Women in New Music

I sometimes wonder if it is just me who notices.

There is a chasm. On one side, we have out tabloid queens, our Courtneys, Amys and to a lesser extent our Lilys and "Gagas". On this side of the chasm, we have scores of reporters, album sales in millions, or at the very least, hundred of thousands and an unshakable presence in pop culture. They exist, it would seem, to be news instead of the musicians they had once set out to be.

On the other side of this chasm there are the women that are truly remarkable. They do not go out on the town, vomit on something or someone and end up on page one, above the fold. They do not rely on PR for exposure. They do not wind up on TMZ. They are musicians who rely on word of mouth to get their music out there.

I’ve compiled a list of a few of my favourite women of new music. There are a few you may have heard of, a few you haven’t. My hope is that you go and give a listen to them. They are, after all, musicians, and they deserve our ears.

More deserving than the Britneys, at least.



Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine
One of the best debut album, if not best album period, to come out in 2009 was from a drop dead gorgeous ginger haired, art school dropout. “Lungs”, was both a critical and commercial smash. It managed number one in the U.K and continue to do exceedingly well in Europe and the States. Florence writes rich pop songs with lush instrumentation, with her vocals matching power with playfulness. While “Lung’s” subject matter is generally the standard dark, break up material, its presentation is what propels it above and beyond typical, boring pop garbage. She is currently recording a follow-up record, which is expected in 2011.



Joanna Newsom
Joanna is a classically trained musician with a several releases out already, most recently being “Have One On Me”, which was not surprisingly, a critical darling. She writes complex music consciously devoid of any particular genre. The complexity of her musical arrangements is constantly juxtaposed against her voice, which has been described as child-like and defies her training as a musician. She has appeared on several occasions on Jimmy Kimmel Live and appears to be gaining momentum to jump from indie darling to mainstream crossover success. While I wouldn’t suggest putting on one of her records on a long car trip, her voice compliments a lazy Sunday, heaps of coffee and a good read.



Lykke Li
Sweden, for some magical reason, has a knack for producing some of the greatest pop music out there. “Youth Novels” is Lykke’s first album and certainly sets the bar high for the eventual follow up. Her voice simmers through the album, letting the arrangements and sometimes thread bare, economical production carry her. She voice is constantly in the spotlight, never faltering, letting the clemency of her voice become her strength.



Kim Schifino of Matt & Kim
Drummers come in two shades, the wild frenetic time keeping of your Keith Moons or your restrained, Swiss timekeepers, like Charlie Watts. Kim prescribes to the former, and has helped the pair become one of the must see live acts. Kim embodies one of the greatest do it yourself mentalities out there. She, and Matt, produced their album “Grand” out of Matt’s bedroom. She also fearlessly appears in one of the greatest videos of last year, the viral “Lesson Learned”. Matt & Kim are currently recording their next album, so we’ll be seeing Kim Schifino real soon.



Melody Gardot
Melody is not only a wonderful new voice in Jazz music, she is also a remarkably strong woman. When she was 19 she was involved in a horrific car accident that left her confined to her bed recovering from head in spinal injuries. Years after the accident, she still needs the help of a cane and always wears sunglasses due to a sensitivity to light. It was this life-changing event that catapulted her into music as a means of therapy. Her paired down approach to music allows her to mix and mash a multitude of genres to create a unique sonic experience. She can be heard most recently only “My One And Only Thrill”.



Victoria LeGrand of the Beach House
Beach House is a dream pop duo straight out of the mean streets of Baltimore. France-born Victoria is their heir apparent of the throaty, laid back vocals of the divine Nico. Like Nico, Victoria’s voice is thick and lush and automatically adds depth to the production so it comes as no surprise that bands, such as Grizzly Bear, have approached her to sing background. Beach House has most recently released their third album, “Teen Dream” and it is an amazing leap forward stylistically. Like the Cocteau Twins before them, Victoria and Beach House seem poised to leap from the sub genre and into the main stream



Gabriela of Rodrigo y Gabriela
There are two things that might take some by surprise when reading about Mexico. One; is that they love Morrissey. Two; they also really, really love thrash metal. Rodrigo and Gabriela both started out in a thrash metal band in Mexico before moving to Ireland and finding a cult following that lead them to supporting several large acts on European tours. Gabriela and Rodrigo, play classical flamenco style guitar with flair and acres of personality. The excitement in each track is incredibly infectious. Gabriela plays one hell of a mean guitar. I can’t bring to mind a single female that can compete with her finger and fret work.



