Leslie Feist: Metals

Not long after the album's release on October 4th of this year, I purchased Leslie Feist's newest album, Metals.  I blog about it only now, more than a month after, because I had to let it sink in.  Metals has been in an endless spin on my turntable ever since I got it & I have to say: I love this album.

It's so different from her previous albums, but it's so Feist.  The vocal harmonization on Bittersweet Melodies gives me goosebumps... & I can just picture a crowd of friends swaying in unison & singing along to the la la la parts.  The lyrics to Comfort Me ring so true to me. A Commotion is another of my favourite tracks because of it's Andrew Bird-esque arrangement.  I'm not sure if she's using violins through the Janus Horn (a spinning phonograph style speaker) to get the effect, but it sure sounds like it - sounds like awesome.  Potential hipster anthems include: Graveyards and Comfort Me.

Stream the ablum here.

I'll be attending her show at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on Monday, December 5th, 2011 & so should you.  Tickets are still available. I'll let you know if it's as good as her Reminder tour :)

Body Below

There's a story I could tell
When the cold wind starts to blow
Like a whisper in the night
From a friend that you know

It says "keep holding on
To my body below
Forsake me not,
Don't ever leave me alone"

There was a time when the sun
Gave it's life to the trees
And the air it smelled sweeter
For the honey & the bees

The ocean rolled salty
& wild & free
The fruit swelled & ripened
& burst with their seeds

But what starts with desire
Can turn into need
The chest gets all tight
Like it's got some disease

What burns in the fire
Just ends up as coals
What floats on the water
Can sink like a stone

Now i want to believe
Every word that you say
I want you to need me
To not go away

Have trust in the nighttime
& faith in the day
To walk on the water
Be never afraid

Can you bear it upon you?
My love has gone under
Above all the stars
Have forgotten to glow

But if you keep holding on to
My body below you
I'll warm you & keep you
From feeling alone

Leif Vollebekk

If Jeff Buckley were not dead and grew up in Ottawa, he would be Leif Vollebekk. I attended an intimate show last night at Raw Sugar Cafe and Leif did not disappoint: his vocal range gives me goosebumps and his lyrics are comfortable and familiar. Since the release of his first album, Inland, is songs have evolved beautifully. He has even created a rock (guitar) version of his song 1921 since have has discovered that he cannot produce a piano wherever he tours. It was quite fantastic. He hopes to record another album this Fall and tell me he has plans to press vinyl, resources willing. I'm all over that! Check him out. Sponsor him even. He's ever-so-talented and needs support!

Photo credit to J B Hildebrand, misappropriated from Myspace.

Oh No! Oh My!

I discovered these guys on my SXSW 2008 mixtape of awesomeness. The booty just don't stop with that playlist! All the way from Austin, Texas, meet Greg, Joel, Daniel & Tim the self-released wonders of Oh No Oh My. Their song Walk in the Park is reminisent of the Beatles, featuring the flute (what an under-represented instrument in the world of indie-rock!), and ironic lyrics, such as "it's a nice day for a walk in the dark/it's nice day for a drive-by shooting." Give 'em a listen on Luxury Wafers.

My Manic & I

He wants to die in a lake in Geneva,
the mountains can cover the shape of his nose.
He wants to die where nobody can see him,
but the beauty of his death
will carry on so I don't believe
him.

He greets me with kisses
when good days deceive him
& sometimes with scorn
& sometimes I believe him.
& sometimes I'm convinced
my friends think I am crazy,
get scared & call him,
but he's usually hazy.

By 1 in the morning day is not ended,
by 2 he is scared & sleep is no friend,
& by 4 he will drink but cannot feel it,
sleep will not come
because sleep does not will it
& I don't believe
him.

Morning is mocking me.

I'll wander the streets
avoiding them eats
'til the ring on my finger slips to the ground.
A gift to the gutter, a gift to the city
the veins of which have broken me down.
& I don't believe
him.

