I brought a baby accordion yesterday from Camden market. It was a bit of an impulse buy but it’s my new years resolution to learn to play it properly. I have been doing some looking around youtube for songs I can learn to play and I have put together a little collection of videos which highlight why accordions are so good. So here they are!

Yay! I went to see Paul McCartney at the O2 on Tuesday (amazingggg), which was why I was in London, so a big review should be up either tonight or boxing day! Happy Christmas!

The end of the year is creeping up on us all, so I thought that I’d take a little time and share my ten favorite albums of 2009.  I think that this year was a particularly good year for me with music – Neko Case had a new album out and I found some new bands that I really fell in love with. (These aren’t really in any particular order, although Neko Case’s album was my favorite of this year).

1. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone – Neko Case has long been a favorite of mine, and this was the first album she had released since I had started listening to her.  The buzz around it was exciting to follow and listen to her interviews while making the album.  Although probably not my favorite album of hers writing wise, it is definitely the most interesting for me to listen to.  Favorite track: Middle Cyclone

2. The Dodos – Time to Die – The Dodos were a band introduced to me through my ex-boyfriend.  Once I started raving about them, it turns out that some of my friends already knew about them – including my friend who went to school with one of the musicians in the band!  Steph and I did a band poster for the Dodos (which I have neglected to post).  Favorite track: Fables

3. Bowerbirds – Upper Air – Also a new band, but one that I have quickly fallen in love with.  I really enjoy their whole package – sweet lyrics with a certain amount of quiet and introspect to them.  Favorite track: Northern Lights

4. Wilco – Wilco (the album) – Before this album, I had never really listened to Wilco.  I had heard so many great things about them, but never gave it a listen.  I finally got around to listening to this album and don’t regret it.  Favorite track: You and I

5. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion – The art school kid in me (and the Baltimorean) started listening to Animal Collective a couple of years ago.  This album was a real refinement to what they had been doing previously, which I think turned some listeners off (like their tendency to scream).  Favorite track: Summertime Clothes

6. Passion Pit – Manners – I avoided Passion Pit for a long time this year, even though I liked every single that I heard.   After finally getting the album, I wondered what took me so long!  This album is the perfect album for a party.  Sleepyhead is one of my jams of the year.  What a fun album.  Favorite track: Sleepyhead

7. Lady Gaga – Fame Monster – If you’ve read this blog from the beginning, you know I’m not shy about my love for Lady Gaga.  I think she is so interesting and such a well-informed pop artist.  This album is another feel-good album for me.  Favorite track: Telephone (feat. Beyonce)

8. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix – Another band I sort of avoided for quite some time.  My roommate and other friends were really into them, but somehow I just didn’t see it.  It took a few singles to get me listening to the entire album but eventually it found its place with me.  Favorite track: Rome

9. St. Vincent – Actor – Also known as Annie Clark, I instantly fell in love with her beautiful voice and experimentation on this album.  It’s no surprise that I became fond of her – she’s worked with Sufjan Stevens.  Favorite track: Actor Out of Work

10. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca – I saw the Dirty Projectors this fall in concert, which was a lot of fun.  I love the use of the voice as an instrument, and how it’s projected on this album.  Favorite track: Stillness is the Move

What am I missing?  Is there something I should have listened to?

Over the weekend…

I am working on making graphics for all the different themed-days that I post on.  UNFORTUNATELY, my Wacom tablet pen broke (for reasons unbeknown to me), so I really can’t do any work on the computer until I have a replacement.  I looked up the price of a Wacom pen.  $60!!! WAHH!!!!!!

Friday/Saturday was the big snowstorm that all the news was talking about.  It started around 10:30PM Friday night, and when I wanted to leave my apartment at 10:30AM on Saturday, my car looked like this:

Final snow count was around 21 inches.  On Sunday I tried to get my car out, but the snow plow had blocked it in.  Luckily, with the help of some strangers, I was able to free my poor car.