Laura Marling
There is a huge folk scene exploding out of London right now, and Laura Marling is one of the leading ladies of the scene. Prior to cutting it as a solo artist, Laura was a member of Noah and the Whale and sang background on tracks by The Rakes and Mystery Jets. Her voice is strong and feminine and at times is eerily similar to a young Joni Mitchell. Laura’s latest album, “I Speak Because I Can” is certified silver in the U.K and entered the charts at number four.



Regina Spektor
Regina is associated with the New York “anti-folk” scene, but she transcends that non-genre, especially in her later releases such as “Far”. Her songs are wonderfully constructed pieces; the music is undeniable pop but with a level of sophistication generally unheard of in what passes as pop today. Her voice has a versatile range, and she isn’t afraid of hitting the high notes. Her songs are wonderfully constructed and when combined with her lyrics are large scale, loose narratives a truly memorable experience is had.



Dee Dee, Jules, Sandy and Bambi of the Dum Dum Girls
Right off the mark these girls score huge points for Iggy Pop song reference in their name (“Dum Dum Boys” from Iggy’s brilliant “The Idiot”). These girls take The Ramones formula and apply it to lo-fi, indie and garage rock with surprising results. The Dum Dum Girls’ debut on SupPop sounds like a hipster Blondie album, or maybe a Siouxsie Sioux who grew up in the Portland in the 90’s. The band started out as a solo project from front woman Dee Dee and metamorphosed into a solid four piece just last year. And the best part about the group? On their debut, the last track is a cover of Sonny Bono’s “Baby Don’t Go”.

Review-a-palooza #8:

When The Wallflowers crashed the main stage with 1996’s “One Headlight”, I don’t think there was anyone out there that could've predicted that Bob Dylan’s kid, Jakob, would have been anything other than a one hit wonder.

Women + Country is a collection of alt. country, folk and dust bowl blues that attain for an instant timeless quality. The songs are home spun and warm and juxtapose nicely against the stark imagery of a hard life.

On his second outing as a solo artist, Jakob is produced by Grammy and Academy Award winner T-Bone Burnett. T-Bone does well recreating the magic from the last time they worked together when he produced the Wallflower’s breakout album “Bringing Down the Horse” and its giant single “One Headlight”. While this album doesn't have the million dollar single, it certainly is their most fulfilling pairing to date.

On several tracks Jakob marvelously employs Canadian New Pornographer and all around solid solo artist Neko Case. Neko adds her depth to the background vocals and comes close to out singing the airy vocals Jakob lays down. Also on the album is Neko's own background vocalist Kelly Hogan who shines just as bright. All three voices mesh wonderfully to add to the dreamlike, dust bowl tonality of the album.

Women + Country's best are found on "Everybody's Hurting" and the drifting horns of "Lend a Hand". The latter Jakob appears without his female driven backing vocals to wonderful effect.

Jakob’s persona cuts through each song as he comes into his own a solo artist. His songs are sepia toned and dreamy but confident. And even though it might not come to pass, he is one step closer to being referred to as Jakob Dylan, and not Bob’s kid.

Bands You Should Like #2:

Okkervil River

Austin is a city known the world over for its musical offspring. The red headed stranger calls it home, so did the guitar god Stevie Ray Vaughn and more recently Okkervil River. Okkervil River is a six piece alt band with five albums under their belt. Most recently, the band released the sublime “The Stand Ins” that picks up where the preceding album, “The Stage Names” left off.

The band is a critical darling and boasts some pretty impressive fans, including the curmudgeonly Lou Reed who I thought hated everything except himself. Okkervil River is a unique band. Chief songwriter and singer Will Sheff has a voice that most people will like at first listen. Then, after going over a song a few more times, an understanding sweeps over you. Will’s voice fits the scene perfectly, like how Rush couldn’t exist without the high-pitched alto of Geddy Lee.

