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Just heard these fine folks down at the Pickathon festival in Oregon two weeks ago. You sure Hank would've done it this way? Great stuff.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
R.I.P. Charlie Louvin
It was sad to hear the news this morning about the passing of revered country music icon Charlie Louvin, 83.
As one-half of the Louvin Brothers (along with his brother Ira who died in a car crash in 1965), Charlie developed a rich legacy of gospel and traditional music dating back to the 1950s. The Louvin Brothers had a great sense of harmony that shone through in cautionary tales about the dangers of atomic power, Satan, and drinking. Sinners, take heed!
Louvin's influence was far-reaching; his songs inspired countless artists over the years, from Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, and Gram Parsons, to Jeff Tweedy, Beck, and Jack White. I first learned of his music by way of Uncle Tupelo, who released a cover of the Louvin Brothers' "Great Atomic Power" on their album March 16-20, 1992. Here's a clip of the original, in all its harmony-soaked glory, bringing us full-circle.
Thanks, Charlie!
As one-half of the Louvin Brothers (along with his brother Ira who died in a car crash in 1965), Charlie developed a rich legacy of gospel and traditional music dating back to the 1950s. The Louvin Brothers had a great sense of harmony that shone through in cautionary tales about the dangers of atomic power, Satan, and drinking. Sinners, take heed!
Louvin's influence was far-reaching; his songs inspired countless artists over the years, from Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, and Gram Parsons, to Jeff Tweedy, Beck, and Jack White. I first learned of his music by way of Uncle Tupelo, who released a cover of the Louvin Brothers' "Great Atomic Power" on their album March 16-20, 1992. Here's a clip of the original, in all its harmony-soaked glory, bringing us full-circle.
Thanks, Charlie!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
The Wilderness of Manitoba
I just learned about this great 5-piece band from Toronto called The Wilderness of Manitoba. Very Fleet Foxish. This particular fireside performance of the song "November" from their 2010 album When You Left The Fire makes me want to go camping. Anyone seen my cowichan?
Check out more of their music here.
The Wilderness of Manitoba perform 'NOVEMBER' from Kaan Akalin on Vimeo.
Check out more of their music here.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Francophone Musique...Je t'aime...(aka Lost in Translation)
I've always had a soft spot for francophone music. There is such beauty that is conveyed in the French language; whether it be the hurt and melancholy of Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour, the jaunty camp of La Bolduc and Jean LeLoup, or the seductive passion of artists like Serge Gainsbourg and Francois Hardy.
Sadly, this love is somewhat unrequited. Despite six awkward years of taking French in school, I often have no idea what is being said by these artists and am often left to my own devices to piece together some kind of narrative. Using tools like mood, phrasing, or instrumentation, I'm able to come up with something I think is pretty close; in other words, I don't need to know what they're saying in order to get what they're saying...dig?
I've just stumbled upon an album released this week by electro-folk singer-songwriter Daniel Belanger, entitled Nous. Here's a video for the lead-off single "Reste" which I'm really liking for some reason. Is it the Beatles-esque feel to the song's rhythm? Is it Belanger's voice? Is it the faint scent of Maudite beer and smoked brie blowing in through the open window?
Je ne sais pas.
Belanger has another older video for the song "Spoutnik" that I am convinced my friend Chip made...you decide.
Belanger's website has a brief news bulletin regarding the release of Nous, en francais of course. Translated into the Queen's english (by virtue of Google's translator) it says,
Bien!
Sadly, this love is somewhat unrequited. Despite six awkward years of taking French in school, I often have no idea what is being said by these artists and am often left to my own devices to piece together some kind of narrative. Using tools like mood, phrasing, or instrumentation, I'm able to come up with something I think is pretty close; in other words, I don't need to know what they're saying in order to get what they're saying...dig?
I've just stumbled upon an album released this week by electro-folk singer-songwriter Daniel Belanger, entitled Nous. Here's a video for the lead-off single "Reste" which I'm really liking for some reason. Is it the Beatles-esque feel to the song's rhythm? Is it Belanger's voice? Is it the faint scent of Maudite beer and smoked brie blowing in through the open window?
Je ne sais pas.
Belanger has another older video for the song "Spoutnik" that I am convinced my friend Chip made...you decide.
By the way, this is pretty fun;
Belanger's website has a brief news bulletin regarding the release of Nous, en francais of course. Translated into the Queen's english (by virtue of Google's translator) it says,
"Daniel Bélanger We present, in stores today
Never two discs Daniel Bélanger not have followed so closely, but that's clearly under other skies that we conducted this time the creator. After the very land the failed equipment (2007), photo of our time and its materialistic tendencies, it offers us with a soaring love, ultra groovy stroll to two."Bien!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Missed Opportunity...Yann Tiersen
Every now and then, a show will roll through town that I inevitably miss for one reason or another (read "lack of funds or failing to get my act together before it's sold out"). Tonight's example; French composer and burgeoning rocker Yann Tiersen, whose credits include the film scores for Goodbye Lenin, Tabarly, and most famously, Amelie.
Tiersen's instrumental compositions are dreamlike; dizzying waltzes and piano ballads brimming with emotion and whimsy. Accordian, violin, and melodica lend a playful and parisienne element to his music, which can be plaintive and sad one moment...frantic and exuberant the next. His is a unique and dramatic sound, one perfectly suited for use in film scoring, yet strong enough to stand on its own merits when removed from the context of the films.
As beautiful as his instrumental work may be, it is the indie-rocker persona that Tiersen is presenting on his current North American tour, ditching the accordian in favour of an electric guitar and kicking out les jams. While the electric guitar and bass turned up sparaingly on his last studio album, Les Retrouvailles, Tiersen has come to fully embrace the rock-combo configuration as documented on his newest release On Tour, for which he is now..uh...on tour.
As exciting as it would have been to see Tiersen tonight, I'll have to settle for this great clip of him performing the song "Le Moulin" from the Amelie soundtrack.
Enjoy!
Tiersen's instrumental compositions are dreamlike; dizzying waltzes and piano ballads brimming with emotion and whimsy. Accordian, violin, and melodica lend a playful and parisienne element to his music, which can be plaintive and sad one moment...frantic and exuberant the next. His is a unique and dramatic sound, one perfectly suited for use in film scoring, yet strong enough to stand on its own merits when removed from the context of the films.
As beautiful as his instrumental work may be, it is the indie-rocker persona that Tiersen is presenting on his current North American tour, ditching the accordian in favour of an electric guitar and kicking out les jams. While the electric guitar and bass turned up sparaingly on his last studio album, Les Retrouvailles, Tiersen has come to fully embrace the rock-combo configuration as documented on his newest release On Tour, for which he is now..uh...on tour.
As exciting as it would have been to see Tiersen tonight, I'll have to settle for this great clip of him performing the song "Le Moulin" from the Amelie soundtrack.
Enjoy!
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