The Adorable Anna Ternheim

Not many people (at least here in the states) know who Anna Ternheim is however if you are a fan of folk sounding tunes from an extremely adorable pixie of a woman then I highly suggest checking her out.

Anna Ternheim is a Swedish musician who primarily sings in English. Heavily influenced by 70s folk musicians, Anna has made quite a name for herself in Europe. Her sound is of course very acoustic rock and folk oriented but there is a darkish quality to them that makes the songs quite ambient. There are effects on her song but they are to emphasize emotion than rather change the sound of the song. It keeps it real and not technical.

If you see her your instinctual reflex would say “aww”… well, at least it was mine. Its funny too because I heard her sing before I actually saw what she looked like and I thought she was adorable even then. She has this child-like innocence to her voice.

Her singles like Follow You Tonight, To Be Gone, My Secret, just to name a few always make me feel something. I know it sounds weird but there are days when you just feel like a zombie, where you feel nothing. You are zoned out. You just feel like you are living to live and not doing anything on earth. Like you are floating. It happens, its a normal reaction. I hear Anna and I remember that there are emotions in my head. Crazy? Yeah maybe. Whatever Im explaining what it does to me, so there!

One of my favorite songs is Lovers Dream. Anna released it as a solo song but she also duetted with Fyfe Dangerfield from the band Guillemots. Very goth yet romantic. Just the way I like it.

Video of the day, of course the video to Lover’s Dream featuring Fyfe Dangerfield. I love this video. I love the imagery and the costumes. Its so beautiful and fits the song perfectly.

Ok, this is fun. The Guillemots Fyfe Dangerfield has gone solo and this first taste of his debut album Fly Yellow Moon is the perfect antidote to this grey and muggy morning. I love the sketchy opening beats, those rasping scratchy vocals and the countless ‘oooooh oooooohs’. Totally infectious stuff.

When You Walk In The Room – Fyfe Dangerfield

Bonus mp3:

My first ever Guillemots experience, equally as fun:

I can love you baby til the cows came home
What’s that noise, yeah it’s the cows knocking on our door

Who Left the Lights Off Baby – The Guillemots

Image credit: Tim Dougall 2006

Indie rock clássico. Confiram!

Faixas do álbum:

1. Sake

2. Trains to Brazil

3. Made-Up Lovesong #43

4. Over The Stairs

5. Who Left The Lights Off, Baby?

6. Cats Eyes

7. Go Away

8. My Chosen One

LINK – From The Cliffs

Parece com? Doves, Mystery Jets.

Vídeo com a música Trains to Brazil.

Enjoy o/

KiT

How is it that every time we come across a band from Paris it makes us want to be right there, in their beautiful, hipster culture?  It’s probably the same factor that made us want to live in Brooklyn when we discovered Sleigh Bells, or Los Angeles when we first came across Heartsrevolution, or Berlin when, or Manchester when, or, or, etc.  OK, to be fair, our home town of Brighton is plenty cool enough thanks, but this three piece from the Gallic capital are definitely made from that most attractive of purest hip.  We are suckers for the sexy vocalist, complete with every word seemingly breathed out, rather than sung.  It’s all so effortless and it challenges you in a manner not seen since the likes of Billy Corgan or Debbie Harry before him.  This all drifts over the top of a lo-fi electro synth and disco beat that simultaneously captures the minds attention whilst  moving your feet in all directions.  This is care-free music, made by care-free imaginations, for care-free music fans.  It’s hard to know why the blogs haven’t gone totally bananas for this pleasant piece of Parisian pop, as they’d slot onto a Kitsune Maison Compilation with ease.  They tick all the right electro boxes and serve up the kind of magic that many blogs stick to as part of their strict diet.  Perhaps it’s simply early days for them, or the publicity machine hasn’t yet got into gear.  It will eventually, but for now it’s perhaps Paris’ secret.  As for us, we’re going to have to get around to organising that goddamn city break.   (MB)

