Archive for January, 2008

Nicole Atkins - Neptune City

Nicole Atkins - Neptune City

This is a totally over produced album. But is has to be to handle the massive voice of Nicole Atkins.
Neptune City will really give your speakers a work out.

Vocally she is Edith Piaf/Petula Clark/Fiona Apple, kinda…

A really refreshing album. Excellent.

Nicole Atkins - ‘Neptune City‘ from the album ‘Neptune City

Nicole Atkins - ‘The Way it is‘ from the album ‘Neptune City

http://www.nicoleatkins.com/

Wiki

Siouxsie - Mantaray

Mantaray cover

This one passed me by last year, so I am just catching up with it.
Is this really Siouxsie’s first solo album? Blimey.

Well it’s a crackingly forceful set of tracks. It would be pointless to compare it to her work within the Banshees, but she has lost none of her power.

She is on tour in the UK February - March 2008.

Siouxsie - ‘Into a Swan‘ from the album ‘Mantaray

www.siouxsiemantaray.com

Wiki

Click here to buy Mantaray at Amazon.co.uk

Kate Walsh - Tim’s House

Kate Walsh - Tim’s House cover

Following on from her lovely ‘Clocktower Park’ CD, ‘Tim’s House’ is a wonderfully chilled album full of soft acoustic guitar and the even softer voice of Kate. Lovely.

Kate Walsh - ‘It’s Never Over’ from the 2003 album ‘Clocktower Park’

Nice website, shame about the auto play music. I just hate that.
http://www.katewalsh.co.uk/

Buy ‘Tim’s House’ at Amazon

Sarabeth Tucek - Sarabeth Tucek

Sarabeth Tucek cover

This debut release really shows off the lovely voice of Sarabeth. Nicely under produced, it really lets her voice shine through.

Cat Power/Nico/Aimee Mann kind of thing.

Sarabeth Tucek - ‘Something for You’ from the album ‘Sarabeth Tucek’

Check out the tracks on her MySpace, then go get the CD from Amazon

Dawn Kinnard - Devils Flame

Dawn Kinnard

Pennsylvanian throaty voiced Kinnard has her debut single ‘Devils Flame’ out now.
She is based in London UK for the moment, so look out for some of her live events.

A full album is happening later in the year. Looks promising.

Dawn Kinnard - It’s all in Your Head

http://www.dawnkinnard.com/

Tiscali have a showcase page on here over here.

Metric - Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?

Metric - Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?

The 2003 release from Emily Haines and gang, featuring the insanely catchy Combat Baby.

Metric - ‘Combat Baby‘ from the album ‘Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?

Metric - ‘IOU‘ from the album ‘Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?

http://www.ilovemetric.com

Wiki

Metric - Live it Out

Metric - Live it Out cover

Emily Haines and the boys let rip on their 2005 release Live it Out.
The DVD is out this month from the Live it Out tour.

Pop over to their website and go shopping.

Metric - ‘Empty‘ from the album ‘Live it Out

http://www.ilovemetric.com

Wiki

Takako Minekawa - Roomic Cube

Roomic Cube cover

Japanese pop/electronica. I can never work out whether it is pure genius or utterly nuts. Whichever way, I love it.

Takako Minekawa - ‘Fantastic Cat’ from the album ‘Roomic Cube

Takako Minekawa - ‘Plash‘ from the album ‘Fun9

http://www.polystar.co.jp/takako/index2.html

Wiki

Sarah Slean - Night Bugs

Sarah Slean - Night Bugs cover

All around fun girl Sarah Slean is meant to be awesome live, but I have not had the chance yet.
Some similarities to Regina Spektor from this talented Canadian.

This track is from her 2002 CD Night Bugs. A new album is scheduled for release in early 2008. Bring that one on as soon as please!

Sarah Slean - ‘Sweet Ones‘ from the album ‘Night Bugs

http://www.sarahslean.com/

Wiki

Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Knives Don’t Have Your Back

Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Knives Don’t Have Your Back cover

Last years solo release from Emily is a great album. Slow paced but fulsome.