Now, for some work… This piece is my collaboration with Stephanie Leung – the first phase.  Another band poster – for the Bowerbirds.  If you haven’t listened to them, you should!  They have one of my favorite albums out this year.

Our collaborative efforts are called God Bless the Tigers… we’ll have a website soon and have a better and newer version of our blog.  Look for it soon!

(This is our second annual “Favorite Songs”series. It’s a chance for Range Life fans, friends and family to shout-out and share some of the songs that made 2009 better, dancier, more deeply felt, more memorable and enjoyable. Songs are presented in no particular order. I hope you’ve enjoyed the last few weeks of posts! Thanks to everyone who has participated. We’ll finish up Monday. -Z)

This ‘09 travelogue is by designer-extraordinaire Pre Sense Form.

2009 Top 10 in Pairs

(In no particular order)

by PSF

* Feel It All Around — Washed Out

New Theory — Washed Out

“You may want to listen to ‘Feel It All Around” before you watch the video because once you see the video its very difficult not to think about it every time you hear the song …however, in this case, that’s not such a bad thing…its actually sort of awesome!”

About Face — Grizzly Bear

* Ready, Able — Grizzly Bear

“Same goes here for the ‘Ready, Able’ video…maybe one of the dopest I’ve seen in awhile… ‘About Face’ speaks for itself, maybe the best song on the album?”

Crooked Lust — Bowerbirds

Northern Lights — Bowerbirds

“Just a guy and his gal making music together…and doing a mighty fine job.”

Twin of Myself — Black Moth Super Rainbow

Intro — The xx

“The simplicity of ‘Twin of Myself’ is remarkable, but what really makes the song is the final layer of sound that creeps in right around the 2:21 mark…it makes the song lift off the ground and fly into outerspace. For ‘Intro’ envision a scene in a late 80’s movie, cross-dissolving between a slow-motion laser lit dance floor and a night drive in a black ferrari modial 8 convertible.”

Deadbeat Summer — Neon Indian

Lover’s Carvings — Bibio

“I wish ‘Deadbeat Summer’ would have come out in May…it would’ve made for a nice dippy after-school-special theme song for trips to the pool. ‘Lover’s Carvings’ would have been played on the ride home.”

(* Tie for Best Video of the Year 2009)

Video Links:

Washed Out / Feel It All Around

Grizzly Bear / Ready, Able

Been living in Florida for the better part of 4 years now. Feel like my blood has legitimately thinned in that time. Not sure that living in what I have always considered to be a vacation spot has really lived up to my expectations. Maybe its natural to grow tired of places once they become your day to day reality. Kind of weird living in place where it is never inappropriate to blast a poppy, electroish ’summer jam’ in your car with the windows rolled down. Feel like I have grown ridiculously fond of Peter Bjorn and John’s ‘Amsterdam’ (Amsterdam – mp3) since living in Florida.

Summer jams are great but im feelin’ like I don’t appreciate them as much as I would if they weren’t my everyday life. For example, I like ice cream, but if is all I ate were ice cream, I’d get kind of sick of it. At the same time, I think people living in Florida have a tendency to create some phony overly glamorized image of northern winters: snow angels, hot coco, ice skating in Rockefeller plaza etc. Probably got most of these images from ‘Elf’/greeting cards/Gap fleece commercials. Feel like these are probably the same people who wake up super early on their New York vacations to go see Al Roker in person at the Today show, while holding a sign reppin’ their home town. Truthfully, Chicago winters suck. They are gray, freezing, long and snow angels aren’t fun. Think less ‘Elf’ more ‘Fargo’. Less ‘Old Navy Jingle Jammies’ and more dirty ‘San Jose Sharks’ starter jacket.

Feel like I lived in these things for the better part of my childhood

This being said, there is still something comforting about Illinois winter to me. Maybe the space between my first two toes needs a rest from all that flip flop wearing. Maybe I’m not meant to absorb that much vitamin d. Thinkin’ that all the grayness and cold makes you a stronger more grounded individual. Startin’ to realize that there is more to life then drum machines, catchy hooks and auto tune. Might really just want an excuse to listen to sad music. Its hard to really ‘connect’ with Bon Iver when you are chillin’ in a hammock wearing seersucker and Sperry’s. Northerners probably get more out of ’summer jams’ as well via not being able to play them all year long. At least not appropriately.

