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A strange collection of tracks that really works. All bouncy happy springtime sounds, then it goes a bit psychedelically winter, then bouncy summer, then Autumnal… well something like that.
I really like it as a debut release.
Great writing and a great voice.
Rebekah Higgs – ‘Parables’ from the album ‘Rebekah Higgs’
Check out her label website Outside Music
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This girl is a devil with a guitar.
My first earful of her was with ‘Everybody Loves You’, a purely instrumental acoustic guitar CD of awesome proportions.
These two video clips really don’t do justice to her work.
You really should check her out more.
Kaki King – ‘Yellowcake’ from the album ‘Until We Felt Red’
Kaki King – ‘Playing With Pink Noise’ from the album ‘Until We Felt Red’
The Sony/BMG version on YouTube here, mine got pulled :(
Guess what, she has released aforementioned Everybody Loves You as an add-on disc to this current release. Doubly awesome. I mean, how can you resist an instrumental album with track names like ‘Steamed Juicy Little Bun’ and ‘Happy As A Dead Pig In The Sunshine’. I rest my case.
Stina Nordenstam Vs Jimmy Page
http://www.myspace.com/kakiking
Spooky, she was also on BBC Radio 4 Womans Hour this morning. You can Listen Again for the next 7 days here.
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A sweet northern lass with her own take on folk. Music and people I mean.
There have been some negative comments on her live performances, but I cannot comment on that as I have not seen her live.
Her debut CD release I can comment on. It is lovely to spend time with.
Her voice does waver around a bit like Joanna Newson, but I kinda like that.
Nancy Elizabeth – ‘Place to Shelter’
To go buy her CD or MP3′s (or even the cute red vinyl LP) head over to:
www.posteverything.com
http://www.nancyelizabeth.co.uk/ (the nav buttons on her webite didn’t work on my two Macs, but they are ok if you are on a Windows thing. I have alerted them, so hopefully that will get fixed).
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After lots of collaborative work the French singer Angele has her lovely debut album out (well, 2007, but I am just catching up).
It’s a delicately soft affair with her voice perfectly intertwined with the subtle electronica.
A bit Hope Sandoval/Cocteau Twins, but with more balls.
Check out her tracks on MySpace
Her labels website is also worth looking at: Peacefrog. (Audio on autoplay unfortunately) Check out Little Dragon, on the same label. A post on them shortly.
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This is a sweet weekend afternoon album recommended to me by Derek.
She has a third album in the works, so I look forward to that.
A bit Suzanne Vega/Rachael Yamagata.
Catherine Feeny – ‘Hurricane Glass’ from the album ‘Hurricane Glass’
Catherine Feeny – ‘Touch Back Down’ from the album ‘Hurricane Glass’
www.catherinefeeny.com Autoplay music player :(
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Our first Polish singer on NotPop I believe.
This is a really interesting album from 2005.
Trip-Hop but with a dark upbeat. There is even some Danielle Dax going on in there (whom I really must do a post on…). And some Sia…
I like it. A lot.
She is now working with her other half, Stephen Hilton, as FlyKKiller.
I must check their recent release ‘Experiments in Violent Light’. And her first solo release back in 1998, ‘Jaszczurka’.
What a nice surprise for a Sunday.
Pati Yang – ‘All That is Thirst’ from the album ‘Silent Treatment’
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Time for a delicate chill-out album from the Icelandic quartet consisting of Hildur Ársælsdóttir, Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir, Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir and Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir.
They have worked with Sigur Ros in the studio and live, so that will give you an idea of the sort of chilledness of their work.
Wiki states that “The song “Hilli” was released on December 10, 2007 as the second single from the album Kurr. It is a collaboration between Amiina and Lee Hazelwood whose vocals (the last recording before his death) are mixed with a reworked version of the original song.”
How about that…
Amiina – ‘Seoul’ from the album ‘Kurr’
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Perfect for these gloomy grey winter days. The second album from Anna is fulsome and uplifting but in a sort of melancholic self indulgent way. It’s a nice step up from her lovely intimate debut release ‘Somebody Outside’.
Anna Ternheim – ‘Girl Laying Down’ from the album ‘Separation Road’
Anna Ternheim – ‘My Secret’ from the album ‘Somebody Outside’
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I received this in the post this morning, from Ms Anonymous with a French postmark, how very intringing.
As is this CD.
I love it.
A bit Portishead trip/hop dark.
Check out her MySpace for some tracks.
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This is a much fuller sound than her previous releases.
Her voice is still as strong and delicate as ever.
She is on tour in Europe promoting the new album, doing mostly solo gigs, which I think I prefer.
I am off to see her in March in Oxford, harrah!
Check out her website for other dates.
Tina Dico talk about ‘Count to Ten’
She has a shiny new website for the release of ‘Count to Ten’
www.tinadico.com
Tina Dico YouTube Channel
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This is a really interesting debut from Jesca. It’s a really upbeat, soundtracky, alt-folksy kinda thing.
Very different, very good.
Great voice, great wit, and the percussion/instrumentation is nicely primal in places.
I am at a lose for a comparison.
Jesca Hoop – ‘Big Fish‘ from the album ‘Kismet‘
Jesca Hoop – ‘Money‘ from the album ‘Kismet‘
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Ingrid is flying high with her second release. She has been gets of lots of positive exposure on American TV shows which she often applauds for showcasing unknown artists. Well, someone has to.
Vocal similes: A more pop Regina Spektor and Emily Haines
Ingrid Michaelson – ‘The Way I Am‘ from the album ‘Girls and Boys‘
http://www.ingridmichaelson.com/
There is a sweet live gig over at NPR.
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I am generally against cover versions of great songs, as they usually add nothing to the magical originals. But this is Cat Power we are talking about. Her 2000 release ‘The Covers Record‘ proved that she can totally take ownership of a track and make it into something new and beautiful.
The musical arrangements and Cats’ dusky vocals on ‘Jukebox‘ take an overall bluesy feel and are just fabulous.
It’s out now.
Cat Power – ‘New York, New York‘ from the album ‘Jukebox‘
http://www.matadorrecords.com/cat_power/
Previously on NotPop, Cat Power – ‘The Greatest‘
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This really threw me after her previous two releases. ‘Exaltation of Larks‘ is really quite nufolk compared to her electronic upbeat 2002 ‘We Are Science‘ and the trip-pop 1999 ‘Afterglow‘ both of which are excellent.
Vocal similes: Liz Fraser but actually pronouncing words, Nicola Hitchcock with less vibrato.
Dot Allison – ‘Thief Of Me‘ from the album ‘Exaltation of Larks‘
Micro site for the album (auto play music boo hiss)
http://www.exaltationoflarks.co.uk/
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If you have been foolish enough not to buy ‘Realities‘ by Edie yet now is your chance!
For the next two weeks she is offering 2 CDs for 8 Euros.
That is stupid money to fill your head with such lovely music.
Fire up your PayPal account and get over there. (click the pic below)
Previously on NotPop, Realities