Ok, Paste. You got 50 slots to fill with what you thought were the best albums from 2000-2009. I wrote a top 10 list, so there were some great albums that just barely missed the cut–and they didn’t make your list, either, Paste. I mean, with 40 more slots to fill than I had, you could have at least included the following.

21. Gorillaz — Gorillaz (2001)

20. The Dresden Dolls — Yes, Virginia (2006)

19. Belle and Sebastian — The Life Pursuit (2006)

18. The Black Keys — Attack and Release (2008)

17. Stereolab — Chemical Chords (2008)

16. Muse — Absolution (2003, U.K./2004, U.S.)

15. The Raveonettes — Lust Lust Lust (2007, U.K./2008, U.S.)

14. Rufus Wainwright — Want One (2003) [made the Paste list]

13. The White Stripes — Get Behind Me Satan (2005)

12. Regina Spektor — Begin to Hope (2006)

11. Loretta Lynn — Van Lear Rose (2004) [made the Paste list]

Much is often said about guitarists, drummers, singers–about who the “greatest of all time” is or was, about who the “greatest” of the moment might be. But pianists are frequently overlooked, perhaps in part because there aren’t many truly excellent ones in popular music. It’s arguably easier and definitely less painful to pick out a melody on a piano than it is to master even the most basic chords on a guitar. Anyone who has strained to reach an F major chord on a guitar can appreciate the simplicity of the same chord on the piano. And anyone who has spent any amount of time at a piano can admire the dexterity involved in crafting a terrific solo, unexpected chord progression, signature style, etc., on the piano.

OH thinks it’s important to recognize the most skilled piano-playing artists of the moment. So here they are. This is not a list of all-time greats; it’s the movers and shakers of the present. Or, as Jerry Lee Lewis might say, the shake-rattle-and-rollers.

10. Trent Reznor
Surprised? Although Reznor is best known for grinding, distorted industrial rock and pissed off lyrics, he started out as a pianist. A prodigiously good one, so the story goes. For the most part, the world has yet to hear first hand these impressive piano skills that Reznor is rumored to have. Sure, he’ll tease us with a little keyboard melody here (Ghosts I, track 1), a handful of chords there (“March of the Pigs”), but we’ll have to keep waiting for the day when he unveils his more advanced abilities.

9. Alicia Keys
Classically trained (at least until she graduated high school at 16), Alicia Keys has an undeniably unique style of songwriting. Her songs mix blues with pop and hip-hop sensibilities, a combo that made her a chart-topping artist at age 20. Oh–and she sings well, too. Each of Keys’s tunes, if a bit repetitive in an R&B loop kind of way, reveal a soulfulness that has always sounded wise beyond the youthful years of their composer. (Embedding of this song was disabled. Otherwise, it would be posted here.)

8. Patrick Wolf
Precocious, a bit egotistical, and incredibly prolific, 26-year-old Wolf has released four albums in the past six years and has a fifth one slated for 2010. Stylistically, he’s all over the map; you could probably describe his songs in terms of music from just about any other era and not be too far off the mark. Roxy Music, Bowie, and even The Killers seem present and accounted for. If hearing The Killers in Wolf’s music implies he’s as heavily influenced as they are by better and more important bands of that past, so be it. At least Wolf is a better keyboardist than Brandon Flowers.

(For Patrick at the piano, go here. For cooler stuff, see below.)

7. Amanda Palmer
AFP (that’s “Amanda Fucking Palmer,” as she refers to herself) is nothing if not original. She has developed to perfection her trademark Kurt Weill-meets-Black Flag-meets-The Smiths aesthetic, turning her artistic identity into a sort of indie brand with an undyingly devoted cult following. As a musician, Palmer has progressed since The Dresden Dolls debuted in 2001 and continues to find odd ways of putting chords in succession while still somehow making musical sense. It’s unfortunate that she and drummer Brian Viglione have disbanded the Dolls: separately, they are interesting; together–live–they are extraordinary.

6. Matt Bellamy
He sings in a dramatic falsetto. He rips on the guitar. He composes orchestral arrangements on the recent The Resistance. He sings in a dramatic falsetto with a guitar slung over his shoulder while playing the piano in an orchestrally arranged song–live. It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Matt Bellamy of Muse. Enough said.

5. Casey Dienel
At 24 years old, Dienel is the youngest musician on this list. After studying classical vocals and classical composition at the New England Conservatory of Music, Dienel dropped out–but her music hasn’t suffered for it. She released a solo album in 2006 and subsequently formed a band, White Hinterland, whose 2008 debut was grossly overlooked and under-reviewed. On Phylactory Factory, Dienel flirts in her high-pitched, girly voice with jazz piano riffs and deceptively light-hearted lyrics. Deceptive because this is seriously well-crafted music by a relative newcomer who clearly knows what she is doing. (Fun fact: White Hinterland released a more experimental EP, Lumiculaire, later in 2008. The lyrics are mostly in French. And it’s one of the best stoner albums of the year. Don’t quote me on that.)

Go here for “Dreaming of the Plum Trees”.

4. Tori Amos
Ok, I’ll be honest: I’m writing this from the point of view of someone who doesn’t listen much to Tori Amos but who respects her songwriting abilities, based mostly on hearsay and limited personal encounters. (Personal encounters with the music, that is. Not with Amos herself. For instance, I think “Spark” is a badass song. And Amos saw the beauty in “Smells Like Teen Spirit” before a lot of other people did.) I’ve heard concert accounts of her playing more than one piano simultaneously. I can’t deny that she’s a pianist force to be reckoned with, even if her lyrics are a bit overly serious for my tastes.

