Short Cuts
*Adding some short reviews I wrote in late 2004*
Ben Folds - Rockin' The Suburbs
Ben Folds unites The Beatles, Brian Wilson and Tori Amos on his solo debut. He's got something to tell, he's got harmonies, he's got a tremendous piano play. Songs like "Anna waits", "Zac & Sara" or "Fired" leave you back with the feeling like he just came over, grabbed you by the hand and went on a rollercoaster ride with you - musically. Fresh, well arranged, rather unconventional...something to let you feel rejuvenated. And something that let's you think, too...but listen yourself.
Faves: Annie waits ; Still fighting it ; Fred Jones pt 2 ; Not the same ; Carrying Cathy
For fans of: Ben Folds Five, Beck, Cake
Butterfly Boucher - Flutterby
A great Australian Singer-Songwriter that gives a shit on poppy-productions (Alanis 'unfortunately' gets more and more into) but prefers rather 'raw' instrument-playing. She reminds a bit of PJ Harvey and Liz Phair. Her songwriting is quite good for her age, and she's a quite good live act ;). She's young, she rocks, nothing more to say. Being played on College Radios and having had a few appearances on OSTs (Grey's Anatomy, The OC if I am right), let's hope she soon gets the attention she deserves.
Faves: I can't make me ; Never leave your heart alone ; Another white dash ; Life is short ; Drift on
For fans of: PJ Harvey, Poe, Liz Phair
Gavin DeGraw - Chariot
Gavin DeGraw is a refreshing young Canadian Singer-songwriter - in pop matters. His music is like a mixture of Tori Amos (some nice piano plays), and Elisa I'd say (her powerful way). The CD is mainly a sort of power-pop(-rock) like the songs "Chariot", "Chemical party" or Follow through" show quite well, but the record also holds some little surprises as the extraordinary 'kinda rock' "I don't want to be" or "More than anyone", a lovely mellow ballad. All in all a solid debut that lets you look forward to a follow up.
Faves: Chariot ; Belief ; Crush ; I don't want to be ; Meaning
For fans of: Jason Mraz, Lisa Miskovsky
Lorien - Under The Waves
Lorien is 'another' Brit-Pop band at first sight, but beware of pegging them with Coldplay, Travis or Starsailor. Also beware of messing them up with a (horrible) Heavy-Metal band of the same name - the Lorien I recommend did not release an album titled "Secrets of the elder", so, don't make the mistake I did because I was highly surprised when checking this album, then wondering why the songs there differ so much from the 2 songs I already knew by them...Thanks for that.
So, Lorien is not a real Brit-Pop band (one member is from Iceland ;) ) either. I'd rather describe their music as something between dream-pop featuring Jon Hopkins. The first track doesn't let you guess this, but the rest does, coz this first one, "Ghostlost" is really the heaviest and most rock-like to find on the album. From the second song on you are taken on a soooooooft trip through dream-like sounds and tender athmospheres. Particularly the pining voice of the singer lets you melt away - mh!
It's beauty made of slight melancholy, a bit of a nostalgic feeling and violability, but always with endearing harmonies served.
Faves: Human beings, Shivering sun, Cherrywood eyes, Blue, Milky magic tears
For fans of: Thom, Turin Brakes, Jon Hopkins, West Indian Girl
Sarah Slean - Day One
This follower to the marvellous debut "Night bugs", released October this year, needs a few listens to let you recognize its greatness as a whole.
The album is not as piano-driven (still you find it, don't worry) and doesn't have those catchy tunes that can stay stuck in your head, but it for sure is eclectic and ingeniously written and produced. If you know "Night bugs", you will also recognize that the songs here have guitars and electronics as main instrumentation which lets the album result more pop-rock than pop-'cabaret'. It's also a more serious and rather dark feeling you experience here. But as said, after a few listenings, the album proves that it's a piece of art Sarah did here which is as good as her awesome debnut, but in a different way. In fact, it even is a gorgeous album. Best proof is me: at first I didn't really like "Pilgrim" and "Lucky me" (listen to it loud), but now I just love them - when thinking about it, I actually like all the songs lol! (Moreover, she reminds you a lot of Tori Amos on some songs…).
Faves: Pilgrim, Lucky me, Mary, Califronia, Day one, Out in the park
For fans of: Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Ben Folds
Pete Murray - Feeler
Imagine, in a perfect world....not 17 year old wannabe kids would win casting shows and then produce cheesy, BAD, pop-albums, produced by even worse wannabe producers (for Germans: Dieter Bohlen for example)...No, in this perfect world (one of them), real talents (even if they are already 34 years old, like Pete) with character and 'something to say'-attitudes would be able to release debut-CDs which offer mellow singer-songwriter-tracks that really don't give a second on the thought of being even just slightly fitting into radio-mainstream-standards...Like he sings in one of the album's best tracks, he bails us out, for music's sake. Ok, I exaggerate on this and am not sure whether you all understand what I actually want to say - well, he's great. Mr Murray has talent and a clinking warm voice, although not rich of nuances - you don't need this on the CD at all - more than great to perform those marvellous, calm and mellow, warm songs. Australia likes him at least, he's topping the charts. The album then. It starts already quite promsing with "Feeler" and "Bail me out" which just float into your ear, nice acoustic pop I'd say...again, it's great to hear that he set computer- and too much keyboardsounds aside. He holds this as a thread throughout the album, only "Lines", "Fall away", and "Tonic" change the athmosphere a bit.
