Merry Xmas people and happy new year, here’s a new mix for you all

Sleigh Bells- Ring Ring

Camera Obscura- The Sweetest Thing

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down- When We Swam

Wild Light – New Hampshire

The Hold Steady- Hot Soft Light

John Vanderslice- Karma Police

The Hold Steady- How a Ressurection Really Feels

Jack Johnson- My Doorbell (White Stripes)

Bruce Springsteen- Jingle Bell Rock

Joan as Police Woman- Ringleader Man

Peculiar Gentleman- Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) (Beyonce)

Vetiver- I Must Be in A Good Place Now (Bobby Charles)

Deer Tick- Beautiful Girls (Sean Kingston)

Lee Fields and the Expressions- Last Ride

Camera Obscura- Tougher than the Rest (Bruce Springsteen)

Al Green- I Want to Hold Your Hand (The Beatles)

The Eels- I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man

Jack Johnson & G. Love- Holiday/ Who Do You Love Medley (Madonna/ Bo Diddley)

Vetiver- Everyday

Clare and the Reasons- That’s All

There are so many lists out there, that I don’t have the pretention that mine will be anymore outstanding than all those others. Still, for personal benefit and glory, and for you people who can’t get enough of lists or are constantly looking for new musical tips, I present you my list. It’s got probably some obscure names, so you can brag about it with friends.

50. Boat – Setting The Paces (Magic Marker Records)

What? More of the same  poppy madness

If I would be a poet, I’d say that Boat is the ship to party island, where we would dance with monkeys on wheels, and drink liquor with coconut flavour. Their previous album ended way higher in my list, but I think that their 50 spot (which is still good knowing that there was A lot of competition) mainly has to do with the surprise element missing. Still, the album is like confetti canons blown in your face. Awesome!

Boat – Lately (I’ve been on my Back)

49. Vetiver – Tight Knit (Sub Pop)

What? Slowly turning into the great wise uncle of the modern indie folk movement

Now that  Devendra Banhart is turning into something we didn’t really ask for (at least I didn’t), his buddy Andy Cabic is almost the only one left from the indie folk bands that appeared a couple of years ago en masse, that keeps making albums on a high level. Is it surprising music? No, it’s not. Is it good? It is. Heartwarming is actually the word that applies best to this wonderful folky pop tunes. We hear a lot of albums like these in a year, but most of them miss the glue. Vetiver however is superglue. It sticks and won’t let go, not even after surgery.

Vetiver – Everyday

48. Built To Spill – There is No Enemy (Warner Bros Records)

What? Why is this on a major label?

I’m constantly striving for the total annihilation of all the major labels, so I hope that Built To Spill will soon make the jump to a smaller label. I guess they’re still there because no one knows they have been making the guitar rock-based indie pop in which they excell. The suits who run the business will be surprised the day they find out that this band is still on their roster, thinking ‘Built To Spill’ was just a marketing expression they used among each others. Anyway, Doug Martsch and hsi band have been on a constant high level – even though the first three times I ever heard them (somewhere around 2004 I guess) I wasn’t that convinced. But since then, they’ve been slowly creeping up my veins.

Still, to show I have principles: no mp3 (they don’t offer one on their site, so I can’t link to that one) and no link to the label. Fuck them.

47. The Leisure Society - The Sleeper (Full Time Hobby)

What? Britain’s answer to the Shins

The Shins ‘Chutes Too Narrow’ is probably number one on my list of ‘Albums which i can singalong with from A to Z, though I have no idea what the lyrics are all about’ and also on the list of most played albums ever. (though it doesn’t beat Nick Drake). The Leisure Society reminds me a bit of James Mercer’s project, although it fits the new upcoming folky pop movement in Great Britain perfectly too (think of Mumford And Sons, Noah & The Whale, and all those banjo & Ukelele-playing bands).  It never gets really up-up-tempo or rock-slashy-fuck-raaaahww!, but it’s that mellowness I can really enjoy at times. 

The Leisure Society –  A Short Weekend Begins With Longing

46.  Aidan Moffat & The Best-Offs – How to Get to Heaven From Scotland (Chemikal Underground)

What? Hear Ye, Hear Ye! World’s Worst Singer makes Best Of List! … Or: Scottish Man Drinks himself to Dead and makes album about it.

Scotland is a land. Scotland is a land with people. Scotland is a land with people that drink. Scotland is a land with people that drink and sing. Scotland is a land with people that drink and sing as if they’re drunk. Scotland is a land with people that drink and sing as if they’re drunk, like e.g. Arab strap. Arab strap was Malcolm Middleton and Aidan John Moffat. Arab STrap is dead. Malcolm Middleton is a man that drinks and sings. Aidan John Moffat is a man that drinks and sings as if he’s drunk. Scotland is Aidan John Moffat.

Aidan John Moffat & The Best-Offs – Oh Men!

45. Dead Man’s Bones – S/T (Anti-records)

What? a bit heavy on the halloween theme, even using children choirs.

Let’s scare the hell out of people, that’s what Ryan Gosling (the actor that I had to look up on IMDB) and Zach Shields must have thought when they teamed up as Dead Man’s Bones and made this halloweeny album. They hired a children’s choir (that can sometimes turn out to be scary as hell), and managed to make an album that’s about death and whatever, but can be listened to everytime throughout the year. It’s indie music basically, a bit surfing on the waves of other indie drama queens like the Arcade Fire. Not sure if this will survive the years to come, but for now it turned out to be one of the nicest albums of the year.

Dead Man’s Bones -Dead Man’s Bones

44. The Dodos – Time To Die (French Kiss Records)

What? Keep up the rhythm guys

Ok, I must admit that the new Dodos album wasn’t nearly as catchy as the previous one, but still. It’s good.  I think the main point of concern is that the unique interaction between drums and acoustic guitar is being replaced by a more adult sound, and adults are boring. Adults are children who everyone hates. But anyway, on this album it’s still good (otherwise they wouldn’t have made the list). STill, Watch the future guys. The Minimalism of ‘Visiter’ is what made you stand out.

The Dodos –  The STrums

43. Woods – Songs of Shame (Woodsist Records)

What? What did the campfire smoke that day?

‘At Rear House’ was my number one record in 2007. Back then, no one had heard of Woods, but the sheer energy with which they made this weird psychedelic folk album absolutely mesmerized me. In the meanwhile they’ve climbed the letter of fame a little, though they still keep sounding like the campfire band you don’t want to have at your lounge party with campfire because vice Magazine said that was trendy. Their sound has become a bit more standard – you can recognize more songs – but the extreme falsetto is still not something you give to your parents for Christmas. the band is by the way responsible for the weirdest concert of the year.