3. Regina Spektor
Regina Spektor’s music is quirky, anti-folk, unpretentious catchiness. And then she throws in something serious (like “Laughing With” from Far or a fantastic cover of Lennon’s “Real Love”) and punches you right in the gut. Her lyrics are playful and mysterious, creating Edward Gorey-like worlds with recurring themes. (The name “Mary Ann,” literary allusions, and multiple languages continually appear). See her live, and hear a rare phenomenon: a singer who sounds better in person than on a recording. And, as a pianist, she’s capable of more than her simple arrangements allow us to hear–she began playing the piano as a child and eventually studied at the Manhattan School of Music. Perhaps someday she’ll throw a little Rachmaninoff into her concert repertoire.

2. Rufus Wainwright
As if it’s not enough that he’s of a fine musical pedigree (son of Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle), as though it’s not enough that most of his songs are glistening gems of lyrical and instrumental (and, yes, sometimes excessively theatrical) artisanship, Rufus Wainwright has now written an opera. In 2008, the Metropolitan Opera allegedly revoked Wainwright’s commission when the artist insisted on writing the libretto of Prima Donna in French instead of English. The Palace Theater of Manchester debuted the opera in July 2009. Prima Donna received mixed reviews at the Manchester International Festival, but nevertheless, OH is looking forward to seeing Rufus perform selections from the work at the New York City Opera on Thursday.

1. Ben Folds
His dork-rock style has lost some of its novelty, and his most recent solo album Way to Normal (and the fake pre-release version) and tour were disasters. But, you have only to listen to Ben Folds Five’s debut album from 1995 to understand why Folds tops this list. In a word: showmanship. Folds’s jazz/rock skillz are par excellence, but they’re also some of the most abusive in the biz. Fists, elbows, and feet are all fair game when it comes to body parts with which he’s willing to beat the piano. Folds is at his best best by himself or with a small band; the number of musicians and goofy visual distractions onstage made his last tour a ridiculous pseudo-hippie/college-pop hybrid. Strip away this camp and newfound psychedelia, and what you have is still the most impressive, improvisationally free pianist in rock right now.

Get up off your knees. Inspired by the song “The Gardner” by The Dresden Dolls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD5NylMz2Uw Workplace stress to come for all the future wanna be artists out there. We’ll have cubicles,but they’ll at least be art cubicals. lol I;’m not so bleak I swear. I WANT AN ART CUBICAL! That means I have a job! art (C) Christina Cabral

Augen schließen. Nein, jetzt bloß nicht die Augen schließen. Heute bin ich zu einsam, um mich meinen Träumen hinzugeben, meinen Träumen von romantischer Zweisamkeit, Nähe, körperlichen Zwischenmenschlichkeiten – all diesen magischen Dingen, die nur in Zweisamkeit funktionieren. Von Zweisamkeit fehlt aber doch jede Spur in diesem Leben…

»Vielleicht ist das auch besser so«, denk’ ich und vergrabe mich unter meiner Bettdecke, um zumindest so zu tun als würde ich in meiner eigenen Einsamkeit ertrinken. Leider ist da zu wenig Wasser unter meiner Bettdecke und Meere kann man bekanntlich auch nicht weinen, weil das Leben zu schön ist und meine Tränen zu einsam sind um ein Meer aus Tränen zu bilden. Stattdessen laufen mir jetzt eiskalte Schauer über den Rücken, weil mein iPod mal wieder »First Orgasm« von den Dresden Dolls im falschen Moment abspielt. »I am too busy to have friends. A lover would just complicate my plans, so I will never look for love again. I’m taking matters into my own hands«, singt Amanda Palmer und ich fühle mich mal wieder bestätigt: Warum zweisam, wenn es auch einsam geht? Fuck.

Mein Leben – doch ein Trauerspiel.

Shut up, I know. I’m posting it now, so step off.

The Dresden Dolls music videos are now BACK on youtube! Which is fucking awesome, fuck you labels and corporations and all of you can fucking eat me!

FIRST! “Coin-Operated Boy,” first fucking Dolls song I ever heard and therefore it is an awesome, life changing song:

Now a lot of people think that this song is about dildos and vibrators because of the cheeky, suggestive lyrics (and speaking of suggestive lyrics: when performed live, the line “I can even take him in the bath” is usually replaced with “I can even fuck him in the ass”, which makes that moment in the video that much funnier) but Amanda says it’s about loneliness, which I think is pretty easy to tell from the lyrics despite their cute suggestive nature. But you interpret it how you want; I have no problem with dildos, as I’ve proven time and time again.

NEXT! Another song from the Dolls’ self-titled first album (if you’re not counting the live album A is for Accident). I’ve talked about this song before but was unable to actually post the video, which is unfortunate because it is an amazing video. “Girl Anachronism”: breakneck speed, neurotic lyrics, and Amanda Palmer in many, many outfits (including the 8-Foot Bride costume).

This song is very reminiscent of “Runs in the Family” (or “Runs in the Family” is reminiscent of it, since “Girl” came first) in terms of the near-chaotic speed of the lyrics and the beat. While “Girl” initially sounds much faster (it did to me anyway), it is at least possible to sing; “Runs in the Family” cannot be sung the way it ended up on the studio album. But anyway, moving on….

Let’s slow things down a bit with a song from the follow-up album, Yes, Virginia… I really fucking love this song. Catch me in the proper mood and this song will make me cry. It’s a song with a very simple, powerful message. Since there are two different cuts of this video and I really like both of them, I wasn’t sure which to post so I decided to have a link to one and post the other; I strongly suggest you watch both because both are very beautiful. “Sing”:

And so, I have more to share with you BUT there’s already a great deal going on in here so I’ll leave the rest for next week’s AFP/Dolls fix!

