Folk Music Sunday
"Folk Music Sunday!" really isn't a catchy title. Maybe I should have waited till Friday to make this post? Oh well.
I made a mix of Josh Ritter songs for a friend recently and I figured I would share it. I find it incredibly difficult to rec a single Josh Ritter song, because I have so many favourites. (In fact, after MCR and IAMX, Josh Ritter is my most-listened-to artist on my mp3 player.) Anyway, I think this mix would provide a good introduction to his music.
joshritter.zip (15 tracks, ~90mb) (to download: "music" + "allnightlong")
The mix is not chronological, but it includes the following: You've got his earlier straight-up folk music which has a gravelly country quality -- such as 'Harrisburg'. (Fun fact about Josh: he went to college to study neuroscience, but changed his major to the history of folk music. He is PRECIOUS. And really lucky that life plan did not backfire. ;) Then his music gradually got smoother and poppier, whilst still remaining quintessentially folksy -- such as in 'Snow Is Gone' and 'Lillian, Egypt'. His most recent album is his most interesting, as he finally succeeds in effectively mixing genres. 'Rumors' is absolutely stunning bluesy rock. 'Empty Hearts' is a silky piece of pop. And 'To the Dogs Or Whoever' is impossible to catigorize.
I've been listening to Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies a lot recently. Apart from a slight tendency towards a discordant "experimental" sound, I think their music is excellent. (Unpopular opinion: I think a lot of indie bands could benefit from being on a major label -- in the same way that most authors improve as a result of having some of their quirks planed out at a big publishing house.) It's easy to make a comparison to Counting Crows, because Brian Wright and Adam Duritz have similar qualities to their voices, but BW&tWTs (catchy acronym!) are actually a lot more edgy and interesting than CC. While CC are technically better, they're also firmly headed down the middle of the road. BW&tWTs have a more bluesy, desperate edge to their songs that I really like.
Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies - Over and Again (to download: "music" + "allnightlong")
If I were a cheesy music reviewer, I would remark on how this song begs to be listened to "over (and over) again"! But seriously, I defy you not to be hooked before the chorus even kicks in.
Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies - Morning Cigarettes
I'm not sure I have a favourite Brian Wright song yet, but this might well be it. It's smooth and soothing and extremely catchy.
Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies - Downtown Eloise
When I saw Brian Wright live, he dueted this song with Catherine Feeny. I'm not even a big fan of Catherine Feeny, but boy-girl duets are my #1 musical kink and I pretty much died on the spot. It was SO PRETTY. I mourn not having a recording of that duet. But this non-duet album version is good, too.
Lastly, a meme:
1. First Name: Nicola. I could lie and say that's just my internet alias, but... no. If I were to choose an internet alias, I would pick something that more Americans could pronounce correctly.
2. Age: 24. Horrific! Nah, actually, 24's been okay to me so far.
3. Location: Bristol, England. AKA. the new hip place to live... if you're a TV character (see: Skins, Being Human)! Sadly, the same does not apply to real people. It's still a hole, IMO.
4. Occupation: My job title is, hilariously, "writer", which makes it sounds like I have attained my life's ambition of writing for a living. In fact, I get paid a shade over minimum wage to do a junior level of PR consultancy stuff, which involves writing whatever is thrown at me. Press releases, articles, presentations (for other people), reports, etc.
5. Partner: Nope.
6. Kids: Nope.
7. Brothers/Sisters: I have an older sister.
8. Pets: I have some fish. They don't really count. I'm hoping my parents will get a puppy soon, so I'll be able to enjoy the fun parts of pets (SNUGGLES) without the annoying responsibility. ;)
9. List the 3-5 biggest things going on in your life:
Oh, oy.
a. Trying not to screw up my new job.
b. Working on my original fiction.
c. Learning to drive. (Ahahaha, STILL. More due to a lack of drive motivation than being a terrible driver. I'm actually a good [albeit nervy] driver. If there were no other cars on the road, I would be the best driver ever.)
10. Parents: I have them. They're endearingly co-dependent still married.
11. Who are some of your closest friends? Oh yikes, I don't know. I seem to have done a bang-up job of drifting apart from most of my friends during the last few years. Uh, oops?
