ROULETTE 27

"There is no nation of you, there is no nation of me..."


Ani DiFranco - Star Matter [Red Letter Year, 2008]

I've always been a mild fan of Ani DiFranco, never much of one to follow her work however. Her new album seems quite nice, however, and I foresee listening to it a good amount over the next few weeks. This one's a sweet little song, the first off the album to catch my attention.

Bitter:Sweet - The Bomb [Drama, 2008]

Bitter:Sweet are always great fun to listen to, and this song from their newest album is no different. There's something vaguely glamorous about Shana Halligan's vocals, and the songs are filled with the manic stylings of partner-in-crime Kiran Shahani, making the music busy, bouncy pieces of pop. This song was perfectly chosen as the theme of TV show "Lipstick Jungle" about wealthy, high-powered woman, as it feels fun, devilish and slightly dangerous.

Franz Ferdinand - Lucid Dreams [Madden NFL 09 video game, 2008]

A rollicking adventure of a song, typical of Franz, using the device of lucid dreams to explore the idea of escapism and the fun of it. Sad to hear this isn't a single from their forthcoming album, but definitely shows the gang are on full form.

The Pipettes - The Shoe That Fits (Vocal Mix) [Unreleased]

Alerted to this via Zeon, I immediately pounced on this new track from an old favourite. The Pipettes, though my listening has waned in recent months, were always a great band to listen to. Songs mostly about dancing and love or the lack thereof sung by girls with real character. Two have left to pursue solo careers, and two new girls have stepped up to the plate. This is an a capella version of the new track, ready to be remixed, and I'm a little charmed, though I'll have to see the final version.

Ten Kens - The Whore of Revelation [Ten Kens, 2008]

A quite indie band from our good city of Toronto are Ten Kens, who seem quite promising. "The Whore of Revelation" is like a bizarrely haunting, crunching carousel. Ghosts live here. Their music is a fantastic mix of music-noise and craggy vocals. While not as catchy as other bands, I'm deeply impressed with Ten Kens, and I wish them success.

Helen Lawson - Something in the Wine [Crossing the Bridge EP, 2008]

Helen Lawson is a London singer-songwriter with an absolutely beautiful voice that feels like it belongs to some bygone decade. This song is romantic, contemplative and feels like being enfolded in a cool bath. I'll be getting her full EP soon, and I fully expect to enjoy every song if they are as half as good as this one.

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