She’s new, as in new new so wiki doesn’t have much info on her for me to copy (lol). What I do know about her is that she’s young, beautiful, and ridiculously talented. Her debut album Made of Bricks went platinum in the UK. A fan made an absolutely lovely video to go along with the song Nicest Thing off her absolutely lovely album filled with amazing sauce smothered on all her songs. You can probably guess by now that I really like this new artist. Now give her a listen.

PS. This is a day early cause I was just so excited to share her with you guys that I couldn’t wait another day.

While searching for the Lily Allen song this morning, I found this one by Kate Nash too. Another song I love from the radio, but did not take the time to find out who it is. Fortunately my radio station posts their playlists online, so I’m going to have to scour the list and fill in the obvious cracks in my collection.

I’d tell you what radio station, but I kind of like being anonymous geographically as well as in general, so find your local indie radio station. Chances are they are playing the same songs!

Song Recommendations

If you like this song, I also suggest:

• Lily Allen
• Regina Spektor
• The Ting Tings

I also suggest the music genre:

• Anti-Folk

Click here for more info on Kate Nash – Made of Bricks – “Foundations”.

The MP3 may be purchased here:

Kate Nash - Made of Bricks

Song of the Day: “Foundations” by Kate Nash

The final top 5 albums in the ranking.

♪  ♫  ♪ ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫

#5
Camille
Music Hole
myspace.com/camilleofficial

Music Hole

Even though there is ‘only’ voice and body percussions, and a piano occasionally, the last thing you can say about this album is that it’s boring or monotonous. Every single track has a special vibe that distinguish it from the other ones. Experimental Music Hole is both alternative and pop, dramatic and entertaining. Camille plays with conventions and has a genuine attitude. That’s what I adore her for.

Top 3 tracks: The Monk, Cats and Dogs, Home Is Where It Hurts

♪  ♫  ♪ ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫

#4
Santogold
Santogold
myspace.com/santigold

Santogold

Santogold (now – Santigold) is a special case. It was difficult not to compare her with the other Diplo’s protégé – M.I.A. However, both of them are as indie and loud as they can be, but there are no more similarities. M.I.A. is revolutionary, Santigold is rebellious. What I like about the album the most is the reivented punk energy that explodes out of each track. After so extraordinary debut I can’t wait for more to come.

Top 3 tracks: Unstoppable, I’m a Lady, Creator

♪  ♫  ♪ ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫

#3
Kate Nash
Made of Bricks
myspace.com/katenashmusic

Made of Bricks

This album may be quite controversial in the ranking as it was released in a summertime in 2007. However, I discovered Kate Nash at the very beginning of 2008 and I simply cannot omit Made of Bricks because of: incredibly catchy melodies, adorable London accent, loads of charisma, and brilliant lyrics that convey the spirit of youth – the self-confidence mixes with insecurity, the little big drama mixes with all those silly things.

Top 3 tracks: Foundations, Mariella, Dickhead

♪  ♫  ♪ ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫

#2
Hercules and Love Affair
Hercules and Love Affair
myspace.com/herculesandloveaffair

Hercules and Love Affair

Hercules and Love Affair makes you move your body. If you can resist, you’re a square. Andy Butler chose what was the best in dance music from ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, mixed it all together and added some contemporary vibe. That’s how the masterpiece was born. Antony Hegarty is flawless in such repertoire – thanks to his stunning vocals on just as much stunning track made ‘Blind’ my #1 single of the year. I strongly recommend US version of the album that includes ‘Classique #2’ and ‘Roar’ – these two songs illustrates what I imagine as an ecstasy on a dancefloor just perfectly.

Top 3 tracks: Blind, You Belong, Roar

♪  ♫  ♪ ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫

#1
Loco Star
Herbs
myspace.com/locostarmusic

Herbs

Loco Star’s album moves heart and soul, but it can move the body as well (‘Steppin’’). Marisja conveys a wide range of emotions with her charismatic vocal, and Tomek Ziętek creates a space in music that makes all your thoughts disappear and there is only music in your mind (just listen to ‘Arps’ or ‘Herbs’). I have never experienced before a feeling when music, lyrics and emotions they bring on fill every single cell of my body.
I can honestly say, that Herbs is one of the most important albums of my life.

Top 3 tracks: Arps, Herbs, Steppin’

♪  ♫  ♪ ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫  ♪  ♫

If you’ve missed the posts listed below, check them out!

