I need my ears to listen with

2009 revisited (part 2)

2010-05-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

Today has been a good day. Why?
1. I went to the hairdresser and it turned out very well.
2. Though last night has made my throat soar and I've found out that you shouldn't drink cider unless you aren't going to bed anytime soon, lots of relaxation and sleep has saved my head from aching.
3. I've dived into my iTunes and dug out some old favourites from last year.
Spring in Denmark this year is weird - really weird - this week we had snow. Snow in May! that's a definite first. Also, the weather this month has been sunny and 20 degrees, combined with rain, 5 degrees and lots of wind. Slightly frustrating but nice in the way that it keeps you pumped for spring. It's coming!
Spring last year reminds me of three bands and I've rediscovered them all today - they might not be as fresh as they were last year but they certainly haven't lost much charm.

First up are Dirty Projectors. Bitte Orca was definitely an extremely fine record and I was slightly disappointed to find out that DP weren't coming to Way Out West or Denmark. But as things have turned out, I might get to see them live this summer. For the first time ever I'm going to Roskilde Festival, the biggest and boldest festival in Denmark. I'm both excited and nervous - so much needs to be sorted out - but every time I think or watching Dirty Projectors play a track like the one above at a (hopefully) sunbathed festival-site makes me smile and forget about all my anxiety.

I have a very clear picture in my head of walking in my hometown in beaming sunshine while listening to "Black Rainbow" from St. Vicent's "Actor" album. But though that particular track holds a weirdly important yet meaningless memory for me, "Marrow" still stands out to this day. It's such an amazing track - and in this abouve video, probably my favourite TV performance by anyone last year, it takes on epic proportions. The bass saxophones completely make it.

During the more quiet moments of last year Grizzly Bear were an infinite soundtrack. They are the kind of band you can devote a day to and then only listen to them for a good while. Veckatimest didn't impress me as much as I wanted it to but that's probably because I hold Yellow House oh, so dear. But as the months have gone by, Veckatimest has grown on me. As a rule of thumb I tend to lose respect for bands when they help out on a Twilight soundtrack - but really, all things considered, it doesn't matter when the music is this good. Above is another Letterman performance of great excellence.

Gig review: The Hidden Cameras, Voxhall

2010-04-24T15:09:00.000-07:00

For a number of reasons, I don't really do reviews. Firstly, I have never been satisfied with any review I've written - there's always more to be said, more to be revised and often I might change my mind halfway through or shortly after I've written the review. Secondly I don't like being a bad guy - I dislike reviewers and their endless star-giving and rating systems. It's impossible to make an objective review - don't deny, it is - so often it just seems pointless to judge a record or a gig. You can say what you think but it will rarely be valuable for anyone but you and the people who know your taste. So why exactly am I trying a review now? because I feel I need to. For my own and other people's sake. This particular gig was reviewed by the Danish music magazine GAFFA - but I really don't feel like they did it any justice. So while I still remember the details, here we go:
I've been to many gigs at the Voxhall venue. Not because I particularly like it as a venue, more because they simply have the most good bands playing. It's located in Aarhus, a one-hour drive from my hometown. The gigs I've attended there have all been very different - from a calm indiepop gig with Camera Obscura (where the most exciting thing to really happen was when a drunk Irishman suddenly decided to invade the stage) to the noisy darkness of The Horrors and their many, many fangirls. I expected this gig to be something quite special - for weeks I wondered what the crowd would be like and if there would even be one. Because let's face it - not many people, not even in Denmark's next-largest city, know Canada's most sexually broad-minded cabaret outfit. If I wasn't the nerd that I am, I certainly wouldn't have heard about them either. But I'd heard stuff about their live shows - maybe even seen a YouTube video of them playing live while being blindfolded - and for reasons inscrutable their latest album 'Origin:Orphan' ended up being one of my favourite albums last year. This was a gig not to be missed, even if I was going to be the only person in the audience.
Well, at least I wasn't going to be completely alone. My gig buddy agreed to go with me and we arrived as soon as the doors of the venue were open. From the beginning it seemed to be a different gig for Voxhall - the ticket collector seemed to try and tell me indirectly that nobody would be coming tonight - as he told that the only fun he was going to have was when checking my ticket. Incredibly, a group of about five, sort-of normal-looking women had also found their way to the venue (and the bar). So we weren't going to be completely alone, my friend and I.
As the time went by a few more people showed up - each of them looking completely different from what I would expect. No flamboyant gays or young, indie-curious people like myself. Just plain, "normal" people, some old, some young(er). It was a weird gathering.
That didn't stop the support band from being an interesting acquaintance though. Dressed in all white, the Danish band Men Among Animals were an all dancing, all clapping, all tambourine-playing slice of niceness. Their greatness made me wonder if some of the audience members were only there to see them. As things look now, though, I remember very little about their appearance. Compared to the headliners, their performance became an experience of parenthetical proportions.
As my friend and I were asked to jump down from the stage (it is preferred place to sit when waiting, you know) and a blue certain hid the stage, the excitement began building up for real. And it was awarded, as a few more people found their way to the floor of the venue and my friend and I didn't feel that alone anymore. The background music stopped playing - a blue light appeared from behind the curtain - and suddenly the gig started. Behind the curtain, the dramatic opener of the before-mentioned album's title track crept up and few moments later the curtain was pulled away and a band appeared, consisting of seven members, carrying such instruments as keyboards, bass, guitar, drums, cello and trumpet. This wasn't traditional, this was special. And the first thing leading man Joel Gibb had to tell the audience? "Kom nærmere". Yes, that'll be "come closer" in Danish. While the audience might normally stay a little away from the stage when the supporting band is playing, everyone except my friend and I (we do have a front-row tradition - why wouldn't we?), they still kept a distance between themselves and the stage at this point. They came a little closer - and from then on it became obvious that no matter how into the audience was or wasn't, the band was going to give it everything anyway.
After the dramatic beginning, the band geared down a little - playing the b-side 'Pencil Case' secondly and then proceeding into another track from 'Origin:Orphan' followed by the old single 'Awoo'. That's where it started for me - the weird feeling of witnessing something spectacular, something special. The cellist started dancing, throwing himself around while energetically playing his unhandy instrument and the trumpet player challenged him. Then the cellist challenged the singer and his guitar. It was like watching a great duel - for many of the songs, at least one or two band members had something going on that wasn't just playing their instrument. Jumping, dancing, singing or just fooling around. Then they played a track loaded with screaming (which I have yet to decipher what was) and throwing each other around, the trumpet player once being on the floor while holding onto the cellist's leg. Joel Gibb comes off as a mad preacher, a genius of theatrics, songwriting skills and general silliness. The Hidden Cameras don't take themselves too seriously and as the gig progressed, my friend turned to me and said "this beats everything!", only to a few moments later approach me to say that he thinks they're about to do the "blindfold thing". They were indeed, because - as their leader put it - they needed an eyebreak ("as recommended every 24 minutes"). They put on a lovely rendition of "Smells like Happiness" and then let their eyes see "beautiful Danish people" again for an energetic version of 'In The NA', the silliest song from 'Origin:Orphan'. The preacher said 'Tak, Aarhus' numerous times, hid behind his amplifiers and shouted things in a language I couldn't figure out what was. Then he jumped around and got pulled around by his trumpet player during 'The Little Bit', before jumping from the stage and approaching random audience members to sing the 'uuuh' part of the song with him. An internal group dance was introduced during 'Underage', making for even more of the many joyous laughs I'd had the pleasure of going through during the evening. The keyboardist Laura then had a few instructions for the last song on the setlist and decided to give us these in, well, Danish. The audience had to do, yes, a dance - and while a such thing would normally make it shiver down my spine with horror, it seemed amazingly appropriate. As if you were a part of the band, having fun, here and now. The band returned, all jumping for the pumping 'Ban Marriage' and then they were gone again. The tiny audience kept clapping, though, and the band returned once again for a different version of the very same song that opened their set. Weirdly appropriate and suddenly it was all over. Though the sad remains didn't include confetti or fireworks, it certainly felt like it. It was a party for the few, invited people and it was the kind of experience that made you wish you could hire a band to play for you every day. I certainly wouldn't mind having my own Hidden Cameras to entertain after a boring school day. Oh, and did I mention it all sounded bloody good?

Party is the new loud

2010-04-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

As things go, it's been quiet for a while here on the blog. But I'm still going strong and I think I might have regained my inspiration after a month of lovely gigs and general awareness of what a fantastic thing music is. There'll be more on that later. For now, here's a video and song I have become quite fond of over the last week. As the title of this blog post suggests, it is indeed a way of trying to get this blog up and going again - with a party, making it go from quiet to loud. (Sorry, this is the last time I'll try to be clever.)

2009 revisited (possibly part 1)

2010-03-07T12:56:00.000-08:00

So now we're in March and I have yet to finish my post on 2009. I doubt it will ever be done - I began writing it but at the moment I just don't have the discipline to sit down and go through all the music that shaped last year and I have no idea when I'll have the possibility to do that (probably at a time where it isn't relevant at all anymore). Also, I'm not a music journalist - and I haven't listened to all or half of the albums/tracks that came out last year, so I don't know how valuable my opinion would be.
Strangely, though, I have actually revisited some of the music that reminds of 2009 lately. Part of the reason is surely that I'm finally feeling spring coming up - the snow is slowly melting, the sun is shining and bird song can be heard in the distance. When things like these happen I feel like reversing time and re-experiencing all the niceness of last year's spring and summer. A couple of other things though - like the big math test I'll have to cope with on Thursday - puts me in a strangely melancholic and sigh-inducing place. Camera Obscura match perfectly with that cocktail as the joyful sound of their catchy pop sound makes me smile and their forever yearning lyrics make me sad.

Guilty pleasures

2010-02-19T15:15:00.001-08:00

I know people who say you can't have guilty pleasures (when it comes to music) and I know people who basically aren't aware of the term's existence. Also, I know people like myself, who do feel slightly ashamed of liking certain music. For me this isn't really a fact of me being embarrassed because of the music I like, more it is I unexpectedly enjoy something that I would normally consider below the quality level of the other music I listen to. Sometimes I really like music that I feel is a bit, well, "crappy" or "cheap-sounding". What music am I talking about? the less shameful examples include:

I've been trying to convince myself otherwise for a long time now but I still cannot deny the fact that this song is a very catchy and excellently executed piece of pop music. Whenever it's played on the radio I can't help but turn up the volume and sing along, while goofily continuing whatever I'm doing (whether that's taking a shower, brushing my teeth or washing my face - yes, our radio is indeed in the bath room). I've got quite a love-hate relationship with Lady Gaga's other singles and I don't like any of them half as much as I like this one. Sadly, I've yet to actually hear it played at a party but when it happens I'll be doing my thing.

The last time I saw the amazing Owen Pallett live (that's another story), the main character of a magical evening (the supporting names were Lightspeed Champion, Sam Amidon, Nico Muhly and Beth Orton... yes, wow indeed) entered the stage while miming and singing along to this song while setting up his equipment. Strangely, it has given this song a whole new dimension to me. I don't particularly like Alicia Keys and I never have, though I definitely recognize the fact that she's got talent. Somehow all things seem to come together with this track - the heavy beat (which definitely makes the song for me), the heartache lyrics and the glossy video combined equal a fairly fine pop song that gets stuck in your head and refuses to leave.

Is Jay-Z bad? I don't know. I usually don't listen to rap or hip-hop - I believe there's something good in every genre, yet I just haven't really found anything in that area that made an impact on me. It's been months since the last time I heard this song but in the media lately there's been a heavy debate about the use of Autotune in the recent series of the X Factor (a programme that sometimes also turns out to be a bit of a guilty pleasure entertainment wise - even though I absolutely hate it with a passion) and it made me think of this track that I never really listened to enough when I found out about it. Back then I heard it on the radio once and thought 'this isn't bad actually... and I quite like its message'. So, I gave it a re-listen and I still think it's really damn cool.

What these three tracks have in common is the fact that in the long run they'll probably drive me crazy and I'll hate them just as much as I tend to hate lots of other mainstream pop music. Only they haven't reached that state yet - and I'm glad they haven't, there's nothing worse (there most certainly is but you get my point) than listening to the radio when there's nothing you secretly enjoy.

Michel is back!

2010-02-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

Michel Gondry is not just my favourite music video director, he is one of my all-time favourite people. Whenever something new shows up from him it is quickly confirmed what an inexhaustible imagination and mind this man has. Or should I say boy? there's a documentary about him out there carrying the name 'I've Been 12 Forever' and it certainly fits with his playful and childish approach to things. His aesthetics often come off as amateurish, maybe even a bit cheap - but that's only because he uses such simple and old school tricks to create visually compelling movies and videos unlike anything else.
Lately, the Frenchman with the awesome mind hasn't been much in the limelight - especially not on the music video side of things. But a little while ago something new finally showed up. While the song isn't really my cup of tea, the video still manages to fit it perfectly through its simple, yet effective, fresh and fun theme. It's been compared to a Sony Bravia ad and I've always quite liked those, so that's only a good thing. Also, it's good to know Monsieur Gondry is still going strong.

This is the new thing, apparently: vinyl and blood galore

2010-02-12T07:30:00.000-08:00

Hmm, musicians act weirdly these days. While the far-too-talked-about subject of illegal downloading and sharing of music keeps pushing the creaters and artists towards interesting new directions when releasing their music, some definitely seem more intriguing and thought-provoking than others. Examples? here are a couple.

Parenthetical Girls - Privilege
I'd heard a bit about these artpoppers releasing a new album, and that significant cover art has certainly popped up a few times lately, when I've been searching for other things. But it wasn't until later on, ie. a few days ago, that I actually found out about how this album was going to be released. There's a concept: a series of EPs released throughout 15 months, concluding with the fifth in May 2011 and in the end making an album. Also, physically, the album will only be available on vinyl. Limited to 500 copies from the band's own website... oh, and did I mention that these 500 copies will be hand-numbered by a band member in their own blood?
I guess that's supposed to be the interesting part, yet I'm much more tempted by the idea of slowly releasing an album this way. Nobody will know the exact flow, mood or general direction of the album until a year after the first part of it is released. I'm ready for the patience, because this could definitely become quite an interesting series to follow.

