So I've reached the ripe old age of twenty one years. Fresh from catching Late of the Pier on the start of their tour in Southampton, I'm back and raring to go. In reality, it's ten to eight in the morning on time of writing and I still haven't been to sleep from the night before. Hardcore or insomniac, you decide.
So here's what's been going on in my world...
I'm Not The Complaint Department
Previously mentioned in Liam's tips for 2008, Lykke Li's debut Youth Novels is a more understated affair than first thought.
While Little Bit is undoubtedly the stand out track, the rest of the album is hard to pin down in terms of sound. Flitting from the bubble-gum pop of fellow Swede, Annie to the sultry, seductive whispers of Jennifer Charles on Window Blues.
Whilst I still stand firm on the opinion that the current hype is out-weighing the goods, Lykke could have done a lot worse, and Youth Novels shows she has more strings to her bow than most have so far given her credit.
Myspace
Lykke Li on iTunes
Susan, The Truth Is...
Another album that's been on repeat during the ridiculous ammount of train journeys I undertake each month is Trouble In Dream by Vancouver artist Destroyer.
The main project of occasional The New Pornographers collaborator Dan Bejar. He has released eight albums under the Destroyer moniker, just over half of which have been through Merge Records.
Despite having proclaimed his own style as being "European Blues", it's obvious when listening, that Bejar takes influence from more indie/shogaze roots than that of blues.
Also noteworthy is Bejar's other project Swan Lake, a sort of Canadian uber indie menage-a-trois consisting of himself, Carey Mercer of Frog Eyes and Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown, and Frog Eyes.
Myspace
Pre-order Trouble In Dream on Amazon
Some Like It Hot
It's now almost fourteen hours later and I've found the time to finish this post. I'll end on a weird and wonderful note as I came across this album at random and it's one of the most strange albums I've ever heard. Let's Go Everywhere by Medeski Martin and Wood (aka MMW).
Starting out their careers in 1991 as an acoustic jazz outfit, New York trio John Medeski, Billy Martin and Chris Wood have come a long way in terms of style and experimentation.
Let's Go Everywhere is more experimental and less jazz than previous works, sampling children reciting nursery rhymes and providing vocals for some of the other songs.
It takes a particularly lighthearted turn from it's dark and more accessible predocessor, 2004's End of the World Party (Just in Case). Of which the title track was featured on US tv show Grey's Anatomy according to Wikipedia.
Featuring songs about pirates, cats, cakes and trains, this is full of nostalgia and could almost be the soundtrack to a new Pixar film. It's all about fun and childhood adventure, each track calls upon an individual fond memory or experience. Well worth a listen, even if it's just out of curiosity.
Myspace
MMW Store
Carl
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