Top 10 albums of 2008: part 1 (of 2)

Top 10 albums of 2008: prologue

1. Play
2. Foundations
3. Mouthwash
4. Dickhead
5. Birds
6. We Get On
7. Mariella
8. Shit Song
9. Pumpkin Soup
10. Skeleton Song
11. Nicest Thing
12. Merry Happy

Ano: 2007

Nova adição à biblioteca musical, parece bem jeitosinho(a)

Parece que ha nacido una nueva estrella! Kate Nash actualmente esta preparando su segundo álbum después de tener un éxito asombroso con el primero. Realmente me ha impressinado.

Artista: Kate Nash
Título: Made of Bricks

Single de lanzamiento del Album: Kate Nash – Foundations

Biografia de Kate Nash
MySpace Kate Nash

Kate Nash has told BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat that she has recorded quite a few demos of songs that she hopes will be included on her next album. Nash stated:

“I’ve got about 14 to 16 songs recorded and I’m going to do another session at the end of the month.

“It’s really cool. I’ve been doing a lot of writing and I’m excited about getting stuck into new material.

“It’s different and it’s fun to be doing something new.”

Nash also said that the new material sounds different to that on her 2007 debut album, Made of Bricks. To be sure, some of the new material that Nash performed in a concert at Webster Hall in New York City last April was quite punk sounding (particularly the song “Model Behaviour”). In interviews, Nash has cited The Buzzcocks as one of her favorite bands. Perhaps she can get Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle to play on her new album?

For more on this story, see the articles from NME.com and BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat.

For additional information on Kate Nash, go to:
http://www.katenash.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/katenashmusic

The ‘Foundations’ and ‘Mouthwash’ Singer Kate Nash has announced that she has been working on Fourteen to Sixteen new Songs for a forthcoming Album. The Singer also claimed that her New Material is a little different from her previous Album ‘Made Of Bricks’. Kate Nash told BBC Newsbeat: 

“I’ve got about 14 to 16 songs recorded and I’m going to do another session at the end of the month”. Before adding “It’s different and it’s fun to be doing something new.”

At her Matter Gig in London last October the Singer previewed Two New Tracks, ‘I Hate Seagulls’ and ‘Froggy’.

Since we are now at the end of 2008, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at my picks for the Best of 2007 and examine what they did in 2008.

My 2007 Solo Artist Of The Year: PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey (pictured above, top) continued her tour in support of her latest album, White Chalk, in the early part of 2008. The tour was Harvey’s first-ever solo tour. She had always toured with a band in the past. When the tour concluded, Harvey spent the rest of 2008 recording her next project, a collaborative album with John Parish, in Bristol, England and her hometown of Dorset, England. The album, titled A Woman A Man Walked By, is due to be released on March 30, 2009. Harvey and Parish released their first collaborative album, Dance Hall At Louse Point, in 1996.

My 2007 Band Of The Year: Klaxons
Klaxons had a very busy 2007, touring quite a bit and winning the Mercury Music Prize for their debut album, Myths Of The Near Future. Klaxons are currently working on their second album, which is due to be released in the New Year. The album will surely be backed by a tour, promising more incendiary shows from one of the best young bands in the UK.

My 2007 Album Of The Year: White Chalk By PJ Harvey
White Chalk was such a drastic departure from Harvey’s previous work that I would go as far as labeling it courageous. I’m really curious to hear what her latest collaboration with John Parish is going to sound like.

My 2007 Best New Artist: Kate Nash
Kate Nash (pictured above, center) released her stellar 2007 debut album, Made Of Bricks, in America in 2008. She supported the album by touring for a good bit of the year, including performances at many of the big outdoor music festivals in the UK. From what I understand, Nash is now working on her next album.

My 2007 Best New Band: The Hedrons
The Hedrons (pictured above, bottom), the all-female, Glasgow, Scotland-based power-pop quartet, had a big year in 2007. They released their first album in the early part of 2007 and toured quite a bit, opening shows for the likes of the Sex Pistols and Social Distortion. This year was much quieter for the band as they worked on their next album. The Hedrons’ second album is due for release in 2009 and will surely be followed up by live gigs. If you have the opportunity to see The Hedrons live in 2009, definitely take advantage of it. They are a fantastic live band.

My 2007 Best Single: “Your Love Alone Is Night Enough” By Manic Street Preachers (With Nina Persson)
This was something of a quiet year for both Manic Street Preachers and Nina Persson, the lead singer of The Cardigans. Hopefully, both the Manics and The Cardigans will have new albums soon.

