Music

From the Ground – Heather Woods Broderick (Part I)

by JustinLeave a Comment on From the Ground – Heather Woods Broderick (Part I)

I recently posted quite a bit of music by a brilliant young musician called Peter Broderick who has released some beguiling records on a variety of labels including a particularly gorgeous album to fall asleep to. And wouldn’t you just know it –  the deep and abiding musical talent so inherently clear in his work runs in the family: for now his sister, Heather Woods Broderick has released an album and it is every bit as beguiling and beautiful as Peter’s best work.

Her little opus is called, From the Ground and is available on an Australian label, Preservation Records.  Gorgeously packaged the CD mines the same rich vein as her bro – deceptively simple melodies married to somewhat ethereal vocals and wonderfully evocative soundscapes made up of piano, strings and the gentlest percussion.

Music

Music Monday III

by JustinLeave a Comment on Music Monday III

The third music monday – my how time flies.  Not had much of that over the past few days to post more bits and pieces what with Christmas looming ever closer.  I promised that my next post music-wise would be a little livelier than has been my wont to pop up here of late and so this time I’m posting about a guy who has been getting a lot of praise on various blogs and websites over the past few months and deservedly so.

His name’s Dayve Hawke who, like Goldmund (see the last post) records under a variety of monikers.  His latest album is an amalgamation of two different personas – ‘Weird Tapes’ (electro infused dance) and ‘Memory Cassette’ (more electro but slightly more whimsical) to produce ‘Memory Tapes’, which is rather apt for this blog I think.
The album, called ‘Seek Magic’, is available on limited edition exclusively at Rough Trade in London – the link (as always) is below.  They say this album sounds like “Cocteau Twins, New Order and My Bloody Valentine” which, apart from the My Bloody Valentine reference (which I can’t hear) is a neat summation of sorts – what it definitely is is brilliantly original woozy synth pop.  And I hope you like it just as much as I do!
Music

The Malady of Elegance

by Justin1 Comment on The Malady of Elegance

I found another gorgeous album by an artist I hadn’t heard of before this week – a musician called Keith Kenniff who records under a variety of pseudonyms including ‘Goldmund’ and ‘Helios.’ The album below (embedding a whole album here – if it works!) is his second under the name Goldmund for the Type A record label. It’s a lovely piece of work – beautifully meditative and brilliantly recorded (I love the fact that you can hear the subtle beat of the piano pedals and the hammers striking the strings before the note sounds – it makes you feel as though you’re in the room.) The second track, ‘In A Notebook’ is just sublime and it’s one I’m finding myself returning to late in the evening many times.

Normally I’d post this kind of music on a Friday evening for chilling to at the end of a busy week but I’m off tomorrow so here it is a day early. It’s getting kind of reflective in here music-wise so my next music post will be something a little more up-tempo. Hope you enjoy this little slice of pianistic heaven as much as I did – especially ‘In A Notebook.’ Let me know what you think…

You can buy the album on CD here: http://bit.ly/7y5ySb

Music, Videos

Peter Broderick – And it’s Alright

by JustinLeave a Comment on Peter Broderick – And it’s Alright

So last Friday I posted some music to sleep to by the remarkable musician Peter Broderick and I thought this Monday I’d cover a little more of his music because it’s definitely worth hearing more of.  Hailing from the US but now living and recording in Copenhagen (or Berlin – accounts seem to differ on where he actually is but location’s not all that important really is it.  So I’m not sure why I even mentioned it except it seemed a good intro at the time.)  Anyway, this ferociously talented musician is only 21.  21!  And yet his music belies any age; its seemingly effortless simplicity masking a deeply complex and evocative body of work that is well worth seeking out.

I think ‘And it’s Alright’ is one of the loveliest songs I’ve heard recently – it’s like a big hug.

Music

Sleepy Music

by Justin3 Comments on Sleepy Music

Sleep, as those of you who know me well will be aware, has been an area of particular interest to me for some time.  And no that’s not because my favourite pastime is snoozing or napping!  I can’t believe I’m actually writing that sleep is an, “area of interest.” Area of interest?!  Why don’t I just say that I suffered badly from insomnia and so the subject holds a weird fascination for me?  Oh.  I just did.

Anyway, the point of this post is that the Erased Tapes label posted a link on their Twitter stream to a new recording by Peter Broderick who is on their label and is the most fantastic musician making some utterly beguiling music.  Now Peter has released a recording on another label.  A label that specialises in music to sleep to!  How brilliant is that!  Well, I think it is.  I’d never come across that before.  And if you think it’s as intriguing as me and quite fancy a little snooze in the near future then below you’ll find the perfect sleepy music – just click play. Oh and below the track there’s  a link to the label, which is brilliantly homespun and as much of a labour as love as Erased Tapes is.

Maybe, just maybe, the soothing tones below will calm those nerves after a busy week at the grindstone.  If not – there’s always vodka

Link to label: http://slaapwel.bandcamp.com/