Xiu Xiu - Dear God, I Hate Myself
My relationship with Xiu Xiu is a little complicated, not to say non-existent. While I neither love nor dislike the few songs of theirs that I've heard (the one above was stuck in my head for an entire day last week), there's just something weird, really weird about them that makes me turn away and be intimidated by the thought of listening to more of their stuff. The idea of them releasing an album called 'Dear God, I Hate Myself' and making that above video certainly doesn't make them seem more appealing. Like many other bands do these days to make people want a physical copy of their album, Xiu Xiu release a special edition, limited to 100 deluxe vinyl copies. These all come with handmade chocolate(!), possibly relating to the fact that the album features a song called 'Chocolate Makes You Happy', and 21 of them a handmade shirt with 'Xiu Xiu for life' written on it in real blood. Apparently blood is the new black when it comes to making your record interesting... hmm. Still, I'm not convinced as in whether Xiu Xiu are genius or just plain weird but I guess it'll come. Whenever I've had a love/hate relationship with a piece of music it has mostly turned into a straight love or hate relationship a little later on. And 'Dear God, I Hate Myself' is in that position now, so I'll just have to wait and see.

A triple(!) album to be excited for

2010-02-10T07:42:00.000-08:00

You guessed it. Of course the title's talking about Joanna Newsom's forthcoming 'Have One On Me' album, which is released on February 23. It's been quiet around the girl with the harp for a while but speculation has started long ago about her next album - an album that contains about two hours of music, making it an album for three CDs/LPs.
I've liked Joanna Newsom for a while but mostly in quite radical doses. Yet I listened to the three new songs revealed from the triple album. They - and especially the one above - made me realize a couple of things.
1. Joanna Newsom is more awesome than I thought.
2. Joanna Newsom sounds exactly like spring.
3. I want spring.

Yes, "'81" has reminded that the winter has lasted long enough. I really, really want the snow to go away now - it's not pretty anymore, it's just sad. And with the freezing cold it's almost impossible to walk properly outside without half-falling most of the time. I just want sunshine and a few more degrees - possibly 5 or 10, that'd be extremely nice. Pretty please?
Oh, and before I forget:
4. I'm very excited for 'Have One On Me'.

Track of the day #11

2010-02-06T15:40:00.000-08:00

I'm slowly starting to realise that my way of dealing with winter this year isn't by listening to lots of heavy indie rock but rather by treating my ears to lots of lush, pretty and soft music. As well as Beach House and that 'Here Lies Love' track, I've today listened to a great big amount of Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman's work and it is really brillant. Especially this song and its silly yet awesome video have stayed with me and won't seem to leave my brain.

Track of the day #10

2010-02-04T12:40:00.000-08:00

I didn't expect this but I have just discovered that David Byrne + Fatboy Slim + Florence Welch equals pop perfection. This track sounds both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time and is six minutes of pure, epic pop perfection.

Visual goodness by Sigur Rós

2010-01-23T11:54:00.000-08:00

A good amount of time ago I remember trying to write a very long, thought-through piece for this blog about the importance of what visually accompanies music. I never finished it but some of the experiences I've had lately has led my thoughts in the direction of maybe trying to get it written anyway. As mentioned, the new Blur documentary was a visual delight, and today I saw another great music + visual combo - the Sigur Rós film 'Heima'. It is a very special band film, since its breathtaking visuals document so much more than just a band. The film is as beautiful as anything you'll see, as Sigur Rós tour their homeland of Iceland with free, unannounced gigs and anecdotes regarding the island. I have wanted to go to Iceland for a number of years and my interest was definitely increased even more by this film. The nature, the people and all those things that seem so special about Iceland is brought to us by a band that sounds exactly the way I would imagine the island sounding had it been a sound. Also, I really appreciate the fact that this film actually seems to understand that watching a group of children flying kites is a just as appropriate visual while listening to Sigur Rós as an image of the band on stage (even though that is also a quite intriguing sight). The YouTube snippets don't do the film that much justice, so I really do recommend getting your hands on a DVD version. Then get some chocolate, a cup of tea, a duvet and something nice and comfy to sit on and watch. I guarantee it'll make the winter seem less depressing.

No Distance Left To Run

2010-01-19T14:09:00.000-08:00

Ahh, the nostalgia. I might only be 17 years old and someone who was unborn when Blur first emerged. But still, little music makes me as nostalgic, filled with joy and at the same time melancholic and thoughtful as theirs. I have mentioned that I went to see them in Hyde Park this summer and that they were my favourite band a few years back - but somehow, as things are now, they are so much more. Their music is now connected to the memories of the summer 2009, of the sunshine, of London, of the rain, of old times and of that special, special gig. I have childhood memories of Blur, yes - I remember being six or seven, watching the video for 'Coffee & TV' on television while loving the video and having absolutely no interest in the music whatsoever. Later on I saw more videos of theirs, including 'Song 2' (I knew the 'woo-woo' part for years while having no idea what the song was called or what band had made it) and being confused that 'the blonde guy, isn't he the singer? then why is the boy with the glasses singing in the milk carton video?' - I knew Blur a tiny bit but my interest didn't occur for real before my interest in britpop emerged and I spontaneously bought their 'Best of' - I don't want this post to be too long, I'm off to bed, so let's just say that the rest is history and my interest has been through many interesting stages ever since.
This evening I went to see 'No Distance Left To Run', the first real in-depth documentary made about the entire Blur story up until now. And quite frankly, it took my breath away. It contained everything I wanted it to contain - as well as some fantastically beautiful images. I laughed, I almost cried (I'm not the kind of person who cries in the cinema, you know) and had the loveliest warm feeling in my stomach when I left the cinema accompanied by the sound of 'Swamp Song'.
I've been thinking about Blur quite a lot lately and how I cannot wait to spend another summer in London with their albums as my soundtrack. Only now, I think they might just make their way onto my winter playlist as well. Especially this song:

After all these years I still keep realising that it is probably in my top 10 of favourite songs ever... but that's another story.

While you wait...

2010-01-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

I'm afraid it'll take a little while longer before my post(s) on the musical year of 2009 is/are done and ready to be uploaded, so in the meantime I'll point you in the direction of this, my favourite pop song of 2010 so far. It's a grower definitely - when I first heard it I didn't like it at all - I thought it was too commercial and unoriginal and the video didn't really do anything you felt like you hadn't seen before. But I couldn't really forget it either - I returned to it a couple of times and kept thinking 'do I like this? Is it really, really bad? or is it good?' - then new year's eve arrived and as I decorated my room before the party I couldn't help but choose this song as the soundtrack. It doesn't revolutionize pop music in any way but it highlights everything that's good about something being catchy, upboat and impossible to get out of your head. I haven't listened to it that many times and I could probably sing along to it without forgetting the lyrics a single time. In music class today we learned about the elements and classic structures of a pop/rock song and this song is a perfect example of what pop music is so good at. I wish they would play this on the radio instead of 'Party In The USA' by Miley Cyrus.

Joanna does Beyoncé (quite brilliantly)

2009-12-30T15:42:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to say anything. Just watch this - the description says it is what 'SHOULD have happened'. Indeed.

Album leaks and the right listening conditions

2009-12-22T10:17:00.000-08:00

I had a lovely experience today. I've mentioned the new Final Fantasy - or well, Owen Pallett (the FF moniker has died) - album 'Heartland' multiple times even though I had never had the chance to listen to it. I've known just about every single song on it in one version or another though and it has made my anticipation for the real record huge. During the last few weeks I've been telling myself multiple times 'GOSH, I CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER. LEAK FOR GOODNESS' SAKE!'. It's weird, because I don't really like the idea of albums leaking on the internet early and being downloaded illegally all over the world. But I'd just become so impatient - and today, quite unexpectedly, the leak actually happened. And since I have waited for this record for so long and been wanting it, I couldn't help myself. I had to listen to it. I've already paid for my vinyl pre-order and the faster shipping. That's how excited I've been for this album.
Therefore I decided that I also wanted to listen to it for the first time under the perfect conditions. And luckily the conditions seemed quite right - the Christmas holiday began today, outside my window a snow storm was raging beautifully, covering the neighborhood with a layer of white. Suddenly the otherwise boring view from my windowsill had turned into the perfect place for enjoying the winter wonderland unfolding itself outside. I turned the lights off and decided to sit on my bed, underneath my duvet for the niceness and warmth. Then I found my big, dearly beloved Sennheiser headphones and lit three candles. At last I pressed 'play'. It was like going on a mindblowing adventure, from beginning to end - strangely it felt right for the first three tracks to sit on my bed, then on my piano bench right in front of the window for the next four, then on the floor for the eighth (while staring out the window from the little spot underneath the electric piano) and then leaning against my bed while staring into the ceiling for the last tracks. Listening to this album for the first time was like a journey through wild, amazing stories and landscapes. It made me think of dragons, witches and the fantasy books I used to love when I was younger, making for a fascination like few I have felt when listening to an album for the first time. The atmosphere is always important when you listen to music - and listening to the chaos of 'The Great Elsewhere' while staring at three candles of which the two had fluttered, waving flames and the third had a stagnant, calm one somehow just feels more fitting and enchanting than anything. Also, I don't think there's anything more perfect to look at while listening to songs like 'Oh Heartland, Up Yours!' and 'Lewis Takes Off His Shirt' than tiny, white snowflakes being thrown around.
I wrote about winter albums a few days ago and if I had heard 'Heartland' back then it would definitely be a contender. To me it is a masterpiece of a record, a beast of beauty filled with unexpected elements and flaws that make it something truly special. I am definitely not disappointed... I cannot wait for my vinyl now.

My winter albums

2009-12-19T15:39:00.000-08:00

The winter has really arrived in Denmark now. It's minus degrees outside, there's beautiful white snow on the ground (which is a bit of a miracle at this time of year, actually) and only few days left before everyone gets to tear up presents from family members and friends. I'm the kind of person who always gets depressed, tired and annoyed during the winter - but there are a few things that are able to keep the winter depression at a considerable distance. One of these this is snow - often it's the constant darkness of the winter that saddens me. But when there's a lovely layer of white on everything, it somehow makes the little amount of light much lighter, so while the temperature may drop, my mood usually rises.
Another important factor when it comes to keeping the winter depression away is the music I listen to. Over these last few years I've found out what music suits the short days and the long nights the best.

Arcade Fire - 'Funeral'

My slight Arcade Fire obsession actually started at about the same time as the one where I began writing this blog. But since doing a write-up on them in January, things have happened and throughout the winter in the beginning of 2009, 'Funeral' was my soundtrack most of the time. There's such a warmth in Arcade Fire's music, especially on this album, and it aptly features lyrics surrounding winter themes. I mean, there probably isn't any time more appropriate for listening to 'Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)''s lyrics about digging a tunnel through the snow get through a loved one's window than on a cold morning with snow covering your own neighborhood. I've already re-discovered this album today and it just never gets old. It could possibly be my winter album this year as well, just because it is so damn fantastic.

Regina Spektor - 'Begin To Hope'

I discovered Regina's music back in December 2006. I remember it quite clearly because back then it was like some kind of musical revelation for me - and because I remember buying this album, which quite amazingly had found its way to my local record shop, in exchange of an unwanted Christmas gift. It's been quite a while since I listened to this album because with the musical standards I've set for what I want to listen to, this somehow isn't as great now as I though it was back then. And, well, because I've realised that all Regina's previous albums were much better. but when I went for a walk in the snow today I gave it a new chance because of the way it seemed fitting with the weather. And as the sounds of 'Après Moi', my favourite track from the album back in the day, found its way into my hidden-underneath-a-woolen-hat ears, it took me back to those previous winter days three years ago. They were good, and you know, Regina's good people.

Fleet Foxes - 'Fleet Foxes'

I have yet to decide what my winter album of 2009/2010 is but I have a feeling this might be at least one of them. I didn't really get into Fleet Foxes last year like everyone else - I got into The Dodos instead - and boy, was that a mistake. Because this folksy group's debut album is certainly very, very lovely. It features winter themes in some places as well, but while 'Funeral' is fitting for the snowy days, 'Fleet Foxes' has been my soundtrack during the cold, rainy days we experience oh-so-often here in Denmark.

The Hidden Cameras - 'Origion:Orphan'

Another contender, though I haven't listened to it enough yet. This album doesn't sound particularly winter-like or anything but I got my hands on it last week and it has stayed with me as one of those 'interesting, need to listen more to that' experiences. The reason why I mention this one is that I've been trying to get into The Hidden Cameras for a while and this might be the record that does the trick. It feels like one of those weird albums where you feel you just need to listen to it a bit more and then it might eventually become a new favourite. I'm intrigued and I'll probably discover it through the winter, so we'll see.

Track of the day #9

2009-12-11T16:13:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling old today. But I'm also feeling quite young and childish. Let me tell you why; today I've been listening to lots of contemporary classical music, ambient and post-rock while I've also been reading Moomin stories. A while ago I borrowed 'The Big Moomin Book' from the library and once in a while it's really nice to just sit down, read and enjoy the philosophical, naïve and characteristic universe these stories and characters represent. I've realised what I want to do when I get old. I want to live in a Moomin house. A big, blue house with lots of floors and things to explore, right in the middle of some beautiful forest. Also, I want to write children's books, fantasize about the small and the big things in life and listen to lots of calm, quiet and haunting music in the late hours. I want to listen to Nico Muhly and this track which I have had on repeat for a while today.
<a href="http://nicomuhly.bandcamp.com/track/bonus-track-skip-town">BONUS TRACK: Skip Town by Nico Muhly</a>

An analogue romance

2009-12-09T13:16:00.000-08:00

For my birthday this year I received a gramophone and though I was immensely excited about it when I got it, I didn't have any speakers to connect it to, meaning that it has been standing on a shelf for months without being used. Yet, today, I finally got it working! the speakers I'm using are a not-that-fantastic-but-okay pair of iPod speakers. This means I finally got to listen the vinyl records I have had lying around for a while. My collection includes a couple of free 7"s (from my time as an NME reader), a couple I bought in a secondhand shop yesterday (one features Beethoven's 8th symphony in F major - and both sound really scratchy - my mom reckons they're from the '40s) and an old, old copy of The Beatles' Revolver (inherited from my grandmom - and for some reason tucked in the sleeve for Sgt. Pepper). The best experience I had with the gramophone today, though, was when I decided to give the Benoît Pioulard 7" vinyl I got as part of a bundle earlier this year a listen. I haven't had a chance to listen to it before - and as it turns out, both tracks are really, really nice. I can't share them with you since I don't think they're online anywhere (but you can buy the vinyl here: http://www.pioulard.com/lee.htm), but both tracks are truly worth it. Both songs may be covers ('Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat', originally by Ink Spots and 'Sundown, Sundown' originally by Lee Hazlewood) without me having known the originals, so I'm not going to compare. But they just sound so fitting, so calming - like most of Benoît Pioulard's stuff does. Both songs are perfect soundtracks for staring at the turntable while that little, black record turns round and round and round. So romantic.