Hey folks, TJ here again. I’m taking a mini-vacation from blogging so I can catch up on listening, thus giving you newer, fresher music to get excited about. To help me in this matter, I’ve enlisted music nut, fellow Arcadian and brilliant writer Peter Medeiros to present his thoughts on a favorite album by one of his favorite bands. So, I’ll turn it over to Peter:

Artist: The Dresden Dolls
Album: Yes, Virginia
Release Date: April 19, 2006

Amanda Palmer, front-woman of The Dresden Dolls, has said that the band’s name was partly decided upon because it evoked both the violent and the fragile. And on the band’s sophomore* album Yes, Virginia… (2006), the two are put in close proximity, not merely across the album but within individual songs.

For those unfamiliar with The Dresden Dolls’ sound, yes, this act is just Palmer’s wide-ranging piano playing, versatile vocals, Brian Viglione’s masterful drumming. But if you’re looking for White Stripes-like celebration of simplicity, look elsewhere. While certain songs like “First Orgasm” and “Me & The Minibar” might embrace the kind of visceral sparseness one normally associates with the blasted land between two World War I trenches, this is shot through with a decidedly complex and modern focus. And such moments of haunting desolation are few and far between, proving perhaps necessary respite from the punny abandon of opener “Sex Changes” and the frenetic “Necessary Evil.”

However, the album’s greatest successes occur when the two come together. In “Mrs. O” — reportedly one of Palmer’s favorite Dolls’ songs — the nearly sedate, conversational tone of the song’s start eventually gives way to Viglione’s controlled confirmation of Palmer’s proclamation: “The truth won’t save you now.” Similarly, the story of “Delilah” begins with only Palmer’s soft vocals joined with mournful, slow piano playing, but the seven-minute epic eventually climaxes with layered vocals and manic, pounding chords driven to the very brink of control by Viglione’s consummate percussion. “Delilah” perfectly captures the rocketing versatility of Palmer’s song-writing and vocals, but also reminds any listener that Brian Viglione is perhaps the most under-appreciated drummer in modern rock n’ roll.

And make no mistake: though the duo describe their sound as “punk cabaret,” Yes, Virginia… is a rock record. Insofar as rock n’ roll has always been a celebration of the raunchy, the periphery, the grim, gritty, painful, passionate, brutal and beautiful given a strong beat and a powerful voice, The Dresden Dolls have supplied us rock n’ roll perfectly adapted to the modern concerns of our era. Ranging from alcoholism (“My Alcoholic Friends”) to a jazz number about abortion (“Mandy Goes To Med School”) to investigation of the odd, unspoken social taboo against public performance (“Sing”), Yes, Virginia… invites us to find both comedy and tragedy in every subject; this is not Hallmark telling us that there is light even in the darkest of places, but a sincere attempt to make those shadowy places into a home, a landscape of sound made habitable by pathos tempered with a gleeful sense of humor. When Palmer tells us on the final track to “Sing for the kid with the phone who refuses to sing[...] You motherfuckers will sing someday,” she is deadly serious about the smile on her face, and the smiles on ours.

Required Listening:
“Backstabber”
“Delilah”

*Fans might take issue with this designation as a “sophomore” album, but I exclude A is for Accident if only because it contains many of the same tracks as The Dresden Dolls, only recorded live. Also, it was produced prior to the Dolls’ turbulent relationship with RoadRunner Records. For those interested, however, Accident does contain a few gems, such as the decidedly epic “Glass Slipper” and the fan-favorite “Bank of Boston Beauty Queen.”

The Dresden Dolls – Backstabber [iTunes] (YSI)

==TJ==

That was weird.

Just now driving back from 7-Eleven (executive lunch). Carrollton, Texas. I’m crossing Marsh Lane from the west while a mother in sweat pants with a baby and baby stroller is crossing Marsh Lane from the east. She gets that smile, that Something is Wrong smile, and I think nothing of it. Then she starts falling. The process of falling, beginning-to-end, takes about a month. Finally bam! and she’s down on one knee, then basically face plants, and now baby stroller is capsized and the baby, while still firmly strapped down, is staring at the sky. Need I remind you this is all taking place on Marsh Lane in Carrollon, Texas during lunch rush hour?

About all I can do is gawk. Stopping in the intersection to help would have risked a pile-up, and she did not want that baby within ten feet of a pile-up. Besides, she was back on her feet by the time I would have come to a stop. The way she tripped, though, is exactly the way I would have tripped if I’d trod upon an unseen piano. What the hell? Climate change causing unseen rivers of air that are totally unnavigable?

Like I said, don’t laugh. Tonight the Karma Police are out in full:

That was The Dresden Dolls and Smoosh covering Radiohead’s überclassic.

1. Theme Song (King Missile – Introduction)
2. Oingo Boingo – Nasty Habits
3. Bad Brains – Pay To Cum
4. Cyndi Lauper – When You Were Mine
5. The Dresden Dolls – The Jeep Song
6. Violent Femmes – Country Death Song
7. Shel Silverstein – Front Row Seat to Hear Old Johnny Sing
8. Blues Brothers – Rubber Biscuit
9. The Birthday Party – Nick the Stripper
10. The Cramps – Like a Bad Girl Should
11. The B-52s – Hot Pants Explosion

Since it’s Monday, I feel it’s only appropriate to blog about music. What music in particular? ANY!