Find them here:        Myspace

Hear them here:       KiT – ANIMALS ysi

SILVER COLUMNS

For crying out loud!! We’re getting very bored with the amount of new bands that are deciding to hide their identities from view. From the likes of Fake Blood to Golden Filter it seems people are forever shunning the front of the stage by not confirming who is behind the music. Why they do it is something we seem to be talking about on a regular basis. Perhaps its to restrict the rapid pace in which blogs and the wider online community bore people to death by diluting music through the scrutiny, sharing and critiquing of everything new?  Perhaps not allowing people to know who you are holds something back, giving the artist a sense of empowerment?  Either way it’s over-done now, so much so that it would almost be a better publicity stunt if you actually showed your face and confirmed your name!  Anyway, Silver Columns didn’t even have a Myspace when we first caught wind of them, but although that’s now been corrected, their identity is still being held back.  Apart from this irritation their original music and superb remixes are fantastic.  They also clearly get Joe-Hot Chip’s approval as he has remixed their track, Brow Beaten, to brilliant effect (see below).  Their hearts beat disco and their synth riffs bleed the kind of choppy rhythms we adore.  This kind of dance music is a little on the camp side, as you will hear with their vocal mantras, but it’s in a good way, like it’s fearless, rather than fluffy.  One thing this lot seemed to have learned, identity or no identity, is that it’s all about the music.  However, in defence of us bloggers, it always has been really.   (MB)

Find them here:      Myspace

Hear them here:     SILVER COLUMNS – BROW BEATEN (Joe Hot Chip Remix) ysi

FYFE DANGERFIELD

We aren’t particular fans of Fyfe’s other regular band, the well known Guillemots, for which he sings lead vocals.  For a long time they’ve let us down on the promise they seemed to hold, with their classically trained abilities, as their songs waft between dull and slightly more dull, only coming up for quality air with one decent track per album.  Anyway, we aren’t talking about Guillemots today.  Why their lead singer Fyfe should get a mention on here when we consider his other band so poorly is a little bit difficult to pin down, as there aren’t that many initial differences.  Suffice to say, particularly on the track we attach below, it seems he has magically managed to fill in all the gaps left by the Guillemots.  The gaps where all those killer melodies and pop hooks were sitting.  The gaps where the fuzzy keyboards, beat-claps and chunky samples reside.  Gone are the bored, lifeless tunes and in their place you find an electric, funked-up selection of proper pop. Thank fuck for that.  His vocals seem released from their previous restrictions, which is evidenced more clearly on other solo tracks where he provides a lot more natural spirit and bravery. Guillemots will no doubt be supportive, however, we hope that they now realise that it’s Fyfe who’s clearly their best chance of a good peak.  His solo album, Fly Yellow Moon, is due out January 18th 2010.    (MB)

Find him here:        Myspace

Hear him here:       FYFE DANGERFIELD – WHEN YOU WALK IN THE ROOM ysi

So, I think it’s official that I have something for Brit and Aussie bands. It must be some sort of clue that I should move to a place full of accents and awesome music. Meet a favorite band of mine, Guillemots! I don’t have a lot to say today other to download this song and fall in love with it and buy their albums.

MP3: Guillemots – Made Up Lovesong #43

Oh sweet jesus. Just as I am about to fall asleep I come across Fyfe Dangerfield and it seems as though there won’t be much sleep tonight. The founding member of Guillemots has decided to explore the solo world with his debut album Fly Yellow Moon, set for January 2010. And oh boy I cannot wait!

The track has a ‘fuck-you’ attitude towards it. And as we know, I love a good ol ‘fuck you’. Fyfe reminds me of the lovely Freddie Mercury with his high-pitch shrills. This beat will get you dancing immediately, and possibly singing along after a few listens.

Do yourself a favor and listen to this. Then thank me. I accept gifts of any sort.. except the unwanted ones.

Fyfe Dangerfield – When You Walk Into The Room

Oh.. and if you’re not firmilar with Guillemots, here is Who Left The Lights Off Baby

These are the tunes haunting my ears as I drift through Brazil. Some songs are about Brazil, some are by Brazilian artists, others just have a Brazilian feel about them.