Track of the day #8

2009-12-05T16:24:00.000-08:00

There's a trend in music nowadays. I'm talking about the one where an artist is releasing a new album soon and as promotion gives away a free track to promote it. The latest in the row to do so is Sigur Rós' singer Jónsi, who's giving away the track 'Boy Lilikoi' from his upcoming solo album 'Go'. Today that song has been my soundtrack - December is here, Christmas is near. And I think that's what this song sounds like. Pretty white snow falling, Christmas lights shining bright in the night and happiness trying to be achieved though it's cold and dark outside. I'll have to face it; there's no way I can avoid the winter - so I might as well try to enjoy it. And it's songs like this that help me do so.

A special gig

2009-12-05T15:48:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit late with this, I know, but sometimes the time for writing just isn't there. But I have to write about it - I really do. Last Wednesday my family and I went to Hamburg to the gig of my parents' dreams - and yes, that would indeed be Paul McCartney. I was as excited as I mostly am before any gig but it wasn't until the day after the actual gig I really realised how special it was. It wasn't the way I prefer gigs - I think the venue held about 17.000 people, I felt like I was the youngest person there and it wasn't a gig where I was guarantied to know all the songs played. Also the atmosphere was quite strange before the gig as it was announced to begin at 8PM but didn't start before 9:15PM. There was booing and jokes about why the gig hadn't started yet and judging by all the stories I had heard about how the atmosphere at a gig like this was supposed to be fantastic I was getting a bit worried. Yet, when the stylish old man and his slightly younger band finally entered the stage, many of my worries were blown away. It was a show - a two and a half hour long show - and it was majestic and big. It lived up to my expectations - but not in a bad way. The visual part of the show worked really well - the stage had a new theme for each track and though some worked better than others I overall really enjoyed them and found them quite fitting. Especially the shock of the fireworks during 'Live And Let Die' - I'm quite scared of fireworks and though it sounded like a bomb exploded somewhere each time a new blast began after the 'so live and let dieee...' part I just couldn't help but laugh and enjoy it. It was loud and majestic and slightly ridiculous - but in the best possible way. I mostly don't like singalongs either - but you know, these are the Beatles tunes. Everybody knows the lyrics (though many of them I've only learned recently) and I'd like to meet the person who could contain him/herself during these songs at the closest you can get to a Beatles gig nowadays. So I grabbed my parents and sang along as you're supposed to. It's all love, you know. It's okay to show how much you love the music sometimes. It was slightly surreal though - also since I've never really been to this type of gig before - and I've only recently realised that I've seen one of the two remaining Beatles live. That's big. That night was special - simply because of the person playing - and I'm really, really happy to have been there. Because it was a truly fantastic gig. Macca is a charmer and though lots of the show was probably planned in detail, it never seemed fake or awkward. It was just plain entertaining, musical and lovely. Also, that night I realised what my favourite Beatles tune is. Blackbird. So simple, yet so amazingly beautiful.

December 1

2009-12-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

When I was little I used to get a little present every day during the 24 days of Christmas. I don't do that any longer and I kind of miss it - I was excited to wake up every single day and find out what my parents (or 'the house elf') had given me on this particular day. Quite unexpectedly today turned out to be a bit like the childhood ones. In the mail today I found a package from my favourite Danish music magazine Soundvenue and I expected it to be a bill or something since I haven't been asked to pay for the next three months as a subscriber yet. But when I opened the package it turned out to be a CD I'd won in a competition on their website. Quite a lovely little surprise since I had no idea I had won it.

The other 'gift' came from my favourite orchestral experimentalist (as Pitchfork has labelled him now) Owen Pallett aka Final Fantasy. The album version of 'Lewis Takes Action' was released today as a free download and it sounds really brilliant. I didn't think it was possible for me to become more excited for 'Heartland' yet somehow I am now. Above is a live performance of another new album track from a Tunnelvision session released on Pitchfork recently. Now I just need to decide whether I want the album on CD or vinyl.

The consequences of an exellent party

2009-11-29T13:21:00.000-08:00

I went to bed at 5AM last night and I'm quite sure that's the latest I've ever stayed up. I went to a quite epic party to celebrate one of my good friends' 18th birthday and though they were only about 12-14 people and it was at a private little house it was still fantastic. But you know, these people were good people - and the music played last night was mostly fabulous. Not many people my age have more than decent taste in music and at parties I often find myself hating the party just because Akon or David Guetta is playaed for the 10th time in one night. Yesterday's party wasn't just good because of the wine and the people but also because of the music. I guess you can't avoid hearing the same song more than once at a party - but yesterday the repeated songs we'rent bad. I heard an awful lot of La Roux last night and though it got a bit too much for me at one point, I'm not complaining. As far as electropop goes nowadays the British duo is one of the better ones.

This, a song of theirs I hadn't heard before, was the highlight for me. The pounding rhythm and the distinctive voice of Eleanor Jackson make up a strong, fantastic pop tune that actually makes you want to listen to the song at a party and dance about manically.

I made two new musical discoveries last night as well. A met a very cool guy who told me stories about lamp posts, flowers and watching Nick Cave at Roskilde Festival and he told me about a band called Focus and a track of theirs called 'Hocus Pocus'. This isn't really my kind of music - though I bet my dad would love it - yet this is extremely cool, entertaining and worth sharing. I'm not going to spoil the fun, so just watch it and let it speak for itself.

The other discovery happened when it was getting late, the people were getting fewer and the atmosphere had become more relaxed and laid-back. Somehow a record by Hauschka, a German piano-project, found its way to the speakers. I don't know what the record was called or which songs we heard from it, but I remembered the name. When I searched on YouTube this came up:

Pure musical beauty and definitely the kind of music I'll feel like listening to during the dark, rainy days we're getting so many of these days. I have yet to find out more about this new acquaintance but so far I'm fascinated and interested.

NSFW

2009-11-27T08:59:00.000-08:00

Recently I've learned a new internet term known as 'NSFW'. It might always have existed, somehow I just haven't come across it before. It's short for 'not suitable for work', meaning, you know, that you shouldn't watch/read this content from a computer at work unless you want raised eyebrows and the like from your colleagues. Lately quite a lot of bands have released NSFW videos (Flaming Lips + Girls) - this is my favourite, though:

It's kind of insane and ridiculous, yet suits the song perfectly and provides some quite breathtaking images.

Stars

2009-11-22T10:52:00.000-08:00

In this world of YouTube, MySpace, Google and libraries you extremely rarely have to buy a piece of music to hear it - mostly you've heard a preview, a song or maybe even the whole thing online before investing in an album. At least that's the way it has become. When I was little and just started being interested in music (I think was about 11, and - whisper it - Maroon 5 were my first favourite band after I'd grown out of Aqua and Britney Spears) I remember the excitement of actually going to the store, buying the CD and hoping it had more good music on it than just that one song. Back then I probably bought two CDs a year and then listened to them over and over and over - while nowadays it's quite different. It varies depending on how much money I've got but I don't think there's been a month this year where I haven't bought at least five-ten CDs and often many more. It is not only a consequence of me having gotten my musical horizons broadened and my wallet having gotten bigger but also one of the internet. There is almost no music you cannot find buried on the web somewhere - which is quite handy as you don't have to buy anything before you've heard at least a part of it. It's practical if you want to avoid buying something that might turn out to be crap but also takes away some of the pleasure of buying a record and being excited about getting to hear it. So sometimes I like to do really spontanous buys just to feel that little excitement again. The last time I did one of those spontanous was when I went to Aarhus to see Efterklang. Before the gig my friend and I went into my favourite record shop (called Badstuerock) and looked at used CDs. Between the new albums I couldn't find anything I wanted that I couldn't get for less on the Rough Trade website though and I was feeling slightly desperate to buy something. As my friend looked through all the older, used CDs in there he showed me 'Set Yourself On Fire' by Canadian band Stars and told me it was good. Stars were the kind of band I'd only heard about but never actually heard any music by - but from what I'd heard about them I assumed I would like them, so I bought it and gave it a listen the next day. I really liked it. It's becoming a cliché for me to say it but I'm a sucker for good pop music. And 'Set Yourself On Fire' contains lovely, lovely pop music with boy-girl vocals, horns, strings and electronics.

Albums to look forward to in 2010

2009-11-19T08:32:00.000-08:00

So 2009 is slowly coming to an end and the musical year of 2010 is vaguely beginning to take shape. Personally I'm really, really looking forward to January and February already. Here are a few of the reasons:

It kind of surprises me as I haven't paid that much attention to either Charlotte Gainsbourg's or Becks' projects before but their forthcoming album, 'IRM', is beginning to become one of the records of 2010 I'm looking most forward to. This track, 'Heaven Can Wait', its fantastic video (featuring more than one WTF moment) and the title track (available as a free download on the web) seem very promising to me. Also, I've always loved Charlotte's speaking voice, so it's probably about time I check out her music.

I might only have been a Final Fantasy fan for about a year but I almost feel like I've been waiting for 'Heartland' as long as everyone else - that's about 3 or 4 years. With Owen having played so many of the new songs live and them all sounding incredible I've become less and less patient - if it is even half as amazing as I already feel like it is/will be I won't be disappointed. Just a little less than two months to go and I will finally get to hear this album... and if I'm really lucky, I might even get to see him live again in January. Fingers crossed!

Over the last few days Efterklang have bombarded their Facebook and MySpace followers with YouTube videos of different so-called 'magic chairs' (my favorite: http://tinyurl.com/ya92vrs) and I'm probably not the only person who has been wondering why. Today the reason was revealed - their new album is titled 'Magic Chairs' and is released on February 22 next year. The new songs they played last week in Aarhus all sounded very lovely and so this album one I definitely look forward to. Above is a video of one my favorites of the new songs they played last Friday.

When I saw the artwork for Vampire Weekend's 'Cousins' single I thought 'that's got to be a still from the video'. I was right. The video is quirky, cute and very, well, Vampire Weekend. The song will probably always remind me of being in Hyde Park in bottle rain while waiting for VW to finish and Blur to finally enter the stage. Doesn't make it less of a good song, though.

A follow-up

2009-11-14T15:54:00.000-08:00

After having dissed Sugababes' cover of Florence & the Machine's 'Rabbit Heart', I feel like I should mention this example where a pop act covers a less known band and actually succeeds. Solange Knowles, Beyoncé's sister, has recently covered Dirty Projectors' 'Stillness Is The Move'. 'Stilness...' is a fantastically fantastic track, one of the best I've heard this year and it is definitely an r'n'b track at heart, so this kinda ought to happen. And though the original is still superior, I don't think this cover is bad at all. It's good and it had to happen. Its weakness lays in the fact that it makes you want to go and listen to the original because it is that good bit better. So I think you should do so as well - and then you also have an excuse to watch the ridicously cool video.

Performing Parades

2009-11-14T08:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had the fantastic pleasure of seeing the Danish postrock band Efterklang live in Musikhuset in Aarhus. The show was part of the band's so-called DOX:TOUR - meaning that the night consisted of a movie screening and a gig. The movie being shown was the concert film 'Performing Parades' which documents the concert Efterklang played last year accompanied by the Danish National Chamber Orchestra. It was a both musical and visual treat - in the movie the band's latest album 'Parades' is played in its entirety from beginning to end. It is filmed intensely and beautifully - and the entire band and orchestra play with a passion and musicality it is a delight to witness even though it might only be on a screen. Visually the viewer is also treated to the genius of Danish design duo Hvass&Hannibal. The musicans are presented as part of a mountain landscape on the stage as everyone wears pointy little hats and the core of the band colourful garments all created specially for the occasion. 'Performing Parades' is the kind of concert movie that makes you go 'dammit, why wasn't I there?!' - but the visual documentation is definitely much, much better than nothing. For me the movie was almost good enough to let the night already be considered memorable.
But then there was a short break and the real Efterklang entered the little stage (the smallest one, I think, in Musikhuset) and blew me even more away. I was almost expecting to be disappointed as they now didn't have an orchestra and didn't wear fancy clothes. But I was proven wrong - Efterklang are, luckily, the kind of band who play with a musicality and joy that makes it an absolute pleasure watching them go. Represented was the core of the band (including before-on-this-blog-mentioned Peter Broderick). The band's set consisted of new songs and older material from before the Parades album. It was the kind of gig that made me remember just how much I love music - and especially live music. Efterklang make some of the most beautiful music I know and play it uniquely well. The crowd clapped along but remained mostly silent and observing - but by the end the band's frontman, Casper Clausen, nicely asked the sitting crowd to come closer - and so my friend and I ran down and were part of the new little crowd on the floor right in front of the band. Afterwards I bought a beautiful double-vinyl package with a DVD of the 'Performing Parades' film and I cannot wait to have it playing in the background - or in the foreground - when I read or study or do nothing else in these coming winter months.

Oh, the horror, the horror...