My 2007 Best Video: “Staring At The Rude Bois” By Gallows (With Lethal Bizzle)
Gallows’ fantastic cover of The Ruts’ “Staring At The Rude Bois” served as the soundtrack for one of the best videos I’ve ever seen. While Gallows had a very busy 2008, their original material failed to grab me the way that “Staring At The Rude Bois” did. I’m curious to see what they come up with next. I’m afraid that I will lose interest if it’s more of the same.

My 2007 Best Live Gig: PJ Harvey At The Beacon Theatre, New York City, October 10, 2007
I still get chills when I think about Harvey’s amazing performance on that October night in New York City. I hope she tours in support of the new album with John Parish in 2009. Harvey is easily one of the best live performers around at the moment.

My 2007 Best Rapper: Lethal Bizzle
While Lethal Bizzle had a busy 2007, guesting with Gallows on “Staring At The Rude Bois” as well as donig his own material, he’s been conspicuously quiet this year. Did the Bizzle fizzle?

My 2007 Music Event Of The Year: Led Zeppelin At The O2 Arena, London, England, December 10, 2007
Led Zeppelin’s tempoary reformation for the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert in London last year was certainly the most talked-about music event of 2007. While speculation about a full-scale tour by Led Zeppelin began as soon as the band walked off the stage at the O2 Arena, it turns out that the tour will not happen. Robert Plant put the kibosh on talk of a tour earlier this year. Plant will be receiving a CBE from Queen Elizabeth in 2009, while John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, and Jason Bonham might tour with a frontman other than Plant.

My 2007 Best Comeback: Mick Jones And Tony James Of Carbon/Silicon
Carbon/Silicon continued to tour in 2008 in support of their physical debut release, The Last Post. I’m a bit perplexed as to why the album wasn’t more of a hit on either side of the Atlantic. It is a great piece of work.

My 2007 Artist To Watch Out For In 2008: Adele
I had the great privilege to see the spirited Londoner, Adele, perform twice in New York City in 2008. Both shows were superb. She is quite a talent, and is now working on the follow-up to her debut album, 19.

Powerline A.D.’s Best of 2008 will soon be up on our main Web site, so stay tuned.

Kate Nash, depois de fazer muito sucesso em seu álbum de estréia, o Made Of Bricks, anunciou que esta preparando seu segundo disco. Ela afirmou que, apesar de não saber quem vai produzir o álbum ou entrar em estúdio com ela, está empolgada para entrar em estúdio.

No entanto, a moça disse que tem andado um tanto reclusa para fazer suas novas composições. “Eu estou um pouco preocupada, pois preciso fazê-las e tenho pouco tempo. Quando entro em meu quarto, me sinto muito melhor. Eu estou trabalhando e me esforçando muito. Estou praticando muito mais piano”, afirmou a britânica.

Wasn’t it enough that half your album has been on repeat at the Victoria’s Secret where I work–even before I started working there? No, you wouldn’t be satisfied with constant repeat, you had to go further and have, consistently, the best songs on each of the two CDs that played…all summer.

There may never be something so emasculating as knowing the chorus to “Pumpkin Soup” and thoroughly enjoying singing “I just want your kiss, boy” while being the one guy in the beauty department as well as the only employee in the room. Well, actually going out and acting on those lyrics–that just might be a little more emasculating. But I mean, it’s so damn catchy; I’m just so glad it’s not that catchy.

You have to admit, your producer deserves at least one award or at least 25% of the profit you make off this CD. Something. Because there is no way you were sitting in your room, playing your guitar and all like, “You know what Pumpkin Soup needs? A horn section and spaceship noises!” Furthermore, there’s no way you could have thought of that beat for “Skeleton Song” or that you needed stacatto violins breaking out into a symphony. I mean, if you did, you are like a million times more talented than I thought, but I just see that as a definite part of the producer department.

Woah, let’s slow down. I’m not questioning your integrity or anything. If your lyrics cast you as anything, you definitely seem like an extremely honest–if not blunt–girl. But I’m just saying, this is easily one of the best produced albums I’ve listened to in a long time. And nothing makes me feel gayer than saying that for a multitude of reasons: it implies that I’ve 1) listened to your album enough to identify some kind of staggered keyboard effect during the chorus of “Foundations,” 2) enjoyed “Merry Happy” enough to sing along to it, and 3) purchased the whole album so I could listen to it in its entirety. You bitch! (“Yeah, intelligent input, darling”)

Also, can we address the sheer brilliance of “Shit Song” for a moment? I don’t know if you meant that the production was surprisingly and uncharacteristically “shitty” in the beginning or if you were referring to the lyrics during that part of the song. You basically have the producer record you coughing and cursing and then you start repeating yourself over a Garageband beat loop. Then you go and make the hole song about how your love interest is full of shit? It’s so good. Even on top of that, the whole thing you do with summer time and wine and not making it cliche? Good form, milady. Good form. You bitch! Stop making me like your music!

