Artist of the Week...

Those of you who've known me for a while....know that I have an inclination to jazz, blues, classical, and other forms of music that aren't "on the cusp", as it were....this, coupled with the fact that I am approaching an age that almost makes it impossible to be "cool"...keeps me behind on new music that is out there waiting to be heard. Subsequently, when I do find a band that I dig...it is a relief.

I've found such a band in this week's AOTW. Two gents from Australia formed this electronic band in 2007 and released their debut album " Walking On A Dream " in November of 2008. As I've still not heard the entire work, my opinion isn't complete, but what I have heard has resonated. The lead vocals are unique...and I'm fairly certain that some will find them annoying. The music is...well...electronic...but the melodies have a laid back...yet sensual or even erotic...feel. This band probably won't change music...or even be relevant in 10 years...but this album works. Ladies and gentlemen, I offer you....Empire Of The Sun.

* the following two tracks are my favorites, thus far.

** youtube has blocked the second video.

Artist of the Week...Zero 7.

I. Their story: From Britain, these two blokes combine mellow grooves with various melodic voices that result in a cornucopia of listening pleasure. In all seriousness, they are really...really good. The thing, for me, that makes them unique and fun is that they utilize different vocal artists giving the feeling of a soundtrack on each album...but with the consistency one looks for in a talented artist....somewhat like the 90's group Everything But The Girl....but much better. Theirs is the kind of music that you could use as background for a nice evening with someone special...or a nice solitary drive.
II. My story: I was first introduced to these guys a couple of years ago by the grand testudineous(by the way, thanks.). Always in search of music that captures without being obsequious, I was incredibly pleased. I've gone through a process of discovery, as I do with most bands that initially intrigue... and the journey has been worth it so far. Few groups/artists deliver on a consistent basis...from album to album...but these guys do. I've included a couple videos of songs that give a general representation of the disparate sounds of the band...and two of my favorites. Ladies and gentlemen...Zero 7.



Somersault:





Throw It All Away:

Artist of the Week....Mr. Elliott Smith

Thoughts:

1. Elliott Smith has been one of my favorite artists from the moment I heard him. I'm a sucker for melancholic melodies...and he delivers without ceasing. To this, he adds a really really light voice..think modern Chet Baker...with a poet's heart. In sum, a true gift.
2. I was introduced to Smith, while studying in England. A girl I had met, and spent time with, played him one night, and I was hooked. That song was Coming Up Roses... and to this day it is my favorite of his songs....probably due to sentimental value. His big rise to fame came on the heels of his contributions to the Good Will Hunting soundtrack(which is a good album), but it is Either/Or and other singular works that really show his abilities. This said, any song or album is worth the money and time spent.
3. Sadly, Smith committed suicide in 2003...at the age of 34. There was always a sense of pain, longing, and yearning in his music... but it is always shocking when that pain is revealed as an honest pain... the kind that leads a person to suicide. I am grateful for the music he gave, but miss the music that could've been... and will never be. The following is a video for Angeles..a song on Either/Or...I chose it for a number of reasons...not the least of which is that it is representative of most of his work. R.I.P.... E.S.








Due to multiple requests, here is the video for Coming Up Roses...enjoy.

Artist of the Week....Mr. Frank Sinatra.

Most of you probably figured that it was just a matter of time for Ole Blue Eyes to be AOTW. Well, you were correct. Thoughts on the man:

1. I didn't discover Sinatra until university, but when I did, there was no going back. The first album I had was the Best of the Capitol Years. A very solid compilation with favorites like New York New York, Summer Wind, All or Nothing at All, The Way You Look Tonight, etc. This said, it was when I saw footage of the Rat Pack on stage that I realized how amazingly talented those guys were...and leading the way was Frank.

2. When thinking about Sinatra and his career, most focus on the persona, or public personality, that was created. In fact, everything we know about him says that Sinatra wanted it this way, as he was extremely private and protective about his personal life(especially after that whole divorce and Ava Gardner thing). Yet, something must be said about the sheer talent of the man. His career traversed five decades, and for four of them, he remained a standard for artistic creation. Among his other accomplishments, his greatest contribution, as far as I can see, was his making the standard a personal experience for the masses.

3. If one is looking for the Frank Sinatra album, look no further than Sinatra: Live at the Sands, 1966. It is a live show in Vegas with the Count Basie Orchestra and a 21 year old Quincy Jones as the conductor. Simply, Frank at his finest. The clip found below is the studio recording of my favorite Sinatra song One for my baby, One for the Road. On the Sands album this song is the highlight, and one gets the feeling that Sinatra was singing from a place that he rarely showed the public(his marriage to Mia Farrow had just ended). The studio recording is a bit sterile by comparison, but is still very good. Ladies and Gentlemen....The Chairman of the Board.

Artist of the week...Roberta Flack.

Thoughts:
1. I recently started thinking about Flack after a conversation with testudineous. We were comparing versions of Bridge Over Troubled Water and he played a cover by RF that I'd never heard. Quite simply, the best version I've been introduced to.

2.Flack had one of the most beautiful and understatedly emotive voices to come out of the 1970's. Yet, she is always overlooked by critics and fans of vocal performance and song writing.

3. Occasionally, one will find an artist that can not only move a person to emotion and thought, but that can also remain fresh for years after the initial discovery. I was introduced to Mrs. Flack's music by a girlfriend in college, and to this day, Flack's music takes me back to the halcyon days of university....but also remains appropriate for my life, as it is.

4. Most are familiar with her biggest hits...King Me Softly(stupid fugees), The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, etc...but, as it is with most gifted artists, some of her lesser known hits are just as good, or better. If you are looking for good, soulful, and melodic music to relax or groove to....look no further.

4. I looked for a version/video of that BOTW cover, but, alas, could not find it. In fact, in keeping with the whole underrated thing, I couldn't find much of anything. So, below is a ridiculous video with Flack's song Feel Like Makin Love in the background. This is one of her more lighthearted songs, and one of my favorites.