Archive for category Music
Prawn stream new track, perform tonight at Middle East
Posted by Amy Steele in Music on August 1, 2014
beautiful song “First as Tragedy, Second as Farce” from upcoming album Kingfisher [Topshelf] out August 12. Prawn will be at Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge tonight with The Hotelier and Foxing.
The band heads out on tour this fall with label-mates A Great Big Pile of Leaves, Diamond Youth and Field Mouse.
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music review: Gramercy Arms:
Posted by Amy Steele in Music on July 25, 2014
Gramercy Arms sounds like a Melrose Place-like apartment complex, the apartments enclose [or surround or encompass or overlook?] a pool. Sorta motel-style. Everyone hangs out. Gramercy Arms is a revolving NYC-based collective of musicians and artists established by vocalist/ guitarist Dave Derby (Dambuilders) and musicians Kevin March (drums), Rainy Orteca (bass) and Sean Eden (guitar).
In the vibe of Melrose Place, well-known indie artists drop by to create songs with them over the course of five years. The artists include: Lloyd Cole; Matthew Caws [Nada Surf]; Claudia Gonson [Magnetic Fields]; Tanya Donelly [Belly, Throwing Muses]; Hilken Mancini [The Monsieurs, the Count Me Outs, Fuzzy]; Kay Hanley; Peter Hess [TV on the Radio, The Hold Steady]; Verena Wiesendanger [Nous Non Plus, Semi Gloss] and Eleanor Norton [Elton John, Kanye West].
These collaborations resulted in a collection of laid-back, eclectic pop songs. “Winterlight” is a truly upbeat, catchy song. “The Night is Your Only Friend” is bluesy, soulful and piano-tinged [with haunting backing vocals by Kay Hanley]. Strings propel the wistful “Playing with Fire.” and the 70s retro “Yours Truly.” Beautiful, emotional songs with intriguing arrangements. “The Seasons of Love” is a stunning, rich swirly concoction with horns and the muted, gravelly backing vocals of Tanya Donelly, Verena Wiesendanger, Kendall Meade [Helium, Sparklehorse], Hilken Mancini and Sandy Smallens [Too Much Joy]. “Thin,” an exploration on truth and facades, is another masterful track where Derby’s moody vocals mesh exquisitely with the delicate, soothing vocals of Meade and Mancini.
The Seasons of Love
Reveal Records
Out now.
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Choice Quotes: Men on FEMINISM
Posted by Amy Steele in Film, Music, TV, Women/ feminism on July 25, 2014
“all men should be feminists. If men care about women’s rights the world will be a better place. We are better off when women are empowered – it leads to a better society.”
–John Legend
“I do call myself a feminist. Absolutely! It’s worth paying attention to the roles that are sot of dictated to us and we don’t have to fit into those roles.”
“My mom brought me up to be a feminist. She was active in the movement in the 60s and 70s. The Hollywood movie industry has come a long way since its past – It certainly has a bad history of sexism, but it isn’t all the way yet. It’s important to acknowledge that there’s a lot of patriarchy and sexism in mainstream movies.”
–Joseph Gordon-Levitt
“I’m attracted to films that have strong female characters because there are strong female characters in my life.
–Ryan Gosling
“Women are responsible for two thirds of the work done worldwide, yet earn only 10% of the total income and own 1% of the property…So, are we equals? Until the answer is yes, we must never stop asking.”
–Daniel Craig
“I’m usually good about my temper, but all these men trying to control women’s bodies are really beginning to piss me off.”
–Eddie Vedder
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music review: Field Mouse
Posted by Amy Steele in Music on July 21, 2014
Fitting for the album to open with “A Place You Return to in a Dream” because there’s a cool, effusive fuzzy guitar hook and then the entire album proceeds to put you in a blissful reverie state. Dreamy pop that I play again and again. It’s easy to get caught up in the mesmerizing shoegazing hazy chords with vocalist/guitarist Rachel Browne’s euphonious blurred vocals woven throughout.
Browne formed Field Mouse in 2010 as a duo with producer/guitarist Andrew Futral then they expanded into a four-piece with the addition of bassist Saysha Heinzman and drummer Tim McCoy. Field Mouse beautifully infuses edgy hooks with subtler elements. So there’s the darkness and light combination that’s so compelling if you think of bands like Lush, Curve or Swervedriver.
“Tomorrow is Yesterday” has a grooving bass riff. Browne’s vocals sound a bit like Letters to Cleo’s Kay Hanley, sweet yet storied. Staggering edgy guitar, blurrier lilting vocals and a hypnotic melody on “Two Ships.” Speed picks up on “Everyone but You.” This is a talented band creating indie pop deliciousness with near-perfection. Closing track “Water in the Valley” is bittersweet and lulling with guitar feedback. Spot-on. This is one of my favorite albums of the year.
Hold Still Life
Topshelf Records
release date: July 22, 2014
–review by Amy Steele
purchase at Amazon: Hold Still Life
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IN THE REALM: BEST MUSIC of 2014 [so far]
Posted by Amy Steele in Music on July 21, 2014
Field Mouse, Hold Still Life
–dreamy pop that I play over and over.
Morrissey, World Peace is None of Your Business
–every word. every note. every sentiment. all in.
Lykke Li, I Never Learn
–beautiful, thoughtful.
Beck, Morning Phase
–I’m into mellow Beck.
Damon Albarn, Everyday Robots
–I’ve adored every Damon Albarn project since I discovered Blur. this one’s personal and quite lovely.
Lana Del Rey, Ultraviolence
–didn’t expect to like this. what a talent. soulful, bluesy folk.
Jack White, Lazaretto
–intriguing, sexy. amazing arrangements.
Chrissie Hynde, Stockholm
–not even a Pretenders fan and this is aces. potent vocals. kicky beat.