2009-11-11T07:35:00.000-08:00

This is not a review of the Horrors gig I went to on Sunday (since you ask, it was very good - noisy in just the right way) but a post where I want to share something horrible. Normally I'd like to only mention good music on this blog, but there is lots of bad music out there too - and sometimes I feel almost compelled to focus on that fact. That is for example when bad music attacks good music. I just came across this - a fresh example of what I'm talking about:

That's Sugarbabes covering Florence & the Machine. Gone is the sheer force of Florence Welch's insisting vocals, the heavy drums and the incredible energy of the original and instead we get a weird, look-how-much-soul-we-got version complete with congas and three anonymous girl group vocals. This isn't the worst cover I've ever heard but I think it's both quite weak and pretty boring, which isn't at all what I would label the original song with.

What is much, much, much worse, though, is this:

Cascada has commited many crimes to music over the years, but for me this is the worst. 'Because The Night' is a fantastic pop song - especially in Patti Smith's version - and I don't really feel like I need to say more. Listen to Cascada's version, then Patti's and if you don't find the existence of Cascada's version incredibly sad afterwards, I'm afraid you have no soul.

2009-11-10T13:58:00.000-08:00

I've got three reasons as to why this video belongs in the blog.
1. 'Damaris' is one of very good songs on Patrick Wolf's latest album, which generally wasn't that fantastic.
2. The video somehow perfectly fits what I saw in my head the first time I heard the song: fields/nature, romance and Patrick being as pretentious as always while singing about love and tears. I don't experience that often - but somehow this video, though it indeed could be seen as both too pretentious and kind of silly fits perfectly - this is just the way Patrick does it and while I've disliked both of the other videos he has put out for this album, this one somehow captures something very fitting and beautiful for the song.
3. I'll admit: at the moment I have the biggest crush on a boy who looks a bit like Patrick. And I most definitely wouldn't mind messing about in a forest somewhere with him while wearing fancy clothes like mr. Wolf and his actress friend do in this video.

Track the day #7

2009-11-09T13:03:00.001-08:00

Mika - 'Rain'

I've had a strangely good day considering how tired I was supposed be after going to bed at 1AM last night. We had a not-very-easy math test today and I was prepared to do terribly - but I think it went quite well. One of my dear classmates turned 18 today as well and the entire class celebrated by eating cake, singing 'happy birthday', talking about christmas and generally not doing what we were supposed to be doing in our music lesson. Then I went to the dentist (where everything was as it was supposed to be) and then visited my best friend Anne for a couple of hours. I couldn't help but be jealous of her - on Saturday she went to see the Flaming Lips live and had the pleasure of dancing on the stage and in general the most amazing fun I've heard about in a while. But it'll be two weeks before I get to see her again, so I was pretty focused on just having a good time with her. Today our definition of a good time was talking about music, boys and clothes and listening to Mika. We had 'Rain' on repeat for a while and though my relationship with Mika is slightly awkward, since I really cannot decide whether I like him or not (sometimes I do and sometimes he annoys me A LOT) - but the colourfulness and fun of this song definitely fitted my far-better-than-expected day quite well.

Tonight

2009-11-08T01:13:00.000-08:00

I'm off to see The Horrors tonight. I have yet to hear their first album but it seems to be widely known that their second album, 'Primary Colours', which came out this year, contains some of the best dark rock/post-punk/shoegaze heard in years. Since I can't go see Joy Division, I guess this is the next best thing.

I don't think I'll ever be able to dislike Jarvis.

2009-11-06T09:13:00.000-08:00

Few people can make a good music video just by goofing around and act silly. Jarvis Cocker is one of those few people. This, his new video for the title track from his latest album, proves just why the Jarv is so special. He is of my biggest musical idols ever and one who I've continued to admire since I randomly discovered his solo record and then Pulp and Blur and britpop afterwards a few years ago. He is basically one of the main reasons why I listen to the music I do today. And yet I haven't got my hands on his newest solo album though it's been out for months. I still love both Pulp and Blur but I've seemed to move on and so haven't really thought about giving that new record a listen. This video and song makes me reconsider doing so. The video reminds me of that soon-I-think-15-or-20-year-old video for Pulp's 'Babies' where El Jarvo does few things except wearing a very green shirt and act Jarvis-ly in front of a white background. This video seems like an updated version somehow - he's older, has grown a beard and got less colourful clothes. Yet somehow he still is nobody but the Jarvis we all know so well. He dances, lip-synces, wears glasses (that's actually an important thing) and acts silly. After all these years he is still truly one of a kind.

Track of the day #6

2009-11-05T08:50:00.000-08:00

Thao With The Get Down Stay Down - 'When We Swam'
Today was the day I realised that it was no longer summer, not even at the least. No way back, only winter ahead. It was absolutely freezing outside when I walked home from school and though I had my new winter coat and my gloves on it was impossible to keep warm. Now I'm safely at home underneath my duvet enjoying the finally-turned-on heat in our house and I'm listening to the some of the nicest music I can find in my iTunes library. I just found myself a free download of the song 'Know Better Learn Faster' by Thao With The Get Down Stay Down and it's very, very nice. I thought I wanted that one to be song of the day - but then I saw the video for 'When We Swam' by the same band and started missing summer even more. Blue sky, sun, beach, sand, soap bubbles and a band consisting of a girl with a children's-sized guitar and two guys with a yellow tambourine and a pink ukulele. If that doesn't seem like fun, then I really don't know what does.

Cocteau Twins

2009-10-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

I think I've found one of this year's first official autumn bands: Cocteau Twins. It's strange - they aren't exactly upcoming or new, they're kind of old and forgotten. My interest in them came about quite randomly - I'd read a review of a recent Massive Attack gig in Copenhagen and decided to re-listen to 'Teardrop' among other MA tracks. I then came across who sang that song - Elisabeth Fraser from the Cocteau Twins. I was quie interested in this voice and so then tried out a few CT tracks and was almost instantly hooked by the first album of theirs I heard, 'Heaven Or Las Vegas'. I've been thinking a lot about how to describe Cocteau Twins' music - it's shoegaze, dream pop and post-punk all at once. Sometimes they sound like The Cure fronted by Enya, sometimes like My Bloody Valentine with less loud, distorted guitars and sometimes like nothing else I can think of. It's dreamy and captivating - aka perfect for walking in the rain and spending cool afternoons in bed with homework and a cup of tea.

And another thing...

2009-10-21T14:58:00.001-07:00

YouTube doesn't fascinate me as much nowadays as it once did, but I just remembered how amazing I think it is that videos like the one above exists. I was at this gig and when I realised what song it was I kept thinking 'Dammit, why didn't I bring my camera so I could at least capture this one?!' - and then I come home and find one of the best amateur concert videos I've seen, capturing this special little song. Though it of course makes gigs less romantic and special, I would lie if I said I didn't love to find that video so I could listen to the amazingness of that song once again. It doesn't exactly make me want to see Final Fantasy live again less and as long as that's the case I think concert clips are perfectly fine.

JJ

2009-10-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

What are you still doing here? you should go listen to JJ's album 'JJ No 2'. It contains some of the most perfect and atmospheric electro-pop I've ever heard. So go, I tell you, go listen to it!

The Broken Beats

2009-10-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

You should never underestimate the role of the audience. That is a universal truth I was reminded of yesterday when I went to see the danish band The Broken Beats at my hometown Viborg's only real venue Paletten (that'll be 'the palette' in English). The band you're watching might put on the performance of their lives, but if the crowd isn't with them, it might just feel like the worst gig ever. That was kind of the situation last night. I had been offered a free ticket by a friend who works at the venue, simply because of the fact that only six tickets had been sold in the advance sale - it was clear this wasn't exactly THE event to be at on a Saturday night in Viborg. Oh well, what a shame. I didn't know much of the Broken Beats' music before yesterday, just a couple of songs and it seemed that the about 20-30 people we ended up being were in the same situation as me - many of them looked like they had been given free tickets or the like, as they drank beer and seemed slightly uninterested in the band. It was a shame, I tell you. Because both the supporting band Mimas, who I hadn't heard of before and the Broken Beats themselves put on energetic and entertaining performances, with the Beats' set especially inviting the tiny crowd to join in, dance and have fun, just like the band did. This gig could have been so much fun! it just wasn't, because nobody dared to start the party. Eventually the crowd became drunker and happier during the night and a few people started dancing politely on the spot. It could have been worse - but it could also have been so much better.

Track of the day #5

2009-10-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

The Antlers - 'Two'
In reality this should probably have been more of an 'album of the day' kind-of thing, but I'm off to a gig in an hour and I'm not ready at all yet, so I don't really have the time to write something long and meaningful. I just want to share this with everyone - I've had The Antlers' 'Hospice' album lying around for a while and I finally got to listen to it from beginning to end today. It's amazing. It's been quite some time since I last heard something this heartfelt and melancholic and beautiful and powerful from an album. I've been listening to the album's single 'Two' for a while before listening to the album and that song is quite a good example of what this album does best. It's quiet and pretty while also being filled with some kind of adrenaline and stressful vibe that makes you listen closer - and then, when you listen closer, you'll notice the lyrics and the heartbreaking story they tell. When listening to the album there's a lot of the same vibe - yet channeled in many different, exciting and thought-provoking ways. I've only listened to it all the way through once and I already feel like it might be one of my albums of the year. It feels so precious, as if it would be unfair to listen to the tracks individually. I can't wait to listen to it again - I'll hopefully have the time to do that again when I get home tonight.

France songs

2009-09-27T04:15:00.000-07:00

Instead of telling about my trip to St. Malo in France, I'm going to sum it up with the songs that from now on will probably remind me of being down there and experiencing all those unforgettable things.

First off is a song by a Danish band I've been liking lately, When Saints Go Machine. I don't know if I listened to them a lot in France because I missed Denmark or just because they fitted my mood, but Spitting Image was definitely part of the soundtrack. Especially when I was on the bus to school in the morning and it was still dark and cool outside.

As almost the exact opposite of When Saints are The Very Best's funky and sunny African rhythms and beats. As a bit of a coincidence I had checked their MySpace and listened to a bit of their stuff before going on the trip and then one day down in France a friend of mine played me a song of theirs on his iPod and I was hooked. I decided to check them out further and I'm absolutely in love with this track - it's the sunniest, most summer-y and forget-the-winter-is-underway track I've heard all year. As a contrast to the When Saints Go Machine track it seems very fitting for the days in France as well - in the morning and during the night, the weather was cold and ungracious while in the day time it was hot and sunny as if we were in the middle of the summer. The Very Best would definitely be the very best music to remind me of those happy days spent in the sun.

Another of the songs this particular friend played me was one that seemed very fitting - for obvious reasons (we went to Paris on the last day before returning to Denmark) - and one I already knew and liked. It just has a bit more meaning now, I guess. Lovin' the cowbell.

In Paris I was surprised to actually hear some French music I knew, which is why this song will probably remind me of that one day in Paris from now on. I heard '1901' by Phoenix played out loud in a shop near Les Halles in Paris and couldn't help but smile at the fact that I heard good French music in France (even though that probably isn't weird or unusual at all).

I'm home!

2009-09-26T03:48:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I came home from a week in France as an exchange student. There's too much to tell about the week and my experiences during it to tell, so let's just say that it was incredibly special and definitely one of the bigger things I've tried in my life. But now I'm home and going to school as normal on Monday. The week has made me hungry for new music to match the way I think the trip has changed me and my understanding of the world and so I've been spending the last few hours looking and listening to whatever I've found in my favourite music blogs and beyond. I've just come across the newest video from one of the best and most internationally known Danish groups around, Mew. It's for the track 'Repeaterbeater' from their new album (yes, the one with the abnormally long time). I like the track and the video's scary atmosphere... and I kind of like the fact that they speak Danish in it. I've been speaking so much English and French in the past week that it's nice to be able to go 'hah, I understand more than what's translated in the subtitles!'... but oh well. My French is still bad.

What does your favourite children's book sound like?

2009-09-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

The headline is a question I've been asking myself lately. Literal references in music aren't the rarest thing, though the character of said references can be quite varied. Lately I've been hearing quite a few children's themed ones that I'd like to share with you.

Karen O & the Kids

Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs is behind the music in Spike Jonze's highly anticipated and before-on-this-blog-mentioned Where The Wild Things Are, a movie based on the Maurice Sendak's classic children's book. I haven't decided if I like this as music I could listen to casually but I definitely think it captures some childish essence that probably would fit both the book and the movie perfectly. I like it, because I really do think it's more important for the music to fit the mood and set the tone than be listenable and good-sounding. I'll look forward to actually hearing the song in the movie and make my final decision though.

Marina & the Diamonds

I've been avoiding British, piano-playing, coo-cooking girls for a while. But this particular track by Marina & the Diamonds, the latest female pop kook from the UK has grabbed my attention for its catchiness, electronic rhytm and sound effects and not-too-over-the-top-British accent vocals. Also, I love how this song sounds like it's name. Mowgli's Road. This song sounds like the Jungle Book as I remember it. Fun, funky and more fun. It might have been a while since the last time I read or saw the Jungle Book, but this song sends me the vibes so I won't have to go to the library or turn on Disney Channel anytime soon.

An oldie that came to mind with the whole headline-question was Regina Spektor's 'Baobabs'. While 'The Little Prince' might not strictly be a children's book, I think the song fits the description 'a song that sounds like the book it references' pretty well. Regina sounds and seems like a girl who'd have 'The Little Prince' as one of her favourite books and just that fact qualifies her as a perfect interpreter for the childish, innocent and philosophical story.

Benoît Pioulard

2009-09-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

I'd like to begin this post on a newer of my musical obsessions with a request to the reader. Think of nature. Imagine the most nature-like landscape you can - and then image its sounds, its moods, its colours. Then you're on the way to imagine the sound of Benoît Pioulard. If you ask me what I associate Benoît Pioulard's mystical musical universe with, nature would be my answer. Which might seem odd, since Thomas Meluch, the mastermind behind the name, mainly makes his music using his computer, guitar and voice. But with his mix of collected sounds, noises you wonder where come from and the recumbent vocals, his music creates soundscapes - when you listen to Benoît Pioulard it creates a mood, a state of mind. I've experienced that there probably is no place or situation better suitable for listening to Thom's music than when taking a long walk outside in the dark, pouring rain while glancing at houses, trees, flowers, fields and other people's lives passing by. It's hard to explain, but it is exactly what Benoît Pioulard sounds like. And it's a fantastic state of mind to be in, you'll understand, just listen to 'La Guerre De Sept Ans', 'Moth Wings', 'Triggering Back' or 'The Loom Pedal'. Or anything on his MySpace, really.
www.myspace.com/pioulard

While You Wait For The Others

2009-09-12T17:19:00.001-07:00

As I've said before, I love Grizzly Bear. But I don't think I've mentioned how much I love them for their videos - they usually make me go 'awesome, though probably made by somebody on acid'. They're uniquely weird and mad, yet also appropriate and fascinating. I still don't dare re-watch the video for 'Knife' though - it fucks with my mind and still makes absolutely no sense whatsoever in a pretty scary way. But this one I can handle - yes, it might be weird and meaningless, but somehow I think the images are very fitting for the song.