Probably not the best place to listen to Fleet Foxes

Started to think about what makes a really good winter song. Still not completely sure. Might have something to do with folksier music. Winter music seems to be more ‘unplugged’, with less of an emphasis on the beat and more of an emphasis on lyrics. If a song says something about ‘winter’ or ‘cold’ in the name than that lets me know for sure. But if that isn’t there, the only thing that seems to be constant in music that I deem winterish is that its all pretty sad. Feel like this sad mellow music is a necessary contrast to the synthy, care free music of the summer. Without this music you might start to over analyze summer jams looking for a deeper meaning. Might start wishing Akon would finally find the words to describe that girl, even if he had to be disrespectful.

Anyways here are twenty five songs that currently make me think of winter.

Bower Birds – Northern Lights
Stripped down and soulful
Northern lights mp3

Matt Costa – Cold December
Cold December

The Magic Numbers – I See You, You See Me
I couldn’t picture this tragic duet being sung near palm trees. (One of my all time favorite songs)
I see You, You see Me

The Avett Brothers – Go to Sleep
One of the more cheerful songs on the list
Go to Sleep

Blue Scholars – Coffee and Snow
Hip-hop Snow day
Coffee and Snow

Ra Ra Riot – Can You Tell
Almost went with ‘Winter 05′ by RRR but this music video was too perfect

Bon Iver – Blood Bank
It’s pretty obvious Bon Iver lived in a cabin in rural Wisconsin when he wrote Blood Bank
Blood Bank

Architecture in Helsinki – Souvenirs
Souvenirs

The Magnetic Fields – I don’t want to get over you
I Don\'t Want to get Over You

Peter Bjorn and John – Chills
What Amsterdam is to summer Chills is to winter
Chills

Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
Neighborhood #1

The Tallest Man on Earth – I Won’t be Found
I Won\'t be Found

The Antlers – Bear
Sounds like a snow globe
Bear

Andrew Bird – Simple X
Favorite Andrew Bird
Simple X

Ray Lamontagne – Empty
One of the more beautifully written songs I have ever heard
Empty

The Mountain Goats – San Bernadino
San Bernadino

The National – Fake Empire
No one does melancholy like the National

Beach House – Norway
If you are gonna be cool in 2010, you better start liking this one
Norway

Sea Wolf – The Cold, The Dark & The Silence
cold dark silence

The Shins – New Slang
New Slang

Wilco – I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
Everything off of this album was magic
I am Trying to Break Your Heart

The Decemberists – The Crane Wife 3
If your band is called the Decemberists you better be able to make some wintery music
Crane Wife

Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal
Can’t decide whether this song takes me to Appalachia or medieval Euroupe
White Winter Hymnal

Ben Folds Five – Brick
“The smell of cold, car seat is freezing. The world is sleeping and I am numb”
Brick

Sufjan Stevens – For the Widows of Paradise…
For the Widows of Paradise

What makes a good winter song?
Do you prefer summer jams or winter jams?
Will starter jackets make a comeback?

Bowerbirds are one of those boyfriend-girlfriend bands just like Matt & Kim and Drug Rug are actually pretty good. They opened for Elvis Perkins In Dearland last night at the sanctuary of the First Unitarian Church. Phil Moore’s voice filled the large open space of the sanctuary from front to back. The band have a strong grasp on folk music and were a perfect match for Elvis Perkins In Dearland. He dropped by for a quick interview over the phone while the band was driving down to Washington DC. Interview below.

Colin: So how did come up musically? Has music always played a part in your life?

Phil: Yeah, pretty much. I’ve been playing music since I was a kid. I learned how to play folk songs on the guitar when I was in fourth grade. Then I played in bands with really good friends for several years then I moved down to North Carolina from Iowa. Eventually I started playing with Beth(Tacular).

