random tunes part 3

this exercise is totally self-indulgent
but so is the exercise of writing a daily blog
i don't necessarily need to justify it
but since picking up this little daily habit
i find i am actually thinking a lot more
about that which is before me
be it a film, live music, recorded music
or whatever else i may decided to blog on about
the nature of my work, and hence the nature of my head
means that most waking hours of the day are spent
planning, constructing, de-constructing, writing, re-writing, fixing, breaking
and generally focused unhealthily on my work (life)
to the detriment of all else - and i mean all else
so this daily distraction may continue for a while
one of favorite games is random tunes
turn on the mp3 player and hit shuffle...
quando me sinto so (when i feel alone) by mariza
this fado singer from portugal was the star at womadelaide this year
i have never, ever been so transfixed by a performer
it was a breathtaking performance in a beautiful setting
fado apparantly is a style of music used to express that feeling of hopelessness
when all hope is gone - almostly entirely in the romantic sense
this one a great example and brilliant production too
crush by willard grant conspiracy
americana is a genre i find i am drawn to
mostly about guitar based bands centred around
a singer/songwriter with a good handle on his craft
and straightup songs about everyday situations
yeah alright the sun is shining
yeah alright its a brand new day
yeah alright there's always tomorrow
that's the best that i can say
eu sei que vou te amar by bebo and cigala
bebo is an 85 year old cuban pianist composer
cigala is a 35 year old flamenco singer
they put out one album a couple of years ago
absolutely no idea what the songs are about
but they make great music together
dark days by fat freddy's drop
nz group takes the world by storm
or so the world music press would have us believe
another womadelaide guest this year
they performed a brilliant mid-afternoon set
this one is a real grower - slow simmering start
moving through various phases to the climax
it's hard to be happy in a world that's so cruel
where the weak just get weaker
where the powerful fued
where children go hungry with soldiers at their side
lay down your weapons take hold of your lives
a distorted reality is now a necessity to be free by elliot smith
i saw this man perform at the annandale pub in sydney about 10 years ago
lost track of him until this album was released
shorly after he removed himself from this planet
in that sense it's quite sad listening to the songs
this one isn't the best on the album
but it gets along quite nicely thankyou very much
toumani by toumani diabate's symmetric orchestra
another brilliant musician out of mali
this is one busy and complex album
typified by this busy tune featuring in no particular order
koras, saxaphone, string section, brass, solo, backup vocals
and various changes of keys and beats
you just can't imagine whitey-boy getting even close to this
paperbag writer by radiohead
another totally un-radiohead tune from them
this one has full on strings and a syncopated beat
and a bass line straight out of.....
.....something very recognisable
do not ever accuse radiohead of being regurgitators
listen by lambchop
sigh...this is just the most gorgeous tune
i can not ever, ever hear this one too much
it's the piano you see it just aches
not to mention the pedal steel just so
i only own one of their albums and it's so good
i'm a bit wary to take on another and be even slightly disappointed
suffragette city by seu jorge
yes the david jones song stripped back to one singer and one guitar
he being the deckhand on the boat in the life aquatic film
that sang bowie songs throughout the film
saw it for sale and bought it - it really is very pleasant
recusa (refusal) by mariza
brilliant - finish up where we started
this one is a real knees up
gets along at a very handy pace
her voice as always way up front throwing down the guantlet
to the musicians on their classical and flamenco guitars
nice way to end - full circle and all that
...more next time