Apologies for the cheesy start – it could have been worse, it could have been Barry Manilow’s Copacabana!

Please feel free to make your own additions in the comments box below.

• The Girl from Ipanema – Astrud Gilberto
• América do Norte – Seu Jorge
• Licao de Laiao – Adriana Calcanhotto
• Trains to Brazil – Guillemots
• Brazil – Pink Martini
• Clandestino – Adriana Calcanhotto
• Mino do Condominio – Seu Jorge
• Sao Paulo – Guillemots
• Brazil – Arcade Fire
• The Obvious Child – Paul Simon

A friend of ours played us a bunch of stuff recently and this was one of them, it’s those kids the gUiLLeMoTs (if you want to spell it correctly) covering Franz Ferdinand’s “Take Me Out”. There’s a wonderful, husky, blues intro before the track frenetically kicks in and manically spirals towards it’s close.

But it was really the intro that grabbed me, and it reminded me of another track too, a live version of Wonderwall that Ryan Adams did, yep you guessed it, a husky, blues version. Here are the tracks for you folks to have a listen, if anyone knows of any other cover versions like this then drop us a line!

gUiLLeMOTs – Take Me Out (Franz Ferdinand cover)

Ryan Adams – Wonderwall (live blues version)

Sunset down the river

There is nothing like the thudding of your feet on an old wooden bridge

This gum tree must be at least 500 years old

I don’t walk down this path anymore. Two weeks ago I almost stepped on a brown snake – they’re out early this year.

 Woody Brown River – Guillemots

Drops in the River – Fleet Foxes

Bonus coverage:

Many Rivers to Cross (Jimmy Cliff Cover) – Vika & Linda

A friend of ours played us a bunch of stuff recently and this was one of them, it’s those kids the gUiLLeMoTs (if you want to spell it correctly) covering Franz Ferdinand’s “Take Me Out”. There’s a wonderful, husky, blues intro before the track frenetically kicks in and manically spirals towards it’s close.

But it was really the intro that grabbed me, and it reminded me of another track too, a live version of Wonderwall that Ryan Adams did, yep you guessed it, a husky, blues version. Here are the tracks for you folks to have a listen, if anyone knows of any other cover versions like this then drop us a line!

gUiLLeMOTs – Take Me Out (Franz Ferdinand cover)

Ryan Adams – Wonderwall (live blues version)

thirsty-the national-sad songs for dirty lovers-2002

take me out-franz ferdinand-2004

theologians-wilco-a ghost is born-2004

neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)-arcade fire-funeral-2004

this lamb sells condos-final fantasy-2006

trains to brazil-guillemots-through the windowpane-2006

this is all (i have left)- plus minus-let’s build a fire-2006

The home studio of The Low Anthem

My coverage collection is pretty light on at the moment, but I do have a few gems to share with you.

I’m not a huge Dylan fan, but I love anything The Low Anthem guys get up to.

Dignity (Bob Dylan Cover) – The Low Anthem

I love the Guillemots version of Franz Ferdinand’s ‘Take Me Out’ – don’t let its slow beginning fool you, this is a chaotic romp much of the way through. Fun stuff.

Take Me Out (Franz Ferdinand Cover) – Guillemots

I quite like this Dawn Landes version of ‘Young Folks’, with its background singalong, plucking banjo and strings.

Young Folks (Peter, Bjorn & John Cover) – Dawn Landes

This take on Band Of Horses ‘Funeral’ (a truly magnificent song) is really quite lovely. Though it lacks the buildup and crashing climax of the original, its more muted sound makes for a pleasant listen.

Funeral (Band Of Horses Cover) – Serena Ryder & The Beauties

Thank God It's #Mixday, by @LT

After having read this Web site for months now and putting up with its sporadic updates and dubious content, you deserve something in return, don’t you? Of course you do!

That’s what we’re giving away some free music. It’s our first contribution to a mixtape series some of the fine folks at Arkansas Business Publishing Group are doing. “Thank God It’s #Mixday” is being curated at ABPG by Ryan Byrd, and you can download my compilation here and Ryan’s compilation here. Full track listing for mine is after the jump.

