“Talk Pyramids” is the sixth episode of The Light in Demos, a video project produced, written, directed, recorded, shot and edited by The Tallest Man on Earth.
Posts Tagged ‘singer songwriter’
The TALLEST MAN ON EARTH – ” Talk Pyramids ” Ep. 6 of The Light in Demos
Posted: October 13, 2017 in MUSICTags: singer songwriter, Sweden, The Light In Demos, The Tallest Man On Earth
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FENNE LILY – ” Three Oh Nine “
Posted: October 10, 2017 in MUSICTags: Bristol, Fenne Lily, singer songwriter
The band element in ‘Three Oh Nine’ came from it being written when I was feeling small, so I knew it needed to be recorded big,” explains Lily. “I wanted to sound less alone.”
This new track follows a handful of standalone, self-released cuts and collaborations with local pals Oliver Wilde, Slonk, ThisisDA, and Tamu Massif. Lily also teamed up with New Zealand’s Aldous Harding for her recent record Party, which was recorded in Lily’s home city.
Lily is due to tour with Siv Jakobsen, Sivu, and Paul Thomas Sanders from next month across “some of the UK’s most beautiful venues”
FENNE LILY – ” Bud “
Posted: October 8, 2017 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSICTags: Bristol, Fenne Lily, singer songwriter
Bristol singer/songwriter Fenne Lily captures the fine lines of experience in a truly unique and enigmatic way. On ‘Bud’, the singer triggers vocal intensity and delicacy with aching ease.
Lily is certain to find universal appeal. In the meantime, before the majority wake up to the stirring intimacy of Fenne Lily’s folk-pop sound, we will savour every second of her ascent to wider familiarity. The new single proceeds a small tour circuit around the UK, commencing on 16th November in London.
Fenne Lily’s new single ‘Bud’ is out now.
LIV CARTLEDGE – ” Timber ” EP
Posted: October 5, 2017 in MUSICTags: Australian, Liv Cartledge, singer songwriter, Timber EP
Liv Cartledge has spent most of her life playing music, busking on the streets of Beechworth, Australia as a child, and playing pub gigs as she got older. All this practice has clearly paid off, with the Victorian singer-songwriter releasing the astonishingly genuine “Timber” EP.
Following the release of her debut single ‘Please Stop Messing About’ back in 2015, she’s been biding her time, honing her craft, and polishing off five tracks of stark, honest, and introspective lyrics. The end result is a beauty, those lyrics brought to life through wistful, folk-styled instrumentation, and delivered with Cartledge’s gorgeous, raspy voice.
With a unique style of songwriting that many accomplished musicians with years of experience would envy, Timber feels like equal doses of talent and hard work coalescing into one, with the potential to take the glowing embers of Cartledge’s early promise and build a bonfire.
LAURA MARLING – ” Semper Femina ” Best Albums Of 2017
Posted: October 4, 2017 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSICTags: Best Albums Of 2017, Laura Marling, Semper Femina, singer songwriter
This past year has brought on a new wave of feminism, and with it, the most strikingly feminine album I have heard. At 27 years of age, by U.K. singer-songwriter Laura Marling who has crafted a collection of intimate, emotionally rich songs that seek to explore the female gaze turned on itself. Semper Femina which is Latin for “always woman”..
This is Marling’s conscious edit of a cautionary phrase from Virgil’s Aeneid: Varium et mutabile semper femina. (“Woman is ever a fickle and changeable thing.”) In fact, it is precisely the mutability and complexity of women, in our relationships to each other and to the world around us, that Marling celebrates within these nine vignettes. From the darkly sensual album opener, “Soothing,” which banishes with love an unwelcome lover, to the coda, “Nothing Not Nearly,” which concludes “nothing matters more than love,” she gets to the heart of the beautifully multifaceted nature of women — and, indeed, of Laura Marling herself. Personally, I am deeply grateful to her for the gift of this panoramic view of ourselves: We need soothing. We can take away your pain. We need beauty. We cry sometimes. We sing. We put up a fight. We need to be free. We love you. We are the muse, but also the artist. We were wild once, and must remember. Semper Femina.
The characters in Marling’s songs feel like real people—often restless, frequently viewed from afar and almost uniformly mysterious in their motivations. Despite all her growth over the past decade—which has included adding a soulful bounce to her occasionally brittle hooks and orchestral heft to her simpler arrangements—Marling remains at heart a folksinger who uses the foundational elements of songcraft to express abiding truths. And like any great folk singer, she has created an album of songs whose sounds and sentiments are much weightier than they might appear.
The TALLEST MAN ON EARTH – ” Bird Flew By ” (Nick Drake Cover) Ep. 5 of The Light in Demos
Posted: September 30, 2017 in MUSICTags: Kristian Matsson, singer songwriter, The Light In Demos, The Tallest Man On Earth
“Bird Flew By” (Nick Drake) is the fifth episode of The Light in Demos, a video project produced, written, directed, recorded, shot and edited by The Tallest Man on Earth.
The Tallest Man on Earth launched a new video series called “The Light in Demos,” where he will debut new material every two weeks. In an introductory monologue that references Bill Callahan’s “To Be of Use,” he explains, “I’m going to be making these videos because I want to be a part of us inspiring each other to figure this out, to do cool things, to feel and practice love in our hearts. The Tallest Man on Earth has revealed that he will not be touring or releasing a new full-length album this year, he recently shared a collaborative EP with New York-based chamber ensemble yMusic. His last record was 2015’s Dark Bird Is Home.