Colin: What made you make that move from Iowa to North Carolina?

Phil:My good friend moved down to North Carolina first, he was kind of just following his girlfriend. He started playing music with some people. I heard about North Carolina from listening to Superchunk and other bands when I was in high school and college. I kind of always just enjoyed the thought of it but never really knew anything about it. Then I made the leap of faith down here and lived down here and started playing music together again with my friend Mark.

Colin: Very cool. Where did you go to college?

Phil: The University of Iowa.

Colin: What did you study?

Phil: I got a biology degree.

Colin: Ah very nice. That sounds pretty intense(laughs). How did you go about getting your music out there and picked up by Dead Oceans?

Phil: Well, we started kind of by ourselves and released a small EP that we had hand sewed together.  We took a trip around the country trying to pick up gigs. We were in Portland for a while and played as much as we could while we were there. Played a show in Minneapolis and it started off very small with ourselves. Then one of our friends put out our album digitally and eventually that didn’t totally work out. So we talked to with Dead Oceans a while at a show, we were opening for John Vanderslice. It was our very first big tour, I guess. Phil from Dead Oceans was there and we talked to him. I think he was there because he was probably thinking about picking up John Vanderslice, which he eventually did but he also found us.

Colin: So what was the writing process like for your most recent record, Upper Air? Was there a sole songerwriter?

Phil: Yeah, for the most part. Beth writes her accordion parts a lot of the time and Mark, who used to be in the band, would write his violin parts and harmony parts. It was all really simple. I would write the acoustic guitar first, then we would add a little bass drum here and there, and then the violin and accordion.

Colin: So you kind of just pieced it all together as time went on?

Phil: Yeah, we’d write the music first and then the lyrics second.

Colin: What are some essential non-musical activities you do on tour?

Phil: On tour? We’re pretty focused on musical activities(laughs). We try to find time to eat healthy food, that usually works pretty well. That’s honestly all that we have time for when on tour. We try to find a Whole Foods or whatever.

Colin: There’s a Whole Foods in Philly, just so you know.

Phil: Awesome!

Colin: What’s life like for you when you’re not on tour?

Phil: When we’re not on tour, we’re either in Raleigh or we’re out an hour away from Raleigh building our cabin, living in our Airstream Trailer. That’s been one of our main projects of the last couple years—building our cabin.

Colin: How’s that coming along?

Phil: It’s going very slowly right now. The majority of the time we’ve been on the road and then when we get back it’s kind of hard to get back in that lifestyle. It’s actually.. the cabin is to a point where it’s almost liveable. We actually sleep there a lot of the time with the windows in there.

Colin: That’s a pretty rad thing to do. What would you be doing, say, if you didn’t play music for a living?

Phil: Uh… well, we had a web designing company and before we started putting more time into the band. Then we could do it independently and live out on our land and everything. I don’t know probably something like that. Beth is a visual artist so she would probably doing a lot more of that.

At Herdsman Lake (detail) 2009

Irish artist Maria Hildrick is having an opening at the Kidogo Arthouse for her exhibition Bowerbirds and Other Animals on Thursday 3rd of December at 6.30 pm.

It runs from the 4th to the 9 of December, 10 am to 5 pm and you can find more blurb about it here on its FaceBook event page.

Phoenix

Thanksgiving. For years it’s brought people together to feast on turkey. In honor of this joyous American holiday, 20 Watts has decided to elucidate you, fine reader, on the many bands named after a variety of fowl. We bring you our very special Thanksgiving 20, based on artists named after a variety of avian creatures.

