March 8th, 2006 by Paul Irish
acoustic art rock // post-rock
Samples of the videotape from the leader of the famed
Heaven’s Gate cult is not something you’d expect to hear in a rock song. But this song
(with the extraordinarily long song title) strikes you as something entirely new but yet simultaneously recognizable. The lead melody, introduced by the deliberate guitar work and continued by vocalist Steven Wilson, feels timeless in its familiarity. This track knows time and treats it masterfully–strolling patiently but then hop-scotching around your ears with a dynamic arrangement. Now, I rarely repeat songs immediately, but here it’s a neccesity.
[Thx to Jason]Taking as long as it needs to transfix your ears.Porcupine Tree – Last Chance To Evacuate Planet Earth Before It Is Recycled
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February 20th, 2006 by Paul Irish
vocal jazz // americana blues
The smoky vocal mysticism of Norah Jones and Natalie Merchant. Unique and developed songwriting ability. This young woman, Sonya Kitchell, has created a calm sound of maturity that you wouldn’t expect from a sixteen year-old. Yes, she’s sixteen. Not to let that be the novelty that propels her popularity–her talent alone can do that plenty.
(Alas, the selling point of the talented Matisyahu was his novel cultural juxtaposition, not his firebrand musicianship. :-/) “Train”, from her upcoming album, chugs along fueled by a strummy guitar and Sonya’s full voice. Look for this one in your local Starbucks in a few months.
Young girl with an old soul.Sonya Kitchell – Train
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February 15th, 2006 by Paul Irish
swedish glam-rock
During last year’s
South By Southwest festival, hipsters heading down 6th Street on their way to the Bloc Party show were stopped when passing by a closet of a club called The Drink. Inside the giant sidewalk window, leadman Ola Salo was jumping from amp to ceiling light to drum set, while his band was pumping out firey glam rock action. Now, typically music with electric guitars and drums doesn’t strike my fancy, but The Ark definitely forces the volume knob up. ‘Rock City Wankers’ perfectly showcases their ability to instantly spawn a party with their vibrant attitude.
Dynamic rock that makes it impossible to stand still.The Ark – Rock City Wankers
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February 13th, 2006 by Paul Irish
vocal electronica // atmospheric
He crafted Madonna’s grammy-winning comeback
Ray Of Light, been criticized by composer
Arvo Pärt, loved by tranceheads
(Ferry Corsten’s trance remix of Adagio For Strings, anyone?), and shunned by many others.
(Seriously, what’s with the name?) Now, William Orbit is releasing a solo artist album far better than his previous
Pieces In A Modern Style. To be honest, I don’t want to enjoy his music, but I can’t maintain disinterest. The album is entirely too cohesive–it sounds like different themes of the same (beautiful) song. But I’m still moved by the angelic melodies on this album despite their methodical (over)production.
An A+ album I wish were by someone else. William Orbit – Surfin
William Orbit – They Live In The Sky
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February 7th, 2006 by Paul Irish
I want your reaction, here. Leave a comment and for any/all of the songs,
write your reaction to the song – keep it brief! (5-15 words, extra points if you hit exactly 10) After a few days, I’m going to publish the most evocative/impressive/amusing comments here. Be sure to leave your name.
UPDATE! The best reactions follow:
italian folk // café jazz
Quartetto Cetra – Un Bacio A Mezzanotte
cue Dean Martin, complete with cane and straw boater, making eyes at Sophia Loren.~db
Red velour, low light, and a martini with your sweetheart.~Skoodog
A leggy Italian brunette spinning her parasol on the boardwalk~Brett
nu-jazz // hip hop
Dancing Djedi – Body Surfin’ (feat. Mos Def, Tash, & Q-Tip)
poor work on the Ernest Ranglin original, with the lyrics from Body Rock just pasted upon it. Too bad : the pulse of the Ranglin is mad!!!~Garrincha
good funk, bounce, reggae flavor, too disjoint to truly savor~Dookie
I see an Afro Marcel Marceau doing the jerky moonwalk in a robot suit.~db
female folk // americana
Clare Burson – Love Me in the Morning
tender, floating, soft and caressing~kEma
Reminds me of a bluegrass/celtic festival. Nostalgic and homesick.~Elise
Passionate with a dash of armpit hair. Lilith Fair artist for 2006.~nomisong
January 29th, 2006 by Paul Irish
french musette // accordion // tango
My first mental association with an accordion is my father playing christmas carrols on his, being so geeky it’s charming. But Richard Galliano has taken the accordion places I’d never imagine that old reedy squeezebox going. He revived the turn-of-the-century Parisan dancehall music known as
musette which is often credited with introducing tango to the world. Once it hit the Paris scene in the 1930’s, as Paris was the center of fashion, it instantly became hip and spread. Galliano plays the works of his mentor, the tango great Astor Piazolla, with unmatched brilliance (‘Libertango’) as he does with the more traditional musette, ‘La Valse A Margaux’.