Dum Dum Girls, Too True
–dark gorgeousness.
Shonen Knife, Overdrive
–energetic fun.
Megafauna, Maximalist
–unique, edgy garage-rock.
Snowbird, Moon
–swirly, magical.
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Feminist Videos: John Legend; Jenny Lewis
Posted by Amy Steele in Music, Women/ feminism on July 18, 2014
John Legend, “You and I”
Legend embraces all types of women from young to old. They’re looking at themselves in the mirror. At their imperfections, scars and wounds in this beautiful video that features his wife Chrissy Teigen as well as Orange is the New Black star Laverne Cox. In the video it’s showing that every woman is beautiful as Legend croons: “If your mirror won’t make it any clearer, I’ll be the one to let you know. Out of all of the girls, you’re my one and only girl. aint nobody in the world tonight.” I’ve never paid much attention to John Legend but the more songs I hear from his latest album, the more impressed I am with his songwriting talent.
John Legend said this about feminism: “All men should be feminists. If men care about women’s rights the world will be a better place.”
Jenny Lewis, “Just One of the Guys”
Jenny Lewis has Kristen Stewart, Anne Hathaway and Brie Larson in her backing band and dressing in drag for this video. The song isn’t lyrically ground-breaking. it’s a catchy ditty about being yourself. a solid feminist message. And seeing these women having fun in drag is worth it.
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NEW American Hi-Fi single: “Golden State”
Posted by Amy Steele in Music on July 16, 2014
lead singer/guitarist Stacy Jones says of the song: “Golden State is a song about starting over. It’s about learning from your past and using that information to forge a new path, a more enlightened perspective. It’s knowing that everything we do and experience, even the moments that seem tough, can ultimately lead us to a better place.”
The Boston-formed, Los Angeles-based pop-rock band American Hi-Fi will release Blood & Lemonade [Rude Records] on Sept 9. It will be the band’s fifth album and it’s also been five years since American Hi-Fi released any new material. Pre-order the album here.
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music review: Vulkano
Posted by Amy Steele in Music on July 6, 2014
Often when you sing you lose any accent. But if you listen to punk-pop bands like Cibo Matto and Shonen Knife or indie pop bands Ivy [led by French singer Dominique Durand] or French band Stereolab, you’ll hear bits of the singer’s native tongue in a charming or progressive manner depending on the band and musical genre. It’s both with Vulkano. In every song you can hear lead vocalist/drummer Cissi Efraimsson’s beguiling Swedish accent. It absolutely differentiates this duo from other post-punk bands. Not only that but it’s a duo with two women—not seen nearly enough– who complement each other with every arrangement. Keyboardist/ percussionist Lisa Pyk-Wirström produces intriguing, creepy and energetic melodies while Efraimsson showcases her vocal range and drumming skills.
“Choir of Wolves” drops in with supercharged keys and a strong melody—“we’re howling in the moonlight/crawling naked in the rain.” Efraimsson’s vox are the focal point on the swirling, ambient “Vision Tricks”—that Swedish accent bold and urgent. The exhilarating “We Ride” would make the perfect work-out or spin class song with rumbling drums, whirling keys and repetitive chorus of “We ride.” I adore how Efraimsson vacillates from subdued to screaming on the darker, beautiful “Psycho Girl.” Perhaps the album’s best song. On first listen, I thought this a merely fun album but on further listens it revealed itself to be much more layer by layer and that’s the best musical discovery of all.
Live Wild Run Free [released July 1, 2014]
Vulkanomusik
purchase at Amazon: Live Wild Die Free
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NEW MUSIC: Mexican Slang; Black Moth; Gramercy Arms
Posted by Amy Steele in Music on July 2, 2014
Mexican Slang, “Halcyon”
cool, menacing, erotic song from this Toronto band. I played it about five times repeatedly it’s that good.
Inside The Velvet Castle EP Out July 15th [Buzz Records]
Black Moth, “Room 13”
love this metal trio from the UK led by vocalist Harriet Levan.
Condemned to Hope out September 15 [New Heavy Sounds]
Gramercy Arms, “Always in Love”
superb catchy pop song with echos of 60s melodies. Gramercy Arms is a revolving New York-based collective of musicians and artists, masterminded by main songwriter/producer Dave Derby (Dambuilders/Lloyd Cole) along with Rainy Orteca, Sean Eden and Kevin March.
The Seasons of Love out July 21 [Reveal Records]
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On Tour: MIDGE URE
Posted by Amy Steele in Music on June 27, 2014
Grammy and Brit Award-winning musician Midge Ure will release his first new album in over a decade entitled Fragile [eOne Music] on August 18. He’s embarking on a tour that will start in August in North America with dates in New York, Boston, Toronto and Las Vegas.
The Retro Futura Tour 2014 lineup also includes Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, Howard Jones, China Crisis, Katrina of Katrina & The Waves and introducing Right The Stars
Tour Dates:
Aug 21 New York, NY – Best Buy Theater
Aug 22 Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre
Aug 23 Brookhaven, NY – Pennysaver Amphitheater
Aug 24 Boston, MA – Wilbur Theatre
Aug 26 Toronto, Canada – Kool Haus
Aug 27 Chicago, IL – Ravinia Festival
Aug 29 Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre
Aug 30 Saratoga, CA – Mountain Winery
Sep 03 Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
Sep 04 San Diego, CA – Humphreys Concerts By the Bay
Sep 05 Las Vegas, NV – Mandalay Bay
Sep 06 Sandy, UT – Sandy Amphitheatre
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About Me
covering mostly music and books. focus on alternative/indie and women in music, literature and the arts. feminist. vegan. mostly alternative, a bit bohemian. Masters in journalism from Boston University. BA from Simmons College.
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