So what’s the very best of bird-themed music? 20 Watts’ STAFF has the answer in our tenth 20 installment. Watch for new 20s each Thursday, only on 20 Watts, and check out our previous 20s below!

that is all i have to say about this video.

rock on folks,
margaret kaye

BOWERBIRDS
Glasgow, Captains Rest, October 31 * * * *

The last time Bowerbirds played Glasgow it was to promote debut album Hymns for a Dark Horse. That night the duo put on a captivating display at The Admiral in front of the smallest of crowds. Tonight they repeated the trick but sadly it was another sparse turnout for the North Carolina group.
They may have been dressed up, in singer/guitarist Phil Moore’s words, as “average Americans” for this their Halloween show, but there certainly wasn’t anything average about the band’s music or performance.
The charismatic Moore was undoubtedly the star of the show thanks to vocals that made you hang on his every lyric. Emotive, honest and on Hooves in particular, spellbinding, it was hard not to be drawn into Bowerbirds’ lyrically evocative world.
Fittingly, of the songs taken from recent second album Upper Air, it was Northern Lights that shone brightest although Crooked Lust came a close second.
Not missing a trick, halfway through Moore enlisted the audience’s help on a modified or rather spookified rendition of Ghost Life. It may have strayed into pantomime territory initially but such was the band’s enthusiasm for our participation it proved another endearing and memorable moment.

E foi no Café Zapata, logo ao lado do famoso Tacheles, em Berlin – um prédio enorme, que depois de invadido virou espaço que mistura bares, galerias e lojas – que eu encontrei os Bowerbirds. A banda americana lotou a casa e arrancou gritos germânicos da platéia. Indie folk gostoso para noites geladas e cerveja (semi) quente. Abaixo, confira um trecho do show e um papo que bati com eles depois da apresentação.

Eles não sabem nada de música brasileira, mas eles são legais.

I’ve noticed some rather impassioned debate on garden design and criticism in the blogosphere recently.*

So I mused on the nature and purpose of it all. But I only had a spare  minute or so, and spent most of that thinking about how much I like mud and worms. That only left a few seconds to acknowledge that I very much admire beautifully designed gardens that are in tune with their landscape and their history – and those who strive to create them  (while trying not to think ‘yes it’s art, but can I eat it?’). Dear reader, I feared I would not be able to offer any resolution.

But I may have found the answer. I hope the link below offers something to unite everyone: a creation that involves a variety of flowers and edibles, a clever mix of hard and soft landscaping and a good dose of dung. Vitally, it is one which recognises that ‘visual effect is of crucial importance’ and where  ‘competition is intense’:

Actually it seems it may all come down to showing off and getting some.

—————————————–

* For raging debate try here, here and here. I don’t really want any raging debate. If you’re feeling like that, why not watch the rest of the BBC programme Life, which this clip is from, as an anecdote.  There’s Grebe courtship to bring a tear to your eye, while penguins falling over made me giggle (then feel a bit guilty).

If you’ve been waiting around for months to finally see that great local band that you’ve heard so much about, now’s your chance.

Troika serves as Durham’s own music festival with performances in venues all around Bull City throughout three nights. Some local event sponsors include Merge Records, Duke student-run radio station WXDU and the Durham Performing Arts Center.

This event is affordable (and college-student friendly) with a full-festival pass priced at $20 or $8 for a night. However, if you’re feeling super thrifty, there is at least one free show each night (one Thursday, two Friday and four Saturday).

Rock, Paper, Scissors, a new addition to this year’s festival, features live music, and art from local craftsmen and band merchandise for sale on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Check out the vendor list.[map]

There’s no lack of quality in talent whatsoever, so I’ll take the lazy, yet thorough way out and post the entire schedule:

Thursday, Nov. 7

Festival Kickoff at Durham Central Park (free) [map]

• 7 p.m. The Beast

• 7:45  Megafaun

Backstage at the DPAC [map]

• 8:30 p.m.  Ghost Cats
• 9:15 p.m. Humble Tripe
• 10 p.m. The Future Kings of Nowhere
• 11 p.m. Bowerbirds

The Pinhook [map]

• 9 p.m. The Desmonds
• 9:45 p.m. House of Fools
• 10:30 p.m. Aminal
• 11:15 p.m. Max Indian

Duke Coffeehouse [map]