More specifically, though, song recommendations. Songs that I’ve been listening to and loving lately. Yes, it’s lazy of me, but it’s Monday, I’m tired and I don’t care if you think it’s a cop out. So bleh, I say, bleh. And to make it so that Youtube Videos don’t take up my whole front page, I’ll put a jump in here, I think. So, click on to see what melodious delights await!

So, I think we’ll start with the Beatles. I’ve put a one of my favourite Beatles songs up here lately, but I’ll put up two of my other favourites, those two being I Am The Walrus and Helter Skelter.

Next up is Gravity by the Dresden Dolls.

And, finally (I figure 4 videos is enough), we have Do You Love Me, Part Two, by Nick Cave. Listen, and be haunted!

Well, that’s that for today. I hope you’ve enjoyed and listened to at least one of the songs. If not, ah well, I forgive you. You’re still pretty awesome for being here.

Denna underbaaaaaraaa skiva är nu beställd från ginza.se !

Denna låt har gått på repeat hela dagen …

FC Ukelele on stage at the Guilford Arms, Edinburgh

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is primarily known for its comedy and theatre, but the city is also host to a load of fine music throughout the month of August and, I’m sure, the rest of the year. My previous visits to the city have mostly focused on the comedy, but this time my friend, John, and I found ourselves attending more music gigs than before. Our first port of call was a folk pub called the Royal Oak, situated near the Royal Mile. Two years ago, we decided to check out the place as we had heard good things about it. We decided to pop in for a quiet pint a few hours before midnight and were quite surprised to find ourselves still there sometime around four or five in the morning. We were having such good craic listening to great music and chatting to some interesting characters that we didn’t notice the time creeping up on us. We met a guy from Northern Ireland who spoke passionately and repetitively about his political views; we spoke at length to a supporter of Sunderland AFC who went by the name of Geordie; and towards the end of the night we met a nice Scotsman who was enjoying his first week of freedom since being released from prison. Good times

The pub itself is situated in the city and is quite small. Throughout the night, musicians sit in the corner singing and playing as half the pub listen and sing along while the other half chat loudly to each other, completely oblivious to the fine music around them. On this occasion we decided to take it easy and went home at half three. We were lucky enough to hear some great music yet again. We got to see a young English fiddle play and singer who looked like Rick Danko from The Band and played and sang just as well. At one point a guy in a kilt appeared and accompanied himself on piano to, well, Piano Man by Billy Joel. I jokingly asked if he knew how to play Crocodile Rock. He did. We also got to hear loads of songs from a local musician named Rossco Galloway and later from his brother as well. Rosco sang his own songs and I was quite impressed by the lyrics and his delivery. I got chatting to him later and he told me that he also works in a bar in town. The quality of his songs and performance suggest that it may not be too long before he’s able to give up the day job. Here is one of his songs:

She Takes My Hand On Dry Land – Rossco Galloway

The next night we went to see Women in Harmony at the Queen’s Hall. The harmonious women in question are three Scottish folk singers and musicians: Annie Grace, Corrina Hewat and Karine Polwart. Each of them performs solo, but have played a few gigs together and have not decided on a group name yet. They’re called Grace, Hewat and Polwart on their MySpace page, but this makes them sound like a firm of accountants. I’d already seen Karine Polwart at the Folk by the Oak festival in July and I was looking forward to seeing her with the other two girlies. The Queen’s Hall is a fine venue with great acoustics and we had also been here two years ago to see Barb Jungr put on a whole show devoted to the music of Bob Dylan. The three ladies also included a Dylan song along with a set of traditional songs and their versions of more contemporary tunes. I would have preferred if they had played less lullabies as it was quite warm in there and I was a bit shagged out from walking the streets all day. They also played a load of songs by Robbie Burns and these didn’t do a lot for me. Nevertheless, the rest of the show was brilliant and their banter in between songs was quite amusing, particularly from Annie Grace. At one stage they did a medley of about a half dozen songs based on the theme of walking. It was a clever idea and they pulled it off with aplomb. They also did a medley of songs about children and one of these was a moving version of Mothers of the Disappeared by some band from Ireland whose name I didn’t catch. I coudn’t find any songs by the trio, but here’s a similar version of that song:

Mothers of the Disappeared (U2 cover) – Childsplay

An hour later we found ourselves at the Caledonian Folk and Blues festival at another packed pub called the Guildford Arms. Up on the raised stage were a local duo named Bedford Falls who played a fantastic set of covers that was as notable for the excellent quality of the singing and guitar-playing as for the interesting selection of songs that they chose to perform. Rather than playing the usual suspects they played a range of lesser-known tracks from such famous acts as The Beatles and Neil Young to some lesser-known ones from groups that I had never heard covered before. Some of the highlights included their unique takes on Love’s Alone Again Or, Prefab Sprout’s When Love Breaks Down and a rousing rendition of Nick Lowe’s What’s So Funny About Peace Love & Understanding? that finished their set on a high note. The two lads complemented each other quite well as one was more proficient at singing and the other was more skilled on the guitar. They also covered the songs in their own style and avoided slavishly copying the originals, a mistake that many covers bands constantly make. They finished up just after eleven which gave us plenty of time to make our next gig at midnight. Before I tell you about that here’s an acoustic version of When Love Breaks Down by its composer:

