So here's the thing. This past week, I've been hit with a sudden case of intertia. It's like writer's block... for all of life. It sucks muchly, especially as I've got some great posts in the pipeline waiting to be written for you guys.
Dragonette @ The Phoenix, April 3 2008
This is probably embarrassing for any music blogger, but I will admit to you guys that, before last week, I had never been to a live concert. That changed with seeing Dragonette last Thursday at the Phoenix at Toronto. A full post on that upcoming, though I lack a camera so no pics of the actual event.
So, I listen to a lot of music, so acquiring new music isn't a big deal - except when I buy the physical CD. In this mp3 age, it's nice to own some CDs, and I've come into a few as of late. First off, what arrived today was my lovely Die Romantik CD, Narcissist's Waltz, a very highly anticipated one for me as the tracks I came across previously were some of 2007's best. It's too bad the band has disbanded, as they were my pick for Best Newcomer of 2007 (despite, as I recent;y found out, having played for five years unnoticed previously).
Next off, at the Dragonette concert I bought the CDs of both their support bands: Sweet Thing(Sweet Thing) and Fritz Helder and the Phantoms (Greatest Hits). Both bands impressed me, and neither was too expensive, which makes me happy. And lastly, I got my hands on a review copy of Andy Hunter's Colour, which I'll also be popping out a review for in the near future.
I should also be getting a My Latest Novel single ("When We Were Wolves") soon, bought used off Amazon purely for the b-side, which I believe is a Beach Boys cover. So completely worth it.
A melancholy, piano-led song about a girl who is disappearing into "a prison behind her eyes" while Amos watches, in the midst of a war pitting "woman against feminist". Its lyrics are enigmatic and intriguing, Amos' vocals are wonderful, the music pulls you in and drags you upwards. I'm still puzzling out the song's meaning, but its a beautiful piece of work regardless, and the best off her latest album.
Dragonette is at their best when they take a character I should have no interest in and draw me in, and this is exactly what they do here. While not being very slow, this song does have a strange softness to it, and it does express the idea that though this couple 'get a little crazy with the razor blades', they do love each other. This paradox, being able to draw you into the story of such an alien figure, and just the quality of the song that matches or beats the rest on Galore makes this a winner.
Andrew Bird at his best here. The song opens with his haunting whistling, like a bird call through am eerie mist. Bird's voice appears then, soaring through this mist with visuals of a mysterious girl with golden curls and morbid thoughts. The song is completely mysterious, but it resonates through your bones and through your body. Wonderful, and a tragic cut from Apocrypha. After this and the gems on the Soldier On EP, I would love to get my hands on any other Bird b-sides.
One of the best newcomers to come out of 2007, battling with the now-defunct Die Romantik for the title, this was a wonderful look at the potential of this band. The multiple vocalists gives it a wonderfully ghostly feeling, which works magnificently considering the fuzzy state the song is describing. The lyrics are quite interesting, with a great core theme in 'sleepdriving' that gives you the sense of needing only to escape, without any real consciousness, just instinct. The highlight is the voices, which just resonate in your chest, almost painfully beautiful.
Surprisingly, Beirut's best song this year wasn't on their much lauded new album The Flying Club Cup, but on their fantastic Lon Gisland EP. The epic nature of the band behind the music, with Zach Condon's excellent voice stirring into the mix, makes for a truly inspiring song. This feels wonderful, and that's the only way to describe it. It takes you and throws you into the sky, and you can't tell whether you're flying or falling.
A hauntingly beautiful foggy piano-based song about the circle of life, centring specifically around a pregnant woman whose soldier husband dies and leaves her alone with a child on the way. I showcased this track when I discovered it, and it's still outstanding, filling you up with ghostly vocals until you're ready to burst. Natalie Walker has one of the best voices I''ve heard.
Another former track showcase, this song has gone the rounds with remixes galore. A bouncy , angst-filled track about drifting apart, with the protagonist missing the time "when I was so strange and likeable". The lyrics here are excellent, and the music is a highlight, bouncing along. The vocals sometimes sound echoing, fitting the distance this song is about. The Con was a grower, and this one has shown itself to be the album's best.
