Glasvegas

Glasvegas are a four piece band from Glasgow.

Yes folks our first Scottish band of 2009, and they are a beaut.

Their sound is solidly based on the ever reliable three-chord trick and heaps of reverb. It worked for Phil Spector and  come to think of it – just about every body else since then (“Born To Run” anyone). Add some singalong choruses and big guitars (they don’t hurt either).

Let’s start with “Daddy’s Gone“. It’s a song about son dealing with his parents divorce. All done with the aforementioned big sound, doo wop chorus and break your heart lyrics. With lines like

“What kind of way is that to treat your wife?
To see your son on Saturdays
What kind of way is that to live your life?”
And then the refrain
“He’s gone, he’s gone”

Check it out…

My favourite quote about the so far , from the BBC

Glasvegas’ music sounds like the east end of Glasgow that gave birth to it; rough, raw and epic, it is a stunning wall of sound that strains the rich rockabilly and doo-wop of the 50s through the raucous brooding rock of The Jesus And Mary Chain to create something timeless.

Well, I don’t know about timeless but Glasvegas have been on the MP3 player since late last year and show no signs of leaving.

Highly Recommended

Websites at www.myspace.com/glasvegas or glasvegas.net

Researching for a new website I’m designing – I was looking for a reference to a book of pictures about cemetery statuary called “Stone Angels” that I remember seeing some years ago. Instead of the book though I found this duo.

Take two voices, two guitars and two talented women, mix vigorously to make the most of them. From Ontario in Canada come the Stone Angels.

Gloria Martin and Anjhela Michielsen have created a repertoire featuring classic, metal and modern pop music arranged to make the most of their harmonies.

There is not a lot that I can tell you as they have precious little on their website. There are a number of samples of their musical repetoire, checkout Audiologt in the menu. I recommend their version of “Jolene”, very pretty. Oh and if anyone knows where I can get a copy of the book by the same name – I’d be grateful.

The Hazey Janes are from Dundee in Scotland and have been together since 1999 (another overnight sucess story). Big guitars, and a wonderful power pop sound are the basis of their act, “New York” is the title of their latest release and when I lesten to the band I figure they would fit right in.

It’s heading towards winter here so I decided to pick “The Autumn Song” to get the long weekend off to a good start. I really love the production of this one, clever ideas and great harmony work show off the vocal talents of Alice and Andrew, both of whom have strong musical backgrounds. But you should really checkout the rest of the material over at www.myspace.com/thehazeyjanes
and just enjoy it all.

Here is the video for “New York” (there is only a 60 sec snippet at MySpace)..

There really is something special about Scottish bands. Recommended

Website at www.myspace.com/thehazeyjanes

If none of the above set off little flags of recognition then I guess it is safe to say that Western popular culture has not been part of your life for the last 30 plus years. For the rest of us, welcome to my life and the website for Jackson Browne.

Recently I was sent this link and told that samples of his songs were available there. Yep there sure are and I, like many of my contemporaries who have at least one if not more of his “must have” albums by this man, know a good many of those songs.

Jackson Browne is a wonderfully influential singer songwriter who was writing EMO songs long before the label was invented. Many of his songs have stood the test of time and live on in radio station playlists and in our memories. But more than that, he has a social and political conscience that is reflected in his lyrics and he is not afraid to act when there is something that needs to be done.

His songs, his voice and his words have helped colour the musical backdrop for a generation. Once heard who can forget the haunting finger picking that accompanies his romantic voice that sounds like an aching heart would.

So even if you know and love his music and even more so if you are new to it – treat yourself and have a listen to his discography and discover a whole new world through the words of Jackson Browne.

Head to his website, choose an album, pick a title, put on your headphones, turn up the volume and let him rock you on the water and sing his songs to you.

Alejandro Lerner is an Argentine super pop musician. At school he learnt piano and his career began at the age of 17 when he was invited to play in a band with popular Argentine musician Raul Porchetto and his band. Lerners popularity rose when he formed his own band and began to write rock ballads. Thirty years later he is the acknowledged voice of Argentine popular music.

He has written a swag of classic songs, many of them hits in the Latin world. He has broadened his musical horizons by moving to the States. He has earned the respect of his peers and continues to woo a huge Latino audience. He has written music for television, won awards and released numerous (and I’m not kidding) recordings.

His voice is light, melodious and easy to listen to as is his music. It neither challenges nor offends, it just is. The website for Alejandro Lerner autoplays samples of his songs. If you check out his discography there are samples from each recording. They give you a taste of his tasteful music. Expect anything from lounge through to soft rock.

Here he is with the promo video for “Dentro De Me” which is on his 2003 release “Buem Viaje”.

The Raconteurs was formed by musicians who had played together over the years. They had already made their reputations individually in various bands including Jack White who was part of White Stripes on guitar, vocals and keyboards and Patrick Keeler on drums and Jack “LJ” Lawrence on bass guitar from the Greenhornes. Brendan Benson on guitar, vocals and keyboards was a solo musician in his own right.

According to Wikipedia they are also known as The Saboteurs in Australia as the name Raconteurs is already in use in Queensland.

Their first album “Broken Boy Soldiers” released in 2006 was an intriguing and interesting debut from this band. The album was a success and the new album called “Consolers of the Lonely” released last week is as likable as their debut offering.

I must say though that the track “Salute Your Solution” would not have been my choice as first track off the rank – as I think it is manic rather than lively, mostly though it lacks the finesse that the other tracks display.

As this is a Saturday Samples, it indicates the material available for listening to on their websites is limited. A good selection of six samples taken from both of their albums is on their MySpace site.

