Local Music - Lindon Puffin

I had a great night out on Friday evening, heading through the Tunnel to Lyttelton to go to The Wunderbar.

The Eastern, mid dance floor. Lindon Puffin on Harmonica

Appearing at the Wunderbar were Lindon Puffin and The Eastern.

On stage with Lindon Puffin was Stefan James and the two of them played a string of Lindon's songs, and a Paul Kelly cover.

The Eastern took over and played their style of country for well over an hour.  Highlights included Hope & Wire, President of The World (a poem written by Big Ben, who performed his poem to the Eastern's backing track).  To top the night off and end the show they jumped down from the stage and came down to the middle of the dance floor and performed acoustically among the crowd.

Since Friday, I've had Lindon's "Hope Holiday" album playing on the iPod.  He's good turned up loud while you do the housework!

Here's Drive By...

Dermot O'Leary Saturday Sessions 2013

One of my joys of the internet is the way you can hear music from around the world on various podcasts, or broadcasts.  One I try never to miss is Dermot O'Leary's show on BBC2 which airs at 3pm on a Saturday UK time.  I usually listen to it on Sunday afternoons around the house.  In his show he has lots of guests and they do sessions.  These are acoustic and the artists play one of their own songs and also play a cover.  The range of choices of cover is an interesting thing - often tells you about the artists' inspirations.

So when the 2013 double disc came out of the most recent Saturday Sessions I had to order one (thank goodness for Amazon!).  5 days after its release date in the UK it turned up in my mailbox and I'm listening to it and enjoying it greatly.  It's been a busy week so I haven't had long enough to really hear the whole thing through more than once, but highlights are:-

Emeli Sande's -"Eleanor Rigby"
Dry the River's - "Homeward Bound"
The Do - "Sex on Fire"
Paloma Faith - "Into My Arms"
Maximo Park - "Heaven"
The Shins - "Simple Song"

The beauty of acoustic is it actually highlights the talent of the artist - there is no "remixing" or that horrid voice auto-tune.  It is real and raw.  Not on the disc but heard recently only a couple of weeks ago was NZ's own Gin Wigmore.  Her version of "Whatever Lola Wants" was a revelation. That girl has talent (and is fun!).

Richard Hawley

I've only really heard Richard Hawley's music in the last year.  I've picked him up on  a few live sessions on various BBC internet radio sessions, and I must admit, he's got class... and pedigree:-

For a while he was in British legend indie group Pulp (better known for  Jarvis Cocker leading the limelight) and he was also in The Longpigs (lesser known in the southern hemisphere .... although I bought "The Sun is Often Out" way back when it came out...!)

His solo work is great, and his most recent album "Standing at the Sky's Edge" has achieved quite critical acclaim, up for a Mercury Award.

I particularly like the acoustic version of "Leave Your Body Behind You".

Emeli

I think my favourite album of last year was Emeli Sande's "Our Version of Events".   It's often on high-rotate (old-skool lingo I know) on my iPod.  With the singles all released and the waiting time until album number 2 now under way,  I am absolutely loving this song that she co-wrote with Labrinth & Mike Posner ...

Here it is, "Beneath Your Beautiful" - Labrinth ft. Emeli Sande

Anika Boh & Hollie

Released just on the 1st Feb, I've been waiting for this album since seeing these three talented ladies in their acoustic tour at St Michaels, Christchurch.

I can't wait for the Winery Tour where they will perform alongside Fat Freddy's Drop and The Adults.  It promises to be a great day of New Zealand music.

Click on this Link to take you to their website where you can hear "Slipping Away" and "Be Mine"

Hometown

Another album I've been wanting to get for some time, and I finally did purchase, is Andy Burrow's "Company".  On it is the most gorgeous song, "Hometown".  Actually, there are a few gorgeous songs on this album, which is I why I bought it.

Andy is previously from Razorlight, is part of the "Smith & Burrows" project that produced the best Christmas album of 2011.  I first heard "Hometown" on a live session on Jo Whiley's BBC2 show and they had guitar trouble so he was accompanied by a cello.  Breathtaking.

I couldn't find that version, but here's another live one.  What do you think?

Hometown - Andy Burrows

Getting on the Bowie Bandwagon...

Am I fan of Bowie?

I don't own a single thing he's done, but I grew up with his music and brothers who had his albums (back in the days of vinyl, even!).  I know Bowie's music.  I can sing and play Starman and Major Tom on the guitar.  I like Labyrinth.  I think his duet with Bing Cosby is one of the best Christmas duets... but I don't know if I'm a fan.  Not in the true sense of the word.

But when I saw on  twitter last night and heard he had a new single, the first in a decade, I had to go and check it out.  It's not bad.

What do you think?

Where Are We Now - David Bowie, on Vimeo

Song for a Sunday Evening

2012 had some fantastic female artists emerge from the UK...

Emile Sande, Ren Harvieu, Lianne La Havas ... and add to that Lucy Rose.  Lucy Rose has been around for a while, often singing vocals for the Bombay Bicycle Club.  She has put out her own album "Like I Used To", and this track "Middle of the Bed" comes from that.

Middle of the Road - Lucy Rose

Summery Funk

I first heard Lianne La Havas mid year ... her music definitely has a summery sound and this album came out in the northern hemisphere's summer.  I finally got around to getting a copy.

Her style is soulful, and full of funk.  Perfect for a hot summer's day or evening.

Here's "No Room for Doubt".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f845_v41YFo  Great video too - around Montmartre.

Holiday Sounds

My life is not complete without music - I'd rather have a stereo going than the TV.  Mind you that's not hard given that there's hardly anything worth watching on at the moment.

So anyway while on holiday I've been listening to Of Monsters And Men "My Head Is An Animal" which is a great rollicking album.  Although there is a definite icelandic bjork-inspired sound to them, they also fall into the current Mumford type folk/rock genre that is so popular.

Here's a link to Little Talks.

Little Talks

I have Ren Harvieu's "Through the Night" and it's fabulous.  She has a rich voice, that sometimes reminds me of k.d. lang.

While I live in New Zealand, I listen to radio on the internet a bit, and I heard this wonderful tune on Dermot O'Leary's radio show on BBC2.  I found it on sound cloud, and although Christmas is over, I had to paste a link - it is beautiful - and this cover of Joni Mitchell's "River" was recorded live on the show.

Ren Harvieu - River (Joni Mitchell cover)