When Love Breaks Down (live acoustic) – Paddy McAloon

A short walk around the streets of Edinburgh set us up nicely for Edwyn Collins‘ midnight gig at the Assembly Hall. Edwyn is native of Edinburgh and was lead singer of Orange Juice, one of my favourite Scottish bands. He turned 50 the day after this gig, so a belated happy birthday to you, sir. Edwyn has been going it alone since 1985 and last year he released his sixth solo album, Home Again. He’s extremely lucky to be still making music. Four years ago he suffered not one, but two, brain haemorrhages. Fortunately, the subsequent surgery proved successful and he has underwent a process of rehabilitation since. This has affected his movement on the right side of his body and is noticeable in his speech and movement. It also means that he cannot play the guitar. In addition, he had to learn his songs all over again and used a lecturn as he kept an eye on the lyrics during the gig. However, it has not affected his singing voice as he played for over an hour to an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. His set ranged from Orange Juice favourites to songs from his solo albums. He was accompanied on stage by three fine guitarists and a percussionist as well as guest appearances from Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake and the lead singer from the Cribs. Edwyn received great support from the young fellas behind him and they gave us lovely versions of Blue Boy and Rip It Up. Two of my highlights of the night came from his 1994 solo album, Gorgeous George. The lyrics of Low Expectations and, in particular, Make Me Feel Again took on new meaning in light of recent events. It must have been an emotional occasion for Edwyn and for many of the audience and this was certainly the case for the lady sitting beside me. Her companion had to console her throughout the gig as she wept openly during many of the songs. Fortunately, I’m a tough bastard and I only wept once. One of the many CDs that I picked up the following day was Edwyn’s album from last year. Here is the title track:

Home Again – Edwyn Collins

The next night we went to see the North American singer and pianist, Amanda Palmer at the HMV Picture House. Palmer has been half of the duo, the Dresden Dolls, along with Brian Viglione throughout this decade. Last year, she released a solo album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer?, which included the singles Oasis and Leeds United. I must admit that these were the only two songs of hers that I knew about before the gig. I went out of curiousity and because an Austrian friend of mine has often enthused about her songs and live performances. Well, you weren’t wrong, Stefan. She was fuckin’ brilliant. She played for two hours and wanted to play for longer, but the venue’s curfew was 11.00pm. For most of the gig she sat alone at her keyboard and treated us to a lively and thought-provoking set. Her melodic songs feature some great lyrics and she uses the piano-keyboard very well to accompany her singing

Some of the highlights included the songs I knew (Oasis and Leeds United) and I Google You, a modern-day torch song. It became quite obvious as the gig progressed that cabaret and the music of Bertholt Brecht has been an inspiration on her musical style while classic songwriters such as the Gershwins, Irving Berlin and Cole Porter have had a strong influence on her lyrics and the structure of her songs. However, I have a feeling that that wasn’t the reason why the majority of her (mostly young) audience was there. She seems to attract a fanbase that likes to dress in black, wearing flowing skirts, and lots of make-up. You should have seen what the women were wearing! Nevertheless, it was an intriguing event and it’s certainly made me want to check out more of her music. I have to admit that both John and I agreed that the sound could have been better and it was hard to make out the lyrics during the first hour. Still, this was made up for by her amazing performance and easy way with the crowd. The gig also featured the most unusual support act that I’ve ever seen. Zen Zen Zo is an Australian theatrical company and six of them treated us to a short performance that combined elements of dance and mime. Unlike the audience, the ladies and gentlemen from the troupe that we saw on stage had an approach to clothing that could only be described as minimalistic. In fact, you could say that they simply let it all hang out. John pointed out to me that they were the only support act he’s ever seen that had little support themselves. Here’s a live version of another musical highlight from Ms Palmer’s set:

Coin-Operated Boy (live) – The Dresden Dolls

Finally, on the Sunday we returned to the Guilford Arms to check out the wonderfully monikered FC Ukulele (pictured above). I’m a big fan of the ukulele and I actually own one myself even hough it’s been a while since I picked it up. Here’s what FC Ukulele have to say about themselves on their MySpace page: “Our repertoire consists of old favourites and contemporary classics arranged for our unique 5 piece set up of Baritone, Tenor and Solid Electric Ukuleles, close vocal harmonies, blues harmonica and drums”. As you can see from the photo their sound also includes an electric lead ukulele. They used this on a storming version of Dire Straits’ Sultans of Swing and, to be frank, it sounded fantastic. And so did the rest of the show. The band takes turns singing lead and they also harmonise to great effect. Their harmonies were particularly evident during their fine take on their version of The Weight by the Band. Other highlights included their interpretations of Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty) and Runaway (Del Shannon). Like all the other acts I’ve mentioned on this post FC Ukulele combined excellent musicianship with an interesting and varied selection of songs along with a nice sense of humour that brought a smile to the crowd and had them singing along with the group. I don’t have any tunes by the band, but here’s the title track of an album that I picked up for a couple of quid in an Oxfam shop during my visit. The song seems to address the resurgence in the instrument’s popularity although its spelling of the word is not so conventional:

A Million Ukeleles – MJ Hibbert

So I just realized that it’s Sunday night and I haven’t done an AFP fix yet. Silly me. Unfortunately, I’m not feeling very overwhelmed with ideas at the moment and don’t think I’ll be able to serve up an in depth post like I usually do. So I think I’ll just share some of my favorite Amanda/Dolls songs. And maybe tomorrow or the day after I’ll come back and get more into it. Sorry, readers.

One of the slower tracks on WKAP, Another Year:

There is no official music video for this song but there is a very interesting fan made video. This is one of my favorite songs by the Dolls and in my opinion one of the best off of No, Virginia. The Kill:

We need a live performance. Here’s an excellent one of Gravity, another one of the Doll’s best songs, accompanied by the acrobat burlesque duo Gravity Plays Favorites, who live up to their name and how:

And that reminds me, very soon I want to write about sex workers and the interesting respect I’ve held for strippers since early childhood. But for now, I need to go to bed. Sleep. And put my head back on.