Track of the day #4

2009-09-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

Dead Man's Bones - 'In The Room Where You Sleep'
It seems to become more and more of a trend for indie-hipster actors to try and turn things around by entering the music biz, and obviously this isn't always a good idea. I'm quite surprised that I actually like the latest in the row - i.e. Ryan Gosling's goth-orchestra-rock-gospel project Dead Man's Bones. I wouldn't call the name genius, but I've fallen for this particular video and I quite like the concept. Children's choirs are often pretty badass, and this one is without a doubt exactly that. Especially that little guy with the sword by the end. And a strong track this is too.

Way Out West 2009

2009-09-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

I'm sick and bored and I've come to the conclusion that it'd probably be a good idea to write something here to kill some time. And I think it would be good start when getting back into my blogging to write something about the two fantastic musical days I had on August 14 and 15 at this year's Way Out West festival in the Swedish city of Gothenburg. With this year's amazing line-up my expectations were sky high and I don't think I'll see this many good artists in such a short period of time again anytime soon. So let's start at the beginning.

Friday

My brother and I arrived at the festival on Friday afternoon and started out by managing to catch the last two tracks of Bon Iver's set on the Linné stage, which is Way Out West's only tent stage. We then went and had a look around before catching about three or four songs of Beirut's set on the Flamingo stage. Their performance seemed very fitting in the lovely sunshine that graced the Friday afternoon, but we left early to try and get a good spot for Grizzly Bear's set in the Linné tent. As the band were soundchecking it slowly became apparent that something was wrong - the bass was too loud and the drums didn't sound right. But since Grizzly Bear have meant quite a lot to me over the last few months - from discovering the gorgeousness of Yellow House to seeing all those reviews of Veckatimest declaring it a masterpiece and trying to avoid listening to the leak, I just felt like I had to see them. And so I did, even though the sound only got slightly better during the actual set. I found it kind of awkward seeing GB on a tent stage at a festival in the afternoon, as I feel like the most fitting setting for a gig of theirs would be either on a Paris street (see: http://tinyurl.com/2gyvvy) or in some deep, dark club with dimmed lights and the audience sitting on the floor in complete, mesmerized silence. So this gig didn't turn out as I had hoped, obviously. But as I've noticed, Grizzly Bear generally sound a lot better and alive when they play live than on record and so, as expected, the times when the bass and drums weren't overshadowing everything else, it was blissful as hell. And as they played 'On A Neck, On A Spit' as the last song the big highlight finally arrived and one couldn't help but dance politely to one of the best, most upbeat GB songs and looking forward to hopefully seeing them 'for real' on their upcoming European tour.

Next up was Florence & the Machine, the band I've now seen live the most times, this being the fourth time. When I saw her in London last summer I predicted big things and I do think I have been quite right, with her album reaching number 2 in the UK charts (and she would probably have topped it if it wasn't for that Michael Jackson guy), her Brit Award win and her Mercury Prize nomination, and so it is also quite interesting to have seen her develop from a lo-fi, drum-hitting girl in a gold jacket with a big voice to a fully grown popstar in high heels and extravagant stage pieces designed by TopShop accompanied by a five-piece band. But somehow with all the succes I have a few times felt like Flo was in the process of losing a her rawness and strong stage presence. As she supported Blur in Hyde Park she didn't seem capable of filling that big stage, while seeing her play acoustic at the Rough Trade shop was a lovely and refreshing different take on her music though still quite different from back in the day. When I saw her at Way Out West she absolutely proved herself to have grown to a different, but still fantastic pop star with an edge. Stomping and dancing across the stage Florence still has a way of being herself as part of the mainstream while maintaining something that is her very own.

After Florence's set it was time to get something to eat and so we did, while listening to Wilco in the distance. After that we headed to the Flamingo stage and found a nice, chilled-out place in grass to sit down and enjoy the uniquely amazing Antony. Accompanied by the Gothenburg Symphonic Orchestra he sang his heart out to all of us in the audience and gave one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful live performances I've heard and with Antony's charming and thankful apperance, telling the audience about how strange it was being recognised in Gothenburg and calling us his 'little angels' it just made me want to give him a great big hug.

As the afternoon turned into evening and into night, it was time to watch the Arctic Monkeys on the Flamingo stage. I wouldn't call myself the biggest Artic Monkeys fan, as I generally think they are very good at what they're good at - making energetic, straight-forward indie-rock, but not much more than that. They are absolute expert on this area though and as they are one of the bigger bands of the world today I felt like I had to see them. And it was worth it, as they ran through a set with lots of new material and proved themselves as being a very good live band. I was glad they played that many new songs as I think it made for a quite interesting set. I haven't actually heard their new album yet, but they do seem to have grown up and started being interesting again. I was quite gutted to have missed Fever Ray, though, but since she's Swedish I'll hopefully get a chance to see her at some other point. We left a bit early from the Arctic Monkeys set to try and get into Annedalskyrkan, the church that served as a one of the festival's club stages, to see Andrew Bird. But the queue outside the church was so long I couldn't believe my eyes and we ended up standing outside listening. I was pretty sad to have missed Andrew's set, as he is supposed to be amazing live, but it was still a fantastic day. Oh, and we even caught the particular part of Röykopp's set I wanted to see, i.e. the part where they were joined on stage by Karin Dreijer (of The Knife and Fever Ray) to play 'What Else Is There?' - it was a lovely little highlight since that song is my favourite of theirs.

Saturday

We kicked of Saturday with Patrick Wolf's set in the Linné tent at 1PM. From what I'd noticed when looking on the internet and in the papers and at the growing audience on the day, this was an eagerly anticipated set. I stood beside a girl dressed in all blue (including her hair) and saw quite a lot of people sporting looks not unsimilar to Patrick's. But we had to wait a while for the boy himself as he and his band didn't enter the stage before 5-10 minutes past 1. And at a festival with 45 minute sets that shortened the gig more than one would have liked. But anyway, Patrick entered the stage as extravagant as always, wearing a grey, black and white Union Jack jumpsuit (which he later took off, even though he promised not strip this time, as he had apparently done the last time he was in Sweden), a headpiece and his signature knee high socks. Though I have only seen videos from gigs of his before seeing him live for real, I think I can safely say his live performance must have changed a bit over the last year or so, as he has adopted something, for the viola- and piano-playing Patrick, as strange as the electric guitar and judging from this set it has had a big impact on his live show. Most of the songs he played, including the older ones, seemed to suddenly have turned into rock numbers with the added guitar, which I had a hard time (no pun intended) figuring out whether was a good or a bad thing. It became much more of a rock show, which isn't really what I would expect or want from Patrick, but it was a good and entertaining show anyway, though I think it could have been better under different circumstances.

Following Patrick Wolf's show was Jenny Wilson on the Flamingo stage, which was quite a highlight, even though it was pouring down with rain at this point. Jenny is one of my favourite pop songstresses out there at the moment - she's funky, fresh and strong, and has a voice I haven't heard a hundred times before. If they played her songs on MTV instead of Lady Gaga and Jordin Sparks I know that channel (and the world in general) would be a much better place. Backed by an almost all-female Jenny sported a big blue dress and hat and sang, clapped and played her way through tracks from her two albums 'Love & Youth' and 'Hardships!'. And her saxophonist was very, very cool as well.

A while later, as the rain still fell from the sky, we watched Vampire Weekend on the very same Flamingo stage and they were as always fun, sunny and nice. Afterwards it would be an even longer while before the next act we wanted to see was due and so we hid from the rain for a while.

We were back for My Bloody Valentine, who I've decided to remain undecided about. Because I quite like them on record - Loveless is a really good album - but after just two tracks I decided they were far, far too loud for my fragile ears - I just couldn't enjoy their set (especially since I hate wearing earplugs). So we decided we could live without theirs and Lily Allen's set and made our way to Annedalskyrkan on the other side of the road from the Slottsskogen forest where the festival took place.

Though the first of that evening's three acts in the church wasn't scheduled to play before an hour later, the queue was already pretty long, so coming early was a very, very good idea we found out. We mainly wanted to get in because I wanted to be sure to see Final Fantasy, the last of the three acts, but as things turned out, that night in general ended up being one of the absolute biggest highlights of the festival. Both of the two others acts had I heard the names of, but never heard any music from and I ended up being pleasantly surprised by both. Especially the first act, Peter Broderick, put on one of the most compelling, mesmerizing and fascinating live performances I've witnessed. As a multi-instrumentialist and someone who isn't afraid to record and loop everything and part-sing with himself, he left me ever wondering what he was going to do next. He picked up the guitar, the violin and the musical saw as well as encourage the entire audience to scream so he could hear how that would sound in the church - by the end he even ran through the church, singing with his looped self, while playng two tambourine-like instruments. He kept everyone spellbound through the entire set, resulting in a standing ovation by the end. He was followed by the young girl duo First Aid Kit, who played a charming and heartwarming combination of classic singer-songwriter tales and folk music. They were very good, but by the end I couldn't help but start to become a bit bored, as I knew what was up next. The concert that for me at the moment ranks as the best I've ever been to in my life so far is the one where I saw Final Fantasy at the Union Chapel in London this year. It was perfectly flawless and amazing and though I knew it would be different, I couldn't wait to hear what Owen Pallett had up his sleeve this time. That, it turned out to be, was a setlist very different to the one from the London gig. He played some oldies, some rarities, some covers and some new songs and ended the show with a cover of the slightly obscure song 'Independence Is No Solution', something I had never heard before. It was different from the London gig, definitely, but still incredible - I don't know how he does it, but Owen just manages to always put on a fantastic, beautiful and blissful show whatever the circumstances.
All in all, Way Out West was a mindblowing experience with so many great gigs in just two days. On the ferry home I realised just how many of my favourite artists I'd just seen live and I had a hard time getting my head around that fact. I'm definitely back next year, if their line-up is even just half as good as it was this year.

[ALL ARTIST PHOTOS FROM rockfoto.nu]

Birthday!

2009-07-14T04:32:00.000-07:00

I turn 17 today, so I thought I'd make a little update on how this has improved my musical life (or, you know, something like that). First off, my aunt and her husband sent me a happy birthday card from Iceland with puffins on and it immediately sent my thoughts in the direction of the The Sugarcubes' 'Birthday'. Lovely Icelandic pop, featuring a young Björk, who, as always, shows off her perfect vocal antics.
In other news, in the gifts area, I got five CDs - '( )' by Sigur Rós (more Iceland!), 'The Reminder' by Feist, 'Deep Cuts' by The Knife, 'Disintegration' by The Cure and 'The Beatles' by The Beatles (better known as the white album). Some of them records I've heard and wanted, but haven't bothered buying and some completely new and undiscovered. Quite a good mix, I think. Also, I finally got a gramophone - time to start my vinyl collection, I guess.

On a last note: a friend of mine has called me the dancing queen an awful lot over the years. ABBA are definitely a guilty pleasure of mine and now my age finally fits with the lyrics! so there you go:

Track of the day #3

2009-07-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

Graham Coxon - 'In The Morning'

I haven't listened to Graham Coxon's solo stuff for a while, but on my last outing to Leicester Square's HMV just before flying home from London, I bought his latest album, 'The Spinning Top', and I'm liking it more and more. It is definitely a departure from the later albums - this record is quite far away from the garagerock of 'Love Travels At Illegal Speeds' and 'Happiness In Magazines' - instead, it takes a much more acoustic and laid back approach to things. I've liked Graham's solo records, but I find this record much more appealing in a way, in particular the eight and a half minutes long bliss of 'In The Morning'. It's so lovely and pretty, while still maintaining an edge - though I quite like the album as a whole, I just like this song so much that I'm tempted to have it on repeat. As soon as the summer weather (hopefully) returns, I'll be outside in shorts with a book and this filling my ears.

5 things I listen to at the moment

2009-07-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

Chairlift - 'Chairlift'
I have yet to decide whether this is actually a really good record or just an album with some lovely, likeable tracks on it. I won the album on a Danish music website called Undertoner.dk and I don't think I would have bought it if I hadn't won it - but as it turns it, there are some tracks on I that cannot seem to get out of my head. 'Planet Health', 'Evident Utensil', 'Territory' and - my favourite, just for it's playful French vibe - 'Le Flying Saucer Hat' - are all quality eletropop tracks that make you want to dance all night long with some colourful drink in hand.

Patti Smith
When I was in London in May I went to Rough Trade and HMV and bought myself a big lovely pile of CDs. In HMV I finally found the first The Smiths album which I had been wanting for quite a while but had a hard time finding in my local record shop. In HMV, it was part of one of their '2 for £10' offer and I thought 'that's cheap, why not get an extra CD with it?' - at first I didn't find anything I really needed or had been looking for, so I did what I sometimes do when I feel like buying new music - I grabbed a classic, Patti Smith's 'Horses'. Before buying it I hadn't heard much of her work - if any - so I just crossed my fingers and hoped for it to be as good as I had heard it was. So when I got home I listened to it, the first few tracks and slowly realised just how good and powerfully raw it was. It's rock and roll with songs like 'Gloria', 'Free Money' and 'My Generation' (a quite fantastic The Who cover at the end). Then, on other tracks, especially the epic 'Birdland', I realised just how much of an impact Patti Smith has had on one of my favourite newer musicians, Regina Spektor. I have seen Patti mentioned as an influence a lot of times, but I wasn't exactly sure how Miss Spektor was influenced by Miss Smith - but when listening to especially the earlier Regina stuff on '11:11' and 'Songs', I can definitely hear a resemblance. But anyway, with Patti, I feel like I've got lots more to discover. Now I just know that 'Horses' is a fantastic record. Oh, and that lady's got one hell of a special (and recognizable) voice.