“Mouthwash” is a thoroughly enjoyable song and makes me want to buy mouthwash. I hate you. “Dickhead” is excessively cute: Using people singing for the bass line? Get right out of town. No, seriously, get the fuck out. I hate you, your cuteness, your originality and your producer.

Get out of my head.

“…My finger tips are holding onto the cracks in our foundation,
and I know that I should let go,
but I can’t…”

Kate Nash en Foundations (Canción 2 del disco Made of bricks)

If you are in search of that great little summer album, Kate Nash’s Made of Bricks is probably it. A nice mashup of the quirkiness of Regina Spektor and Britishness of Lily Allen would be my closest comparison, so if you like both of those artists, Kate Nash is right up your alley. Not every song beckons to be single, but all are quite honest, interesting, and fun.

Upon listening to “Merry Happy”, I had this feeling that I just heard it. Then it hit me that the verses sounded just like Helena Carter’s rendition of “Worst Pies in London” from Sweeney Todd that I just watched this weekend! Maybe it was the British accent, or the talk-sing thing, or maybe I’m just weird. Either way, this is a fun song, and it’s just one of the many on Made of Bricks. And stick around to the end of the song when she does a little casual improv singing that really lets you enjoy the casualness of her voice.

Kate Nash – Merry Happy

Kate Nash is just so goddamn adorable! Last night in Paradiso she managed to charm the socks off everyone, girls and boys alike. Her witty and clever songs hold their own on stage, not in the least because of her back up band, who give the compositions a bit more ‘oomph’. I was also pleasantly surprised how they played all the up tempo songs a couple of beats faster, turning songs like Mariella and Merry Happy into near-dancetracks.

She’s also more than able to hold the attention of the audience when playing acoustic songs on the guitar. She treated us to a few new ones, one of them named “I hate seagulls”, which had lyrics about all the likes and dislikes of Kate in her trademark style. There was also a new temper tantrum song inspired by a crap party, called Model Behaviour (listen to it on her myspace), with the catchy chorus “you don’t need to suck dick to succeed”. Indeed.

Perhaps I should try and summarize the night in Kate Nash lyric style:
I like girls in pretty green dresses
and girls who don’t care if their hair messes
up and aren’t afraid to scream out loud,
they win the hearts of all the crowd

Watch a clip of Foundations from last night.

Watch the whole concert on fabchannel soon!

(By the way, Mystery Jets were great as opening act! Mental not to self: keep track of said Jets.)

With a couple high-profile releases (Counting Crows and R.E.M.) on the way over the next two weeks, I thought this would be a good time to catch up with the CDs I’ve purchased so far in 2008. I plan to review all of my music purchases this year.

I don’t feel as qualified to “review” albums as I do films, due to my lack of musical ability, I suppose, and the fact that I’ve never studied it in any formal way. However, it’s a safe bet that I’ve spent more hours of my life listening to music than watching movies, and I definitely know what I like.

Here, then, are my first reviews of 2008. I’ll compile them in one post because this is a catch-up effort. From now on I’ll blog one at a time as I do the movies.

Of the four CDs I’ve purchased so far this year, two are duds and two are excellent. First, the duds.

There was a lot of buzz surrounding this album early in the year, very similar to the praise heaped on Lily Allen in early 2007. The comparison is a valid one, to a point. Nash is brash and British, like Allen, but this album is nowhere near as fun or interesting as Allright, Still. I was ready to turn it off before it was over. I always give an album a few listens before really deciding how I feel about it, but I literally couldn’t get through this thing twice. It’s not offensive in any way — quite the opposite, it’s just boring.

I have a love-hate relationship with Sheryl Crow. The Globe Sessions is a teriffic album… I love everything on it. And I’m discovering I hate pretty much everything else she’s done. The strong reviews for this album (and the fact that it is her first work since being dumped by Lance Armstrong, usually a good sign) had me optimistic. But it’s a mish-mash of hippie protest songs, jilted lover anthems and unconvincing rockers. Once you have a certain number of CDs (I’m up to 400 or so) you ask yourself “Is there any reason I would ever play this instead of one of the other 399?” and in this case, the answer is no.