This ain’t your father’s squeezebox.Richard Galliano – Libertango
Richard Galliano – La Valse a Margaux
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January 15th, 2006 by Paul Irish
female vocal // acoustic soul // downtempo
All I need is a sweet voice singing soul to convert me to from an overworked stressball to a free-breathing guy contentedly driving back home to his ‘regular’ life. And to that end, I thank you, Corinne Bailey Rae. She has emerged from an unknown status to be a hotly tipped solo female vocalist poised to be the next India.Arie.
Her website aptly describes her tune ‘Like A Star’: “a slice of sublime Billie Holiday Blues delivered with a voice that pins you, in the softest but most persuasive of ways.” Delicious. Try ‘Enchantment’ if you want a little more Morcheeba-like motion.
A voice that floats effortlessly, full of caress and subtle quality.Corinne Bailey Rae – Like A Star
Corinne Bailey Rae – Enchantment
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January 7th, 2006 by Paul Irish
smooth soul // vocal jazz // classic r&b
Mr. Frank Sinatra once said that Lou Rawls had “the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game.” High praise, but well deserved. Rawls hailed from Chigago where he was high school buddies with soul giant Sam Cooke; they later collaborated on “
Bring It On Home To Me” which you can grab at
Soul Shower. (If you’re looking for a treat, you can hear Lou and Will Ferrell in a one-on-one scat attack on the
Anchorman DVD commentary.) The track below, “In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down” is a live recording of a finger-snapping mix of great jazz-blues and conversational improv. First heard it on
WICN and knew I had to share it – never thought
Lou’s passing would be the final impetus. He will be missed.
Smooth, classy elegance with an charming vocal personality.Lou Rawls – In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down (Live)
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December 20th, 2005 by Paul Irish
hip hop // neo-soul remixed
I’ll admit it’s odd for me to be writing on a fairly popular dirty south rap star, but this track “Shooter” has been on solid rotation since I first peeped. The casually dope bassline vibes underneath syncopated soul lyrics from
Robin Thicke. Weezy gets in his breathy interjections every couple seconds until he lays into it heavy, nearly 90 seconds after the track starts. Tommy B
describes it eloquently, “He’s got an easy drawl on this song, not the playful rasp from the rest of the album but a laid-back, unforced stream-of-consciousness that matches up perfectly with the track’s back-porch sunny-Alabama-afternoon lope.” Thicke’s 2003 soul track “Oh Shooter” bore that addictive lope, only it had Robin’s vocal crooning instead of Lil Wayne’s loose lyrics.
Firey southern rap dropped into a soulful riverboat groove.Lil Wayne – Shooter
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December 15th, 2005 by Paul Irish
bossa chill // acoustic // atmospheric downtempo
In 1997, Brighton-based duo Smoke City released “Underwater Love”, a Brazilian-flavored trip-hop tune which landed a great number of fans and ended up on over fifty compilations. The dreamy, sweet-tongued voice of vocalist Nina Miranda created the sharp allure and addictive quality of the track. Now, after some collaborations with Bebel Gilberto, Nitin Sawhney, and Da Lata, Nina joins eclectic producer Dennis Wheatley as Shrift. Together they create a seductive sound that transports you halfway between South America and wind-swept fantasy. Off their upcoming album, “Floating City” spins around you in a genre-fusing 6/8 rhythm and “As Far As I Can See” nails beautiful melody with little, deliberate instrumentation.
Effortless artistry from two worldly musicians.Shrift – Floating City
Shrift – As Far As I Can See
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