New Music 2010 - Part 15 - Rest of The World

It's difficult to start this because I don't really know where it is going. I have lots of ideas and, while they somehow belong together in some ways, they are separate strands like those in a plait.  Starting anything is, however, the hardest part.  There is so much that is wrong and yet there is also much that is right.  In the world, as also reflected in music.  There must be absolutely incredible modern music from, inter alia and in no particular order, China, India and Russia.  Maybe it is just that I'm living in some kind of musical cave; if that is so please point me in the right direction.
Europe, the Americas and Australasia may dominate our "world of music" but somewhere in the region of three billion people in those three countries alone can't help but express themselves through modern music with some stunning results.  We do hear some African music, from time to time, and even J-pop and K-punk if you look hard enough, but what about Indonesia and many others?


The 'official' title is the, rather condescending I think, term 'World Music'. I'm not promising to like anything in particular but then I never do; I am however quite happy to take a chance on some recommendations of things that I might, or indeed ought to, listen to.

'Between Day and Dream' or 'The Drifter and the Gypsy'

To whosoever asked if I think that two of the problems in the music industry are the lack of new artists and the hegemony of the four major labels. I am delighted to say no; rather the opposite in fact and this is why.
I was then challenged to name five acts or artists that fall in to this category and in the specified musical theme, which was female vocals and a principally acoustic milieu.  I decided to narrow it down to just five nascent New York based female artists or female-fronted acts - vaguely following the theme of yesterday's post and that actually turned out to be much more difficult than I thought it might be but not for the reason that I had anticipated.
Lack of choice was not the problem; to do so from a short list of (just) twenty was a challenge and isn't the real issue rather the opposite of the question that was asked? Plenty of talented artists who are either not signed at all or, if they are, to progressive independent labels. In my opinion independent labels are the future so that aspect is not a problem at all.

These are the five that I chose in no particular order. It was a tough call, often hearing only a song or at most two from each contender, and I intend to pursue this theme in more detail soon. I'm not aware that any of them are currently particularly well known in the UK.

Rachel Platten
www.myspace.com/rachelplattenband/

Sarah Solovay
www.myspace.com/sarahsolovay/

Rachel A. Brown
www.myspace.com/rachelbrownmusic/

Rosi Golan "The Drifter and The Gypsy"
www.myspace.com/rosigolan/

Chloé Temtchine "Between Day and Dream"
http://www.myspace.com/chloetemtchine/


Now imagine had I tried to do the same for the of the other thirty-something regional categories, in just this one exposition, what other treasures might I have found?  That is my inspiration.

Real for me...

According to reports today (the third Monday in January) is the most depressing day of the year in the UK!
Newspapers of a certain leaning drag up no end of 'experts' to explain why it is so... It's cold, its time for the post-Christmas credit card bills; you know that sort of psychobabble. It may be flawed, and it may yet presage disappointments as yet unforeseeable ( but then didn't 2008?), but as of today 2010 became real for me.

While this might seem persuasive I wish to point to another view. The first thought has nothing, at least directly, to do with the situation in the UK today but it is 'Martin Luther King Day' and that has implications that are, albeit in a slightly different way, just as profound in music and thus equally so in the UK. It is hard to say what music, globally, would be like in 2010 if it were not for the contributions of many that became stars before that seminal moment in 1968. Robert Johnson being one that very much comes to mind for he did it the hardest way but it also paved the way for major league female stars... Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and Diana Ross to name but three.

It also seems to be the day that that the music for the forthcoming year, wherever it is from and whosoever it is made by, suddenly becomes real rather than merely just something hoped-for. The last few years have been glibly referred to as the age of the female artist and, while many are also songwriters too, regardless of race, colour, creed or the bone of contention that is nationality they all owe a debt of gratitude to the pioneers. That said I don't see the situation changing vastly in 2010, except to say that diversity will probably be the main beneficiary.

You might not agree with the music I like in 2010, and judging from today there will be a great deal of it, but that does not trouble me at all; just be passionate, persuasive and tolerant and I'll be the same.