Woods – Rain On

42. Wavves – Wavvves (Fat Possum)

What? Prototype for a Noise pop-revival that I’m getting tired of already

Wavves was on my Young Talent-list last year, and surely filled in expectations, but I must say I’ve quite had enough of it. The Noise pop explosion that followed in his tracks, with millions of bands popping up, and all doing the same shit. Okay, so you’re lo-fi and you rock, but stop it. LEt’s try something else next year. STill, The debut album by Wavves was the perfect soundtrack for a sunday morning waking up in your own vomit.

Wavves – Gun In The Sun

41. The Avett Brothers – i And Love And You (Columbia)

What? Major label doesn’t completely spoil the alt.country fun.

Aaargh, another major label relase. How stupid. Oh well, that means no mp3-linking (their own fault). Anyway, The Avett Brothers make fun bluegrass-styled music, but get a bit more mainstream on this album. But because they were a lot of fun, they are still a lot of fun, only slightly less. I’m not gonna say much more, cause major labels don’t like blogs merchandising their stuff (otherwise they would provide mp3’s or not sue people). So  all I can say is that the album is good, but that if you want to check it out, it’s at your own risk. I’m also happy to annoucne that I got this shit illegally. Ha!

All in all, 2009 was a disappointing year for music.  It seemed everything I looked forward to was a bit underwhelming.  Animal Collective (queue the disagreements), Bob Dylan, Neko Case, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Monsters of Folk, Neil Young, etc.  It says something that my three favorite records are from bands I hadn’t heard prior to this year, or in the case of my favorite record, a band that hadn’t won me over with their previous releases.  So, while the old standbys seemed to fall by the wayside there were surprises found in some new places.  Mostly Brooklyn.

Biggest Disappointment

The first Flaming Lips album in well over a decade I haven’t been able to find much in.   I do applaud them for changing it up instead of going back to the well that seemed to be drying up with At War With Mystics, but this record just feels… unfinished to me.  There aren’t really any songs on it.  Which can work, granted, but I don’t find their ‘psychic explorations’ very intriguing.  Certainly not as catchy as the more melodic stuff they’ve been doing since 1993.  It’s not an awful record, but given the high expectations I had, I was more than a bit disappointed.

Honorable Mentions

In alphabetical order, by artist:

Antony & The Johnsons – The Crying Light: I gave I Am A Bird Now more than a few listens, and I could never get past the fact that while Antony’s voice was powerful and emotive, something about it irked me.  On the recommendation of a friend I gave The Crying Light a go, and from the first track I was won over.  Beautiful orchestral pop, and for some reason, The Crying Light seems to have been the key that’s allowed me to go back and unlock I Am A Bird Now.  I get it now.

Andrew Bird – Noble Beast: After The Mysterious Production of Eggs and Armchair Apocrypha, I found Noble Beast a bit of a letdown.  However, the more I come back to it the more I find to appreciate.  It features many of his best songs (Anonanimal, Effigy, Natural Disaster) even if there are some cuts that don’t click with me, places where it feels like he’s reaching a bit too much (Not a Robot, But a Ghost).  But still, a strong enough record to recommend.

Steve Earle – Townes: “Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I’ll stand on Bob Dylan’s coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that.”  Steve Earle attempts to back up that bold statement with his latest album, Townes.  And while I don’t agree with it, he makes a hell of a case.  It’s not my favorite Steve Earle record, perhaps because many of Townes’ recordings are better than Steve’s, sorry to say.  But there is something poetic in today’s most underappreciated singer-songwriter recording a tribute to his 70’s counterpart.

Mos Def – The Ecstatic: Not a great album, but such a comeback from the unlistenable True Magic and The New Danger, it’s hard not to feel Ecstatic about it.  It feels like Mos actually cares about making good music again.  There are some really strong cuts here.  And it bodes well for his future.  One that, after the superlative Black on Both Sides and Black Star, I was close to giving up on.

Phish – Joy: Probably the most controversial choice on the list.  Alot of Phish fans have been disappointed with Joy, but I think it is a solid pop record.  Phish’s more progressive compositions and raging jams have never translated well to the studio.  Their best record, and last with Steve Lillywhite prior to Joy, Billy Breathes is also a pop record.  Joy is on par with something like Farmhouse and a huge improvement from Round Room and Undermind.

Jazz Album of the Year

Medeski, Martin & Wood’s first entry in the Radiolarians series didn’t really impress me.  It felt a bit disjointed, unpolished, and I was afraid the subsequent volumes would follow suit.  But with Radiolarians II & III their gamble has paid off and they have put out some of the best music they’ve recorded since their Gramavision days.  Two deep groovy fun records with plenty of replay value.

Top 10 after the break.

Top Ten Albums of 2009

Super Furry Animals have had a hell of a decade, and Dark Days/Light Years puts a nice cap on it.  I think it’s my favorite outing of theirs since Phantom Power.  It’s a bit top heavy, which seems to be a trend this year.  But it’s still a great collection of songs from Gruff Rhys & Co.

Favorite Song: MT

Some people seem to think Built to Spill have lost whatever magic they had in the 90s.  I’m not of this opinion.  Certainly they haven’t made another Perfect From Now On or Keep it Like A Secret, but You in Reverse is some fantastic guitarcentric rock, and There is No Enemy picks up where that one left off, but is a little more song based than jam/guitar based.  This record also houses some of Martsch’s best lyrics, ever.

Favorite Song: Hindsight

Sufjan goes Orchestral and I follow.  The BQE is a surprisingly evocative piece.  Commisioned by BAM and inspired by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, this composition for 40 piece orchestra is pretty impressive.  The package is extensive, much like his Songs for Christmas box, featuring a DVD with the film he shot to accompany the piece, a booklet featuring an essay on the BQE and many photos, and a ViewMaster reel of all things.  The vinyl edition came with a graphic novel following the hijinx of the Hooper Heroes, the… heroines? of the film.  Which is all fun and gives people incentive to purchase The BQE rather than download it.  But what’s important is that the music is good, and it is.

Jim O’Rourke’s latest is a departure from his last big releases, a trio of pop records named after (and inspired by?) Nicolas Roeg films released around the turn of the century.  Here we are presented with a 40 minute instrumental piece. Upon opening the record you are presented with a note from Jim instructing you to please listen to it loudly through speakers.  I was surprised to find it so quiet and reserved.  It’s a guitar based piece that builds slowly, never to an overwhelming climax, but a satisfying one none-the-less.  It is aided by listening to it loudly to pick up all the nuances in the work.  Jim hasn’t released an LP of original material since 2001, but The Visitor was worth the wait.