Florence And The Machine
Now, with this band, I almost feel like a proud mother watching her daughter growing up. I started listening to FATM about 19 months ago, when the amount of coverage of the band on the web and everywhere else was minimal - at that point Florence Welch and her ever-changing Machine hadn't released anything properly yet, but had some demos on their MySpace and other recordings floating around on the net that nowadays seem quite rare. Also, the Last.fm description said 'Born in a military tank in Ukraine, Florence eats nothing but tobacco. Rumours have it that she is to be adopted by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.' Over those many months that since have passed, Flo has been hyped just about everywhere - and this week she finally released her debut album, 'Lungs'. The reviews I've read have been mixed, but mostly positive, and as for my own opinion, I do think it's a very nice album. Sometimes I miss the rawness and simplicity of those old demos, but I'm trying to focus on the album as a different chapter in the FATM story, because nobody takes away those demos and if the album consisted only of old songs recorded exactly like they were, I doubt that I wouldn't be disappointed. The album definitely sounds produced, but not too produced. It's a new universe, and luckily Florence hasn't completely left her old one - my friend and I saw her play an acoustic Rough Trade instore last Monday when the album came out and it was quite simple and lovely, almost like in the old days.

Blur
Well, duh. The Blur gig in Hyde Park on July 3 last week was probably one of the wildest things I've experienced - 55.000 people gathered in a park, throwing bottles, being off their faces drunk, crushing each other while shouting 'WOOHOO' and 'PARKLIFE'. And still it was an absolutely brilliant gig. I managed to get quite close to the front, actually, in the middle when all four support bands played. Lovely atmosphere, friendly water-sharing crowd and pretty good support acts as well (though four might have been just one too many) , but then, when Blur actually came on stage, I think I managed to get through three songs before realising that I couldn't enjoy the gig if I couldn't stand still or breathe because of the amount of people going apeshit in the front. So I got pulled over the barrier and got out, found myself a more calm area to stand in and enjoyed the gig more than I thought I would be able to when having to watch it mostly on the big screens. Watching Damon, Graham, Alex and Dave, it was as if they'd never been apart, as if I'd never stopped having Blur as my favourite band - it was really, really damn good. I'm not fan of singalong gigs and I would have liked more of their newer material (my favourite album of theirs is '13'), but that night it just felt right and I sang along to every word I could remember while absolutely loving the fact that Blur were there on stage, playing together once again. And yes, I'm afraid I did shed a tiny little tear when the played 'The Universal' by the end.

My Brightest Diamond - 'Inside A Boy'
I'd heard the name mentioned a few times and my Last.fm profile had been recommending me My Brightest Diamond for a while before I actually got to hear any of the music. When I was in London in May, another one of my buys was the excellent compilation 'Dark Was The Night' and when listening to the first disc in the box I came across My Brightest Diamond's version of 'Feeling Good' and was pretty fascinated with what I heard. Big, dramatic, orchestral - and with a deep, soaring voice sealing the beautiful deal. I instantly knew that I had to check out what else this Bright Diamond woman had done. And so I did, checked the MySpace and fell in love with the video and track 'Inside A Boy' - it carries some of the same strengths as 'Feeling Good', but in a much more rocking and heavy way. And that voice - I adore Shara Worden's voice. After hearing that particular track I had the title stuck in my head for days without remembering how the song itself sounded - just the fact that it was a good song and that I needed to hear it again. So on my latest trip to London - I came home on Wednesday this week - I bought her to albums 'Bring Me The Workhorse' and 'A Thousand Shark's Teeth'. I just need to get over the gooodness of 'Inside A Boy' before I can really focus on whether the albums are quality or not.

Well, hullo again.

2009-07-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

Woah, this is embarassing. I haven't written anything here for ages and ages - even though I might actually have had a lot to write about. I've been to those two gigs (Blur and Final Fantasy, both in London) I've been obsessed with over the last few months, I've heard lots of new albums, new bands, all kinds of new and old musical activities have filled my life with joy and happiness. I guess I've focused too much on just enjoying and experiencing the music around me to actually take the time to sit down and write about it. And, you know, when you haven't done something with a project like this for a long, long time - it does feel kind of weird trying to continue with it again. But music is still my passion, my favorite thing in the world - so now, when the summer is here, I feel like the time has come to try and get this blog thing going again, even if might only be for my own sake. So, over the coming few days I'll try to cover as much of the music that interests me at the moment as I can - and then we'll see what happens.

Amélie

2009-04-29T10:09:00.001-07:00

I wonder if there's anything better than listening to Yann Tiersen while doing your French homework. Today I was reminded just how heartbreakingly beautiful the soundtrack to 'Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain' is and now I'm finding it hard to listen to anything else. I don't know who it was, but somebody played a piece from it on the piano in the school hall and the most gorgeous visions of Paris, beaming sunlight and pageboy haircuts started appearing in my head. The movie is definitely a favourite of mine and one that can be watched several times without ever becoming boring. I've seen it a lot of times now, but when watching it I still discover new things. I think that's a quite rare and wonderful feature for a film to have. So, as things go, I have now discovered the fact that the soundtrack is also a very, very nice thing. In particular I'm obsessed with the two segments 'J'y Suis Jamais Allé' and 'Comptine D'un Autre Été, L'après-Midi' and both are stuck in my head. I simply cannot get over the brilliance, the mood and the amount of emotions and memories this music carries. It is an excellent example of one the things music is so good at - transforming and creating a mood, often sending you off to a completely different place than where you actually are. It is more than once that I've been listening to music while on the road and then having to take my headphones off - only to suddenly be confronted with the silence. The sounds of the world are nice, but the way you can create your own little world just by sticking earbuds in your ears is quite mesmerizing, I think.

Track of the day #2

2009-04-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

St. Vincent - 'Actor Out Of Work'
I'm becoming more and more excited for the new St. Vincent album. In the last few weeks everyone's been treated to the first taster, the brilliantly beautiful 'The Strangers' with those haunting lyrics about wanting to 'paint the black hole blacker' and now we get this. The single, a tastefully noisy track, gets a literal working in the video and makes one recall the best moments from St. Vincent's first album, 'Marry Me', only ten times better. 'Actor', the new album, out on May 5, could easily end up being one of my favorite albums of the year.

Mercenary + A Midsummer Night's Dream

2009-04-05T02:22:00.000-07:00

I think I'm finally beginning to understand the concept of metal. It probably won't ever be my favourite genre of music, but going to a metal gig once in a while isn't that bad. The gig yesterday was only my second gig of that kind, so headbanging and hand gestures probably seemed a bit half-arsed for my part, but hey, at least I tried. Metal is all about energy, power and anger. It's sweaty and loud and people like to fight and throw each other around in front of the stage. Not really what I'd like from every gig I go to but it's pretty entertaining in the right doses. And yesterday was just the right amount; had the gig been just a few minutes longer, I think I would have turned from excited to a little bored but luckily that wasn't how it turned out. The support band just kind of looked and sounded like my stereotype of a bad metal band, but hoohay, they didn't play for that long. Then Mercenary entered the stage, and they're in that, I guess - correct me if I'm wrong, I really don't know a lot about metal - slightly more melodic and less hard metal category, which I think was probably also a part of the reason why I tend to enjoy their gigs instead of covering up my ears and hiding in a corner, and made my night better. Also, Mikkel, the lead singer (who I've mentioned before, since he's actually a member of my family) has a quite strong and intense voice, that I think it would be rather interesting to hear in another genre as well. Most of the night I felt out a bit of place, since my friend Line and I were surrounded by (mostly male) people in Iron Maiden and Metallica shirts and I had decided to go the gig in a dress. But the band did their part, we did ours and it was good fun.
Earlier in the day I'd been to see a modern staging of the classic Shakespeare play 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' with music by a pretty prominent Danish composer (who only Danish readers of this blog will know, so that's irrelevant), that I'd just like to mention how impressed and blown away I was by. Since I know a few of the performing people involved in the play I almost felt privileged afterwards for actually being friends with such talented people. It's all over now but I had a very, very good time watching the extremely beautiful set design, listening to the both cheeky and serious music and being impressed by the fact that this was actually staged in our little town of Viborg. But you know, the point is that I went to a heavy metal gig a few hours after - a bit weird, but also quite wonderful, how you can attend two such different things in one day.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

2009-04-03T14:42:00.000-07:00

Since I'm younger than a lot of people and have often been more drawn to listening to newer music, there's a great amount of classic albums/bands/songs/etc. I have yet to discover. Sometimes it makes me feel like I lack some very important knowledge, but mostly I just like the fact that there's a lot of (supposedly great) music waiting for me out there when I'm ready to listen to it. My father is quite a big Beatles fan and I've been pestering him to help me get into their stuff, since I always intended to do so at some point, it has just seemed pretty overwhelming and hard to find the right place to begin. Then a few days ago I listened to a radio programme about George Martin, which they played some of the songs he'd produced for The Beatles and it made me want to discover their music even more. So I went to the library the next day and borrowed a pile of their albums - I still had no idea where to start, though, so I asked my dad and he said it could be a good idea to start with some of their earlier, more poppy and less experimental stuff, to kind of start out with the 'easy' stuff. I listened to a bit of Rubber Soul with him and though I didn't dislike the music, it didn't really tick any of my boxes at first listen. Then we decided to switch to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (phew, long title!) and even from the first track I was hooked. Since I'd heard it before (ages ago, when we had it in the car) my joy could easily have been connected to some kind of recognition, but it sounded both old and new and exciting at the same time - songs I felt like I knew very well and always had, even though I didn't. And still there was some kind of unsettling music hidden in there that I hadn't discovered properly yet. Then I listened to it again, on my own, to check if it really could be that good. And it fucking was!

Track of the day #1

2009-03-31T08:51:00.000-07:00

Beth Jeans Houghton - 'Golden'

On my search for new, exciting music, I found this lovely little gem of a track. It's by the British youngster Beth Jeans Houghton, who is currently recording her debut album. Her sound is folk-y in a light, kitchen-sink way, with layered vocals featuring only her own voice and some minimalistic instrumentation. Her voice is soft as velvet and there's definitely room for it in her music. With 'Golden' being the most outstanding track, the demos on her MySpace page sound very promising indeed. Oh, and did I mention she's only 19? Compare her to Laura Marling if you like, but I really think this Beth-girl could have a bright-looking future ahead of her.

www.myspace.com/bethjeanshoughton

Spring!

2009-03-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

I'm searching for new music today. Spring's on its way and most of the music I've been listening to through the winter kind of sounds a bit too moody and non-sunny to fit my much better mood. I need fresh, new sounds for company, when the weather starts getting warmer, sunnier and hopefully less rainy.

My musical year of 2009 is slowly beginning to take shape and so far, I quite like it. I'll be going to that before-mentioned Mercenary gig next saturday and it seems that every day a new release date for some exciting new album has been revealed. I simply can't wait for Regina Spektor's newest effort, 'Far', coming out in June. Though I'll probably know a large number of the tracks on it already thanks to the world of bootlegging, Regina's got a special place in my heart. She has an incredible voice and an unmatched charm when it comes to her music, her lyrics and her appearence. With all the other piano-playing girls (Kate Nash, Sara Barailles, etc.) who aren't even half as good as Regina, I feel like a sticker saying 'the original and best' should be put on the cover of her upcoming album. Also, I can't wait to see her live again, especially if she finally decides to drop by here in Denmark.

Secondly, as everything's turned out, I'll be going to London twice this year. More precisely for a week in July and for three days in May. I'm going with my best friend in July and we're both London lovers, so I can't wait to see what's it's like experiencing our favourite place on earth together. And, you know, there's that gig with a little band called Blur, in a little park called Hyde Park, which is going to be interesting. But - the new thing - is those three days in May. I'm addicted to London, so I like to see it as a little preview before the actual trip in July, where I can just inhale and get a little teaser before the real fix. In general it'll just be nice to see a London again since I miss it an awful lot, but what excites me the most is the concert I'll be attending on the second of the three days, which is Final Fantasy at the Union Chapel. It's no secret that Owen Pallet's different projects, and especially FF, have been quite an obsession of mine over the last few months. The thought of witnessing the violin looping magic in what seems to be a mind-blowing venue and possibly getting the chance to hear some new songs makes me want to jump up and down with excitement.

But back to spring/summer music. I try to avoid being fed by other music blogs and websites, so at the moment I'm just trying to search for random things on MySpace and YouTube, while listening to Grizzly Bear. I'm in the process of getting to know their stuff and so far I like it. They're releasing a new album this year as well, so I'll soon have something new to listen to in that area. If I haven't got tired of Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion album by then, I'm also looking forward to being outside on a hot summer day while listening to 'Brother Sport', 'Bluish' and of course 'Summertime Clothes'. In the last few weeks, whenever the sun hasn't been completely hidden behind clouds, I've felt like listening to that album. Since everyone loves it, I'd probably love to say I didn't, but really, it's very good. I just need more music! and I'll go search for more, and probably recommend something here, when/if I find something decent.

Where The Wild Things Are

2009-03-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

Spike Jonze + classic children's book + Karen O + a little bit of Arcade Fire = amazing. I really really want to see this movie - right now. October seems so far away.

2009-03-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

I find this to be both extremely terrifying and pretty hilarious. I wish I could see the rest of it.

