Archive for July, 2009
Summer, where art thou?
It’s practically August and all we’ve had here in the Midwest is a slew of crazy thunderstorms. While I’m appreciative of this crazy weather, especially when I’m lying in bed at night and flashes of lighting illuminate my room and help reassure that there’s no psycho killer hiding in my closet, I can’t help but point out to anyone willing to listen how it just doesn’t feel like summer.Where are the sunny days? The cool breezes? The dairy queen dipped cones?
If I can’t get the weather to remind me of summer, at least I still have feel-good summer tunes. One a day for a week. Let’s roll.
#1 Thos Henley – “Summer on the Thames”
Hand claps, banjo, and love. If that’s not a recipe for a great pop song, I don’t know what is.
Download “Summer on the Thames” (demo)
You can take a gander over to Thos Henley’s (aka Tom Henley aka ex-Rival Joustas frontman) official myspace to listen to a spruced up, equally great single version of the song. If memory serves right, there used to be a pretty fantastic video for the song, but YouTube seems to have eaten it. Bummer.
“The First Days of Spring” official trailer
Noah and the Whale have released an official trailer for “The First Days of Spring“, a film written and directed by Charlie Fink.
Screenings of the film around the UK are scheduled for August and September:
August 7 & 8 – Belladrum Festival (Read Bed Stage) – Inverness
August 9 – Big Chill Festival (Film Four Tent) – Malvern Hills
August 10 – Cameo Picturehouse – Edinburgh*
August 30- Watershed – Bristol*
August 31 – Cornerhouse – Manchester*
September 1 – Film Theatre – Glasgow*
September 2 – Showroom – Sheffield*
September 4 – ICA – London*
*feature Q&A session with Charlie
For more info on the film and album, check out Noah and the Whale’s official blog.
You can pre-order the album+film bundle now!
The Fiery Furnaces “Charmaine Champagne” video
If you haven’t checked out their new album I’m Going Away yet, you really really should.
Bright Star (2009)
Speaking from a simply visual standpoint, this film will be amazing. Speaking from a story standpoint, this film will probably make me cry.
Directed by Jane Campion. Starring Ben Wishaw as John Keats and Abby Cornish as Fanny Brawne. Nominated for the Palm D’Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. More @ IMDB
Limited release, September 18th 2009
Mercury Music Prize shortlist is in
Hmm, that title sounds vaguely sexual. Anyway, the list:
Bat for Lashes – Two Suns
Florence & The Machine – Lungs
Friendly Fires – Friendly Fires
Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
La Roux – La Roux
The Horrors – Primary Colours
Glasvegas – Glasvegas
Led Bib- Sensible Shoes
Lisa Hannigan- Sea Sew
Speech Debelle- Speech Therapy
Sweet Billy Pilgrim – Twice Born Men
The Invisible – The Invisible
Glasvegas? Seriously?? Ha! Well, since the music world seems to collectively pee their pants at the mention of Bat For Lashes, I’m guess she’s got more than a good chance of taking the prize home. Though Florence did win Critic’s Choice at the Brit Awards back in February and her album is pretty damn great, that must count for something right? The winner will be announced on September 8th. Winners in recent years have included Franz Ferdinand (!!!!), Arctic Mokeys (bleh), and Klaxons (meh).
Noah and the Whale single news!
Noah and the Whale have given fans an opportunity to preview their upcoming album on their official website. If you haven’t done so already, visit Noahandthewhale.com to download the album’s title-track absolutely free. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: If I could make babies with a song, it would be “The First Days of Spring”. The song is one of those once-in-a-blue-moon rarities –a song so damn near perfect that if it were to take human form it would be that dark haired, blue-eyed boy with the killer smile that you were hopelessly in love with at sixteen. “First Days” builds slowly and steadily, until finally erupting into a wave of extraordinary sound as the high-pitched wavering of the violin tugs at your heartstrings. When it’s over, you’re ready to stand outside its window in the rain holding a boombox blasting Peter Grabriel. It’s love.
DOWNLOAD: Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring
Released on August 24th, “Blue Skies” will be the first official single from the album The First Days of Spring (released August 31st). Opening with the honest declaration that ‘this is a song for anyone with a broken heart’, “Blue Skies” combines Charlie’s signature lovelorn voice and dulcet backing vocals to reassure the depressed owners of a broken heart that the overwhelming pain they feel will begin to fade once they start letting go (I don’t think that it’s the end/ but I know we can’t keep going/ Blue skies are coming/ but I know that it’s hard). Noticeably absent from the single is Tom Hobden’s violin. Instead, “Blue Skies” is driven by the sound of horns and piano, whose presence helps build upon the overall encouraging message of the song.
LISTEN to “Blue Skies” on myspace
DOWNLOAD: Noah and the Whale – Blue Skies (Yacht Remix)
DOWNLOAD: Noah and the Whale – Blue Skies (Death to the Throne Remix)
You can purchase the “Blue Skies” single through Young and Lost Club on August 24th
Signed copies of the deluxe edition of The First Days of Spring (CD + DVD) are available for pre-order here. Order yours quick as copies are limited! You can also pre-order the album at HMV. If you’re like me and can’t afford the import (almost $40 for the CD/DVD!!), the album and film will hopefully be getting an official release stateside through Cherrytree soonafter the UK release. We just have to be a bit more patient. We may even get some screenings of the film! Fingers crossed.