In retrospect perhaps the last two entries should be switched.  Anyhow, in the wake of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot people seem to be upset Wilco’s records don’t reach that level of innovation anymore.  It’s lamentable, but is it unexpected?  Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is the kind of peak a band reaches once in a career, and to hold their subsequent records to that standard is unfair.  What Wilco has made with Wilco (the album) is a solid album, consisting of solid songs.  They are focusing on craft rather than innovation and much as the album title suggests it encapsulates who they are as a band right now.  It’s a collection of well-crafted songs and a clear improvement over Sky Blue Sky.  Is that so bad?

Favorite Song: You Never Know

I’ve been a fan of Andy Cabic since he first came up with Devendra Banhart and Joanna Newsom in 2004.  With Tight Knit he continues to move away from the freakfolk sound he helped pioneer and has made an album that wouldn’t sound out of place alongside the more rootsier 70s rock albums.  It’s a modest record, but it’s no less great for that.  The songs are catchy and fun.  It’s solid, possibly his best yet.

Favorite Song: Another Reason to Go

I enjoyed Akron/Family’s first record, Love is Simple was a bit of decline, but with Set ‘em Wild, Set ‘em Free they’ve crafted what is easily the apex of their career.  The album has a few tracks that don’t work (MBF, notably) but the peaks are so powerful it easily qualifies as one of the years few transcendent records.  Get lost in it.

Favorite Song: River

2007’s Marry Me was a good record, but with Actor St. Vincent has made something really special.  She has said in interviews she got started writing this by watching her favorite films on mute and attempting to compose scores to them,  and with Actor she feels like something of an auteur.  Going beyond composing happy songs in major keys and sad songs in minor keys, she has realized the turmoil present in the lyrics in the very fabric of the songs.  Much of Actor seems concerned with the appearances we put on, the fear of our true selves being discovered (what would the neighbors think?), the cognitive dissonance that arises from this contradiction.  Likewise many of the songs embrace this, juxtaposing beautiful Disneyesque clarinet and string parts with fuzz-drenched ugly guitar solos.  It’s the same mindset apparent in the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm realized musically, perhaps summed up best in the title of my favorite song on the album “Laughing with a Mouthful of Blood.”  It took me a bit to warm up to this record but I think it’s one of the great artistic achievements of the year.

Favorite Song: Marrow (Mouthful of Blood isn’t on YouTube)

This is another album I struggled with for awhile before fully embracing.  I kept coming back to it after reading about Dave Longstreth’s talent from many artists I admire (David Byrne, St Vincent, et al) and eventually it clicked.  His intricate melodies and sometimes schizophrenic songs remind me strongly of Of Montreal (which some people love and others find aggravating, I belong to the former group), and while I haven’t dug into their back catalog just yet I think Bitte Orca can stand tall with the best of Kevin Barnes work.  The guitar work alone is very impressive.

Favorite Song: Temecula Sunrise

From the first time I heard it, Veckatimest was my favorite album of the year.  I first gave it a shot for something to do, as I hadn’t been completely won over by Yellow House, but it wasn’t long before I was completely riveted.  I really don’t think there’s a bad song on the album, and there are many great songs.  Apparently Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen used songs they had already written alone on Yellow House and with Veckatimest they composed songs together, specifically for the album.  Not that Yellow House doesn’t have some tremendous songs, but their sound really gels on Veckatimest.  It’s quite easily the album of the year for me.  I’ve been listening to it nonstop since May.

Favorite Song: While You Wait for the Others

What a year it’s been! We released our first record on 27th July 2009 – Krakatoa’s debut single ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Revolution’ on limited edition 7” single and digital download. This was quickly followed by The Supernovas’ debut single, ‘Ace Face’, once more as a 7” single and download. Roses Kings Castles, the side project of Babyshambles drummer Adam Ficek, was next with the ‘Apples And Engines’ EP, issued on CD and download. Liverpool’s merry pranksters, The Know delivered their debut single The Jackal as a download shortly after.

The second Krakatoa single, ‘Fat Cats’ was released in November, as the lads headed out on an eighteen date tour supporting Alabama 3, which was a roaring success, with the boys winning fans everywhere they went. The Supernovas have just been added to the bill for three Babyshambles gigs next week, and the following week Gaoler’s Daughter take up two slots. In the past few weeks we have released singles and EP’s by London’s raggle taggle popsters Gaoler’s Daughter; ten piece indie pop soul groovers White Collar Weapons; Swedish psych shoegazers Mono Stereo, and hotly tipped Dubliners Reader’s Wives.

A 25 track compilation album of the work of Liverpudlian legend Dean Johnson was released last week, and his entire catalogue of sixteen albums will be released by 360 in 2010. Next year also sees the release of the second Roses Kings Castles album; the debut album by the magnificent Ben Sommers; the second singles by The Supernovas, Reader’s Wives and Mono Stereo; debut releases from The Savants and Inwits; An EP of five new songs by Sunderland song writing sensation Paul Liddell, and a whole host more!

We here at 360 love music, so it’s not just about what we do, it’s about the amazing array of worldwide talent who defy the naysayers by producing great artistic work in times of supposed darkness. So here’s a big shout out to all the artists who made great albums in 2009:

A Camp, Air, Alberta Cross, Alessi’s Ark, Amazing Baby, Animal Collective, Asobi Seksu, Blitzen Trapper, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Sarah Blasko, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Brakes, The Cave Singers, Coconut Records, Marshall Crenshaw, Crocodiles, Crystal Antlers, Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse, Dead Man’s Bones, The Decemberists, Alela Diane, The Drums, The Duke & The King, Thomas Dybdahl, Eels, Empire Of The Sun, Forest Fire, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Ghoststory, Girls, Great Lake Swimmers, Grizzly Bear, The Handsome Family, Hatcham Social, Imogen Heap, Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey, Ida Maria, The Leisure Society, Local Natives, Madness, Metric, Miike Snow, Rhett Miller, Okkervil River, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Papercuts, Phoenix, Pink Mountaintops, Jay Reatard, Reverend & The Makers, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Hope Sandoval, 7 Worlds Collide, The Shivers, Soap & Skin, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Mindy Smith, St. Vincent, Jamie T, Theoretical Girl, Tim Ten Yen, Tinariwen, The Trinity, Vetiver, Vivian Girls, M. Ward, Wavves, White Denim, Wilco, Wooden Shjips, The XX, Yves Klein Blue and PROBABLY A LOAD MORE WE HAVEN’T DISCOVERED YET.