• 9:15 p.m. Molly Bancroft
• 10 p.m. The ExMonkeys
• 10: 45 p.m. EAR PWR
• 11: 45 p.m. Future Islands

Broad Street Cafe [map]

• 9:30 p.m. Regina Hexaphone
• 10:15 p.m. Pink Flag
• 11 p.m. The Dry Heathens
• 11:45 p.m. The Moaners

Friday Nov. 8

West End Wine Bar (free) [map]

• 7:30 p.m. Tea and Tempests
• 7:45 p.m. Liza Kate
• 8:30 p.m. Birds and Arrows

Marvell Event Center [map]

• 8:15 p.m. Ryan Gustafson
• 9 p.m. Wembley
• 9:45 p.m The Proclivities
• 10:30 p.m. Embarrassing Fruits

Trotter Building [map]

• 9 p.m. The Huguenots
• 9:45 p.m. Brett Harris
• 10: 30 p.m. Hammer No More the Fingers
• 11:30 p.m. Gentleman Jesse & His Men
• 12:30 a.m. Dex Romweber Duo

Duke Coffeehouse

• 9:30 p.m. The Ringing Cedars
• 10: 15 p.m. The Pneurotics
• 11 p.m. I Was Totally Destroying It
• midnight Birds of Avalon

Broad Street Cafe

• 9:45 p.m. Jews and Catholics
• 10:30 p.m. Whatever Brains
• 11:15 p.m. Dirty Little Heaters
• 12:15 a.m. Pipe

Bull McCabe’s (free)

• 11:30 p.m. All Your Science
• 12:15 a.m. Beloved Binge

Saturday, Nov. 9

Rock, Paper, Scissors at Trotter Building (free)

• 12:30 p.m. Three Days in Vegas
• 1:30 p.m. Tin Star
• 2:30 p.m. Mount Moriah

West End Wine Bar (free)

• 7 p.m. Sequoya
• 7:45 p.m. Jasme Kelly
• 8:30 p.m. The Tender Fruit

Marvell Even Center

• 8:15 p.m. Sea Cow
• 9 p.m. Bright Young Things
• 9:45 p.m. Lud
• 10:30 p.m. Luego

The Pinhook

• 9:30 p.m. Veronique Diabolique
• 10:15 p.m. Citified
• 11 p.m. Gray Young

Duke Coffeehouse

• 8:45 p.m. D-Town Brass
• 9:30 Veelee
• 10:15 Schooner
• 11:15 Lonnie Walker

Trotter Building

• 9 p.m. The Bronzed Chorus
• 9:45 Maple Stave
• 10:30 The Travesties
• 11:30 Red Collar

Broad Street Cafe

• 9:30 p.m. Dynamite Brothers
• 10:15 Rat Jackson
• 11 The Loners
• midnight The Love Language

Bull McCabe’s (free)

• 11:30 p.m. Butterflies
• 12:15 a.m. Pistil

Check out a map of all the venues (courtesy Troika’s Web site).

If you can’t make it to Durham, head over to the Indy and download some free tracks from festival performers. (If you love free stuff check out Free-cession in the Triangle for all kinds of free activities!)

Can’t get enough Troika here? Follow the festival’s Bullbot and check out his blog.

Dark Horse:

Part of the problem with being a music freak is that I’m constantly on the lookout for the next best thing. I don’t mean that in a trendy way – I certainly don’t have any grand ambitions to be the blogger who introduces the world to the next big star or anything, but I am always on the hunt for performers who produce the kind of music that stops me in my tracks. You know the sort of thing, when you hear an artist for the first time and you’re like “Fuck yes! This is what I’ve been looking for!” And, if you’re like me, you’ll play the track or album over and over again and you’ll glory in those magical moments where the drums crash in or that riff takes over or the singer somehow stumbles upon those exact words that make your eyes mist over and your breath catch.

