Posts tagged ‘Noah and the Whale’
The last of Noah and the Whale you’ll see in a while…
Noah and the Whale have been busy working on their third album, all the while making time to play some festival dates here and there. However, this Saturday July 10th at Somerset House will be your last chance to catch the boys live before they hide away in California to begin their final album session with producer Jason Lader.
Some tickets are still available, so grab ‘em now! Who knows, you might be lucky enough to hear some new material like this song they played recently at Manchester Cathedral:
If this song is anything to go on, album #3 is going to blow us away! Love.
Noah and the Whale cover Tom Petty for BBC 6 Music
As you may be aware, BBC 6 Music is on the chopping block due to budgetary concerns. Many fans, including musicians, are speaking out in support of BBC 6 Music and asking everyone to help save the station by contacting the BBC Trust and voicing their opinion on the issue: https://consultations.external.bbc.co.uk/departments/bbc/bbc-strategy-review/consultation/consult_view
Noah and the Whale have recorded a cover of Tom Petty’s “Last DJ” from their demoing studio and Charlie has made the following video in response to BBC 6′s situation:
Stream the entire ‘Communion’ compilation
As the buzz surrounding Thamesbeat began to fade in the mid-noughties, for lack of better word, a new folk inspired music scene was beginning to emerge in small venues around London. In 2007, Kevin Jones and Ben Lovett started the club night Communion, offering a safe place where folk musicians could rally with like-minded artists and showcase their music.
In less than five years, Communion has come to witness the extraordinary success from regular club night acts like Johnny Flynn, Noah and the Whale, Laura Marling, and most recently Mumford & Sons, of whom Lovett is a member. Communion has also expanded beyond London, now holding nights in Brighton and Leeds, as well as growing into a full-fledged record label. It’s on this label that Lovett and Jones are releasing Communion: The Compilation, consisting of (mostly) formerly unreleased songs from established acts like Jeremy Warmsley, Johnny Flynn, and Mumford & Sons, and up-and-coming artists Peggy Sue, Alan Pownall, Beans on Toast, Elena Tonra, Andrew Davie, and many more.
Communion’s Kevin Jones says: “”We always wanted to document what was happening on the London folk scene and champion newer artists alongside more established ones. What’s fascinating is you can hear the influence of artists such as Laura Marling, Noah and the Whale and Mumford & Sons filtering down into the newer artists and also cross referencing each other along the way. There really is a new music movement happening in London and further afield, and having seen so many of these acts play Communion over the years it’s an honour to be responsible for putting some of the pieces of the puzzle together.”
You can listen to the Communion compilation in its entirety below. It makes for a good listen whether it’s your introduction to the scene or you’re already hip to the beat. If you’d like more info on the songs/artists included in the compilation, I highly recommend checking out Kevin Jones’ interview with The Independent.
Personal highlights: The inclusion of Jeremy Warmsley, new Johnny Flynn FTW, proper recorded version of Peggy Sue’s “February Snow,” Alan Pownall, M & S, Beans on Toast, and Elena Tonra. But really, it’s all pretty damn good.
Communion: The Compilation is available to purchase tomorrow, March 1st 2010, on 12″ vinyl. BUY IT HERE. Have no fear, every order will come with a special digital download code so you can enjoy your folky tunes on your computer/ipod.
10 favorite albums of 2009
It just occurred to me that I never got around to making this post. Whoops? We’re a month and a half (ish) through the new year and it kind of seems pointless to do it now, but it makes my last post about “albums I quite liked” seem super awkward all on its own. I’m going to post my favorite albums of the year FOR REAL now.
As I was writing the first little paragraph about Phrazes for the Young (SPOILER ALERT), I realized my babbling would be too time consuming considering how late in the game I’m coming around to this task. By now, who really cares right? So of course the obvious solution to my too-long-to-write conundrum was writing…….HAIKUS! Oh my gaawwddd. That’s just how my brain works, don’t ask. So yeah anyway, I wrote a crappy little haiku about each album on my top ten for your (and my) amusement. I don’t claim to be an artsy poet, I’m just a girl who hasn’t been sleeping much and comes up with stupid ideas that seem funny at the time. Let’s do this.
I’ve decided to play favorites this time around, with No. 1 being my personal “album of the year” or whatever. In a way, this list is almost as arbitrary as the last because, if I’m being perfectly honest, I spent most of the year listening to the same three or four albums on loop and squeezed in some of the lower-ranked numbers every now and then. It’s not like I love them that much less, it’s just that some own my soul more than others. That’s just how my heart works.
Just a heads up, there is no Animal Collective or Yeah Yeah Yeahs or Grizzly Bear or whatever on my list. Guess I missed the boat on that stuff.
#10: Julian Casablancas – Phrazes for the Young
Love not there at first.
Words and synth sounds found my heart.
I wait for The Strokes.
#9: Fanfarlo – Reservoir
A long time coming.
Magnificent collection.
Feel it in your heart.
#8: Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
Awesome musicians.
Pastoral feelings evoked.
Love the mandolin.
#7: Generationals – Con Law
A random listen.
Sounds are nice, feels like sunshine.
Everyone should love.
#6: The Fiery Furnaces – I’m Going Away
Like Gallowbird’s Bark.
Still crazy but not like Choir.