‘360′

The first in a three parter, these are some of seekmagic’s favourites of the year. All three will hit the 70 minute mark, so they will snugly fit on a cd-r for your Crimbo car journeys. No particular order, but a veritable melange of top quality tuneage. I’ve tried to avoid some favourites that have cropped up in the podcasts. I also don’t think you’ll find Bibio, The Clientele, Bret Randall et al in the end of year polls. Thanks to HazeyMatt for the Shirley Baker photo tip off.

1. The Low Anthem – ‘Charlie Darwin’

2. The Time & Space Machine – ‘Time and Space Taxi’

3. The Leisure Society – ‘A Short Weekend Begins With Longing’

4. The Duke & The King – ‘Still Remember Love’

5. Vetiver – ‘More Of This’

6. The Clientele – ‘I Know I Will See Your Face’

7. Wilco – ‘Deeper Down’

8. Grizzly Bear – ‘Two Weeks’

9. Richard Swift – ‘Lady Luck’

10. The Phenomenal Handclap Band – ‘Baby’

11. Bibio – ‘Jealous Of Roses’

12. Air France – ‘Collapsing At Your Doorstep’

13. Memory Tapes – ‘Bicycle’

14. Anima Collective – ‘My Girls’

15. Amadou & Mariam- ‘Sabali’

16. Brent Randall & His Pinecones – ‘Strange Love (Don’t Be Lazy)’

17. Yo La Tengo – ‘I’m On My Way’

18. Richard Hawley – ‘For Your Lover Give Some Time’

19. M. Ward – ‘Hold Time’

Download mp3 / stream

In last month’s Q magazine, I read with some surprise and not a little disappointment, their (rather early) list of the top 50 albums of 2009. Although these lists are by their very nature incredibly subjective, I found myself taking issue with the vast majority of their choices. Florence and the Machine at number 2? Kasabian at number 1? The Decemberists skulking around just outside the 50? All quite laughable.

But at least it prompted me to start thinking about my own choices, and encouraged me to compile my list. At the outset, I will explain that it contains several albums that were not released this year – in fact, in at least one case, not even this century. However, they are all albums that are new to me this year, that I had not previously heard until 2009. In the interests of fairness I did try to keep the older ones out of the top 20, and in fact only one managed to sneak in.

I will present the list in full, without comment, and maybe revisit that decision and add a brief note to each one when I have more time.

I’d be more than happy to receive your thoughts on my choices, and your suggestions of glaring omissions.

In the interests of suspense, I will present them in ascending order of merit, from 50 to 1.

50)  Staff Benda Bililli – Tres, Tres Fort

A group of paraplegic street musicians who live in the grounds of Kinshasa Zoo in Kenya, including a 17 year-old performing incredible guitar-like solos on a one-string electric lute he designed and built himself out of a tin can. What’s not to love?

49)  Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

My introduction to the wonders of Wilco – the American Radiohead, according to some.

48)  Vetiver – Tight Knit

One of many new bands I discovered this year, and a pleasant record, but probably not their best. Enjoyed their set in the Big Top at the End of The Road Festival in September.

47)  The Low Anthem – Oh My God Charlie Darwin

If more of the songs were as good as the title track, this could have been a top 20 contender. An odd mix of lo-fi nu-folk (a la Fleet Foxes) and growly mad stomping blues (like Tom Waits let loose in a potting shed).

46)  The Broken Family Band – Welcome Home, Loser

One of three of theirs in the 50, and full of very fine songs with the trademark BFB witty lyrics and a fab cover photo and title to boot.

45)  The View – Which Bitch?

Lots of tracks, most of them very good and a step up from their quite listenable debut.

44)  Taylor Swift – Fearless

Stands out from the rest in this list as rather poppy and young, but Ms Swift does write a fine tune and lyric. Although this was purchased for Mrs Cook’s birthday the sheer catchy-ness of these songs has infected me too.

43)  Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass

Undoubtedly the best album title in the list, and packed with some fantastic songs. As ever with Yo La Tengo, they manage to sound like at least five different bands over the course of the same record. Never a dull moment.

42)  Cat Power – The Greatest

Spurred on by her great version of ‘Amazing Grace’ on the ‘Dark Was The Night’ compilation, I got this for a half price itunes bargain and was not in the least disappointed. Great voice, great piano, and a number of fine songs.

41)  Great Lake Swimmers – Great Lake Swimmers

Haven’t had time to listen to this one as much as the other two in the list by this fine Canadian band, but their debut showed signs of the huge promise that has been fulfilled on the subsequent records. Folky acoustic songs of the highest order.

40)  Great Lake Swimmers – Ongiara

This one had me from the opening seconds of the opening song ‘Your Rocky Spine’, discovered on Spotify on my birthday using my new laptop speakers. Was enthralled by this album for most of that afternoon. Sounded even better with the backdrop of the Canadian Rockies that inspired it on our trip in June.

39)  Woodpigeon – Songbook

Another Canadian band, and one of my first Spotify discoveries. ‘Death by Ninja (a Love Story)’, ‘A Sad Country Ballad For A Tired Superhero’ and ‘A Hymn For 2 Walks In Different Cities’ are all quite brilliant songs, in very different ways. Fast becoming a favourite band of mine.

38)  The Broken Family Band – Please And Thank You

Their most recent, and sadly their last album as they split up in October. The usual reliably great tunes, combined with the occasional barbed lyric, this would have been higher but for the fact I haven’t listened to it as much as my favourite of theirs, ‘Balls’, that appears further up the list.

37)  Band Of Horses – Cease To Begin

So much fuss is made of the Fleet Foxes, but I actually much prefer their Sub Pop label-mates BOH: there is more to the music, the instrumentation is better and the songs are a bit more interesting than the Foxes pastoral by numbers. For me, not as immediately satisfying as their debut, which appears higher up, but definitely worth a listen or several.

36)  John Martyn – Solid Air (Remastered)

Sadly I’d never heard any of John Martyn’s music until after he died earlier this year – this remastered version of one of his most popular records was a great starting point. ‘May You Never’, ‘Over The Hill’ and ‘I’d Rather Be The Devil’ are all stand-out tracks and I love his distinctive guitar playing style.

35)  The Acorn – Glory Hope Mountain

Checked this out after a very good set they played at the End Of The Road Festival: intriguing acoustic rock – a bit of a grower.

