same
Talks about the relationship she has with her home as a white south african - interesting stuff.

Artist of the Week - Stornoway

I've been saving this one up, but I can't keep it in any more!

Artist of the Week - Stornoway

Stornoway are a band from Oxford - my home town - and I absolutely adore their music! I first came across them in 2008 when the one of the young enterprise groups at my school made a CD of local unsigned bands. The band started with two university friends, then grew so now it includes two pairs of brothers - Brian and (occasionally) Adam Briggs, Ollie and Rob Steadman, Jonathan Ouin and sometimes Rahul Satija.  They have an earthy, acoustic sound, sometimes described as folky (although I don't think that is very accurate).  One of the things that makes them stand out is Brian Brigg's gorgeous lyrics, as well as his (and the other members of the band's) vocals. They have been around for a few years, and finally signed to famous indie label 4AD and released an album, Beachcomber's Windowsill earlier this year. They are about to embark on a north american tour, and will be in Vancouver in a couple of weeks. The fact that I am desperate to see them then, even though I have already seen them play 4 times probably tells you just how much I love them :). Oh, and another reason that they are right up my street - the lead singer has a PhD in ducks!

So, on to the music! Considering that I like every single one of their songs, this could be long!

On The Rocks
Definitely one of my absolute favourites. About the links between Oxford and London.

Coldharbour Road
Kind of moody, gorgeous instrumentation and vocals, beautiful lyrics.

Zorbing
This was a pretty popular single back home earlier this year. Brian's voice is stunning!

Battery Human
Charming, and thought-provoking!

I Saw You Blink
Cheerful and upbeat. If you listen to it through headphones, you can hear the morse code for the title being scraped out on a guiro at about 1:43!

Unfaithful
I was very surprised when this wasn't on Beachcombers Windowsill - it's brilliant! Lyrics are spot on!

Fuel Up
Pretty sure anyone can relate to this song.


Long Distance Lullaby
So. Adorable.

Watching Birds
Something a little different

Artist of the Week - Dan Mangan

What a nightmarish few days I've had! I am so happy that they are over, and I will hopefully be seeing Harry Potter this weekend! I actually have a Canadian artist of the week this week - so far they have all been British.

Artist of the Week - Dan Mangan

Dan Mangan is a singer-songwriter from Vancouver.  I first came across him when he played at the welcome ceremony for international students at the start of my first year of university - I think they picked him because he has a degree from the forestry department of UBC (and because he is awesome).  He is known for his melancholy lyrics and gravelly voice and he has released two albums, Postcards and Daydreaming and Nice, Nice, Very Nice. His most well known song is probably Robots - he always makes the crowd sing along to it at gigs! My friend went to see him at The Vogue last week and I am incredibly jealous!

I'm afraid I don't have his first album, so here are some of my favourite songs from Nice, Nice, Very Nice and his single Roboteering

Road Regrets
Life on the road


Sold


Basket


Tragic Turn of Events / Move Pen Move
This really is tragic. Heart-rendingly so.


Pine For Cedars
Lots of hidden Vancouver references in here


Tina's Glorious Comeback

Et Les Mots Croisés

Ok, I'll admit it, the main reason I love this song is that he says "allons y" at the beginning (I am a massive Doctor Who geek)




and of course,
Robots

Artist of the Week - Karine Polwart

I chose my artist of the week because of her song Medusa, a poignant song about remembrance, which is fitting for today. Today I am going to a remembrance service, because I think it is important to remember and show respect for those people who put their lives on the line to defend us. We all know someone who is or was in the military, and it is important to show them our support - I wear my poppy with pride :)

Artist of the Week - Karine Polwart

Photograph by David Angel

Karine Polwart is a scottish singer-songwriter. I first came across her at Wood festival, which is incidentally run by my old Latin teacher's children, along with Truck festival - she was actually staying in my old teacher's house, apparently she is very nice! She has a somewhat folky sound, and has taken part in many collaborations with other folk artists as well as releasing four solo albums and five singles to date. I love her voice, and her accent really suits the sort of music she makes. I'm not feeling particularly eloquent today, so I think I'll let her music do the talking!


Medusa
Poignant and thought-provoking


Maid of the Loch
I find this song incredibly catchy and sing-along-able



Sorry
Quite a dark one, a lot of her songs are



Rivers Run
A nice one. I really like the guitar on this one




Dowie Dens of Yarrow
A traditional scottish song. I've also heard a Canadian version, so I guess it made it's way over here too.

Find more artists like Karine Polwart at Myspace Music

Sorrowlessfield
About the one farm in the borders to have all it's men return safely after a particular battle in the 1500s, called Sorrowlessfield ever since


Beo
Lovely and soothing. You get some nice anecdotes at the beginning of this clip as a bonus.