The problem with this neverending quest is just that – it’s neverending. I listen to so much music that quite often I don’t give it the attention it deserves. I’m so in love with those first few moments of discovery that I’m constantly on the hunt for more. That’s not a bad thing, but it does mean that I often overlook bands and don’t give them enough time to impress me. I don’t think I’m the only blogger that has this problem either.

The wonderful thing about this new digital age that we live in though, is that you can just leave tracks sitting on your computer or ipod until you’re ready to appreciate them properly. This track by the Bowerbirds came up on shuffle today and while I remember loving it months ago, I think I listened to it two or three times before it inevitably got lost in all the other music I was sampling at the time. I even posted it but neglected to write anything about it other than the fact it’s from their album Upper Air.

The track I refer to is ‘Northern Lights’ by US folk outfit Bowerbirds, and it’s simply beautiful. Gorgeous piano, lovely vocals and a smooth meandering melody.

I don’t need from you a waterfall of careless praise
And I don’t need a trophy for all the games I’ve played

But all I want is your eyes
In the morning as we wake
For a short while

Northern Lights – Bowerbirds

Image by Alissa Anderson, from the Bowerbirds website.

One of my new favorite bands is Bowerbirds. Perfect to listen to in the midst of autumn, their folky sound warms my heart and gives me chills at the same time. Soft percussion, clean acoustic guitar, sweet accordion and even sweeter violin, subtle keys, and beautiful vocal harmonies. Their second album, Upper Air will undoubtedly make my top ten for the year – I’m so impressed and wish I had discovered them sooner.

Bowerbirds – Ghost Life

Bij een dag als Allerzielen hoort ingetogen muziek. Niet dat je religieus moet aangelegd zijn, maar er blijft toch steeds wel iets hangen. Of dat nu commercieel, meteorologisch dan wel godsdienstig geïnspireerd is doet niet eens terzake.  Je hebt eerder de neiging om in een hoekje te kruipen dan je over te geven aan uitbundige party’s.  De muziek van Bowerbirds en Damien Jurado is daar uitermate geschikt voor.

Lees hier verder.

Went to Clwb Ifor Bach (Little Ifor’s Club) on Thursday to watch the fantastic Bowerbirds. A great little place where you can get up close and really enjoy a band. The perfect place to watch these.

Je vous voir venir à propos des Bowerbirds, à quoi bon allez voir ce groupe qui risque de vite être oublié, et bien c’est précisément pour cette raison que je suis allé à leur concert, car après ça sera trop tard pour moi. Je pense que c’est le cas typique du groupe lancé rapidement, un peu étoile filante, avec deux premiers albums assez sympathiques et très proches en terme d’écriture musicale, un groupe que je risque d’oublier quand ils en sortiront un troisième. Bref, un peu kleenex, ni trop mauvais pour être jeter à la poubelle, pas totalement inoubliable pour être porté aux nues, un groupe de pop-folk qui s’écoute tranquillement quand on est fatigué, abattu et qu’on a besoin d’un peu de confort avant de se remettre à chercher des musiques plus complexes. Une certaine esthétique du milieu qui risque de disparaître avec la décennie qui se termine, un peu comme certains groupes des 90’s qui imitaient les guitares lourdes de Nirvana, sauf qu’elle ont été remplacée aujourd’hui par des cordes pincées et de l’accordéon.

Pour toutes ces raisons, je suis me suis rendu au Point Ephémère lundi dernier où était programmé aussi Tom Brosseau et Damien Jurado. En entrant dans la salle après que le serveur m’ait offert une bière, parce que j’ai eu la politesse de laisser passer quelqu’un devant moi pour le service, j’ai un peu du mal à trouver une place, visiblement il y a beaucoup de monde. Rapidement Tom Brosseau arrive sur scène, tout seul avec une guitare folk, et gratouille quelques accords tout en chantant avec un léger accent sudiste. Lorsqu’une chanteuse vient le rejoindre, et que Tom Brosseau reproduit un familier « boom-chicka-boom » à la guitare, je me dis que ces deux-là ont dû beaucoup écouter June Carter et Johnny Cash, sauf que le chanteur n’a ni la voix grave ni la présence de ce dernier. Si on ajoute à cela une tenue qui évoque celle de Dylan sur la couverture « The Time They Are A-Changin’ », on se dit que cela fait beaucoup de références trop évidentes. A moins que cela ne soit pas calculé, et que je sois trop tatillon sur les détails … Toujours est-il que le set, minimaliste, folk et boisé s’écoute plutôt tranquillement, sans trop se forcer les méninges, et le duo est assez touchant en finissant son dernier morceau dans la fausse, au milieu du public, sans aucune amplification. Grosse sensation auprès des photographes en herbes qui n’ont qu’un téléphone portable (kill ‘em all !!).