34)  Cage The Elephant – Cage The Elephant

Brash, noisy, full of energy and highly enjoyable.

33)  Bill Callahan – Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle

Love the cover, love the title, love his voice, adore ‘Rococo Zephyr’ and this would have been higher except one or two tracks are a bit too weird for my taste.

32)  Bat For Lashes – Two Suns

Think I need to give this more time, especially as many people have raved about it, but it is a step up from her debut and contains some great moments.

31)  She Keeps Bees – Nests

Another itunes bargain following a sterling closing set at the EOTR Festival, this is well worth checking out. A band to watch out for.

30)  The Decemberists – The Crane Wife

My ultimate discovery of the past year, as regular readers will know, Portland, Oregon’s finest are very much my favourite band these days. This was the first album of theirs I heard and there are a number of outstanding tracks here, such as ‘Crane Wife 3′, ‘The Shankhill Butchers’, ‘O Valencia’ and ‘Yankee Bayonet’. A good starting point for new listeners, but not my favourite, as will become apparent.

29)  The Decemberists – Picaresque

28)  The Broken family Band – Balls

27)  Neko Case – Middle Cyclone

26)  Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band – Outer South

25)  First Aid Kit – Drunken Trees

24)  Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

23)  Band Of Horses – Everything All The Time

22)  The Duke & The King – Nothing Gold Can Stay

21)  The Airborne Toxic Event – The Airborne Toxic Event

20)  Loney Dear – Loney, Noir

19)  Regina Spektor – Far

18)  Joyce, Nana Vasoncelos & Mauricio Maestro – Visions Of Dawn

17)  Great Lake Swimmers – Lost Channels

16)  Woodpigeon – Treasury Library Canada

15)  Muse – The Resistance

14)  Slow Club – Yeah So

13)  Monsters Of Folk – Monsters Of Folk

12)  Wilco – Wilco The Album

11)  The Leisure Society – Sleeper

10)  Emmy The Great – First Love

9)  Joe Gideon & The Shark – Harum Scarum

8)  Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca

7)  Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs

6)  Various Artists – Dark Was The Night

5)  Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!

4)  The Cave Singers – Welcome Joy

3)  Loney Dear – Dear John

2)  Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More

1)  The Decemberists – The Hazards Of Love

hvid stöj ser dårlige film, fordi de handler om god musik. Maria Barrett følte sig ikke inviteret til The Family Jams og fraråder andre at tro, at de er.

Indledningsvis lod jeg mig forføre af denne beskrivelse fra CPH:DOX-programmet: ”Ligesom Banhart og co.’s intime family jams – hvor alle i stor forening spiller, synger og tramper med – stråler filmen af nærvær, glæde og kærlighed til musikken.”

Denne antibefaling er naturligvis et bittert piv fra den grå non-celeb masse, og mit budskab vil muligvis kun vinde gehør blandt andre, der heller ikke havde VIP-kort til Joanna Newsom, Vetiver og Devendra Banharts åndssvage kendis-tour i USA.

Ukendte Kevin Barker (instruktør, kameramand, runner, postproduktion samt diverse), der selv var så heldig at være inviteret med, kvitterer ved at lave en film om sine fab venner.

”Kill your Darlings”
Da jeg gik ud af Empire Bio på Nørrebro hørte jeg i forbifarten ovenstående afsnitstitel ytret, hvilket faktisk rammer hovedet på sømmet i forhold til denne film. Grunden til, at det ikke er sket, kan være, at der vil være meget lidt tilbage af filmen bagefter.

Man skulle nok have været der selv…
Under The Family Jams havde jeg det lidt, som om jeg så en bekendts efterskolevideo: en masse indforstået humor, en masse øl jeg ikke var med til at drikke, og en masse fester jeg ikke var inviteret til – alt sammen indfanget af en inkompetent, 16-årig, selvudnævnt kameramand med et billigt, håndholdt kamera, og løseligt klippet sammen med Windows Movie Maker.

Kvinder med harper
Kvinder med harper har længe kunnet fordreje hovedet på mænd. Joanna Newsom får klart mest skærmtid, hvor kameramanden – åbenlyst forelsket i hendes skrøbelige akavethed og hænderne, der flyver over harpestrengene – forsøger at stille skarpt på enten hende eller strengene i et klassisk harpespiller-skud. Det lykkes ikke rigtigt.

Mest om de kendte og kongelige
Misforstå mig ikke. Jeg kan faktisk godt lide dokumentarer optaget med lo fi-optageudstyr. Der er set mange vellykkede eksempler før, og det kan være et kærkomment pust til de dyrt producerede faktions-agtige dokumentarfilm.

I dette tilfælde er der tale om en almindelig (kamera)mand, der optager sin livs tur med et billigt lommekamera. Det er ærgerligt at se koncerter – hvor intime og family jam-agtige de end er – optaget håndholdt med kameramikrofonen af en kameramand, der er beruset af foræret spiritus og næsegrus beundring. Filmen er knapt redigeret, men selvfølgelig har Barker husket at sætte en stor, tydelig etiket på mennesker, der er ”kendte nok” – eksempelvis Antony fra Antony and the Johnsons, hvilket forekommer redundant i  spytslikkende grad.

Det sympatiske ved filmen er, at den er lavet i 2004 inden nogle af de turnerende kunstnere for alvor slog igennem. Her – på en filmfestival i 2009 – virker fremstillingen af deres små strabadser, deres fede fester og deres skrabede tourbus mest som irriterende selvpromovering.

Hvis du orker en dårligt optaget koncertoplevelse så vælg denne i stedet.

Links: Trailer Officiel side (jep, der er virkelig kun een side)

Además de los buenos e importantes conciertos que tenemos hoy miércoles en Madrid, The Horrors, Juliette Lewis, L.A. o Templeton, también podremos disfrutar de buenos conciertos durante el fin de semana. Especialmente atractiva es la visita por dos veces de The Wave Pictures, sin olvidar a The Sounds junto a Matt&Kim, y el que evidentemente será el concierto más multitudinario, ya que ya están agotadas todas las entradas, la esperada visita de Muse. Además de los primeros conciertos en la Sala Ramdall, y algunas salas que no habíamos oído en nuestras vidas, como la “Charada Club de Baile”. Si alguien las conoce, o las visita este fin de semana, a ver si nos cuenta un poquito como son. A continuación, el listado de conciertos más interesantes del fin de semana:

Viernes 27
The Sounds + Matt&Kim : La Riviera, 22€. 20:30h.
The Wave Pictures: Neu! Club, 14/18€. 21:00h
Depedro: Centro Cultural Federico Chueca, ¿Gratis?. 19:00h
Aaron Thomas: Sala Ramdall, 10€. 22:00h

Sabado 28
Muse + Billy Clyro: Palacio de Deportes, Entradas agotadas. 21:30h.
http://www.myspace.com/thewavepictures + Napoleon Solo: Neu! Club, 14/18€. 21:00h.