The TALLEST MAN ON EARTH – ” All I Can Keep is Now ” Ep. 4 of The Light in Demos
Posted: September 29, 2017 in MUSICTags: Kristian Matsson, singer songwriter, The Light In Demos, The Tallest Man On Earth
These past two weeks have been a little crazy, but the good kind (I practice a few different ones). Finally I managed to sit down in front of the camera for a second,
“All I Can Keep is Now” is the fourth episode of The Light in Demos, a video project produced, written, directed, recorded, shot and edited by The Tallest Man on Earth.
The Tallest Man on Earth launched a new video series called “The Light in Demos,” where he will debut new material every two weeks. In an introductory monologue that references Bill Callahan’s “To Be of Use,” he explains, “I’m going to be making these videos because I want to be a part of us inspiring each other to figure this out, to do cool things, to feel and practice love in our hearts. The Tallest Man on Earth has revealed that he will not be touring or releasing a new full-length album this year, he recently shared a collaborative EP with New York-based chamber ensemble yMusic. His last record was 2015’s Dark Bird Is Home.
ALDOUS HARDING – ” Elation “
Posted: September 28, 2017 in MUSICTags: Aldous Harding, singer songwriter
In anticipation of the coveted Silver Scroll Award, Lyttelton chanteuse Aldous Harding has shared a stand-alone single titled ‘Elation’. The graceful acoustic arrangement was recorded in Bristol during the sessions for the songstress’ sophomore offering Party. with John Parish:
Harding’s tune ‘Horizon’ is nominated for the aforementioned Silver Scroll Award, alongside an all-lady shortlist which includes Lorde, Bic Runga, Chelsea Jade and Nadia Reid. The ceremony is being held in Dunedin this evening. In the meantime, soak up ‘Elation’ below…
JULIA WELDON – ” Comatose Hope “
Posted: September 26, 2017 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSICTags: Comatose Hope, Julia Weldon, singer songwriter
As backstories go, the one for Comatose Hope is rather unique and literally life-altering: as a result of gender affirming surgery, Julia Weldon slipped into a coma. Across 11 songs, Weldon chronicles the sensations, feelings, emotions, and experiences of the year she spent recovering from that trauma. The result is a rich, organic, and independently released album bursting at the seams with ebullient energy that’s firmly rooted in the folk and Americana traditions while delivering copious nods toward pop accessibility.
The genius of Comatose Hope comes from how Weldon and producer Drew Gordon were able to cobble together familiar alt-country and alt-folk signifiers into a recognizable whole, while still creating ample space for Weldon’s own ideas and personality to shine. She wields a clear-eyed alto with equal parts grace and strength, though she’s comfortable flipping into falsetto or permitting some dust and dusk into her vocal tone when the song calls for it.
The rhythm section is sublime and understated, providing the base around which the various keyboard and synth sounds can swoop and swirl. The edges of the music are frequently rounded out by small string swells, but they’re introduced to the arrangements only when necessary, instead of feeling like a cheesy and cliched element.
While most classic singer-songwriter types certainly “write what they know,” these tunes are packed with the additional emotional resonance that comes from Weldon knowing that she almost didn’t get to make this album. Also, most records that contend with dense themes like life, death, rebirth, redemption, grace, and forgiveness don’t comes from a place of intimate familiarity with the “what ifs” and “what could have happened” like this one.
“Kaleidoscope” embraces the initial rush of passion when you first fall in love with someone, mixed with the nerves of learning how to express those feelings. On “Comatose Hope,” Weldon croons a blissful thank-you note to all of her family, friends, and fans who loved, cared for, and supported her during her coma and recovery.
With “Take Me to the Water,” we hear an artist use the theological metaphor of baptism to great effect as she seeks a fresh start post-coma. But my favorite tune might be “Cursed and Blessed,” complete with a description of post-surgery hospital life that is refreshing in its honesty and lack of sugarcoating. I specifically love this stanza:
“I watch my heart beat on a machine
Faces come with tears between
A Post-It note says I’ll be here for a while
I hope that’s a promise I can’t keep.”
Comatose Hope is both an affirmation of the power of hope and a testament to the growing talents of Julia Weldon. She has effortlessly fused the world-weariness of Emmylou Harris with the pop adornments of Shawn Colvin and in-your-face attitude of Ani DiFranco to create a record that’s emotionally aware and unafraid. And that’s all I really want out of a confessional folk record – it can be adorned and well-appointed with all the trappings of classic folk, but what I really need it to believe you.
And I believe in the hope that sustained Julia Weldon during and after her coma.
thanks to Adam Newton for the words and bringing this artists to my attention,
TOMBERLIN – ” At Weddings “
Posted: September 26, 2017 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSICTags: At Weddings, Kentucky, Louisville, Owen Pallet, Sarahbeth Tomberlin, singer songwriter
There needs to be a word for “love at first sound,” because although rare, it has happened more than once over the years. And it’s always late at night, when I find myself scouring the internet in search of humanity. I found it in album by Lemolo Also on Kyle Morton at the end of sometime last year , and now in Tomberlin, as “You Are Here” softly announces, “I am here and nowhere else and you are all I want.” Musician Owen Pallett proudly calls this work, “absolutely the most beautiful record I’ve ever worked on,” which he contributed to, mastered and produced. It’s the product of a one Sarahbeth Tomberlin, from Louisville, Kentucky, and like the others on this list, she’s only a fifth of a century old. It echoes and sways, ebbs and flows, lingering long into the night and hopefully in the genre of ambient folk.
The Fat Angel Sings 