Elizabeth Harper

2009-03-13T14:21:00.000-07:00

While searching for new music on MySpace I came across the gorgeous little voice of Elizabeth Harper. Apparently she has been called the female Morrissey and though I think that's quite a mouthful for the girl to live up to, I can see why. While her voice makes me think of lazy afternoons and sunsets the music accompanying it sounds like it could be old Smiths demos where she has added nothing but vocals. Also, she has done a cover of The Cure's 'Pictures Of You' adding even more to the English rock vibe. Her voice is mellow and kitten-like but with just enough character to stand out and escape from the boring-girl-sings-pretty-rock-corner. I haven't heard her album yet but I'll probably buy it at some point - for now, I listen to the tracks on her MySpace (I recommend 'Pictures Of You' and 'Broken Adolescent Heart').
www.myspace.com/elizabethharper

Valravn

2009-03-07T16:01:00.000-08:00

I hadn't expected my first proper gig of 2009 to be free and take place at my school (what are the odds?), but that's how it turned out to be. And it was surpringsly good. Last week a Danish group - with a Faroese lead songstress - came to play a gig for all the students at our school. They were called Valravn and make folk music with a twist of electronics, and base ther music on old Renaissance lyrics and songs from around Scandinavia. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did, but as my classmates and I had found our spots (sitting down, in the front row, naturally), I found myself surprisingly fascinated. Earlier in the day two of the band members had told us about their unusual instruments and principles, and since I have a love of weird instruments I was delighted to see that they not only had a hurdy gurdy and a mandola but also a kalimba (!) and a whole set of different ancient flutes/whistles (of which one of them played two at once during the gig). The band's lead singer, Anna Katrin Egilstrød, kept reminding me of a young Kate Bush in that classic Wuthering Heights video - dancing around, doing hand gestures and displaying a passionate fire in her eyes while singing beautifully (and wearing a white dress not that much unlike the one in that particular video). The set-up of the gig was a bit strange - while candles surrounded the spot where they played, the band itself was notably dressed down - but I guess that was just because it was 11 AM and a school concert. The band's big achivement was that they managed to make me think of majestic landscapes and vikings just by playing their music without providing visuals telling you what to think of.

Sadly, not that many of the audience members seemed very interested in what was going on, but as my classmastes and I are music lovers and pretty open towards everything in that category, we got up and danced around and after a while an impressive amount of people had actually joined us. After the gig we stayed around and bought CDs, ending up trying to sabotage our mathematics class because we were still pretty high from the gig. Great.

www.myspace.com/valravn

Fabchannel R.I.P.

2009-03-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

I'm officially bummed. Not only has my own computer caught virus so I have to borrow my dad's, but I just found out that Fabchannel is closing down. In just a few days, on March 13. There are some really good concerts on that site and it's one of those places where I've liked to go when I was bored and just wanted to go to a gig instead of sitting at home fiddling with my school papers and my iPod. Now, this great site's waving goodbye and I feel like I have to watch every single show on it before it's too late.

Rest in peace, Fabchannel, I miss you already.

www.fabchannel.com

Un concert à emporter avec The Dodos

2009-02-22T03:53:00.000-08:00

Finally! I've always thought The Dodos were such a take-away show-y band and I was terribly dissapointed that they hadn't done one yet. But then I found this today - I don't know how old or new it is, but they've done one in San Francisco and it's just like a good take away show should be. They play in the street, on an underground train (and in the station), are joined by an accordion player and are followed by a bunch of handclapping people. Perfect. It reminds why I still won't forgive myself for not going to their gig in Aarhus last year. Hopefully they'll be back at some point where I won't hesitate the slightest before buying tickets.

Micachu & the Shapes

2009-02-19T12:20:00.001-08:00

Here we go again. It really is hard to find time to write when you've got school to go to and both regular work and homework to do. But I'll try to keep the write-ups coming as often as I can without sacrificing too much precious time. So here's today's treat:

Micachu, aka Mica Levi. A playful Londoner who likes to use the vacuum cleaner as a musical instrument and makes 2-3 minute experimental pop songs. I've known about her for a while now and had 'Golden Phone' as my MySpace song for a few months last year. What I really like about her aside from the self-inventing of instruments, is how the majority of the songs I've heard from her sound a bit unfinished - but in a sharp, edgy and poppy kind of way. And often while listening you find yourself thinking about adjusting your headphones or your ears - is it really supposed to sound like that? Think Björk if she was lo-fi, raised in Camden and looked/sang a bit like a boy. With her band the Shapes, Micachu's releasing the debut album 'Jewellery' in March and it's going to be interesting whether the music works in album form.

Myspace:
www.myspace.com/micayomusic
Recommended listening: 'Golden Phone', 'Just In Case' and 'Lips'.

Musical things I like at the moment

2009-02-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

I kind of feel like award ceremonies are getting less and less relevant. The good music is rarely awarded and the performers are often boring, not that great or downright talentless. But at this year's Grammy Awards, Radiohead, a band that is indeed real and talented, performed. I can't say anything about the other acts there on the night or the award-giving itself since I haven't seen it, but I think I can safely say that Radiohead must have been brilliant.
The person who got the idea of doing '15 Step' with a marching band should be awarded something. Now I just can't wait for the awards to be shown on Danish television with proper sound quality - the videos on YouTube haven't exactly got crystal clear sound... or, well, hadn't. They've been taken down now, another reason why I hope it won't be long before it's shown on TV overhere.

Okay, I admit. I have yet to really get into and discover the music of Talking Heads, but in the last two weeks or so I've had a bit of a love affair with their song 'This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)'. There's an old live version of it here, featuring some very fine lamp dancing.

I've mentioned Florence And The Machine, probably one of the most hyped bands for 2009, before. Lots of people seem to have only just heard of her now while I started listening to her in March-April last year, back when her Last.fm description said 'Born in a military tank in Ukraine, Florence eats nothing but tobacco. Rumours have it that she is to be adopted by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.' I searched and searched all over to try and find more of her demos (at this point she hadn't released anything yet), and though I did find some I never managed to get hold of 'Donkey Kosh, 'My Boy Builds Coffins' and 'Ye Old Hope'. It annoyed me quite a lot, because I knew they existed and had been available. Eventually I got to hear both 'Donkey Kosh' and 'My Boy Builds Coffins' and buy them as live mp3s legally.
A few days ago I finally got to hear 'Yo Old Hope' (which is apparently really called 'Tear Out My Tongue') and now it's probably my favourite track of hers. The lyrics are dark and brutal and Florence's vocal is as great as ever. Apparently she wrote it with Johnny Borrell from Razorlight, which is making it surprising that it's such a good song.

You can listen to it at the end of this radio programme:
http://mediaweb.musicradio.com/player/default.asp?s=59&e=77335

I've gotten addicted to listening to music while showering and my favourite thing to listen to is an alternative radio programme called 'Det Elektriske Barometer'. It's not really the programme that usually makes me dance but last Sunday they played Animal Collective's 'My Girls' and I just couldn't help myself. I hadn't heard it before but right away it's brilliance was clear and I danced goofily around in the shower cabinet. My favourite track of 2009 yet, that's for sure. Now I just need to listen to 'Merriweather Post Pavilion' a bit more.

Lily Allen - 'It's Not Me, It's You'

2009-02-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

So, the new Lily Allen album is out. Or, well, almost out - it's streaming on MySpace for everyone to hear, and I decided to give it a listen.

It could probably considered a guilty please, but Lily's debut album 'Alright, Still' has a special place in my heart. It's a great pop record with edge and wit, and it reminds me of the summer '06 where I went to London for the first time. At the time I really liked Lily Allen because she made smart pop music that didn't sound like all the American crap that's still filling pop music nowadays. I'm a bit of an anglophile and couldn't help but be seduced by her British accent and swagger. She seemingly didn't care for the pop clichés and wore a ball gown with a pair of trainers and sang about how fucked up London is under the surface. She was new, different, fresh and wasn't afraid to to say what she thought.

Over the last year or so - and especially the last few months - I've begun to lose my faith in Lily as an anti-popstar popstar (yes, that is most definetely two 'popstar's after each other). She began wearing high heels and Chanel dresses, dyed her hair pink, flashed her boobs (not on purpose, though) and it seemed that every day there was a new story about her oh-so-wild drug-taking, booze-drinking, girl-snogging, blowjob-giving life. Not that there's anything wrong with that - I like Chanel and I really don't care about tabloids or gossip. But god, it's annoying to hear a new story about the celebrity Lily Allen every day followed by her favourite statement of 'I'm not seeking press attention, I wanna be famous for my music'. And I'm not really blaming her for being in the press a lot since she really does seem to be followed by paparazzis everywhere - it's just that entire 'I'm just saying what I think' attitude she has. I can't help but feel like she probably really wants the attention.

But let's skip to the point: her new album 'It's Not Me, It's You' is out and I've heard it. Openers 'Everyone's At It' and 'The Fear' are both solid pop songs. The lyrics rage against drug addicts (who, seemingly, are most of us), tabloids and celebrities. It's not fantastic or groundbreaking, it's just quite nice. But then it all goes a bit downhill. While listening to 'Not Fair' I found myself tempted to hit the 'Next' button. It's all happy electronic beats, cheesy country-guitar and about how somebody's not good in bed. What really bugs me about the songs on this album is the instrumentation (or lack of this). I remember talking with my father about how I found it so lovely to listen to a mainstream pop album with at least some 'real' instruments back when 'Alright, Still' came out. Sadly, on this album, Lily's vocal is accompanied by a wave of electronic beats and some pretty awkward styleshifting. The cheap techno synths of 'Back To The Start', the fake French vibe on 'Never Gonna Happen' and the cheerful piano banging on 'Fuck You'. It's not extremely bad, it just makes me ask myself if I'm listening to the new Katy Perry or Lady Gaga album. 'Who'd Have Known' steals it's chorus from a Take That song which makes it all just a little bit more awkward. The last tracks on the album are, like the first two, pretty nice. 'Him' is a highlight. It sounds like it could be a lost 'Alright, Still' track and features something as charming as lyrics about God.

"Do you think he'd drive in his car without insurance
Now is he interesting or do you think he'd bore us
Do you think his favourite type of human is caucasian
Do you reckon he's ever been done for tax evasion
Do you think he's any good at remembering people's names
Do you think he's ever taken smack or cocaine
I don't imagine he's ever been suicidal
His favourite band is Creedence Clearwater Revival"

To compare I tried listening to 'Alright, Still' and again I found myself loving it. It still sounds like the perfect pop record. On 'It's Not Me, It's You' there's definitely no 'Knock 'Em Out' with cheeky spoken word flow or 'Everything's Just Wonderful' with its genius Kate Moss-weight loss rhymes. The lyrics are still very Lily, I just feel like they sound a bit forced.

Overall it's not the worst album I've ever heard but definitely not the best either. It's a pretty average pop album that I guess a lot of her fans will be pleased with... I tried looking it up on Last.fm and I don't think I've seen any negative comments about the new album yet. Is Lily right? Is it just me? Sadly, it might just be Lily losing the plot.

Beware of the ball!

2009-01-30T08:56:00.000-08:00

Since I'm very busy at the moment and haven't got time to do any longer write-ups, I'm just going to point you in the direction of this extremely cool video by Metronomy (who, as you can see, 'have all the time in the world').

2009-01-20T16:13:00.000-08:00

In other news: I caught myself singing along to 'Williams' Blood' by Grace Jones the other day. Now, that's a tune! She might be 60, but she sure knows how to do good pop music.

Feeling the January blues...

2009-01-17T14:37:00.000-08:00

January has got to be the most boring and grey month of the year. It's cold and dark outside. I still find myself writing '2008' on school papers because I keep forgetting that we're actually in a new year. The Christmas holidays are over and everyone is adjusting back to their everyday lives. Not much is happening in the world of music - it seems everyone and everything needs to get used to the fact that we are not in the old year anymore. And where's the snow?!

I don't exactly know what's in store for me in 2009 yet, but I've got a few gigs planned already. As I've (kind of) mentioned before I'm going to the enormous Blur gig in Hyde Park on 3th July, which I'm ridiculously excited about. Normally I don't like it when bands reunite since mostly it's pointless and clearly all about the money. But as a britpopper at heart I can't help but find the prospects of a Blur reunion fantastic. Because though I admire Damon Albarn's work and think that he has contiuned to put out both versatile, interesting and great music I've always liked Blur the most. As a band they kept growing, changing their sound on each album and didn't stay britpop a second longer than necessary. I can't wait to see if they act like they did back in the 90s - Alex being all laid back and smoking, Graham fiddling with guitars and foot pedals, Damon jumping around and Dave drumming in the background looking a bit like he could be the rest of the band's father.
Both in NME and the little reunioun-video-thingy from last year they've talked about playing b-sides and rarities combined with some 'high street' stuff like 'Girls & Boys' which, I think, makes it seem even more exciting and unpredictable. I'm feeling hours of timewasting fun trying to come up with the perfect setlist ahead. Ahh.

In April I'm seeing Mercenary, a danish metal band. As you've probably guessed I don't really listen to heavy metal but I've seen Mercenary live before (since my cousin is married to the lead growler-singer) and I wouldn't want to see them again if I thought they were bad. The crowd is usually also pretty entertaining to watch with all the headbanging. And I've got some unfinished business with Mikkel (the growler's name) from the last family get-together, so I'm looking forward to it.

I'm crossing my fingers for Wildbirds & Peacedrums (www.myspace.com/wildbirdsandpeacedrums) in Aarhus in February but it all depends on whether I find someone who wants to attend the gig with me. I also hear that the tickets for the newly announced Beirut gig in Hamburg are selling out fast. I'm not completely hooked on Zach Condon's balkan music but I definitely like it and would really like to go. Those live videos from http://www.blogotheque.net/ and http://www.flyingclubcup.com/ are just far too good! Unfortunately Viborg isn't exactly next to Hamburg on the map and it's quite a long drive.

To sum up, even if I get to go to a gig next month, I still feel like the year hasn't really started yet. January should be a synonym for waiting. I want more gigs and albums and new music! Rrrright now, that is.

Lullaby of Birdland

2009-01-14T06:58:00.000-08:00

We're singing this during music lessons at the moment and we all love it. It's so sweet!

