New Music 2011 - Part 10 - more things I am looking forward to.

I mentioned in my last post that it was my intention to, metaphorically at least, cross the Atlantic for my next post in this sequence.  I'm sorry that it took a few extra days to appear but, rest assured, I value the transatlantic trade in new music, evident in the last few years, more than almost anything else.
I prefigured this album in September and here is the track listing for it.

Tell Me  ---  Jessica Lea Mayfield

1. I'll Be The One You Want Someday

2. Our Hearts Are Wrong

3. Blue Skies Again

4. Somewhere In Your Heart

5. Grown Man

6. Trouble

7. Nervous Lonely Night

8. Sometimes At Night

9. Tell Me

10. Run Myself Into The Ground

11. Sleepless

It is released by Nonesuch Records and, like 'With Blasphemy So Heartfelt', is produced by Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys).

I'll follow this with an album that, although I included it in my 'best of 2010' lists, and also saw the artist responsible live in 2010 (at Latitude in this case), I don't think I have ever featured specifically:

That is Lauren Pritchard and inter alia the album 'Wasted In Jackson'.  The album is amazing in my opinion, hence its inclusion in the above mentioned list.
I saw her perform live before I bought the album and that, as often seems to be the case, was revelatory. Much has since been made of her (regular) live cover of  TLC's 'Waterfalls' (1995) - it does not appear on the album. To witness it performed live from the front of the stage was quite something and that it precipitated one of the few torrential showers of the weekend, as if summoned from above by Lisa Lopes, was rather other-worldly.  If that were not enough for just one set, that only lasted forty minutes, the July sun then appeared shining straight into the eyes of Lauren and her band. Her response was simply to rap an Eminem response ad lib and to say that the assembled audience was *stunned* truly deserves the term litotes.  She has since said that this [Latitude 2010] live performance is her most memorable to date and, take it from me as one of the audience, I'm quite happy to believe that.

Better late than never, I suppose. I have already posted some pictures of Jessica Lea Mayfield performing live that I took at EOTR 2010 but I intend to have posted at least one of Lauren Pritchard live at Latitude 2010 by this time tomorrow.

Further posts on New Music 2011:
Part 1  ---  Esben and The Witch
Part 2  ---  Yuck

Part 3  ---  Duke Spirit

Part 4  ---  Low Anthem
Part 5  ---  Go!Team

Part 6  ---  Rhosyn

Part 7  ---  Emily Barker and The Red Clay Halo

Part 8  ---  Those Dancing Days

Part 9  ---  Some things I am looking forward to.

Part 11  ---  New Heads On Old Shoulders?

Part 12  ---  Snowglobe - Jesca Hoop

Part 13  ---  Queen of the Minor Key

With Blasphemy So Heartfelt - EOTR 2010 - Part 4

When, some six months ago, I was reading the growing list of confirmed artists for End Of The Road 2010 (EOTR 2010) this was yet another from the US that made me wonder, and then realize, just how music of this genre is experiencing a surge in popularity here in the UK.  I had intended to get the album 'With Blasphemy So Heartfelt' but for one reason or another it slipped my mind.
Once I saw the full running order of acts, just a few weeks ago, it leapt back into my consciousness but rather than buy the album I determined to see her perform live first.  This was in direct contrast to Caitlin Rose, for example, as I had bought 'Own Side Now' a few weeks before EOTR.  In retrospect I don't think it makes much difference - I enjoyed both artists live and also like both the albums - though the perspective, and perhaps expectation, is subtly different if one hears an artist live before hearing anything that they have recorded.
One thing to mention: this is not remotely uplifting song writing. She actually said her own music makes her sad and that she wasn't born to write cheerful songs.  
That it not to say that one should only listen to them at times of euphoria; indeed they might then seem a little out of place. They could, however, find a welcome in the heart of anyone feeling down-on-their-luck for whatever reason.

The slogan on her cap very succinctly carries the theme.

The sense of loss, and sometimes loneliness, was enhanced by the fact that what you see above is the whole set-up.  The drum kit is a merely a reminder of that which had come before - the atmospheric and warm folk-electronica of the aptly-named five-piece Fuzzy Lights that I had also seen. The contrast was a good example of just how an artist can set the tone for the performance and hence the audience.

She performed the whole set accompanying herself on acoustic guitar.  It was some experience and one that is difficult to describe - often brittle and confessional but never something irretrievably depressive. I can only imagine that it is a fine line to tread.  You might say that this is something calculated, even manufactured, but my inclination is to think that it is nothing of the kind.  If I'm wrong then so be it; an even more remarkable achievement would be to feign it so convincingly.

She also revealed that she had just completed the recording of her second record 'Tell Me' due sometime in early spring 2011 if all goes according to plan, and that has to be worth the anticipation. I have seen a fair number of live performances in 2010 and I'm fortunate in that many of them have been very good indeed.  When, in a couple of months time, I try making choices about the most impressive of those that I have seen this is one that will certainly still be in my mind.