Since I got it, I've been enchanted with The Pierces' very strong third album, and by far this was the most impressive track. A haunting, calm song with a preamble about the nature of the soul before it descends into a song about desire that, along with presenting a number of wonderful options for the wish taker, hints to the terrible potential of the scorned.
My favourite discovery of 2007, Die Romantik had an amazing, macabre sound that worked to their extreme advantage. The strained, yet immensely wonderful vocals of , combined with their particular spine-tingling sound, made their work always exemplary. The band broke up in the early days of 2008, which is especially a same considering this utter gem of a song left behind. Not buying Narcissist's Waltz in time for it to rank amongst 2007's Top 10 Albums post was a massive shame.
Soaring and nonsensical, with his voice and whistling at their glorious best, "Heretics" is a work of fantastic art, sending shivers down my spine while giving me hours' worth of musing over its mysterious lyrics. The fantastic beats make it Bird's catchiest song yet, and it doesn't surprise me that this is bringing attention to Armchair Apocrypha. Though I will be the first to say Apocrypha isn't 100% the album that The Mysterious Production of Eggs was, "Heretics" is definitely in the running against "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left" for my favourite of Bird's tracks. Excellent, excellent song that gets better every listen.
If you enjoy these songs, I strongly urge you to considerbuyingtheiralbums, because these are some of the best songs I've ever heard. If 2008 has a haul half as strong as 2007's, then it will be an excellent, excellent year.
It's been a while, but we're slowly reaching the top. It's about time, as we're knee deep into February! I have to apologise for the suspense, but that just makes it more fun. Right?
This song, though I will never properly understand its lyrics, is just utterly enjoyable. It pulls a beat through it really well, the vocals are great, the lyrics are bizarre and intriguing. White Rabbits are hard to write about coherently, so just give it a shot!
This song feels like a drugged up, high-speed ballroom dance, with colours blurring and your feet moving in ways you're not exactly trained for, but it's a rush. The vocals, dark and lush as always, make this something special. "Don't you know what it means, I forget where I am... You are everything, everything." There's something addictive in Die Romantik's style, definitely at work here.
A piano-led romp through the woods, with Alison Sudol's heavenly voice leading us through a fantasy landscape wherein we are hunted by mysterious 'rangers'. It builds up excellently for the choruses, while continuing momentum toward the climax. Beautiful piece of work.
A wonderful song, full of great sounds that, even in their seeming randomness combine to make an utterly excellent song, with horns and yells of 'Hey!' kicking it off. The lyrics, about a place 'where no cars go' seems to be an interesting fantasy, Arcade Fire-style, even if the idea of a place with no transportation isn't wholly fantastic. The whole style, with the mixed vocals, the epic instrumentation, the evacuation speech in the middle pause, all give a feel of the fantastic.
Slowing is down a little, this is an ethereal-sounding number from Jens Lekman, whose state as indie golden boy is cemented here in a passionate tribute to, well, passion. When Jens sings, 'I would never kiss anyone who doesn't burn me like the sun' you want to follow his lead, and when he continues with 'and I remember every kiss like my first kiss', you believe him. It rises to epic heights, with horns and musical fireworks over the magnificent chorus.
An utterly fun song, in every way. It's a paean to living outside the rules, forgoing rent, work and responsibility for debauchery and intimacy. It's a seductive and exciting lifestyle that translates perfectly here, in both the lyrics and the tone, with the vocals supporting it perfectly. This revels in the feelings of the 'who cares?' that lovers feel, perfectly expressing them for listeners who have never experienced it.
A cheeky, sexy story of a woman-for-hire, drenched in expensive compensation for her sexual prowess and loving it. Dragonette is unapologetic here as they spin the tale of a woman who 'feel[s] the leather of a moving car', presumably with her bare skin. The pounding beats at the beginning just drip with the feeling of importance and wealth, and the vocals are, of course, teasing, hilarious and sexy.