Morning is mocking me.

Oh the gods that he believes
never fail to amaze me.
He believes in the love of his god of all things,
but I find him wrapped up in all manner of sins.
The drugs that deceive him
& the girls that believe him.
I can't control you
I don't know you well,
these are the reasons I think that you're ill.
I can't control you
I don't know you well,
these are the reasons I think that you're ill.

& since last that I saw him
last that we parted
down by a river silent & hardened,
morning was mocking us.
Blood hit the sky.
I was just happy, my manic & I
He couldn't see me
the sun was in his eyes
& birds were singing to calm us down.
& birds were singing to calm us down.
& I'm sorry young man,
I cannot be your friend.
I don't believe in a fairytale end.
I don't keep my head up all of the time.
I find it dull when my heart meets my mind
I hardly know you
I think I can tell,
these are the reasons I think that we're ill.
I hardly know you
I think I can tell,
these are the reasons I think that I'm ill.
& the gods that he believes
never fail to disappoint me.
& the gods that he believes
never fail to disappoint me.
My happy man
my manic & I
have no plans to move on.
The birds are singing to calm us down
& birds are singing to calm us down.

Roo

We rose early every morning (to avoid baking in the tent under the hot Tennessee sun) to be greeted by friends, old and new. Music drifted through the air like wisps of smoke (of course, there was smoke in the air too). The acts did not disappoint! Jimmy Fallon pleasantly surprised me with his humour, the Decemberists wooed me with their melodies, and the Silent Disco moved me.

I loved and was loved at Bonnaroo 2009.

I Love Sleeping In.

My love becomes especially obvious when I'm deprived.

Music for Tourists

Chris Garneau is exquisite. He's certainly not "grindcore" as a first glance at the top of his myspace page might have you believe. Listen to Castle Time. Mr. Garneau has such a wonderful delicate voice. His songs are simply, starkly, beautifully arranged with piano, cello, light percussion (& sometimes accordion). I'm inspired by his cellist, Eleanor Norton. I've been meaning to pick the instrument up for years.

I discovered him in 2007 (Monday, July 25th) when he played with Xiu Xiu and Fucked Corpse at Babylon in Ottawa. I have a pretty sweet "Music for Tourists" tote bag from that show, which proudly carries my groceries from time to time.

He's from Brooklyn (so is Xiu Xiu... I assume that's why they played together). Apparently there's much wonderful music in Brooklyn! Also home to another of my favourite groups, As Tall As Lions (who I saw perform in Sydney, Australia, of all places).



I'll leave you with one of my favourite Chris Garneau lyrics from his song, Relief:
Nose to nose, eyes all closed

Where Are You?

Everyone is going to be there.

Alas...

I am in love.


I've just returned home after a glorious weekend in magnificent Montreal, where I saw easily one of the best live shows I've even seen. Andrew Bird performed at Le National this past Saturday night. A Hawk & a Hacksaw (also I surprisingly amazing group that consisted of an accordion, a violin, a trumpet, a tuba, and some percussion) opened. The crowd was very mild mannered, but after my fourth Boreal, I stopped caring whether or not my friends & I were annoying those around us with our jovial jigs. We danced the set away to backdrop of plucked violin strings skillfully layered over & over with a loop pedal, bird-like whistling, fantastic fiddling, & Buckley-esce vocals, accented by spinning gramophones that created a Doppler-like effect.

I'm really into alliterations today.

& I never said who I was in love with, & I bet you can't guess.

A Book Like This

Close to 20 years ago now, my Godmother asked my parents to hold onto some things of hers, temporarily of course, while she traveled & taught English in Japan. The story goes she fell in love with a European man & never came back. Safe to say, she's not coming back for her things, so I took a look through a box of her old books.

& behold: TREASURES! I've got the whole summer to brush up on some classic literature. Saves me a few trips to Chapters ^_^

-- click here --