Other companies, like CJRW, do this as well. And we hope to make a new Friday tradition here at ABPG.

So go download some decent music, sit back and relax. It’s a small token of thanks to those who’ve so far managed to endure this blog.

1. Entertain / Sleater-Kinney
2. Marrow / St. Vincent
3. Life Like / The Rosebuds
4. Angeles / Crosstide
5. This Must Be the Place / Miles Fisher
6. Dead Sound / The Ravonettes
7. Unfinished Sympathy / Massive Attack
8. Certamente / Madreblu
9. Streets of New York / Cerys Matthews
10. People Got a Lotta Nerve / Neko Case
11. 4 M.B. / Lloyd Cole
12. Trains to Brazil / Guillemots
13. Bonnie Brae / The Twilight Singers
14. Here Comes the Flood / Peter Gabriel

Download the .zip file here

Little bear, little bear you’re getting out of hand
Getting out of hand
I think I’m going to lose you now

Oh little bear, little bear you know me too well anyway
Too well every day
I’m going home

I’m going beneath the stars
I’m going under the soil again
And I won’t be back in a long time so get out
Get out of this old house
Before I burn it down
I wouldn’t want to cause you anything
That might break your lovely face
In a thousand shattered china pieces
In this bracken world of broken pieces

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBsp4-gvmL0

How lovely is this?!

My new buddy Aziz, sent me a link to this project a week ago and while i love it, I wasn’t going to post about it b/c it’s already made it around the blogosphere, but then I went to see Paranormal Activity, last night (thanks)

which has made me pretty hyper aware of sounds all day. So I got to thinking about the Soundville experiment – which is Sony’s latest Bravia-esque advertisement, but this time about the art, science and engineering of sound and brought to you by Fallon, London and Juan Cabral (a la Cadbury Gorilla):

1 village, 805 participants, 13 musical artists.  Welcome to Soundville:

In March 2009 a small town in Iceland was filled with speakers.The Seyðisfjörður village was turned into an extraordinary sound-system for a week. Sounds by Richard Fearless ( Death in Vegas ) Mum, Bob Dylan, Toumani Diabate,  Roberto Goyeneche, Murcof, Federico Cabral, Guillemots, etc.

I went to the Soundville website to hunt for some more information; the site is simple, to not detract attention from the sound and leads with this quote, which I am digging:

If for one moment – just for an instant – the walls disappear and you imagine you are somewhere else, then you’ve experienced the power of sound.

For me, these “instances” are more natural and frequent when listening to experimental musicians like Sigur Rós, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Ben Frost, Benni Hemm Hemm, Amiina, Jónsi & Alex, etc. Which makes Seydisfordur such a perfect setting for this kind of experiment.

I <3 <3 <3 <3 this project!  Sony must have done something right to get an entire (and very creative) community to participate in an advertisement.  Bravo.

Making of:

Test 1:

Test 2:

If you are in the mood for more art sounds, check out Pierre Bastien’s site.

Guillemots é uma banda Indie criada em novembro de 2004 na Inglaterra por Fyfe Dangerfield.

Os integrantes são de varias nacionalidades, isso que na minha opinião deixa a musica deles super diferente com uma pitada meio indie. Amo.

• Fyfe Dangerfield -Inglaterra – voz, teclado e guitarra
• MC Lord Magrão -Brasil – guitarra ( sim !!! um Brasileiro)
• Aristazabal Hawkes -Canada – contrabaixo
• Greig Stewart (também conhecido por Rican Caol) - percussão

This is just fantastical in so many ways. Beautiful song, inspiring performance.

Hope you find some wonder this Wednesday. x

Daily, I choose a song that represents my day or part of it. A song of the day.

I’ll post those songs in here, and, at the end of the month, the whole monthly playlist for your enjoyment!

Enjoy (=

Songs until now:

Painted By Numbers – The Sounds

Tear You Apart – She Wants Revenge

It’s the End of the World as we Know it (And I feel Fine) – R.E.M.

Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) – Green Day.

Half Life – Imogen Heap

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt. 1 – The Flaming Lips.

California Dreaming – The Mamas and the Papas.

Whishlist – Pearl Jam

You Found Me – The Fray

Song to Self – Travis

To Lick your Boots – Eels

Tomorrow Never Knows – The Beatles

Love Don’t Live Here – Ladyhawke (I’m not that into Electro Pop, but she’s amazing!)

Song of the Day: Falling out Of Reach – The Guillemots

INFORMAÇÕES SOBRE O VÍDEO
Versão bonitinha da música Made-up Love song #43. Disco Through the windowpane.

Pra gente que gostamos de mistura, Guillemots é provavelmente a melhor escolha das últimas, sei lá, quatro décadas? Mentira. Sem exageros, vai. Entretanto… Coquetel internacional chacoalha cabeça, leva sujeito à Lua e retorna sem ressaca.

Quero deixar o texto mais bonitinho. Legível, diria. Coloco alguns elementos bucólicos e vejamos resultado.

Foi numa bela tarde de verão…

Ok. Horrível.

Voltemos aos Guillemots.

Guillemots, banda com vocalista inglês, baixista canadense, baterista escocês e, surpresa, guitarrista brasileiro. Pois, pois, pois. Nossa pátria a levar música para os outros. Nome do compatriota é tudo, menos alcunha de roqueiro alternativo: MC Lord Magrão.

O quê? É funk?

É música para perambular em Petersburgo, oras.

Ei! Não se assuste ao ouvir instrumentos dos mais inusitados. Por exemplo, máquina de escrever, copo de vinho, lata de Nescau… Tem tudo.

Coisa boa da vida, garotada.

Another blast from the past. Cute lyrics.

One unexpected bonus from my trip overseas was that I came back quite a bit fitter than I was before I left. Walking seven or eight hours with a backpack following you about all day will do that for you I guess! Climbing billions of stairs doesn’t hurt either. Although my calves would beg to differ.

Since coming home I’ve been running quite a bit and the other day a friend and I registered for a run in September. It’s only 5 k’s but we figured we do a few of these and maybe attempt an 8 or 10k one later on in the year. I’ve always been more of a sprinter so adjusting to this long distance stuff has been a bit of a struggle, but I have noticed a great improvement in the last couple of months. I can run 5 k’s on the treadmill without any problems but yesterday morning I got in my car and measured out a 5k run along the boringly straight dirt roads around my place. Good god, it’s a hell of a different ask! I ran 2.5 k’s without a problem but the trek back home was pretty miserable, and punctuated by a few bouts of walking, which pissed me off a little. Still, it’s good to know where I’m at now, and I’m sure I’ll get better the more I do it.

I need some good running music though, preferably stuff with a consistent beat that I can run to as I have problems maintaining a steady rhythm sometimes – I tend to start at a good pace, but somehow end up running too fast and tiring myself out. So what do you listen to when you’re running or working out? I need all the help I can get!

Here are some totally unrelated tracks to warm your winter morning – although most of you reading this are probably enjoying gorgeous summer weather at the moment and if you are, permit me to say that there’s a tiny part of me hidden deep inside that hates you, just a little bit.

Set In Stone – Catfish Haven Great toe-tapping soul sound from Chicago.

Northern Lights – Bowerbirds Gorgeous folk from latest release Upper Air.

Little Bear – Guillemots English indie outfit. Love the strings in this one.

Garden – One For The Team Indie rock from eight track EP Build A Garden.

The day here in Rochester is moving back and forth between overcast and hazy sun, and it feels as though it’s going to rain at any second.  I’ve been shuffling through my iPod, and this song popped up in between inordinate amounts of Ryan Adams.

My girlfriend and I are going to The Little tonight to watch Away We Go and eat popcorn for dinner and be generally irresponsible with our Tuesday evening.

This fit that sentiment nicely:

Guillemots – Made Up Lovesong #43 (mp3) from Through the Windowpane

I hope the movie’s good.