I didn't notice until now, but this song, apparently about a prostitute, comes just after Black Limosine, whose protagonist has a similar occupation. Feist's vocals here are crystal clear and gorgeous, fitting in with the excellent beat of this piece. Automatic foot tapping is a symptom of listening to this song, as are dancing along in your chair and utter excitement.
Patrick Park, whose hope was showcased in 'Life's a Song' and whose tiredness appeared in 'Something Pretty', shows his teeth in this biting diatribe against corporations and their amoral practises that threaten the people and the world around us. Remembering the excellent 'Pawn Song', one notes that Park has a knack for these moving issue songs, andthis is definitely no exception.
An intensely touching tribute to a mysterious dying figure, this song denies the idea of nonexistence post-death, even if the person in question lives on in their influence. The vocals are filled with raw pain, as the protagonist rages against the concept of life and death. By far the greatest offering so far from The Bravery. This song is not about a lover, that is obvious from the lyrics, and you get the sense that a beloved mentor, teacher and leader is about to die - though, according to this song, that is not the end.
Getting into some real gems here, with heavy hitters like Andrew Bird, Dragonette and The Pierces starting to surface. The lower ranks were pretty light of them, but that's mostly because they found themselves in a lot of higher spots. I considered limiting things to 1 per album, but then I realised this way was just plain more honest. Also, I've started including music videos where appropriate (athough I'm holding one back as I've already written a Music Video Showcase to post at a later date for it).
Anyhow, onto the list...
40. Andrew Bird - Imitosis (Sendspace link) Album: Armchair Apocrypha
A song I only really discovered after falling for the remix, this is a wonderful song about the mysteries of science. Andrew Bird shows off his intelligent lyricism here, telling stories of cells, mitosis and bunsen burners, all words one might have found in a science clasroom instead of one's iPod. That said, the music is far from neglected here - in fact, the Marriott Hotel chain used just instrumental pieces from this song (and others from Bird's repertoire) for their commercials. You fall in love with the music, which I have trouble properly describing in words, and begin to pay attention to the lyrics. That's when he gets you.
39. Straylight Run - This is the End (Sendspace link) Album: The Needles the Space
A quiet, lullaby-like song that opens with glittering sounds and soft vocals from female vocalist Michelle DaRosa, and continues in this quiet, calming tone with other voices joining in occasionally, for the chorus mostly. It's a quite simple song, but also quite beautiful. I've heard that the band only recently started giving DaRosa lead vocal spots, and I'm of the opinion that might be the band's best move. While male vocalist John Nolan isn't bad, DaRosa has a gorgeous voice, and his works best when supporting hers. Tracks like this highlight that fact magnificently.
One of the first Dragonette tracks that caught my attention, this song features lead vocalist Martina Sorbara taking on the guise of a mistress and, of course, loving it. Just like in songs like Take It Like a Man, she's the one with the confidence, playfully telling her beau to 'try not to blush'. She loves, not the man or being with him, but merely the danger and excitement the situation affords her. Sorbara's significant other here barely factors into the equation at all, and that's the way we like it.
37. The Pierces - Boring (Sendspace link) Album: Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge
Where the previous song was about joy from a taboo, this is all about the ennui that comes from the excess of it. A song that perfectly ties into our age of celebrity and starlet fever, this needles the Paris Hiltons of the world. When you can have everything, there's nothing left to excite you. This really is the ultimate 'be careful what you wish for' song. Not only this, but the way its sung, with the utter apathy extending even to the climax where even their life dreams, once realised, have become 'boring'. And yet, the music and the style of the singing keep it from being boring itself.
36. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Me and My Imagination (Sendspace link) Album: Trip the Light Fantastic
Sophie Ellis-Bextor knows how to make you dance, whether in a club or in your chair, and this, Trip the Light Fantastic's second single, is no different. A song about leaving an element of mystery in order to keep a relationship fun, it draws on the feeling of the 'thrill of the chase', something well translated in the music. This makes my feet tap like crazy every time I give it a listen.
