Dreaming all day long, I've been finding myself in positively ethereal situations at night and floating around in a daze every day. Nights have seen balls, champagne flutes, many trains, dances at dawn, low lit forests, glitter flakes tumbling from the sky...aesthetically the most beautiful week I've experienced since my time in Portland. London this past week hasn't held much, I have not seen many friends. I posted a trip to the Selfridges sale (Nicole Farhi pink Breton top, LK Bennett beige patent flats), mostly time spent with the family. These are quiet times, and I find myself sleepily upon the Heath in the ruins often. The music I have experienced live this week included the Fatback Band for work (a band who have the kind of stories to tell that I could only dream of experiencing), Rumble Strips, Johnny Flynn and a few others.
I must say watching Johnny play for the first time in well over a year was an emboldening experience. I have never seen him play so well. The new songs took a torch to the sky; where there were sparks before, now there is fire. For all the new folk acts emerging from around the world, it is my opinion that Johnny is the greatest talent that you will hear. If you do get a chance to see him play anytime, go and experience the ascent and the growth for yourself.
Moving on, befitting the sleepy state, here are some bands by which to rest your head...
So this band have seriously cringey song titles ('Purity of Heart' and 'My Ghost your Ghost'), but their music is pure 7/4 Shoreline Broken Social Scene beautiful with vocals off beat enough to make a mark that's pretty original. It's all pretty rough, but I definitely suggest keeping an eye on them. Plus they look like the kind of people you'd want to be your best friends, totally adorable.
Until pretty recently I did not realise it was a musical faux pas to admit that you enjoy Jack Johnson. I kind of do from time to time. However now that I've found Bahamas I have a way of enjoying the poppy male singer song writer publicly without being mocked. He's like a un-embarrassing not gimmicky Jack Johnson and Bon Iver. Listening to him kind of makes me think of Dawsons Creek- a soundtrack to soft sweet romantic Joey-Dawson moments-and I can't think of a higher compliment.
A bit more depressed Deathcab and pretty beautiful. I'm guessing if the late great Elliot Smith was still around, he'd very much approve of this.
I am a huge Rilo Kiley fan, and if I was ever given the joyous task of putting them on I'd
definitely pick these guys as a support. They have all that you love about RK and adapt it to make it unique and really special. I'm pretty late on this, but even if you've seen this lot before you've got to admit this bunch write HUGE pop songs that are interesting, have punch and heart, which is a pretty rare combination.
The Shins for when the Shins aren't around, with a little something more. The boy-girl vocals
and the heavy percussion make this very worthwhile.
I'm sorry, I'm going to use the term afro-beat here. Personally I think the term's crap, but if the music press is going to call Jack Penate afro-beat (dude is from Dulwich) then I guess I can legitimately call Deastro who clap, clop and provide mellow beats just that. So here we are, some pretty good "afro-beat" with touches of electro pop, for the sweater vest set.
This is actually whack. Freak avant-pop I guess? Why doesn't LA have more bands that are as weird as this gang? Life would totally be more interesting.
Deathcab 2.0. BIG and beautiful, I'm waiting for Alex Patsavas to stick this on Gossip Girl.
Before I go, has anyone else seen the pianos around London lately? On my journey home on Friday I stopped by the Bank of England, there was a ball just ending at Billingsgate and small gang of ladies in elbow gloves and men in top hats gathered outside the Bank of England. Music began to play and I realised a piano was placed on the steps, two men tapping jauntily at the keys. The music crept round all the empty old buildings and carried far- I could still hear it streets and streets away. It was one of the most wonderful snapshots of the city I had ever seen.
I guess sometimes London is pretty magical too...
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