She was previously in Metric who I am also a big fan of.

Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - ‘Our Hell‘ from the album ‘Knives Don’t Have Your Back

Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - ‘Reading In Bed (live)‘ from the album ‘Knives Don’t Have Your Back

http://www.emilyhaines.com/

Wiki

A Bad Diana (Diana Rogerson) - The Lights Are On But No-One’s Home

The Lights Are On But No One Is Home cover

Dark, very dark. But in a good way.

Long time member of ‘Nurse With Wounds’, Diana released this album last year.
Wonderfully self indulgent, and I mean that in a good way.

Laurie Anderson on valium V’s Edgar Allan Poe.

All the tracks on the album are very different, so I offer up track No.1 “Behind The Curtain Of The Sun” as the taste that got me hooked on this album. If you don’t like dark and moody stuff, don’t click.

Diana Rogerson - “Behind The Curtain Of The Sun” from the album “The Lights Are On But No-One’s Home

http://www.jnanarecords.com/

If you did click and you liked the darkness, go and check out her husbands site, Steven Stapleton, with the full madness that is ‘Nurse With Wound’
http://brainwashed.com/nww/

Sia - some people have REAL problems

Sia - some people have REAL problems cover

WhooHoo! Sia’s new CD arrived yesterday, and it’s a wonderfully strong piece of work. Her lyrics are as clever as always and the tunes up to her usual catchy standard. Fabulous. Even a few hairs-on-the-neck tingle moments.
This one is going to be on the iPod for a good long time.

Go to her website now and order a copy.

Sia - “The Girl You Lost To Cocaine” (Live KCRW 2007) from the album “some people have REAL problems

Sia - “Day to Soon” (acoustic vesion) from the album “some people have REAL problems

http://www.siamusic.net/

Look at the tour dates for the USA here (Click on ‘buy tickets’). So far only one gig in the UK planned, 9th April 2008 at KoKo in London.

London gig is sold out, but some extra dates have been added.

Previously on NotPop… Go back up to the to of the page and do a search on Sia…

Ann Brun - The Puzzle

Ane Brun portrait

The hugely talented singer/songwriter Ane Brun has released the first single from her up and coming album “Changing of the Seasons” which is due for release in March 2008.

I can’t seem to find anywhere to buy the single online yet, but here is the video for it.
Pop over to her website to subscribe to the newsletter to get the heads up on the album release date. Hopefully you will be able to buy it via her web store.

Ane Brun - “The Puzzle” from the album “Changing of the Seasons

Ane Brun - “My Lover Will Go” from the album “A Temporary Drive

http://www.anebrun.com/

Ane is doing a tour of Europe this spring (2008), with only four dates in the UK unfortunately.
Check out the full list here:
http://www.anebrun.com/liveshows

Wiki

Previously on NotPop, Ane plays in a lift!

Ruby Throat (KatieJane Garside) - The Ventriloquist

Ruby Throat - The Ventriloquist cover

Ruby Throat is KatieJane Garside, from QueenAdreena and Chris Whittingham, from, well, I don’t know where.

The album is a much more chilled affair than QueenAdreena, but her voice is as beautifully powerful as ever. Brilliant.

KatieJane Garside - “The Ventriloquist” (acapella clip) from the album “The Ventriloquist”

You can buy the limited edition The Ventriloquist direct from her/their website here:
http://www.katiejanegarside.com/

A few more tracks from the album over on the Ruby Throat MySpace

Wiki

QueenAdreena - The Butcher And The Butterfly

Queen Adreena - The Butcher And The Butterfly cover

I just love the energy this bunch pumps out.
“The Butcher And The Butterfly”, “Taxidermy” and “Drink Me” are all fine albums.

I have only recently sussed that singer KatieJane Garside has been doing some solo releases and a collaboration under the name of ‘Ruby Throat’, which are much calmer than the Queen Adreena releases. More on that later.

QueenAdreena - “Medicine Jar” from the album “The Butcher And The Butterfly”

QueenAdreena - “Pretty Like Drugs” from the album “Drink Me”

http://www.queenadreena.net/

Wiki

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