Yay, burlesque!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Not Sorry is the debut studio release by singer-songwriter/pianist, Catherine Elms. Before you roll your eyes and dismiss her as yet another “piano chick”, let me say that she is definitely not generic. Catherine herself explains that she tries to use the piano as a punk-rock instrument rather than a classical instrument and she identifies more with the DIY punk ethos popularised by artists such as The Dresden Dolls and Emilie Autumn. Unsurprisingly, Amanda Palmer is cited as one of her inspirations, but don’t let that make you think she is an Amanda Palmer rip-off either. Amanda’s influence is heard in places, but Catherine has her own style and is arguably more accessible in sound. Not Sorry is an impressive & mixed genre EP – it will be very interesting to see if she will settle into one sound or continue to experiment & show that she can create a wide range of interesting music (personally, I hope it’s the latter!).

‘Pushing’ is the first track from the EP & it comes thumping through the speakers defiantly. It is definitely a track to be played loudly. I love how you can feel the anger of this song straight away, and I can imagine you can get frustration out very well by playing the piano parts! The piano sounds amazing all the way through, and I particularly love the solo at around 2:15. Catherine’s vocals sound great & I love how she practically snarls the lyrics in places, putting emphasis on the feelings and emotions involved. I think ‘Pushing’ would have been my favourite on the EP if it weren’t for the fantastic ‘Powerless’.

I just adore everything about ‘Powerless’. Despite the delicate and fragile sound of the song, it is the complete opposite of its title; it is so powerful. The piano is really beautiful throughout, reminiscent of a lullaby. I also think that this song is where Catherine’s vocals really shine. She pulls off different vocal styles really well, but I think her voice fits this song so well. Although I like the music and vocals, I think the main reason I like ‘Powerless’ is because of the lyrics. I don’t want to get too personal, but this song could easily have been written about my own thoughts and state of mind on many nights. One of my favourite lyrics is at the end of the song: ‘I don’t know which is worse, dying or living forever’ – I can relate to this so well. Lyrics are a big part of music for me, and I like that I can relate to her honest & heartfelt lyrics throughout the EP.

Title track, ‘Not Sorry’, and ‘Online Reconnaissance’ are lighter sounding tracks but both are very different again. ‘Not Sorry’ is more upbeat and self-assured. I like the addition of the guitar accompanying the (awesome sounding) piano – it changes things up a bit. I like the piano throughout ‘Online Reconnaissance’ as well but the song is a lot slower than the others and I have to be in the right mood to listen to it.

Final track, ‘Drowning’, steers Catherine’s sound in yet another direction. It seems like an experimental track that is minus the piano and a lot darker than the others. The song is electronic, almost trip-hop sounding, and very atmospheric. I do like the song a lot, but there is something about the chorus I’m not too sure about. It sounds a bit distorted when I’m listening to it through headphones and I think maybe Catherine’s vocals could be a bit stronger (but perhaps it was meant to sound this way for effect?). Again, I can relate to the lyrics very well. Parts of the song are quotes from other people that are anti-feminist/misogynistic, and then thoughts on how sometimes dealing with these ignorant comments feels like a battle that cannot be won. However, she fights against defeatist thoughts: “I’ve had enough of your words – now it’s time for mine instead”. I love the idea and there should be more songs like this against anti-feminist/misogynistic BS!

Overall, I think Not Sorry is a fantastic debut. The world needs more raw, honest, heartfelt & feminist music like this. I’m looking forward to Catherine’s full-length, which should be released next summer. In the mean time, you can support her by buying this EP (from her website for just £3!) and she also makes awesome Zines about her progress as a musician (and other personal things). If you’re interested in obtaining them, you can contact her from the links below.

Official Site | MySpace | Last.FM

So, since this shiny bit of space is my domain and I find myself pretty bored (not to mention procrastinating) a great deal at the moment, I figured I should take ample opportunity of this blog’s benefits and pontificate about whatever idle thought comes to mind. That way you, potential follower, can get to know me and make a better assessment of what exactly you’re going to find in this space, should you visit regularly.

With that in mind, I bring you the first in a series of plugs of some of my (currently) favorite artists:

First up, The Coral with their 2002 single ‘Dreaming of You’:

Let’s follow that up with Kotaro Oshio’s ‘Tension’:

If you fancy yourself some quirky British alt/rock, here’s Art Brut with ‘Emily Kane’:

For just a dash of metal infusion, here’s Cavalera Conspiracy with ‘Sanctuary’:

Next up is The Dresden Dolls with ‘The Kill’:

And finally it’s ‘April Rain’ from Dutch symphonic metal band Delain:

That’s it for mine. Let me know some of yours in the Comments section.

Cheers!

Un saludo cordial a todos los lectores de los oídos vírgenes, gracias por sus comentarios y visitas

The Dresden Dolls es un dúo originario de Boston, conformado por Brian Viglione (batería, percusión, guitarra) y Amanda Palmer (voz, piano, armónica), en el 2003 sacan al mercado su disco autotitulado, que no es más que una combinación de estilos, al que ellos denominan punk cabaret Brechtiano, con los alocados trazos de piano de Amanda y la potencia en la batería de Brian, con una imagen de mimos que nos traslada a un espectáculo de cabaret francés, con temas redondos de principio a fin como Good Day, Missed Me, Coin-Operated Boy, Gravity y Truce, todas llenas de fuerza, de tristeza, guiadas por la peculiar y fantástica voz de Amanda, todo un placer para los oidos.