Domingo 29
Vetiver: Charada Club de Baile.
Tulsa: La Casa Encendida, ¿Gratis?12:00h.

Feeling a little stressed out yet?  The holidays are here and about to get in to full swing which means more demands on your already limited available time.  Holidays can also lead to increased stress including anxiety, tension even depression as we all try to do too much in a short amount of time.

Stress is a serious problem and we all have a certain amount of stress that just is a part of life from our everyday events.  Everyday stresses most of us can cope with.  Add holidays, increased demands of family, friends and business and it can easily become a recipe for full-blown panic attacks.  And stress can lead to more health problems like high blood pressure and a lowered immune system.  Severe stress can be so debilitating that you lapse into full blown depression. 

The ideal solution is of course to try to eliminate the underlying cause of stress.  Sometimes that is easier said than done, however there are a few things we can do to help restore balance and calm brought on by temporary increased stresses like the holidays.  Take a deep breath and  relax.  Aromatherapy offers great natural stress relief and you can experiment with different essential oils until you find the one that is right for you.  Once you experiment with one or two oils, you may find that blending oils can provide an enhanced synergistic effect.

Roman chamomile, clary sage, everlasting, fennel, frankincense, geranium, lavender, marjoram, melissa, neroli, orange, rose, sandalwood, tangerine, vanilla, vetiver and ylang-ylang are oils that are known for their abilities to counteract the effects of daily stress. 

Try diluting your oils with a carrier oil like Sweet Almond or Jojoba and use in a massage.   Massage offers one of the most effective ways to alleviate symptoms brought on by stress.  Massage promotes relaxation and it actually causes your body to release endorphins.  Endorphins are both natural painkillers and increase your sense of pleasure. You can also diffuse your oils into the environment to release tension and anxiety or try adding a few drops of your favorite oils to your bath to create a soothing aromatic experience.   You can add one or two drops to a cool light bulb (never hot as this could cause the bulb to explode) or to warm candle wax (not while candle is burning).  Personally, I like to add a few drops of oil to a tissue and simply inhale.  It’s completely portable, discreet and easy to use.  Plus many essential oils also provide anti-viral and anti-bacterial support.

Remember, essential oils are generally not recommended for internal use unless you are working directly with a certified medical professional.  Essential oils are highly concentrated and although organic in nature, can be toxic if misused.   There are certain conditions that should avoid the use of essential oils.  If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, have high blood pressure or suffer from epilepsy, consult your physician or medical care provider before using any essential oils. Do not use essential oils direct on skin without first testing for sensitivity as some oils like clove, cinnamon and peppermint to name just a few, can cause itching and skin irritations. Some oils like neroli, or orange (and there are quite a few essential oils that can cause photo sensitivity) can also cause increased sensitivity to sunburn.  Try to limit your sun exposure when working with these and other photo sensitive essential oils to prevent  damage to your skin.

So when you are out shopping for your family or business associates don’t forget to add a few things to your shopping list for yourself.  In fact, you may want to share!  Essential oils are wonderful and offer natural stress relief.  Essential oils range in price from just a few dollars to well, a bit more depending on the oil like neroli, rose and sandalwood. For example, it takes over 2000 pounds of rose petals to make one pound of rose oil and sandalwood trees must be 30 years old before the wood is sufficiently matured to yield essential oils. 

The finest essential oils are natural, organic essential oils.  If possible, try to limit your oils to certified organic.  Synthetic or adulterated oils can not duplicate the therapeutic abilities of pure extracts gathered from plants, trees and flowers.  If you are on a budget (and just about everyone I know is these days) start with just one or two oils and build your aromatherapy cabinet.  You can buy essential oils from reputable health food stores and also from on-line ecommerce retailers.  Personally, I like to buy direct from local sources when possible but I have also found a few vendors online that are good sources and have money back guarantees.  Do your homework and check prices.  Essential oils, when stored properly (away from direct sunlight in a cool dark area, in a tightly closed bottle – amber glass is the best) will last for years.

To your health and a stress free holiday season!

Pam Tirado, Organic Skin Care Tips, Luminoso Salon & Spa

Follow me on Twitter: “SkinCarePam” for daily tips

The original version of this song always reminded me of The Coral’s ‘Dreaming Of You’ for some reason. I think it is the stomping beat that propels the song along and the tight rhythmic bassline. My good friend Dave went one step further, describing the song as ‘Dreaming of You’ played by people with beards and sandals. Which is probably very true. This remix takes the good vibes of the original and turns them up to 11. Another blast of sunshine to brighten up your November.

Download mp3 – Vetiver – ‘More Of This’ (Neighbours remix)

{track 2: The Hold}

Nick: is that part of it?

the guitar solo?

yeah.

yes.

oh.

well up till that it was fine.

it sounds like it was just thrown on top, without anything to do with it.

out of the blue.

it’s an imaginative mix of styles.

pretty eclectic.

and sometimes it works.

although I don’t know what they were trying to do with the guitar solo.

did they want people to sit up? to think there was a telephone going off?

{track 4: September with Pete}

see, here they do something similar but it works.

{later}

it’s very good.

nice.

inventive.

they have a musical identity.

it’s by no means perfect, some of the numbers go on too long and get very boring.

how many people are involved?

is it a band or one of these loose conglomerates?

a… band I guess.

I guess if I needed more music I might buy something by them.

it’s a dangerous area, all this eclecticism.

it can all go very wrong.

look at all the attempts to merge a rock band and an orchestra.

it’s tricky.

it’s tricky to rock a rhyme, to rock a rhyme that’s right on time, it’s tricky, huh huh, it’s tricky tricky tricky?

exactly, actly actly.

The excellent Woods play Dublin tonight as part of the annual Shred Yr Face tour, also on the bill are Espers (who I always confuse with Vetiver, I’ve seen one of them live before, pretty good) and Cave Singers (who I’ve never heard, but I’ll fix that now in a minute).

http://www.myspace.com/woodsfamilyband

After a very busy week, I’ve finally noticed the onset of dirty winter in Manchester. This time last week, I was wandering around Islington in a t-shirt and leggings, accessorised with a natty pair of Ray Bans (but that’s another story). Today, back in Manchester, I wandered outside in a duffle coat and scarf for a crafty smoke and had to scuttle back into the office because I was STILL cold. It’s a lovely crisp autumnal day, but I can’t help craving the warmth and late night sunlight that made sitting outside the pub until ten not just an option, but a necessity.It certainly beats freezing your bits off anyway.

