Listen Up! Wolf

A belated Happy New Year from me! I’m looking forward to lots of new music. Let’s start with WOLF, a Scottish artist I saw and loved last year at Summerhall. Her Black Rabbit split single was released yesterday and it is lovely.

My 2015 in Music

Happy almost 2016!

This is a shorter list than usual, because this year, for the first time in a long time, I didn’t put music first. I put books and writing and smiling and yoga first instead. Making playlists lost it’s charm. I also listened to an awful lot of podcasts: Serial, All Songs Considered, New Yorker Fiction, Nerdist…the list goes on.

Still I bought a lot of vinyl and went to a good number of gigs. This is a potted look at what will stay with me from 2015.

Record of the Year: Sufjan Stevens, Carrie & Lowell 

An unsurprising choice, I love it as much as the rest of the world.

Gig of the year: Twilight Sad at the Barrowlands 

Watching a band who have come so far do so well was quite something. I also watched two of them do an in-store in February at Vox Box music. It was quite something.

New Discovery of the Year (x2) 

Hector Bizerk

I love this band – Drums. Rap. Yes.

Frazey Ford 

What a lady.

I was also listening to lots of other new and old stuff, which I have decided to bullet point for no particular reason…

• Micah P Hinson (especially the song Patience)
• Low (Drums & Guns & Ones and Sixes)
• David Bazan
• Damien Jurado
• Nada Surf
• The Decemberists
• Sun Kill Moon
• Dark Dark Dark
• John Grant
• Courtney Barnett
• Villagers
• Joanna Gruesome

Peace and happy listening x

 

 

 

Discover Discover

I know there are many who think Spotify is akin to Satan in terms of the little revenue it gives to artists, however lately I’ve found loads of amazing music through it. One such band/person (information seems to be very limited is Careful), have a listen.

(An aside on Spotify the thing with me is that I buy vinyl and I use to discover bands whose vinyl I buy and gigs I attend. Long live the physical medium of music!)

Just a Phase I’m Going Through

That phase in question is listening to, or rather binging on, the KEXP Song of the Day podcast. It’s a great way to discover new bands, plus most of the tracks I’ve heard so far are good and loud for the morning. If you haven’t already also check out the station’s live sessions, generally awesome stuff.

Discovered Rose Windows

And Bouquet

TODAY!

Listen Up ! Young Fathers

For no particular reason I missed Young Fathers. I knew they were from Edinburgh, I also knew they had won the Mercury Prize. Both of those things haven’t really gone together before. For some reason I still just didn’t listen to them. That changed yesterday when my wonderful friend sent me loads of new music. I have now decided they are rather awesome.

Check out the KEXP session below, it’s a fine afternoon for it.

Throwback Tuesday: Led Zeppelin & Nirvana

Just because it’s what I felt like listening to.

Merry (almost) Christmas!

       Snow. From my classroom window.

YES. It is Christmas Eve. There is no excuse to leave out the jingle bell. Some songs for your auditory glee.

SLOW CLUB: Christmas Baby Please Come Home

This is my favourite version of a Christmas song. I know every note!

LOW: JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS

I downloaded an alternative Christmas playlist this year, turned out this was the only song I like!

THE RAVEONETTES: THE CHRISTMAS SONG

LOUIS ARMSTRONG: ZAT YOU, SANTA CLAUS

This makes me want to be in a jazz bar, drinking whisky.

Listen up! Anais Mitchell

I saw the beautiful Anais Mitchell live at Summerhall, Edinburgh. She played beautiful songs you can sink right into. I also her love her image – effortlessly cool 90s grunge. Listen to this one from her new album Xoa. It sends shivers.

 

I also recommend Why We Build the Wall

Listen Up! Modest Mouse

Because it’s Monday.

Because it made me feel like singing.

Because I haven’t blogged in ages.

Because it’s easy to forget old favourites.

The Twilight Sad

It’s dark here

Beats twinkle

There’s a voice I can’t forget

And rain

I feel like I did before

Hurt. Charged with something. Willing to be known.

At the core of it is brilliance.

Thinking a band’s name is entirely perfect.

I cannot play it loud enough.