A slice of music

[bironic]

I tuned in online to my favorite radio station from home for the first time in months yesterday. In less than an hour, a song came on that I'd never heard before but fell in love with. It's called Mykonos and it's by an indie band from Washington called Fleet Foxes. Starts out gentle and lovely and shifts halfway through to CSNY-style harmonies. Their song Blue Ridge Mountains is nice, too, with shades of Tricky's "Excess" and Ryan Star's "Brand New Day," but in the folk tradition. To me, anyway. I've been accused of ruining music by comparing it to other stuff it sounds like. Give it at least a minute before judging; the sound changes.

While we're on the subject of songs you can't stop listening to right up until you can't stand them anymore, there's Mount Wroclai (Idle Days) by Beirut (in the streaming Flash player up top). It's kind of like if Morrissey sang for an Eastern European version of the Decemberists. I do love waltz beats, and this has hand-struck drums to boot. There's a live version or two that make the drums sound even cooler, although the instruments clash a couple of times in the first and the sound maxes out in the second.

And while we're puttering around in my YouTube favorites, have you all heard of Jacques Brel? Do you know his song/poem/jazz performance "Ces gens-la"? I first came across it in college via a cover by the French rock band Noir Désir. The original is something to be witnessed. Here's Brel singing it in a studio while someone plays piano. And then here's a more dramatic performance, with English subtitles.

Oh, hey, look -- Wikipedia says Brel influenced Beirut. There's a happy connection for you. He also did "La Mort," which became David Bowie's My Death, another of my all-time favorites.

What've you been listening to lately?

Comments

[kassrachel.livejournal.com]

Lately I've been listening to Blitzen Trapper; on their album Furr there is a song by the same name, about a boy who turns into a wolf when he's 17, which I find utterly gorgeous. (See them perform it live here on YouTube.) They're kind of neo-1970s folk; I love their harmonies.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

I was expecting a German metal band, you realize. :) That song is eminently pleasant. I shall be checking out more of their music. Thanks!

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Congrats! I hope you're doing something to celebrate the completion of the grading, at least.

And, thank you! Lost you in the second paragraph, huh? That's a new record, I think. :)

(Screened your comment because this isn't a locked post.)

[lanthano.livejournal.com]

Dude, I love both Beirut and the Fleet Foxes. Maybe also check out Yeasayer and Grizzly Bear? (And if I've just proved myself irredeemably indie rock, and if I haven't mentioned her before, you should listen to Gillian Welch, especially if you're into the folk tradition.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Cool, yeah, thanks. WFUV plays Gillian Welch, but I haven't heard of the other two. Will check out.

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

I'm sure this post was about other things but JACQUES BREL *flail*. Although most of my exposure has been via "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris" with its awesome English translations (My Death is one of them, btw, I think they were almost all done by Shuman/Blau). I've got a lot of the originals, too, although I'd never heard the one you mentioned above. I have watched documentaries, seen various stage shows, and own the bizarre movie version as well lol. So... yes, for once, I've heard of him XD

DAAS also covered both "The Middle Class" and "Sons Of...", which I was also delighted about at the time :D

[bironic.livejournal.com]

I wish I'd appreciated Brel more when the musical came to Boston my senior year of college. As it is, I haven't seen it, and have only started to realize exactly how much of a genius he was recently. Recently as in, like, the past two weeks.

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

You could start here. Or, if there's anything you might want a preview of, just let me know. Brilliance should be appreciated :D

Edit: Obviously, given my username, I must pimp this as well XD

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Lovelycakes. I shall explore these as a reward when my work is done next week. (Or perhaps before, in a fit of procrastination I really cannot afford. Kind of like this one right now.)

[azdaja-dafema.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love Mykonos. Oh, I do have to say "if Morrissey sang for an Eastern European version of the Decemberists" is an amazing image in my head that will be with me all day.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Ha, thanks. :) I'm glad you love the song too. I'm happy when I can share something that someone else likes as much as I do.