'Paradise Circus' - New Music 2010 - Part 3

In terms of new music releases 2009 is pretty much a done-deal now and finally even X-Factor has reached its conclusion for another year... I live happily with that, I can tell you, but of more interest is what 2010 might bring and the why and wherefore.

It is a long while since I mentioned much specifically derived from the music scene in Bristol. On the way home from work this evening I turned the radio on and the song playing was quite amazing. I was in a place where it was quite safe to do so and therefore I parked and just listened.

When it ended the DJ said what it was and immediately played it all over again. For BBC Radio 1 that is a very rare occurrence indeed.

It was in fact the first (two) plays of the forthcoming single 'Paradise Circus' and the first from this forthcoming album:

Heligoland is due for release February 8, 2010 in the UK.

Many of the usual collaborators are involved once again, along with an eclectic range of guests. The vocals on 'Paradise Circus' are courtesy of the notoriously performance-shy Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star and other bands). If the rest of the album is anywhere as good as this then 2010 is shaping up to be not only another good year, also a wonderfully varied one, in respect of music.

Some of the new material that is on the album has appeared, albeit in perhaps not quite the same form, on the 2009 download-only (I think) EP Splitting The Atom.

I have to say that until now, although aware of it, I have paid little detailed attention to the music of Massive Attack but I might have to reconsider my position on the basis of what I heard this evening.
It is probably one of the best musical experiences - hearing something wonderful but completely unexpected - and best of all when it occurs live. That too is something I've been fortunate to experience several times in 2009.

Lots more, it seems... New Music 2010 - Part 2

I'm still working on a list of the live performances that I have enjoyed the most in 2009. They seem to fall in to two fairly distinct categories; on one hand those that I was well aware of from recorded output and thus wanted to hear live and, on the other hand, ones that were essentially an unknown proposition. Many in this latter category were new acts and many of those will be releasing their first full LP in 2010.
This one is released by Wichita Recordings (12" LP, CD, d/l) on January 25, 2010 in the UK.

The Big Black and The Blue is the follow-up to 2009 EP Drunken Trees.

First Aid Kit, while an act that fell in the latter category, are very likely to appear in my 'Best of 2009 - live!' and which I hope to have posted by the end of tomorrow.

Another band releasing an album in 2010, this time their second, is miles away from Swedish acoustic in style and is London's New Young Pony Club. I can't wait and it too has live music connotations: July 2007 saw me at a festival for the first time in the modern era and the first headline act I saw there, on the Friday evening on the Sunrise Stage at Latitude 2007, was NYPC who had just released their début album, Fantastic Playroom. That was probably pretty much the moment that I realized being at a festival was something that I really did want to do and not simply some nostalgia-induced aberration. As yet I do not know the title or release date for this, but the fact that is confirmed is heartening. The last was released by Modular Recordings but I have no confirmation of that for this one.

Lots more to come... New Music 2010 - Part 1

I seem to have done a lot of looking back in the last few weeks and there is still more to be written - thinking about all the live performances I have been lucky enough to see has bought back many memories particularly of festivals - and a selection of singles that have made me take notice should be some fun too.
While I'm thinking, and with few important releases due in the last weeks of 2009, here are a couple that I'm looking forward to in early 2010 and both are by returning artists, very different in style, the existing output of which I already have and like.

The first, rather delayed by the very sad events of 2008, is the second album by Leeds' Corinne Bailey Rae. The self-titled début from 2006 still sounds as good to me now as it did the first time I heard it back then and I'd be very surprised if The Sea were to disappoint. Very much of relevance in 2010 is the fact that she is also an awesome live performer.

The first single is 'I'd Do It All Again'. It is on radio play lists now and recent performances of new material at small venues have garnered very positive reviews. She is an artist I have not heard live and I would like to put that right in 2010, which is also true of the next act.

The lead single is 'Norway' and apparently the album Teen Dream doesn't disappoint either. I'm a huge fan of the Baltimore duo Beach House and both albums; Beach House (2006) and Devotion (2007).


For this album they are again signed to Bella Union in the UK which, as far as I am concerned, says a great deal.

This I think, is not even the start of it...