We're All Leaving - Darwin Song Project
Part of the Darwin Song Project, when a group of folk artists got together in a house and wrote songs for the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth, and the 150th of the publication of On The Origin Of Species in 2009. I'll let her explain the significance of the song:




If you like Karine's music, there are some free tracks available at her website http://www.karinepolwart.com/

Artist of (last) Week - Elbow

I have had news that someone out there actually likes this feature! Hurrah! Sorry this is a bit late, this week has been an interesting one, and these things take time. Hopefully this can become a Thursday thing.

Artist of the Week - Elbow

Elbow are a five-piece band from Manchester who play some beautiful music. They consist of Guy Garvey, Mark Potter, Craig Potter, Pete Turner and Richard Jupp. They formed in 1997 and have always been a staple of the indie crowd, but became more popular with the masses (including me) after their album "The Seldom Seen Kid" won the Mercury Music Prize in 2008, and also after their song "One Day Like This" was widely featured on TV, including on the BBC coverage of the Beijing Olympics.  They have a rich, heavily instrumented sound, which compliments Guy Garvey's powerful, seemingly love-lorn voice and heartfelt, straight-talking lyrics.

Here are a selection of my favourite Elbow songs - it is so hard to choose just a few, so I have ended up with 10! My favourite album is of course The Seldom Seen Kid, the one I heard first, so most of these songs will be from that album.

One Day Like This
This, along with Grounds For Divorce is probably their most well known song, mainly because they are in so many trailers and adverts.

Grounds For Divorce


Powder Blue
I do love this song, but the saxophone bit at the end always reminds me of this

Bones Of You
This is definitely one of my absolute favourites. Plus the video is really cool!


Forget Myself
There is so much going on in this song, love it!

Some Riot
This one always sends shivers up my spine!

Not A Job
Some nice synth going on here

Mirrorball
I've mentioned this before - I absolutely adore it! I first heard it on "The Chain" on the Radcliffe and Maconie Show

I've Got Your Number
Intimate.


Weather To Fly
Lovely and chilled.

If you like the music of Elbow, or the type of music that I feature in Artist of the Week, I would recommend listening to Guy Garvey's radio show on BBC 6music.

Artist of the Week - Sigur Rós

Another busy week - midterm followed by a paper which made my mind go completely blank every time I thought about writing it! A little time off before my next paper, and after that I can relax properly for a while.
I watched the film Ondine recently, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that a lot of the music was by either Lisa Hannigan (aka the lady that used to sing with Damien Rice) or Sigur Rós, two artists that I really like. In fact, I won't give anything away, but Sigur Rós actually play a part in the story. In light of that, here is my artist of the week.


Artist of the Week - Sigur Rós

Sigur Rós are an Icelandic post-rock group, with, according to their wikipedia entry "melodic, classical, and minimalist elements". Basically this just means that they sound a bit strange and don't follow traditional pop song forms.  The bands innovative use of instruments, for example bowed guitar, combined with lead singer Jónsi Birgisson's remarkable voice make Sigur Rós' music instantly recognisable. The band consists of Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, Georg "Goggi" Hólm, Kjartan "Kjarri" Sveinsson and Orri Páll Dýrason.  They sing in Icelandic, English and Vonlenska, aka Hopelandic - a language made up by the band members. The first time I came across Sigur Rós was, similarly to many other people, when I heard their song "Hoppípolla" on some trailer or other.  If you live in the UK, it is very likely that you have heard that song before too - it is used widely in television and film trailers and adverts.  I saw them live a couple of years ago in Alexandra Palace, and it was a magical experience. They have so far released 7 albums and one film, Heima:

aren't Icelandic accents just so adorable?!

I would strongly encourage anyone to watch this, even if they don't know Sigur Rós' music at all.  The visuals are absolutely stunning and incredibly haunting, and it may sound weird but I thought the editing was brilliant.  It made me want to go to Iceland even more than I already did!

So, onto the music - here are some of my favourite tracks by Sigur Rós (it is so hard to choose, so I ended up with a lot): I know they are long, but please do try to listen to them!

of course, I couldn't get away with missing out Hoppípolla:

Gong

I love the guitar on this song

Ágætis byrjun

This is Icelandic for "an alright start". This song always reminds me of the sun coming out after the rain - it always makes me smile

Sæglópur

And this is the rain. The song title is Icelandic for "lost at sea".

All Alright

This was the song featured in Ondine

Í Gær

One of their earliest tracks, this was reissued on their Hvarf/Heim album. This is the one in the trailer for Heima.

Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur

In a completely different mood, this is from their latest album "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust" (With a buzz in our ears we play endlessly)

Íllgresi

Very calm and beautiful

Von

I love the instrumentation on this track

Just to point out - they have some tracks for free download on their site: http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/media/index.php

Artist of the Week - Rufus Wainwright

Midterms are over for the week - just one more next week, and a couple of papers to write, then I am out of the woods! I know I have been neglecting cookery for a while, I will endeavour to post something yummy later this week! Before that though, I will have a couple of music-related posts, since that is one of the things (along with stuffing my face with chocolate and imbibing large doses of caffeine) that has helped me to get through the last couple of weeks. Here we go then - this week's featured artist:

Rufus Wainwright

Ok, we all know Rufus Wainwright - even if you don't know him by name, it is pretty likely that you have heard his music - most probably his version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". I'm not sure I know a single person that doesn't like Rufus Wainwright's music at least a little bit, and I think that really says something about the beauty and accessibility of his songs.
Hailing originally from New York and Montreal, and member of a ridiculously musical family - younger sister Martha (whom he often collaborates with, and who's music I also love), father Loudon and mother Kate McGarrigle - Rufus has so far released 8 cds, as well as various songs for films such as Brokeback Mountain, Moulin Rouge and The History Boys. Last year saw the premiere of his opera "Prima Donna" at the Manchester International Festival.
It is very hard for me to pick only a few songs as my favourites, but here goes anyway (a lot of them ended up being from his first album - I guess it's my favourite!):

April Fools
Fun fact - the women in the video are all opera characters who die for love - Mimi from La Boheme, Carmen, Tosca, Madame Butterfly and Gilda from Rigoletto - can you figure out which is which?  Also, is it just me or is Madame Butterfly played by Martha Wainwright?


Beauty Mark
Supposedly about his mother
http://hypem.com/track/1023437/Rufus+Wainwright+-+Beauty+Mark

Foolish Love
One of his many songs about unrequited love

can't seem to find a decent version of this, which really is a shame since it beautifully shows off his gorgeous voice!

Greek Song
http://www.jango.com/stations/263101390/tunein?song_id=97683

Who Are You New York?
From his latest album
Rufus Wainwright – Who Are You New York?

What do you think of Rufus Wainwright? Favourite songs? Am I wrong to think that everyone likes him? Do leave a comment :)

Artist of the Week - Richard Hawley

Wow, what a day! My first dissection lab of the year and a chemistry midterm in the same day - and the work isn't over yet, since I have another test tomorrow (just a small one, luckily). Just a quickie then, before I go to sleep!

Artist of the Week - Richard Hawley

Richard Hawley is a guitarist and singer from Sheffield.  Probably most famous for his work in the band Pulp, he also has also made several solo albums.  He first came to my attention as a solo artist pretty recently, when he made a radio series investigating how sea faring culture has influenced british music, literature, poetry and art. I found the series to be really interesting and insightful, and it brought his music to my attention, since the introduction to each program was the introduction from one of his songs that has come to be my favourite track of his.
A very talented guitarist, Richard Hawley has a remarkably rich, deep voice that lends itself perfectly to relaxed, soulful songs.  He only really sings in his solo work, but I'm going to pick a variety of tracks to give you a taste of his work.


Pulp
No piece that mentions Pulp would be complete without a couple of their most famous songs, so here we have them: (Hawley is on guitar -with the sunglasses- Jarvis Cocker sings)


Disco 2000 



Common People



Collaboration with Elbow
Hawley also did a track with one of my favourite bands, Elbow (possibly an upcoming band of the week) on their most recent album.
The Fix



Solo Work
Here are some of my favourite solo tracks by Richard Hawley


Cole's Corner
A perfectly chilled song about a famous lovers' meeting place in Sheffield



Shallow Brown
Hawley's version of a traditional sea shanty, featuring Smoke Fairies - unfortunately I can't find a link for this :( You'll just have to take my word for it!


The Ocean
My absolute favourite Richard Hawley Song - it shows off his voice and guitar skills beautifully!

A New Feature? Artist of the Week

This may become a new feature on my blog, depending on whether I remember to do it every week! I have a pathological need to share my music tastes with everyone, so what better way to do it than in the form of a blog post - I've already had a go at it!

I intend to post an entry about a different artist or band I like every week, and hopefully every so often, you might see someone you know or will get to like! So, off we go on week one...

Artist of the Week - Bat For Lashes

Bat For Lashes, aka the annoyingly talented and pretty Natasha Khan, is a "singer/ songwriter, multi- instrumentalist and visual artist " from London.  I first became aware of her by watching the culture show in February 2007 and hearing this:

and I immediately booked tickets to see her when she came to Oxford the next week!
Her music is kind of wacky, and not to everyone's taste, that's for sure, but after the release of her second album, Two Suns she became pretty popular back home in the UK.  Her music is hard to explain - it could possibly be described as experimental dream-pop, but perhaps it would be better just to listen to some of her songs.  Here are a few of my favourites:
Tahiti


The Wizard


Priscilla
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDfjVT1-mwY

Glass


Siren Song


Daniel - a big hit back home, and apparently inspired by The Karate Kid!


Let me know what you think of her, or whether you think that this feature is a good idea (although if you say it isn't I'm likely to ignore you, I'm afraid - I really do have a pathological need to force my music tastes on others, and it has to come out somewhere!)