I made a mix of Josh Ritter songs for a friend recently and I figured I would share it. I find it incredibly difficult to rec a single Josh Ritter song, because I have so many favourites. (In fact, after MCR and IAMX, Josh Ritter is my most-listened-to artist on my mp3 player.) Anyway, I think this mix would provide a good introduction to his music.
joshritter.zip (15 tracks, ~90mb) (to download: "music" + "allnightlong")
The mix is not chronological, but it includes the following: You've got his earlier straight-up folk music which has a gravelly country quality -- such as 'Harrisburg'. (Fun fact about Josh: he went to college to study neuroscience, but changed his major to the history of folk music. He is PRECIOUS. And really lucky that life plan did not backfire. ;) Then his music gradually got smoother and poppier, whilst still remaining quintessentially folksy -- such as in 'Snow Is Gone' and 'Lillian, Egypt'. His most recent album is his most interesting, as he finally succeeds in effectively mixing genres. 'Rumors' is absolutely stunning bluesy rock. 'Empty Hearts' is a silky piece of pop. And 'To the Dogs Or Whoever' is impossible to catigorize.
I've been listening to Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies a lot recently. Apart from a slight tendency towards a discordant "experimental" sound, I think their music is excellent. (Unpopular opinion: I think a lot of indie bands could benefit from being on a major label -- in the same way that most authors improve as a result of having some of their quirks planed out at a big publishing house.) It's easy to make a comparison to Counting Crows, because Brian Wright and Adam Duritz have similar qualities to their voices, but BW&tWTs (catchy acronym!) are actually a lot more edgy and interesting than CC. While CC are technically better, they're also firmly headed down the middle of the road. BW&tWTs have a more bluesy, desperate edge to their songs that I really like.
Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies - Over and Again (to download: "music" + "allnightlong")
If I were a cheesy music reviewer, I would remark on how this song begs to be listened to "over (and over) again"! But seriously, I defy you not to be hooked before the chorus even kicks in.
Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies - Morning Cigarettes
I'm not sure I have a favourite Brian Wright song yet, but this might well be it. It's smooth and soothing and extremely catchy.
Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies - Downtown Eloise
When I saw Brian Wright live, he dueted this song with Catherine Feeny. I'm not even a big fan of Catherine Feeny, but boy-girl duets are my #1 musical kink and I pretty much died on the spot. It was SO PRETTY. I mourn not having a recording of that duet. But this non-duet album version is good, too.
Lastly, a meme:
1. First Name: Nicola. I could lie and say that's just my internet alias, but... no. If I were to choose an internet alias, I would pick something that more Americans could pronounce correctly.
2. Age: 24. Horrific! Nah, actually, 24's been okay to me so far.
3. Location: Bristol, England. AKA. the new hip place to live... if you're a TV character (see: Skins, Being Human)! Sadly, the same does not apply to real people. It's still a hole, IMO.
4. Occupation: My job title is, hilariously, "writer", which makes it sounds like I have attained my life's ambition of writing for a living. In fact, I get paid a shade over minimum wage to do a junior level of PR consultancy stuff, which involves writing whatever is thrown at me. Press releases, articles, presentations (for other people), reports, etc.
5. Partner: Nope.
6. Kids: Nope.
7. Brothers/Sisters: I have an older sister.
8. Pets: I have some fish. They don't really count. I'm hoping my parents will get a puppy soon, so I'll be able to enjoy the fun parts of pets (SNUGGLES) without the annoying responsibility. ;)
9. List the 3-5 biggest things going on in your life:
Oh, oy.
a. Trying not to screw up my new job.
b. Working on my original fiction.
c. Learning to drive. (Ahahaha, STILL. More due to a lack of drive motivation than being a terrible driver. I'm actually a good [albeit nervy] driver. If there were no other cars on the road, I would be the best driver ever.)
10. Parents: I have them. They're endearingly co-dependent still married.
11. Who are some of your closest friends? Oh yikes, I don't know. I seem to have done a bang-up job of drifting apart from most of my friends during the last few years. Uh, oops?