Arcade Fire

2009-01-09T15:36:00.000-08:00

Though I did like Coldplay back in the day, stadium rock has never really been my cup of tea. As I've said before, I like going to smaller gigs - the biggest concert I've been to was at a venue that held about three-four thousand people (which isn't that many people). As the name suggests, stadium rock is made for huge audiences in big venues. But now I've actually found a stadiumsized band that appeals to me. And yes, I know, it's so 2007, but I've fallen in love with Arcade Fire. I bought 'Neon Bible', their second album, spontaneously back in October last year. It wasn't expensive, I thought 'Keep The Car Running' was a good song, the deluxe edition looked so nice and when I'm in a record shop I sometimes feel like I have to buy something. So I just figured 'what the heck, it's on every best of the year 2007-list, it can't be that bad'. The album didn't really do the trick for me at first listen but I felt like I was going like it at some point, I just hadn't cracked the code yet (which is often the way it is with the best music). Then I got obsessed with Owen Pallet's work and tried to search for stuff where he performed with them... and I was quite taken aback by what I found. I realised that I had been missing out on an awful lot back in 2007 when I was genuinely annoyed that everyone was talking about just how brilliant a band Arcade Fire were.

To most people they probably don't need an introduction, but they're an orchestral rock band who make big music with everyting from guitars and violins to accordions and hurdy gurdies. This makes them both striking to watch and listen to. I was sceptic at first but I've decided that when watching a live performance in a little YouTube window makes you feel knocked out and gives you goosebumps it cannot be a bad thing. Their live performances are filled with passion and an impressive amount of energy. I think they kind of represent one the best things about music - the sheer joy and fun of banging a drum or singing a song - but, of course, on a much much bigger scale. A great example of that would be the video of 'Neighbourhood #2 (Laïka)' at a french festival in 2005. Just watch it and see. That's a fucking drum fight! And the second video, of 'Wake Up' at Glastonbury festival in 2007, is just INCREDIBLE. Captivates perfectly why I need to go to Glasto at least once in my life (because I might not be a fan of huge concerts but I do like festivals).

Final Fantasy

2009-01-03T16:48:00.001-08:00

Do you know that feeling when you want to stay up late and search for live videos on YouTube instead of going to bed? I certainly do.

And I've had a lot of it lately, with Final Fantasy. The band, not the game series (obviously). Calling it a band might also not be 100 % correct - Final Fantasy is basically the solo project of Owen Pallett, a violinist and singer from Toronto, Canada. He's one of those people who you realise has, in the background, been participating to tons of good music. He has toured with Arcade Fire, played with Patrick Wolf and Beirut, and done orchestral arrangements for Last Shadow Puppets (that last bit of information making me particularly happy as I've always thought the strings were the best part of that record). But what I like the most is probably what he has done under the Final Fantasy label. As Final Fantasy Owen has released two albums and three EPs - and his third album "Heartland" has been on the way since 2007, so I'm hoping for it to come out this year.

It amazes me how much he can do with just his voice and violin (and occasionally a bit of piano and drumming). Actually I think you could see his voice as an equivalent of his music - on the surface airy and light but underneath something more is hidden. As well as colourful and peculiar lyrics (often with Dungeons & Dragons references, apparently) and song titles (not a lot of bands have songs called things like "He Poos Clouds", "I'm Afraid Of Japan" and "This Lamb Sells Condos"), great cover versions are a speciality. He can make both Mariah Carey and Celine Dion listenable and has taken Bloc Party's "This Modern Love" to a completely different level. Oh, and he's done covers of Joanna Newsom and Björk too (and they aren't bad).

From what I've heard (and seen on YouTube) his live shows are quite a thing to behold. One man, his violin and his loop pedal(s). The latter making it possible for him to sample the different parts of a song in the moment, then loop them and play the other parts over it. And while he does this, there's often the most charming light show in the background, made live with an overhead projector. Definitely something I'd love to see.

Links

Music videos
This Lamb Sells Condos (one of the coolest DIY-like videos I've seen): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1kL568eg1w

This Is The Dream Of Win And Regine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8PZ8-cpWc4

He Poos Clouds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pQl7kye_d8

Covers
This Modern Love (originally by Bloc Party): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFXJKp-NgR8

Fantasy (originally by Mariah Carey): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O_yyEA72HE

Peach Plum Pear (originally by Joanna Newsom): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txou6ctnYBs

Live videos
Song Song Song (featuring more shadow visuals): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO_T3bXiI30

Your Light Is Spent (from a La Blogotheque show): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBf10Zs0vhw

You know, Blur are reuniting this year...

2009-01-03T11:56:00.000-08:00

This pretty much made my day. The worst Blur song, which is normally set to a just as bad video, set to another, apparently also official video. But a video that's so much more random and fun! And oh, how I love Alex's silly dancing in the background. I hope he's gonna do some of that in July.

2008 - part 2

2009-01-02T16:49:00.000-08:00

There was more to 2008 than just concerts. I've had a bit of a confused year with albums though. I've only bought a few by new, exciting bands - and not all of these albums have been great. Back in January I was quite excited about the The Ting Tings and thought the were a good pop band. But when their album finally arrived it was - to be polite - not very good. It consisted of two-three good singles (that we had already heard a thousand times as they were suddenly played all the time, everywhere) and just boring fillers on a 10-track album. Disappointing. Then I went on to buy mostly older records that I had wanted for some time - I finally got all Björk's albums and some by The Smiths and Joy Division. Oh, and 'Ok Computer' by Radiohead. Buuut - of course there was some good new albums in 2008. I've picked out the few that, for me, have been the best:

Foals - 'Antidotes'

A few days before going to the Foals gig I got my hands on their album. I hadn't exactly planned to buy the album before seeing them live - I kinda thought 'I might get hooked when I see them live' - but I was pretty surprised to actually see their album in a record store near me and just couldn't help but buy it. It sounded really good but not in the way I expected. Instead of just being a record filled with uptempo partyrock anthems it was an album filled with - well, album fillers, but in the best way possible. Edgy, airy and sharp and not like the typical wannabe-Franz Ferdinand-partyrock. What I really like about the album is that the songs that were the band's singles at the time - Mathletics, Hummer, Balloons and Cassius (the two first not even included on the album) - seem to be their only 'radiofriendly' songs. The songs on the album all have a fantastic amount of details and layers (oh, horns!) that make it interesting to listen and explore. I'm especially fond of 'Two Steps, Twice' and 'Like Swimming' - the latter sounds like dancing backwards through the best disco in the world. Definitely an album that's worth a listen.

Late Of Pier - 'Fantasy Black Channel'

I started listening to LOTP mainly because I was interested in their videos. I had seen 'Heartbeat' by luck and thought it was amazing. At first though I thought the music was a bit too weird and hardcore for my liking. But then I watched the 'Heartbeat' video again and then 'Bathroom Gurgle', 'Space And The Woods', 'The Bears Are Coming' and 'Focker'. I started liking the songs for their weirdness and playfulness. The party-electro-rock and falsetto of 'Bathroom Gurgle', the 'Atlantis To Interzone'-esque 'Focker' with both screaming synths and chorus and let's not forget 'The Bears Are Coming', the song that sounds like a spontaneous party in the jungle. And all these songs had the weirdest, craziest, most fantastic videos... and I read somewhere that the band credit Michel Gondry, my favourite music video director, as an influence, which just made me like them even more. Then I heard the album and was blown away.

Vampire Weekend - 'Vampire Weekend'
When I first heard about Vampire Weekend, I think it was back in 2007, I was quite cynical and thought (*adopts Noel Gallagher-voice*) 'some wannabes from America trying to make afropop while wearing colourful cardigans? What's all that about?' and then I didn't bother to check them out. Once again - 2008 really was the year I got into music videos - I actually became interested because of a video of theirs. I just watched 'A-Punk' randomly on YouTube and found it quite charming with the stop-motion and drum-banging. Then after watching the video a few more times I decided that the song wasn't that bad either... and then I went to Aarhus and found myself desperately searching for their album. That is, until I looked in in Badstue Rock, probably one of my favourite things about Aarhus - a little record shop with secondhand cds and newer not-so-mainstream releases. I bought it, went home, listened and was sold. The sweetest sound of summer when it was about to end. A thing about VW that I think is often underestimated is how important the vocals are for their music - Ezra Koenig's got quite a special, interesting voice and uses in a way that lifts the songs up to become more than just normal pop songs. Great, great album.

The Dodos - 'Visiter'

So, as mentioned before, I went to London in the summer of 2008. I went to the big Rough Trade shop in the Brick Lane area and was fantastically happy to see that here they had everything! Or, to be more specific, everything I was looking for. One of the records I couldn't help but buy - even if I had only heard one track from it - was the Dodos' newest album 'Visiter'. I put it on my iPod and listened to it while on the tube. It has a great folky sound and probably some of the best percussion I've heard in a long time. But the main reason why I love this album is probably that it takes me back to the London. Sunshine on Primrose Hill and Clapham Common, shopping in Camden and Covent Garden and walking around in the neighbourhood of the hotel. Oh, the memories.

2008 - part 1

2009-01-01T14:51:00.000-08:00

A thing that annoys me a lot about not having ears that work properly at the moment is that I can't really do much with all the 'best of 2008' lists that have been announced lately. I'm concerned that if I try to listen to some of those tracks or albums (that I haven't heard yet, mind) mentioned on said lists I might get the wrong impression because my hearing doesn't do them justice - so I'll have to wait. But maybe a good way to start out in this blog could be a look back on the musical year of 2008 for me. With concerts it's been a lovely year. I, being only 16 years old and living in a not-very-big town in Denmark, rarely have the chance to go to concerts or gigs. I would love to go to a concert two or three times a month if I had my way, only when you live where I do it's nearly impossible to do so. But in 2008 I went to more concerts than ever before during one year, so it seems to be going in the right direction. Back in February, 2008, I had the pleasure of seeing The Kissaway Trail (a danish indiepop band who've been featured in a few british music magazines) in a tiny little venue here in Viborg where I live. My friend and I counted and there were only about 27 people in the room that night. But everyone in this little crowd seemed very glad to be there so of course we had a ball. With lots of "lalalala"s, naturally.

Then in April I went to see Foals in Aarhus and saw a band being sharp and energetic playing live. I bought a t-shirt and have worn it quite a lot since then since Foals are one of the few bands who don't have ugly and tasteless merchandise with band pictures and unnecessary logos everywhere. Most people don't even notice that it's a band t-shirt which makes me like it even more. But yeah, it was a great gig. And as far as I remember the DJ set afterwards was pretty nice as well. In July I went to London (also known as my favourite place on the planet) and to the first day of the Ben & Jerry's festival. I didn't watch a lot of the bands, mostly just fooled around and ate icecream. But I did see Florence & The Machine as I had planned to do. It was actually a bit mindblowing. I already knew the songs and that Florence Welch, the frontwoman, was a bit, well, crazy. Like a young Kate Bush, Flo's an all jumping, kicking, banging-on-drum, singing and dancing machine. Just watching her energy live was wonderful. She's gonna be big in 09, so I'm very happy that I got to see her before she becomes a big popstar. In August I went to a festival called Danmarks Smukkeste Festival ("Denmark's most beautiful festival"). With a taste in music like mine it wasn't the best line-up possible but I did have a good time watching Franz Ferdinand in the pouring rain and later note that, though Kaiser Chiefs might be an entertaining band to see live, their music will never really do anything for me. And I enjoyed watching Turboweekend and Yoav aswell. Even if the line-up rarely suits my taste, I guess Danmarks Smukkeste Festival will always have have a special place in my heart - it has got the greatest atmosphere and really is very beautiful.

In October I went to see The Last Shadow Puppets, the side-project of Alex Turner and Miles Kane, and I must say... I couldn't help but find it a bit weird. It was similar to what I would expect an early Take That or Backstreet Boys gig to be like - screamning fangirls who were oh so excited that they got to see the oh so pretty Alex Turner in person. Luckily both the supporting band Ipso Facto and Turner + Miles + string section + band did a surprisingly good job (from what I could see and hear between the loud screams of 'I LOVE YOU!' and camera phones held up) so it wasn't all bad. All in all the gig reminded my why I'm happy to be mostly into smaller bands... less crazy fangirls.

The last two notable concerts I went to in 2008 were Vampire Weekend in Hamburg and CSS in Copenhagen. The Vampire Weekend gig was very good and I was delighted to find out that their music actually sounds a lot better live. On record it tends to be a bit tame but when played live it definitely comes alive. The CSS gig left me a bit disappointed to be honest. I've never thought they were fantastic - they just made fun and charming music. Alas, they second album just wasn't very funny or charming, just a bit 'oh, we've grown up and become serious'. So in the first place I didn't really attend the gig for the sake for the music but more for the party and fun a CSS gig should be. And it certainly wasn't boring - balloons, speakers hidden behind cardboard robots and beer give-outs all made for much entertainment. The only problem was that the music simply couldn't catch up and I doubt that Lovefoxxx (the band's leadsinger) hit many right notes that night.

Playlists with videos from some of the gigs - recorded by either me or a friend who isn't as fond of being in the frontrow as myself:
Florence And The Machine: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=C10803C2D74E7AFF
Vampire Weekend: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=D99C07DD105D078A
CSS: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0F7DFFB23153EBCC

Hello!

2009-01-01T12:46:00.000-08:00

Well well well. Then it finally came, my music blog. I still don't exactly know if I wanna write it in English or Danish, but now it's at least set up and ready to go. In a way I would like to both write it in Danish and English - I'm quite comfortable with writing in English, it's more international and probably also a very good way for me to become better at writing in English. Also, my dream is to live in London or England somewhere and write about music. But then on the other hand it's easier for me to write in Danish and some of the things I want to say might be easier for me to say in Danish than in English. But for now, I start out in English!
It could probably be considered a bit ironic that I create this blog right now because at the moment I can't really hear properly. I have got this thing with my ears so that I feel like I'm constantly wearing earplugs and everything has to be said or played a bit louder for me to hear it. Being an avid listener of music I feel a bit disabled as if a very important part of me is missing. Well, I guess that's really the reason why I create this blog right now. To satisfy my musical intrest in a way that does not involve my ears that much. But as the blog title suggests I really do need my ears to listen to music with and I cannot wait to get my beloved hearing back.

To wrap up the first entry in my blog with something relevant: here, in this very blog, I'm going to write about music. This fantastic little/big thing that makes love to people's ears. I can't wait to write, muse, mumble, brag, fantasize and talk about and generally just love music right here.

Cheers and happy new years to all.