Artist: The Raconteurs – Saturday Samples
Website:www.myspace.com/theraconteurs
Track Name: various samples
Playback: flash
Download?: No

So I wanted my offering on this lovely Autumn weekend to be something in keeping with the season. It’s a very round about route that brings me to the Ogmore Valley Male Voice Choir or as it is in Welsh – Côr Meibion Cwm Ogwyr under the musical diection of Eira Paskin. Let’s just say that the music suits my mellow mood this chilly Friday evening.

I work with an extraordinary woman of the Welsh persuasion who told me about singing in a Welsh choir. There are a few of them out there and I have chosen this particular choir with no agenda in mind other than that they are Welsh and they are a choir.

The Ogmore Valley , which is found in the heart of the South Wales valleys, has had a proud history in being a provider of musical entertainment over the past one hundred years. However, with the decline of the mining industry, came a decline in the choral activities of the area. In 1982, a number of friends who had an interest in male voice choir music, decided it was time for the valley to be placed back on the map of Welsh Choral Music. Under the guidance of the late Glyn Stephens as musical director, and Jean Davies as accompanist, they set about building up the choir’s membership and repertoire. The choir has developed over the years,2007 being its twenty fifth birthday.

Saturday Samples indicates that the available music consists of brief passages from a selection of tunes taken from the albums that they have for sale. I recommend the track Myfanwy (as featured in Very Annie Mary, a feature film released in May 2001.) So happy listening and happy Easter all.

Artist: Ogmore Valley Male Voice Choir
Website: website.lineone.net/~phildavies/choir.html
Playback: mp3/flash Samples only
Download?: Yes

It’s a good time to tell you about Bob Fox because he is currently touring our shores and those of our little sister New Zealand. His farewell gig will be on Friday the 28th of March at the Albert Park Yacht Club. The venue is quite small and intimate – so booking early is recommended. I hope my tickets have been booked.

Now then, Bob Fox is a Geordie from the North east of England. He is a singer of traditional songs with a very fine set of singing equipment and guitar player to match. His repertoire is from the Scots and Irish and many songs from his own part of the world, including those songs celebrating the rich culture of coal mining and steelworking as well as varied clutch of contemporary material.

He worked for many years in duos first with fiddler Tom McConville and then with Stu Luckley but has since struck out on his own as a solo performer. He has played at folk festivals and clubs in Britain, continental Europe, north America, and Australia.and won audiences over with his rich voice. He also has an impressive collection of albums that he has recorded over the many years of his career.

So on to the samples – let’s just say that is a bit of a misnomer as there are almost complete songs that just end very abruptly. I really suggest that you have a listen if you are not familiar with this English singer. First I suggest you take a stroll over to Iconic Music for a listen to the beautifully picked My Love Is In America and Dance To Your Daddy, then move over to his MySpace site to pick up another three songs of which the Northumbrian A U A Hinny Burd is my choice, follow that with a video recording of Taking on Men.

Artist: Bob Fox – Saturday Samples
Website: www.bobfoxmusic.com/
Playback: mp3 + flash
Download?: Yes + No

It’s funny how easily it is for me to get sidetracked. As a for instance, I was checking out an Iranian artist to bring to you today and instead he will be held over till next week.

Why? You may well ask. Put yourself in my shoes and imagine hearing a piece of music that plugs itself into your brain and then storms your senses. I had one of those experiences this drizzly Melbourne evening.

I was listening to a a new age compilation called “Namasté” released in 2003 by an indie label called Real Music. You can listen to samples from the album both at Real Music or even more samples at Amazon. I also quote from their website:

Within contemporary sacred, or new age, music are contained patterns that stimulate the body to awaken and release a vibration. The music ostensibly is coming from the outside into the ear but actually permeates the body, causing the body to “sing” a different resonance, an awakening and cocooning vibration. This vibratory stimulus provides enormous benefits on its own and is particularly powerful when combined with other stress-relieving and rejuvenating therapies such as massage, yoga, reiki, tai chi and so forth.

Myself being a particularly non spiritual as well as an out and out skeptic was moved to introspection by the piece called “End of Suffering”. It is a delicate and uplifting piece that had the goosebumps running footraces from the inside out. So I pilfered their podcast for your listening pleasure. The track in question “End of Suffering” is the very first. Enjoy.

I have no idea if the above benefits resulted but I commend the vocals of Buddist Phap Niem and music by Gary Remal Malkin to you. To be fair the album has a number of evocative tracks but for me this is the standout.

Australia Day is a National public holiday during which we are all encouraged to chuck prawns on the barbie and whack a small red leather covered cork ball with a paddle shaped length of willow. This is considered, by some, to be fun.

Since neither past-time appeals I shall instead concentrate on illuminating you about one of Australia’s most gifted, albeit now defunct band – the indigenous Warumpi Band; and while no post about the Warumpis would ever be complete with out the contribution of their token white dude – Neil Murray, but since he is a talent in his own right – I’ll leave him for another day.

With a career that spanned nearly twenty years and ended in 2000, the Warumpis originated in the Northern Territory Aboriginal settlement of Papunya. They played a brand of vibrant and raucous rock and roll in both their native aboriginal language and English. Their music took them from desert outback obscurity and their fame took them around the world.

Founded by Sammy and Gordon Butcher, Neil Murray and George Rrurrambu they recorded and toured extensively. The recent years have seen the members move onto solo projects.

Some samples of the Warumpi Band can be heard at www.neilmurray.com.au/wb_sounds.html.

Artist: Warumpi Band
Website: www.neilmurray.com.au/about_wb.htm
Track Name: samples
Playback: mp3
Download?: Yes