Una de las propuestas más interesantes de la década, con creatividad, y buena performance de los instrumentos, todo encaja perfectamente en este maravilloso disco, una banda que demostró que son profesionales en todo sentido de la palabra.

TRACK LIST
1. “Good Day” – 5:51
2. “Girl Anachronism” – 2:59
3. “Missed Me” – 4:53
4. “Half Jack” – 5:57
5. “672″ – 1:24
6. “Coin-Operated Boy” – 4:46
7. “Gravity” – 4:19
8. “Bad Habit” – 3:01
9. “The Perfect Fit” – 5:45
10. “The Jeep Song” – 4:50
11. “Slide” – 4:30
12. “Truce” – 8:34

VIDEOS
Girl Anachronism
Coin-Operated Boy

DESCARGAR
Pass: oidosvirgenes
Hasta la próxima entrega

I wrote a journal for my last.fm profile. I answered 50 questions about my top 50. I thought about putting it here, because I am planning some things, which are too good to be just on my last.fm profile. So, that’s why I am starting with my Top 50 – Q&A.

1. What’s your favorite song by 15? (Ani DiFranco)
I can’t decide between “You had Time” and “What If No One’s Watching”

2. How did you get into 20? (Fiona Apple)
Through the movie “Pleasantville”. Her cover of “Across the Universe” was played at the end.

3. Who is your favorite member in 1? (Rilo Kiley)
Of course Jenny Lewis.

4. What’s your favorite lyric bit by 29? (Damien Rice)
I don’t know. Though I listen to some lyrics, I never really listened to Damien’s. Maybe I should start now.

5. Have you ever seen 22 live? (Jeff Buckley)
No. Sadly he’s dead, because I really wanted to see him one time.

6. What’s your favorite album from 10? (Kate Nash)
“Made of Bricks”. The only one by now.

7. Do you own any merchandise from 3? (Ingrid Michaelson)
No, except the songs.

8. What is a good memory you have of 7? (Jenny Lewis)
Seeing her live in Berlin in October 2008. This was the first time I really wanted to see somebody live and it was a good time.

9. Is there a member of the same age as you in 2? (Julia Marcell)
Well, Julia is a bit older than me. Sadly, because she’s cute

10. When did you first get into 8? (Emiliana Torrini)
Radio Eins played one of her Berlin concerts in the radio once, before she released “Fisherman’s Woman”. I listened to it and started to fall in love with her.

11. Who likes 4 along with you? (Death Cab for Cutie)
My older sister likes them. And probably the rest of the indie world as well.

12. Which song did you first hear from 16? (Sharon Little)
“Follow That Sound”. Heard it first on the TV show “The Cleaner”.

13. What song made you fall in love with 5? (Metric)
“Monster Hospital” – the first song I heard from them.

14. Which song do you not like by 18? (Elliot Smith)
Difficult. I don’t know. The songs are almost the same and bring the same reaction to me: quietness, goodness…

15. Why do you like 14’s songs? (She & Him)
I started to listen to them because of Zooey Deschanel. And I started to listen to M. Ward, after I discovered She & Him. She & Him is cute music, I like her voice and the cover songs are good.

16. Where did you first hear 6? (Terra Naomi)
On YouTube. I think it was “Close To Your Head”.

17. How long was 19 a singer before you liked them? (Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins)
Jenny Lewis sings since 1999 or so, I started to like her mid 2006…

18. Does 13 have a song that gives you a bad memory? (The Hot Toddies)
No. I don’t know them for too long.

19. When did you get into 17? (Avril Lavigne)
While I was in high school. Some others were listening to her, I started, too. It must be a year after she released “Let Go”.

20. How long have you been into 9? (Sia)
I don’t know. Three years maybe.

21. If 11 had a concert 300 miles away, would you drive there to see them? (Lykke Li)
Definitely. If I had the money to travel. I still want to see her live some day.

22. How many CDs do you own of 12? (Lily Allen)
Both her albums and some EPs.

23. Does 21 have a song that makes you cry? (Coldplay)
No, I’m not that emotional enough. But “Spies” and “Trouble” would be the favorites.

24. Does 27 have a song that makes you happy? (Amy Macdonald)
Not really. Maybe all of the more rock-y songs.

25. Does 23 have a song that makes you smile? (KT Tunstall)
“Black Horse and the Cherry Tree”. Always fascinating how she is performing that song.

26. What’s the last song you’ve listened to from 28? (Sophie Zelmani)
I don’t know. I listened to the album “Love Affair” last time.

27. Is there a song by 32 that you’ve listened to more than 30 times? (Explosions in the Sky)
No, not yet. But “Your Hand in Mine” could be it.

28. What is a song from 50 that you’ve only listened to once? (The Weepies)
“A Painting By Chagall”

29. Is there a song you are sick of hearing by 24? (Jenny Owen Youngs)
Well, I listened too often to “Hot In Herre”, but I still like it – so, no.

30. What song got you into 40? (Audrey)
“Mecklenburg”

31. What is your favorite single by 25? (The Ting Tings)
“Shut Up and Let Me Go”

32. If 49 hated you, what would you do? (Lenka)
I don’t care if she would hate me.

33. What would you say if 42 or one of the members from 42 asked you out? (Feist)
Mmh, Leslie is not really my type. But I would say yes, when do you have the chance to go out with her anyway?

34. Would you care if 41 had a boyfriend/girlfriend? (Kathleen Edwards)
No.

35. Who has the best voice in 46? (Fleet Foxes)
What is the name of the vocalist?

36. Do you think 26 is/are good looking? (Dido)
Yeah, Dido looks good. She looks even more hotter than I started to listen to her in 2001.