At this time every year, I start to think about traveling. It might be the fact that it goes dark at four o’clock, or the fact that all my friends are away at Uni, but I start to feel bogged down by being in the same place all the time and long to see new places. With this epic wanderlust in mind….

Five Songs for Running Away

1. This Land Used To Be My Land, But Now I Hate This Land – Pomegranates: I love Pomegranates. I love them to the point that I can’t find the words to review their latest album, and it’s starting to really annoy me. Anyway. This song is the soundtrack to my life at the moment; it’s all about how you know and love somewhere so well, but you eventually get sick of it and need to explore. Indeed, it’s a running theme throughout their second album Everybody, Come Outside! and I would heartily recommend that you give it a listen.

2. Good Fortune – PJ Harvey: I bought PJ Harvey’s excellent Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea album when I was 13, on a school trip to New York. The man in the Times Square Virgin Megastore waxed lyrical on how good an album it was, and he was SO right. This song basically transports me back to walking around Manhattan in complete awe of everything; the subway, the way everything was massive, the complete romance I felt at being in a place I’d always wanted to go to. More than anything, it makes me want to go back there so badly, and actually walk around Chinatown hungover with a boy that makes me crazy. Of course I can do this in Manchester, but it’s never as glossy that way is it? So if anyone wants to donate a Virgin Atlantic ticket and a suite in the Thirty Thirty, that would be lovely.

3. More Of This – Vetiver: This is one of those songs where the words make you fizz with happiness. And it will get stuck in your head forever. Sentiments like ‘Our love is more than enough/To calm my troubled mind’ and ‘I could use more time alone with you/That just might carry me through’ make me miss the days of being able to visit places and do things on a whim with someone I love, because my free time seems to have become a lot more of a luxury these days. Plus I don’t have the frankly useful commodity of a boyfriend with a car anymore. Dammit! I should post the words actually, because they’re so sweet they make me teary. Let’s go for a walk in a country or something.

4. Let’s Go Surfing – The Drums: This is another one that makes me do a big goofy smile every time I hear it. For me, this song will always be In The City 2009 set to music, where I decided that the last night was the right time to finally get blasted and heckle a band into playing a song twice, as well as sneaking a crate of beer into one of Manchester’s more expensive venues. Never let it be said that I’m not crafty. The only problem with it is that it sounds so bloody summery, and it makes me want to dash to Brighton and make an arse of myself on the beach.

5. You Should Have Called – The Answering Machine: Yes, I am very aware that I’ve waxed lyrical about The Answering Machine’s album on this blog, but it’s fabulous. ‘You Should Have Called’ is probably my favourite song on there, if only because it emphasises the fact that you should ALWAYS, always tell someone how you feel about them, and that you should always return their calls and texts. The refrain on this song is in one of my top five ever too- it just sounds so dreamy and removed, like the girl telling the boy he should have called has given up.  Not that it’s a bit close to home or anything.. but yeah, it makes me want to run away, because I’m buggered sometimes when it comes to telling people how I really feel- and when I do it usually lands me in seven shades of deep trouble.

I started this on Monday afternoon, It is now nearly 11.00pm on Tuesday night. And my sleep pattern is slightly up the spout after trying to catch up on last week’s lack of,  so it looks like tomorrow will be a write-off. Perhaps I should spend it daydreaming about moving away instead of denting  my pile of coursework…

Ebay, ja. Nå er det 1 dag og 23 minutter igjen til klubba faller på en 75 ml Magie Noire EdT fra Lancôme. Det er andre auksjonen jeg byr på, og denne gangen skal jeg ha den, hadde jeg tenkt. Og så ser jeg at jeg i min iver har tabbet meg ut, – de sender ikke internasjonalt. I alle fall ikke fra auksjon. Men, fra nettbutikken kan man få kjøpe internasjonalt.  Jeg har sendt hjælp-melding til Ebay og håper på en viss forståelse.

Får jeg ikke fatt i denne på auksjon kjøper jeg den fra nettbutikk. Har man los så har man los.

Denne duften hadde jeg – og brukte opp en flaske av – da jeg var en sånn ca. 20 år gammel.  Jeg kjøpte den av dama jeg nå har glemt navnet på, som hadde hudpleiesalong/solarium/parfymeri ved Langebrua på Vossevangen. Det var tider det! Jeg dynket meg godt med Magie Noire før jeg gikk på vorspiel sånn rundt kl.15:00 på lørdag, og så stilte vi oss i kø til diskoteket på Hotel Jarl sånn rundt kl.18:00.  Alt stengte seinest klokka ett på natta, og derfor var det jo liv i oss dagen derpå også, på den tida.  Ah, minnene…. Du verden.

I alle fall: jeg husker Magie Noire som en varm, litt tung, fascinerende, orientalsk parfyme, som fikk meg til å føle meg mørk og mystisk, moden og vakker.

Den er nærmere bestemt en floriental, og notene er, iflg Osmoz:
solbær, hyacinth, bergamott, bringebær, honning, tuberose, narciss, rose oriental (?), patchouli, vetiver, civet og castoreum.

Aromascope sammenligner den med Chanels Coco, men uten krydderne, og – mja -  det kan nok stemme med duftminnet.

Lancôme produserer den ikke mer, og Fragrancealley og de andre som har den for salg nå tømmer vel lagrene sine sånn sakte og sikkert. Jeg ser at ren parfyme går på Ebay for nesten 800 dollar (nåværende bud!), det er utenfor min liga   .  Jeg har ikke funnet EdP av den, og vet ikke om det var det jeg hadde i sin tid, men jeg tror da faktisk at min gamle hadde en “skulderkappe” av svart plast, a la parfymeflakongen i lenken ovenfor.

Hjelp meg å krysse fingre for at det årner seg med det Ebay-tullet, da!

Oppdatering 31/10: PUH! jeg ble overbydd  :-D

Bibap sendte meg nylig en prøve på denne, og valget falt på den da jeg på slutten av dagens hagedont skulle velge noe godt å lukte av når jeg skulle i butikken en tur.

