Friday 4 January 2013

Something old, something new, something borrowed #1 - what I've been listening to recently‏

Welcome to another new series on Session Bloggers.  Here we'll be talking about what we've been listening to recently.

And although no-one is getting married here today, we have decided to split the music into old, new and borrowed categories just to give a bit of variety. We've missed out the blue bit as we're worried it might limit us and no-one really wants to get to the stage where they have to listen to an album by Deep Blue Something do they?  If they did actually have more than one song, I can't really be arsed to find out.

Oh, and in true Session Bloggers' style, we will also be collating a Spotify playlist alongside the series, you can listen to a song by each of the artists featured below here - Something old, something new, something borrowed

So, anyway, to kick things off, and to give you an idea of what I'm bloody talking about :

Something old I've been listening to recently - Bobbie Gentry

I first discovered Bobbie's music when Sinead O'Connor covered 'Ode to Billie Joe' on the Warchild 'Help' album in the 90s. It was a great version but listening to Bobbie's acoustic version now just blows me away. She just has such a unique voice, and the feeling within it just makes you listen so closely to evey word.  It's only recently though that I've discovered the album of the same name and also a later album of hers 'Fancy'.

The 'Billie Joe' album is a corker, kicking off with 'Mississippi Delta', which again showcases how powerful Bobbie's vocals were. Another of my favourites on the album is 'Chickasaw County Child' with the brilliant line "Looky here dumpling, you'll go far cause you've got style" which I am going to call my album once I get around to forming a band one day. Please don't steal it.

'Fancy' is a great album too but whereas Gentry wrote all but one of the songs on 'Billie Joe', only two of the songs on 'Fancy' were hers.  The main highlight on the latter though is 'Find 'Em, Fool 'Em, Forget About 'Em' which is the song I'm going to sing at my X Factor audition when I finally make it to one.  It will be shit, I warn you now but, in true X Factor fashion, I will convince myself that I am actually good.

I still need to catch up on her other albums but, until that happens, I highly recommend you check out these two beauties.

Song added to Spotify playlist - ''Find 'Em, Fool 'Em, Forget About 'Em'


Something new I've been listening to recently - Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Okay, so they're not technically 'new' but they are 'new-ish' and they recently had a new song out and have a new album out soon, and it's my blog, so I am classing them as 'new'. 

I was actually going to include UMO in my recent blog post about '5 bands to fall in love with in 2013'. However, I'd already written about them in my '31 (yes, 31!) Bands to fall in love with in 2012' last year and didn't want to eat my own hat 2 years running as I don't think many people did fall in love with them then.

However, I believe their time has now come and here are 5 reasons why :

1. Their new single 'Swim and Sleep' is excellent and you can hear it on the Spotify playlist I'm collating. Go on, have a listen!

2. It's about time a band from New Zealand was massive, I think the last one was Crowded House. I'm probably wrong though. Flight of the Conchords definitely deserved to be as big, very funny men.

3. They will be spurred on by Tame Impala's success last year. As already mentioned, UMO are from New Zealand (well, some of them are anyway) and, if you weren't aware, Tame Impala are from Australia. There is great rivalry there and the former will be driven by that.

4. Again, to mention Tame Impala - they only really achieved mass recognition in the music press on the release of their 2nd album, UMO are due to release their 2nd album in 2013.

5. UMO are heavily endorsed by The Vaccines and they always include them on their Spotify playlists.

So there you have it. I am predicting now that they will be voted No.1 in the NME Album of the Year poll next year. I don't have any hats left in my house but will consume my favourite scarf if I'm wrong (which I probably will be).

Song added to Spotify playlist - 'Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)'


Something borrowed I've been listening to recently - #blogsound2013 playlist by @glamourfaded

When I say borrowed it might be a recommendation from someone you've seen on twitter, it might be your dad's CD you've borrowed. Here, I've just nicked a playlist from @saamFG , editor of the music/film/telly blog Faded Glamour and listened to it.

The playlist covers the shortlist of bands voted in #blogsound2013 , an annual list, voted for by 49 of the best music blogs in the UK (we're not one of them), to decide which new band is most likely to make it in 2013.

The winners this year, announced yesterday, were Haim. Worthy winners in my opinion, I must have mentioned them in nearly every blog post of mine since we launched so won't talk about them anymore in this one.

It's a crackin' playlist. Other acts we feel are worth a mention are Palma Violets (okay, so it's an obvious comparison, but they're a bit Libertines-y), Chvrches (electro band from Glasgow, very catchy), AlunaGeorge (remind me a bit of Morcheeba, very good), Curxes (like a more frantic version of Siouxie and The Banshees, definitely a grower), Laura Mvula (beautiful, soulful vocals, great harmonies, love this one), Rhye (nice - sorry that's a bit of a shit description I just can't think of anything else to say at the moment) and Daughter (slow, dreamy vocals. Quite nice). But have a listen and decide for yourself. And remember there's only one song by each artist on the playlist, you need to listen to some more of their stuff to get more of an idea as to the depth of their sound (apologies if that sounds a bit wanky).  Anyway, the playlist is here if you want to have a listen, well worth it - Blog Sound Of 2013 Longlist

Song added to Spotify playlist - 'Send me down' by Haim


So there we go. If you fancy writing a similar post for Session Bloggers about what old, new and borrowed music you've been been listening to recently then please comment below or contact me on twitter - @sessionblogger - and I'll get in touch.

Thanks for reading, if you've skipped bits here and there, I really don't blame you.

Love

Simon S.
xx

6 comments:

  1. You don't like Blue then? The boy-band: absolutely not! A bit of Muddy Waters wouldn't go amiss tho ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha! When Simon went solo I quite liked his song that went 'no worries, no worries', does that count?

      I like the Muddy Waters angle, maybe next time it should be 'Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blues' - fancy writing something for this too? :)

      Delete
    2. Your knowledge of boy-bands is clearly superior to mine: I have to confess I don't know that one! And since you ask so nicely...

      Delete
  2. And now that I've actually read your post...

    Love Bobbie Gentry! Her voice is pure sex

    I'm from NZ & I haven't heard of UMO _ for shame! I'll have a listen! And yes Split Enz / Crowded House are about the only major international success we've yet had. There's Ladyhawke but they have only a cult following really.

    I haven't warmed to Haim yet, I'll have a listen to that too. "Thank you for the music" mate :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cheers for the comments fella, I love Ladyhawke, her last album was very underrated.

    ReplyDelete