35. Mika - Grace Kelly (Sendspace link) Album: Life in Cartoon Motion
This song is apparently born out of Mika's frustrations with labels' attempts to pigeonhole him into this or that sound, ironic considering some of the criticisms levelled against him for being too 'cookie cutter pop'. However, I am not one of those critics, as I thoroughly enjoy a good listen to Mika, and this is the song that pulled me in (while waiting to watch Spiderman 3 in theatres - the power of advertising!). It's delightfully bouncy and loud in all the right places, and easily applied to the common relationship issue of changing one's partner to suit one's own needs as easily as Mika's original meaning. It's a great song for walking, and (if I don't have a headache) can usually make me grin.
One of my biggest 2007 regrets is not buying the total Die Romantik debut album (of which this is the titular song), as every song from it is excellent. This follows the waltz beat, with the usual great vocals and intriguing sound. It makes me think of waltzing in a pitch dark ballroom, every dancer so well practised that they never, ever touch. Chills down my spine every time.
33. The Pierces - Lights On (Sendspace link) Album: Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge
When I describe The Pierces as 'wicked', this is one of the songs that I'm thinking about. Shameless, the protagonist is seductive and dangerous, capturing the hearts of men with a wink. My cousin Marelly compares their voices here to Gwen Stefani and sometimes it does sound like Gwen at her best. The song is so sexy, and yet oddly hilarious as well. Perfect partner to any Dragonette track.
32. Remi Nicole - Rock'n Roll (Sendspace link) Album: My Conscience & I
I have a lot of tenderness in my heart for Remi Nicole, a young black singer who fought attempts to 'r'n'b'-ize her or pigeonhole her into hiphop. While many of her lyrics show potential for growth, this song is one of her delightful best, detailing her attempts to just be herself in a music scene that doesn't want her if she doesn't rap. She's just so damn cute, and I'll forgive a lot for the pure enjoyment I get outta this track. Even if, to me, she sounds a little more like pop than rock. Who cares as long as it's good?
I found this gem via the gallant Zeon's blog (on the sidebar). At first, I wasn't sure, but then I fell hard for this song. The ethereal 'ah aaaah' in the background early on, the downbeat disco beat, and Paris' beautiful vocals translating her beautiful sadness from word to song. The lyrics are also very nice, with the lead line, "Don't say you love me, for a start, or you will be a boy with a broken heart." Like the above Narcissist's Waltz, I can practically see this song in my head, and it breaks my heart every time.
All of these have been on my 'can't stop playing' list at one point or another, excepting Narcissist's Waltz, which had to wait until I fell in love with two other Die Romantik songs to get noticed. If you enjoy these songs, I urge you to checkouttheiralbums!
NOTE: All music provided is purely for preview purposes, and we urge you to download responsibly and buy albums from the artists you like. This project is purely our way of helping spread the word about our favourite artists and, in our small way, help them out the best we can. Hurting their business is the exact opposite of our intentions here.
If an artist has concerns about anything being made available on this blog, feel free to contact us at thebringerofsong@hotmail.com and we'll be happy to take it down.
Alden (The Alden): A 17-year-old Canadian male who initiated the blog, Alden loves music. A lot. Many of his favourite singers and bands use instruments like the piano and violin over the common guitar-based band template, and values vocals and lyrics over instrumentation. Practically worships Andrew Bird.
Marelly (Wendy77): Alden's cousin, who keeps him in line and polices his tastes to make sure he doesn't embarrass himself in the indie hipster scene. Will have her own blurb soon, she promises.
PAST BLOGGERS
Jordan (CitizenofBalance): Joined Alden at tBoS in early January 2008, Jordan's interests cover a very different spectrum to his blogging partner. Prefers to listen to such genres as heavy and progressive metal, doom, psychedelic and underground Hip-Hop. Was last seen on a quest into the heart of psytrance. Exited February 2008.