Jeg tok den på uten å sjekke noter først, og det er alltid litt artig. Førsteinntrykket er: det lukter kjempegodt, og det minner veldig om noe jeg ikke klarer å gripe.  Jeg kjenner noe “grønt”, men ikke sånn vårgrønt og lett, akkurat, – det er mer krydret og lett bittert og – hvordan skal man uttrykke det – jo:  seriøst og alvorlig, på en måte. Ikke søtt. Jeg vet at jeg har kjent akkurat denne komponenten i andre parfymer, men klarer ikke å indentifisere den. Så, jeg sjekker. Akkurat: vetiver.
Jeg begynner å google, og husker når jeg ser det hos Osmoz; jeg kjenner igjen noten fra YSLs Rive Gauche, TDCs Sel de vetiver, Hermenessence Vetiver tonka , Chanels Allure,  for å nevne noen skikkelige lekkerbiskner.

Men det samlede inntrykket, –hva er det jeg kjenner ?  Jeg snuser og grubler, går gjennom alle den duftende vegetasjon jeg kan komme på men jeg må gi meg, og lete hos de flinke folka som skriver reviews på Basenotes, og der! er det en som klarer å beskrive nøyaktig den duften jeg kjenner:

to me, this smells just like the inside of an old, dimly lit, wooden church

Så lenge har jeg sunget i kirkekor, at akkurat denne egenduften som er helt karakteristisk for gamle trekirker, forbindes med noe hyggelig og trygt, og med skjønnhetsopplevelser.  Så, slik kan man oppleve den olfaktoriske forbindelsen mellom å være korsanger og interessert i parfymer.

Noter iflg Basenotes:  Haitian vetiver, vetiver Bourbon, Cypress wood, musk, Cashmere wood.

Duften ble lansert i 2006, og parfymøren heter Nathalie Lorson, som også har skapt andre dufter for Lalique,  og for Jil Sander (Man Pure), Boucheron (Jaïpur Saphir) og Mandarina Duck (Pure black) og flere andre.

Mange synes flasken er veldig fin. Det synes i grunnen ikke jeg, men duften er god nok til å kunne figurere på en ønskeliste.

Here is the playlist of tracks played last night at The Fleur-de-Lys Club at The Lexington. Big thank you to Colin MacIntyre, Loose Salute and Nat Jenkins for putting on a great show.

1. ‘Black Tables’ by Other Lives
2. ‘The Velvet Ladder’ by Topanga Canyon 3
3. ‘Everyday’ by Vetiver
4. ‘Feet To The Sky’ by Lulu and Lampshades
5. ‘Lazarus’ by Peggy Sue
6. ‘Man Named Truth’ by Monsters of Folk
7. ‘Basic Space’ by The XX
8. ‘Little Lion Man’ by Mumford & Sons
9. ‘Is it All Worth It?’ by Treetop Flyers
10. ‘It’s Just Me’ by Maria Byrne
11. ‘Sleeping in Her Clothes’ by Look, Stranger!
12. ‘March of The Dawn’ by the Mummers
13. ‘Let’s Go Surfing’ by The Drums
14. ‘I Heard it Through the Grapvine’ by The Slits
15. ‘Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out’ by Mayer Hawthorne & The Country
16. ‘Something’ by The Beatles (Leisure Society Cover)
17. ‘Baby’ by Devendra Banhart
18. ‘Airplanes’ by Local Natives
19. ‘Horchata’ by Vampire Weekend
20. ‘Please Venus’ by Golden Silvers
21. ‘Sold’ by Dan Mangan
22. ‘Warm Heart of Africa’ by The Very Best feat. Ezra Koenig
23. ‘You’ve Got The Love’ by Florence & The Machine (The XX remix)
24. ‘The Rose’ by The Laughing Light of Plenty
25. ‘Jealous of Roses’ by Bibio
26. ‘Dere Mewn’ by Colorama

We left right at the sunrise.  The sky looked like an iced sea of reddish waves.

It was light, it was cold and it was you.

*****

Smell is a very under-estimated sense. Yet it’s the one sense collecting and linking most emotions.

*****

Perfume is my favourite sin. Demands finance, time and patience to find the one scent that has something.

Something with the masculine drowsiness of olives, a hint of musk, perhaps a bit of patchouli. Maybe vanilla or some mysterious rose. Chypre and vetiver. Or… just anything that goes wooo on my nose on one particular day.

*****

I like powerful scents, intriguing scents, scents that don’t always appeal. Signature scents for people that know me.

I also like discrete, smell-able only for the curious nose near my neck, or my ears.

My curiosity goes towards the misted bodies I sense on the street, walking in front of me, next to me. I follow people whose smell I like – my stalking curiosity is not for their face, but for the way they move, spreading the fragrance, and maybe for the voice, and for the traces they leave behind them.

*****

Some perfumes are like a poem, playing with aromas as if they were words. Others come like a symphony, imposing and long lasting. And there are some that just cut a bit of the Universe and deliver it in a bottle. The bottle? or the scent? or the people that used it? they all gather around for a trip down the memory lane, like this exquisite post from Memory and Desire.

*****

And if you like autumn, the penchant of spring, why not imagine/recall autumn smells?

My autumn always smells of cold, clean and colours.

Autumn is a vibrant city in the morning. The Statue of Liberty, appalling turquoise above the water. The shiny city hall above some beautiful unknown trees. A Starbucks coffee over cold hands near terribly high sky scrappers.

Autumn is a country house in a valley surrounded by hills. Wake up in the morning, listen to parents and grandparents voices. I smell colours – dying red yellow leaves on black, moist earth; grey fire smoke somewhere; the cry of violet crushed plums combined with the greeness of wallnuts, the orangeness and strong aroma they leave on hungry hands.

Autumn is a rainy day, in a bed surrounded by warmth, under a pillow of love. Holding hands before getting up and leaving for the mad world.

*****

Here’s a beautiful entry on Autumn smells:
“To me, autumn is the smell of my cat coming in from the cold. It only lasts a minute, maybe less, but if I can scoop her up before she runs to the dinner bowl, and inhale deeply, there is a fragrance of incomparable beauty, and nearly impossible to describe: it is cold but alive, her fur, yes, but also wisps of the smoke from our chimney, the fresh cut woodpile she nestles in to watch for mice, the sweet brown of decaying leaves on the forest floor. Wandering outside won’t lead you to this smell, it is something unique to her and her kind. Maybe we walk too far from the ground, or maybe we don’t stay long enough in one place, but her autumn is a world truly apart from mine. While I love the rich wine and honey of my autumn, it is nothing compared to her wild and lovely life.”