37. How many times have you listened to your favorite song by 36? (Bif Naked)
“Lucky” – hundreds of times.

38. How many CDs do you own of 30? (Amanda Palmer)
Well, her The Dresden Dolls albums and her debut album.

39. Is there a song from 38 that makes you mad? (Tori Amos)
No, I don’t really listen to her music that often…

40. Which member from 31 do you want to see go solo? If 31 is only one artist, what would you do if they joined a group? (Wir sind Helden)
Judith Holofernes was solo before her time in the band, but I want to see some new solo stuff from her.

41. What does your favorite song from 48 remind you of? (Placebo)
Hm, no reminders…

42. Did you hate 43 at first? (Colbie Caillat)
No. I loved her since first sight. Or listen.

43. Does your best friend also listen to 33? (M. Ward)
Nobody I know listens to M. Ward.

44. Do you think your parents would like 37? (Tina Dico)
I don’t know. My dad never listens to “newer” music and my mom doesn’t care what she is listening.

45. Does 47 have a song that makes you want to dance? (Nerina Pallot)
Not really. No.

46. Have you ever seen 34 in person? (Sara Bareilles)
Well, I saw her live once.

47. Do you like 44’s name? (Emily Jane White)
Simple name. Double name. Easy to remember. It’s good.

48. Is there someone in 45 that you want to go out with? (Aimee Mann)
Going out with Aimee Mann… Not really.

49. Do you know anyone that hates 39? (The Dresden Dolls)
I know nobody who doesn’t like them.

50. Have you ever danced to a song from 35? (Liz Phair)
Whip-Smart is really cool to dance, but I never danced to her music.

Holy shit, I almost forgot about the weekly AFP fix! My days are so mixed up. But it’s okay, I am here with videos for you lovely fucking readers. First up! I’ve been meaning to post this video for awhile just because I love this fucking song so much. AFP said of it:

…this one was itchy for me. i didn’t like the angsty angsty lyrics, they felt like too much of my teenage self. but ben [Ben Folds, who produced WKAP] loved the song….the driving pace never lets up….it is impossible to sing live. i have to edit out words…it is a necessity, this song is literally not singable the way it wound up on the actual record.

So, yeah, putting this song on the record was a great fucking idea because almost all of the fans fucking loved, loved, loved it and I’d even say that it’s arguably one of the most popular songs from the record amongst fans. And the video is fucking great; it starts right where the Astronaut video left off. Runs In The Family:

So hm, what else…how about Lonesome Organist Rapes Page Turner? This is a great fucking Dolls song, this first time I heard it was so fucking excited about it. I wrote about it in my big long Oasis thing but I’ll talk more about it now. This song  was never officially released in America until No, Virginia… That entire album was almost completely comprised of B-sides and songs that didn’t quite mesh well with the flow of the other Dolls albums (leading some people to assume the the album is made up of songs that aren’t as good which is completely false). So for us fans, it just meant fucking studio versions of songs that we had live performances of and already loved. And it was fucking awesome, go ahead and download that shit. This song is pretty self-explanatory, pretty fucking awesome, and great example of a breakneck speed song from the Dolls (and the utter sexiness of the two of them on-stage).  So here’s Lonesome Organist:

And so, since I was late a day with the AFP fix I’ll add one last video. Now, okay, if you’ve watched some of the official WKAP videos I’ve posted, you’ve heard the recording at the end, especially in the Runs In The Family video up there. During her last tour, Amanda had lovely little Ask Amanda segments where she would answer questions from the audience. The story about the recording and what it is starts at around 5:08 (but the whole video is enjoyable, Amanda is very open and fun with her answers):

And so, with that story it just adds an entirely new element to the album (for me and I’m assuming some others out there) and most especially the title. Who Killed Amanda Palmer. And of course, it’s a reference to Twin Peaks but it’s so many other things as well. There’s a corresponding book coming out titled, take a guess, Who Killed Amanda Palmer:

Yes, the whole book is pictures of dead Amanda Palmer. With accompanying text from the fucking amazing Neil Gaiman. So we take this title and then think about these recordings and how she staged this suicide, it just brings about an interesting kind of perspective to it.

And as an added rambling, I’ve been thinking about how it probably seems like talking about, thinking about, analyzing the works of, listening to the music of Amanda Palmer is all I do in life, almost to the point of worship. But that’s not really how it is, I just have a self-imposed obligation to post something about her every week. And this is an artist who has touched me very deeply in a way that I’ve rarely felt from other artists. I like dozens and dozens of different musical artists, and actors and actresses, and writers and painters and artists of all kinds. But Amanda Palmer reaches out and touches her fans in a very special way that I haven’t felt anywhere else. She stirs up creativity in me, she inspires me and instills further in me a burning desire to create and live a life of art and poverty and creative desperation and suffering and love and friendship and beauty and solitude and pleasure and music.

I feel very strongly about Amanda Palmer and the things she does because she is an amazing artist, she is what I think, and what a lot of other people think, an artist should be. Dedicated to what they do, creating despite backlash and bullshit, persevering and inspiring us all to create as well. She’s not some cold, distant idol; she reaches out to us, she lets us into her mind, her home, her life, her sorrows and pain, we are her friends and she is our friend.

I fucking <3 AFP. Hardcore.

A blog article I have written – highlighting under-the-radar female musicians as role models as opposed to a lot of mainstream ‘artists’ today – has just been posted on the fantastic Jemsite. Jemsite is an ‘informational site encouraging & helping others learn about everything from guitar playing to Ibanez guitars to specific JEM & Universal models’.

Head over to Jemsite to read my guest post & don’t forget to check out the rest of the website too!