Puis Damien Jurado arrive, lui aussi seul avec sa guitare folk. Assis sur scène et plutôt chaleureux avec le public, le songwriter exécute finement certains de ces plus beaux titres. A voir sa technique de picking, je me dis que je n’ai pas pris assez de cours de guitare … Plutôt habité par ces chansons, Damien Jurado démarre son set avec une certaine intensité, qu’il ne maintiendra malheureusement pas jusqu’au bout de son concert. Dommage, car si j’aime beaucoup lorsque il exécute des compositions à fleur de peau, j’accroche un peu moins quand il retombe dans une certaine facilité en se bloquant sur quatre accords qui font rapidement penser à du sous-Neil Young.

Le temps de me rappeler que j’ai un EP en vinyle de Damien Jurado – avec un lock groove et une face gravée avec les paroles des titres, un luxe !!! – et les Bowerbirds sont déjà sur scène. A l’aise face au public et plutôt extraverti, Phil Moore martèlent quelques accords sur sa guitare classique et chante plutôt bien, tandis que Beth Tacular l’accompagne avec son fidèle et discret accordéon qui fait lorgner de temps en temps le set vers une certaine mélancolie, mais aussi un clavier venant ainsi rompre le caractère boisé de ce groupe. Enfin l’apport d’un batteur rend la structure de leur composition un peu plus dynamique, et les morceaux du groupe se trouvent exécutés de façon plutôt efficace en live. Jonglant entre folk et pop, In Our Talons, Teeth, ou encore House Of Diamonds s’enchaînent plutôt bien et tombent presque à point pour ce lundi soir où l’on est déjà fatigué par le weekend et la semaine à venir. Vers la fin du concert, je sens quand même comme une limite dans ses compositions qui risquent vite de tourner en rond. Une question me trotte alors dans la tête : comment vont évoluer les Bowerbirds ? Vont-ils continuer dans cette formule, au risque de s’enfermer rapidement dans un petit confort qui nous fera vite oublié le groupe pour passer à autre chose. Où bien vont-ils changer quelque chose, se mettre à l’électrique, voire l’électronique, quitte à perdre totalement leur âme dans ce virage … Mais c’est au milieu de mes pensées, en plein sur le Quai Valmy que je vois un taxi, il est temps de rentrer me coucher, et de toute façon, pour un groupe Kleenex que je ne reverrais peut être pas, j’étais bien content de les voir sur scène. Un bon moment quand même, et une drôle de sensation éphémère …

Par Mathieu

Pour aller plus loin :

• Ecouter les Bowerbirds
• Ecouter Tom Brosseau
• Ecouter Damien Jurado

Are we on? Check. Check.

Testing 1-2-3 (Stark Effect); Music Here Tonight (The Family Simpson); Teeth (Bowerbirds); From a Terrace (Hey Marseilles); Never Let The Same Dog Bite You Twice (Sophie Tucker); Would You Say (Masamune); I Break Rocks (Sidca); Strike Up a Match (Doug Hoekstra); Last Summer (Pete Yorn); Fat Children (Jarvis Cocker)

As seems to be the trend on Mearns FM next week is a halloween themed show. There may be trick or treat prizes!! (for podcast listeners too). Keep your eyes on www.mearnsfm.org.uk

Finally, welcome back dear listener. Hope you didn’t get bored waiting!