So, those are the duds. I’ll make back some of my money selling them on Amazon. Now, on to the winners…

Now we’re talking! Another much-hyped act, but one that lives up to its billing. This delightful album is a cross between Graceland-era Paul Simon and modern punk. African rhythms supplement guitar-bass-drums power pop in a decidedly low-key, minimalist package. Few of the songs cross the 3-minute barrier and they’re all catchy as hell… this album is a reminder that one of the best things music can be is fun.

Every once in awhile I stumble upon an artist who joins the pantheon — the list of artists I treasure above all others. A list that includes Elvis Costello, Ben Folds, Lucinda Williams, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Lyle Lovett, R.E.M., Rufus Wainwright… and more, but not many more. In recent years, Josh Rouse and Stew have found their way on to that list. And with this release, Tift Merritt officially joins them.

I adore her first two albums (one of which she signed for me after playing as Costello’s opening act in Miami) but this release cements her status as one of the finest singer-songwriters working today. Her second album, Tambourine, was a genre-hopping shot of whiskey, full of Memphis horns and big vocals. It’s bold, brilliant and one of the best things in my collection. Another Country is something altogether different — written and recorded after a year of soul-searching in Paris, it’s a much quieter and deeper record. Merritt’s voice is exquisite, somehow combining the gorgeous purity of Alison Krauss with the passionate grit of Lucinda Williams. And her songs are universally wonderful, from the simple country classic-to-be ‘Hopes Too High’ to the slow ache of ‘Keep You Happy,’ there isn’t a weak track here. This is an early favorite for best album of the year.

Sometimes an artist just hits you right where you live. It’s fascinating how different music does that for different people. Somebody out there is blown away by the Kate Nash album I couldn’t get through twice, and no doubt somebody out there is selling Tift Merritt’s Another Country to a used CD shop for $5 as I type this. But as I said at the start, I know what I like. And this I like.

Em 24 de Março, a inglesa estará lançando o quarto single de seu álbum de estréia, ‘Made of Bricks’.

O single será ‘Merry Happy’, e poderá ser comprado em 2 formatos diferentes: Vinil e CD. Mas serão poucas cópias, mil do primeiro vinil (com ‘Merry Happy’ e ‘Lion, Devil & The Spider’), mil do segundo (com ‘Pumpkin Soup’ e ‘Don’t You Want to Share the Guilt’) e outras mil do CD (com ‘Merry Happy’ e ‘Model Behaviour’). Entre essas três mil cópias, dez serão premiadas. Sim, APENAS 10 ganhadores.

O prêmio? Uma capa novinha pro seu cd/vinil, personalizadas pela própria Kate Nash e por sua amiga Laura.

Achando o número premiado, basta tirar foto ou scanear a capa do seu cd/vinil e enviar pro MySpace de Kate. Depois, você será contatado e informado dos detalhes.

Os CDs e vinis premiados são os de número 087,102, 265, 398, 487, 598, 643, 724, 863 e 934.

Kate Nash, who won the Best British Female award earlier tonight at the BRIT Awards in London (and beat out KT Tunstall and Leona Lewis in the process), will be undertaking the NME Awards Tour of North America. The tour starts in Atlanta on April 15th and will be Nash’s first coast-to-coast jaunt in America. Nash’s debut album, Made of Bricks (a number-one smash in the UK), was released last month here in the States.

Nash told NME.com, “It’s pretty cool to be touring America, I’m really excited, I can’t wait. I’m really looking forward to playing Chicago and the places I’ve never been because it’ll be really fun to explore America a bit more.”

Further information about the tour and the tour dates can be found at http://www.nme.com/news/kate-nash/34510.

To see Kate Nash being interviewed in 2007 on UK broadcaster Channel 4’s The Album Chart Show by the program’s host Sara Cox, click below:

Made of Bricks by Kate Nash

I really like this album, it’s very good in what it does, I can’t wait until it finally comes out in the United States. What really got me into it was how she can just say anything she wants, expressing every bad word you could probably think of.

Some of my favorite tracks include “Birds”, “ Mariella”, and “Merry Happy/Little Red,” none which have been released as singles. If “Birds” didn’t have the main word being sh*t, I think it would make a brilliant, sweet single.