So misunderstood.
#5: Dead Man’s Bones – Dead Man’s Bones
Love lives, ghost children.
Some actors make real music.
Surprised? Yeah me too.
#4: Jamie T – Kings & Queens
Epic excitement.
A genius lyricist.
Need album three please.
#3: Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring
Brokenhearted man.
Maturing musicianship.
Beautiful release.
#2: The Maccabees – Wall of Arms
Changes were coming.
Bigger, bolder sounds. Growing.
Always be there, love.
#1: Regina Spektor – Far
Would there be new songs?
Ruler of the universe.
Never disappoints.
Favorite songs of 2009, finally.
Yeah, I pretty much failed at life when it came to keeping up with my favorite-songs-of-the-year-advent-calendar idea. My bad. At first, it was easy to blame exams and schoolwork. But by the end of the month, my laziness was to blame. And life. I actually had what seemed like a life for a couple days there, it was weird.Then the holidays, can’t forget those.
New Year’s Resolution? Finish these posts and try not to neglect this poor blog. So, let’s roll. I will try to keep commentary to a minimum since there’s quite a few songs to go through.
14. Emmy The Great – Two Steps Forward
“Two Steps Forward” is yet another example of Emmy the Great’s songwriting talent. This is one of Emmy’s older songs that didn’t make it onto her debut album First Love, but it was included on the Edward EP released back in August. I highly recommend you watch the Black Cab Sessions performance of this song.
15. No Doubt – Stand and Deliver (Adam Ant cover)
This year, No Doubt returned and my heart could barely handle it. 2010 will (hopefully) see the band release a new album and I will get to experience more of this. YES PLEASE.
16. Jack Peñate – Let’s All Die
Who doesn’t love a good party jam about death? Hm? I wasn’t exactly head-over-heels for Peñate’s Everything Is New, but “Let’s All Die” was one of my favorite tunes from the album. It wasn’t until after seeing Peñate live that it definitely became my favorite from the album. It’s just too much fun.
17. Jamie T – Sticks ‘n Stones
For the longest time, I had this dinky little live recording of “Sticks N Stones” and of course I loved it, but I had no idea the power this song would have over me once my ears experienced a proper quality recording. HOLY SHIT. This song was born to be on repeat. When I feel like life is kicking my ass, “Sticks N Stones” is there to help me kick life right back, square in the balls. It’s like my own personal “Eye of the Tiger” but a million times better. People, there’s a reason Jamie T is KING.
18. Generationals – Nobody Could Change Your Mind
I like happy music. I really really do. And you know who made some damn good happy music this year? Generationals.
19. Slow Club – When I Go
There’s something very beautiful about the way Charles and Rebecca’s voices complement each other as they sing about back-up plans for love and life.
20. The Lullaby Club – Batman and Robin
The Lullaby Club were a 2009 musical discovery who are still quite a mystery to me. They were a random friend request on the ol’ myspace and for some odd reason instead of hitting the usual ‘ignore/delete’ button on band requests (like I did 98% of the time), I decided to click and have a listen. There was close to nothing on their page, just a link that led nowhere and a couple songs. And as luck would have it, the songs were rather good. If you’re a fan of the whole folk/pop/happiness thing, you might really dig them. There’s something quite familiar about the vocals and I’ve tried to find more information on the band, but my google searches have yielded nothing. If you know anything, please fill me in.
21. Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring
I think I’ve made my feelings about this song pretty clear on previous posts. Something about it being so good I want to have babies with the song, or whatever. This summer I discovered that one of the greatest ways to listen to this song is while driving through a thunderstorm, darkened clouds and lightning in the distance, with thunder roaring just as the song reaches its climactic ending. Talk about epic. Totally helps you forget about the possibility of hydroplaning, crashing, and dying.
22. Peggy Sue – Lover Gone
Sometimes when people break up, they write bitter, hurtful songs about their ex-lover. Sometimes when people break up, they write nice songs about their ex-lover and how there’s no hard feelings since ultimately it was for the best. This is one of those songs. 2010 will be a good year for Peggy Sue as it will see the release of their first album Fossils and Other Phantoms. Excitement!
23. The Maccabees – No Kind Words
It was the first taste of what was to come from The Maccabees on their second album Wall of Arms and mother-eff if it didn’t leave you wanting more! Recently, the boys reworked the tune with Roots Manuva and the result, “Empty Vessels,” will be featured on a special reissue of the album in early 2010.
24. Johnny Flynn – Lost & Found
This whole year has been a tease of what Johnny Flynn has in store for his second album, set for release sometime in 2010. Sweet jesus, I am excited!
25. Regina Spektor – The Calculation
Alright, I intentionally saved the best for last. OMG REGINA?! WHAT A SHOCKER! Part of the excitement in a new Regina Spektor album is (a) not knowing how she’s changed up some of her “classics” and (b) not knowing how many songs will actually be brand new songs no one has ever heard before in any way, shape, or form. “The Calculation” was one of the latter. In classic Regina fashion, she wrote a whimsical love story jampacked with Spektoresque metaphors that manages to be as catchy as it is beautiful. Since May, I’ve listened to “The Calculation” at least once a day everyday and I’ve been happy for at least three minutes.
BAM! Done. Better late than never, right? For songs 1-13, check out the tags.
