Listen Up! Slack Jaw, Sylvan Esso

Wow. It’s been a long time since I posted here, but today I discovered this song, by a band I’ve long loved and whose latest album I should have listened to by now.

I thought it would be a great place to share it.

Monumental

Last night I went to see Godspeed You! Black Emperor collaborate with a dance company at the Edinburgh International Festival. I love the band and have wanted to see them live for a long time, there’s is the kind of music that moves you. The dancers stood on blocks and threw themselves around – rapidly, beautifully, uncomfortably. It was the kind of moment that makes you so grateful people defy instincts of convention and make art. It made me feel alive.

If you are anywhere near Edinburgh today I can’t recommend seeing it highly enough. Otherwise Godspeed.

Listen up! Cocteau Twins

This weekend I took a road trip to the Isle of Arran for my friend’s birthday. We listened to this Cocteau Twins song in the car, driving over glorious, undulating Scottish country roads (see Instagram feed!). I love it. Sure I’m late to the party (my friend Paula got in to them reading Iain Banks’ the Crow Road) but sometimes music finds you at the right time.

Minor Victories

I know right? I’ve been away from this blog forever. It’s something I’d like to change but who knows what will happen.

Anyhow I’ve been listening to so much amazing new music lately, including this track from Minor Victories, a group made up of members of Slowdive, Editors, Mogwai and Hand Held Cine Club. It’s sublime.

Listen Up! Country Folk

The Weather Station are a band I became aware of, well about five minutes ago. I really like them. It might be fuelled by the fact that I am obssessed with Nashville. Like really. It’s that kind of country ballad, guitars on the veranda, type of loveliness.

Terror Pigeon

I think Terror Pigeon isn’t the best name for a band, however this song made Monday morning a lot less awful.

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

 

 

 

From my Shelf: Nada Surf

It’s October, which for me means driving to work more, in turn that means I’m listening to CDs. This Nada Surf album is one I bought from Fopp for £5 (I know as the sticker is still on). I loved it at the time and I love it not, particularly the song Inside of Love.  It reminds me of how I used to feel, lost and lonely.

I thought I would hate this

When I turned on my NPR podcast and it had a guest DJ who was a female rapper my heart went sinking. Not that I have anything against women (being one and all), or rappers, it’s just not really my bag. I was happily surprised with Kate Tempest, because she seems intelligent and most of all hugely engaged with the world around her. It’s refreshing and inspiring. I’ve since read her book of poetry Hold Your Own and although I won’t listen to her music on a regular basis (still not really bag) I’m open to see what she comes out with.

Love words.