Faves: Feeler, Bail me out, So beautiful, Please, My time
For fans of: Damien Rice, Tom Baxter, Elliott Smith
Ben Folds - Rockin' The Suburbs
Ben Folds unites The Beatles, Brian Wilson and Tori Amos on his solo debut. He's got something to tell, he's got harmonies, he's got a tremendous piano play. Songs like "Anna waits", "Zac & Sara" or "Fired" leave you back with the feeling like he just came over, grabbed you by the hand and went on a rollercoaster ride with you - musically. Fresh, well arranged, rather unconventional...something to let you feel rejuvenated. And something that let's you think, too...but listen yourself.
Faves: Annie waits ; Still fighting it ; Fred Jones pt 2 ; Not the same ; Carrying Cathy
For fans of: Ben Folds Five, Beck, Cake
Butterfly Boucher - Flutterby
A great Australian Singer-Songwriter that gives a shit on poppy-productions (Alanis 'unfortunately' gets more and more into) but prefers rather 'raw' instrument-playing. She reminds a bit of PJ Harvey and Liz Phair. Her songwriting is quite good for her age, and she's a quite good live act ;). She's young, she rocks, nothing more to say. Being played on College Radios and having had a few appearances on OSTs (Grey's Anatomy, The OC if I am right), let's hope she soon gets the attention she deserves.
Faves: I can't make me ; Never leave your heart alone ; Another white dash ; Life is short ; Drift on
For fans of: PJ Harvey, Poe, Liz Phair
Gavin DeGraw - Chariot
Gavin DeGraw is a refreshing young Canadian Singer-songwriter - in pop matters. His music is like a mixture of Tori Amos (some nice piano plays), and Elisa I'd say (her powerful way). The CD is mainly a sort of power-pop(-rock) like the songs "Chariot", "Chemical party" or Follow through" show quite well, but the record also holds some little surprises as the extraordinary 'kinda rock' "I don't want to be" or "More than anyone", a lovely mellow ballad. All in all a solid debut that lets you look forward to a follow up.
Faves: Chariot ; Belief ; Crush ; I don't want to be ; Meaning
For fans of: Jason Mraz, Lisa Miskovsky
Lorien - Under The Waves
Lorien is 'another' Brit-Pop band at first sight, but beware of pegging them with Coldplay, Travis or Starsailor. Also beware of messing them up with a (horrible) Heavy-Metal band of the same name - the Lorien I recommend did not release an album titled "Secrets of the elder", so, don't make the mistake I did because I was highly surprised when checking this album, then wondering why the songs there differ so much from the 2 songs I already knew by them...Thanks for that.
So, Lorien is not a real Brit-Pop band (one member is from Iceland ;) ) either. I'd rather describe their music as something between dream-pop featuring Jon Hopkins. The first track doesn't let you guess this, but the rest does, coz this first one, "Ghostlost" is really the heaviest and most rock-like to find on the album. From the second song on you are taken on a soooooooft trip through dream-like sounds and tender athmospheres. Particularly the pining voice of the singer lets you melt away - mh!
It's beauty made of slight melancholy, a bit of a nostalgic feeling and violability, but always with endearing harmonies served.
Faves: Human beings, Shivering sun, Cherrywood eyes, Blue, Milky magic tears
For fans of: Thom, Turin Brakes, Jon Hopkins, West Indian Girl
Sarah Slean - Day One
This follower to the marvellous debut "Night bugs", released October this year, needs a few listens to let you recognize its greatness as a whole.
The album is not as piano-driven (still you find it, don't worry) and doesn't have those catchy tunes that can stay stuck in your head, but it for sure is eclectic and ingeniously written and produced. If you know "Night bugs", you will also recognize that the songs here have guitars and electronics as main instrumentation which lets the album result more pop-rock than pop-'cabaret'. It's also a more serious and rather dark feeling you experience here. But as said, after a few listenings, the album proves that it's a piece of art Sarah did here which is as good as her awesome debnut, but in a different way. In fact, it even is a gorgeous album. Best proof is me: at first I didn't really like "Pilgrim" and "Lucky me" (listen to it loud), but now I just love them - when thinking about it, I actually like all the songs lol! (Moreover, she reminds you a lot of Tori Amos on some songs…).
Faves: Pilgrim, Lucky me, Mary, Califronia, Day one, Out in the park
For fans of: Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Ben Folds
Pete Murray - Feeler
Imagine, in a perfect world....not 17 year old wannabe kids would win casting shows and then produce cheesy, BAD, pop-albums, produced by even worse wannabe producers (for Germans: Dieter Bohlen for example)...No, in this perfect world (one of them), real talents (even if they are already 34 years old, like Pete) with character and 'something to say'-attitudes would be able to release debut-CDs which offer mellow singer-songwriter-tracks that really don't give a second on the thought of being even just slightly fitting into radio-mainstream-standards...Like he sings in one of the album's best tracks, he bails us out, for music's sake. Ok, I exaggerate on this and am not sure whether you all understand what I actually want to say - well, he's great. Mr Murray has talent and a clinking warm voice, although not rich of nuances - you don't need this on the CD at all - more than great to perform those marvellous, calm and mellow, warm songs. Australia likes him at least, he's topping the charts. The album then. It starts already quite promsing with "Feeler" and "Bail me out" which just float into your ear, nice acoustic pop I'd say...again, it's great to hear that he set computer- and too much keyboardsounds aside. He holds this as a thread throughout the album, only "Lines", "Fall away", and "Tonic" change the athmosphere a bit.
Faves: Feeler, Bail me out, So beautiful, Please, My time
For fans of: Damien Rice, Tom Baxter, Elliott Smith