Their music is big and sweeping and the lyrics are a treasure hunt of references that would appease the hungriest of trivia nerds and music apprecianados. Take for example their song “Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed on the Roof of the Chelsea Hotel, 1979” You don’t have to know who Bruce Wayne Campbell or his alter ego Jobriath are, or even the significance of the Chelsea Hotel to be swept away by the music.

Recently, the band has shifted gears and has acted as back-up band to Roky Erickson (formerly of psychedelic rock heavies 13^th Floor Elevators). Roky is releasing his first album of new material in over a decade and the band steps in to fill out the sound. Front man Will Sheff serves as producer and the album, called “True Love Casts Out All Evil”, is a truly solid effort from the former mental patient.

No word yet on new Okkervil disc, but here’s hoping.

Videos of the band:

Check out the bands performance on Austin City Limits Here

Review-a-palooza #7:

Justin Townes Earle - Midnight At The Movies

Sometimes in the digital age of music, it’s easy for the music to get lost in the production. Effects and editing can often smother a song to death. So when a simple album comes out, it's something of a breath of fresh air. “Midnight at the Movies” is just such a record. It’s a remarkable album that crosses genre after genre.

I’ve listened song for song about two dozen times and I haven’t worn out its welcome yet. Each song sounds like it would be perfectly at home on a Townes Van Zandt, Woodie Guthrie, Hank Williams or Ryan Adams record. The songs are warm and honest and draw images of a simpler era. From the opening seconds of the first song you are instantly transported to the Nashville of Justin Townes Earle, a town full of broken hearts, boozy encounters and Faulkner-esque backdrops.

Justin has song writing in his genes, being the son of the criminally under appreciated Steve Earle. Justin explores his roots in “Mama’s Eyes” a song that touches on the addiction that he and father both conquered. The song is self deprecating and uplifting in the same breathe and is the perfect example of the sincerity that Justin brings to his song writing.

The songs on this album are rich and textured and are reminiscent of “Heartbreaker” era Ryan Adams. Each song boasts a full cast of characters that you want to head about, and places that you can see in your mind’s eye. The title track “Midnight at the Movies” is an anthem written for the disenchanted, the night crawlers and lonely souls. Each person mentioned in passing with one or two lines has the potential for an albums worth of material.

Each song is refreshing in length, never over staying its welcome. They all have a great up beat and are hummable. I came late to this album, it was released early 2009, and it weren’t for Justin’s appearance on the AV Club’s Undercover feature singing Springsteen’s “Atlantic City”, I doubt I would have found this at all. I’m glad I did.

Review-a-palooza #6:

The Hold Steady - Heaven Is Whenever

Ages ago, nostalgia used to be considered a disease. Sailors used to get so depressed about being away for so long, they manifested physical symptoms; nausea, pains, weakness and so on. Nostalgia plays heavy in the Hold Steady’s latest album, “Heaven Is Whenever” but it isn't considered a sickness. The album explores the idea of suffering having an important part in a life that is fulfilled. But this is hardly a depressing album.

The Hold Steady are something of an anomaly. They manage to age with each album. While its only been a year or two in between releases, the characters from each record have aged a lifetime: from the angst and anger of the teenage years in “Almost Killed Me” and “Separation Anxiety” to the onset of adulthood, complete with weight of the responsibilities that come with growing up, on “Stay Positive”. “Heaven is Whenever” sounds like a collection of conversations had during a high school reunion. The band remembers in vivid details the parties, girls and music that defined them all those years ago.

Earlier this year the band lost Franz Nicolay whose manic and expressive work on the piano and organ added to the depth of the bands impression. Franz left but his absence isn’t a particular heavy loss. Singer Craig Finn has left behind the “talk singing” that was all over previous albums and has become more comfortable with his vocals.

Some of the best songs on this album are slow burners. “The Sweet Part of the City” is languid and sounds like a hot summer day where all you want to do is sit outside with a cold drink and watch the world slip past. “We Can Get Together”, where the album pulls its title from is a trip back through the albums that help us to escape. And any song that name drops Hüsker Dü is all right by me.

This is my favourite type of album. It’s one that bears repeat listening. Like a good movie, or book, you can return to it and pick up something new.

Review-a-palooza #5:

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

Damon Albarn has returned with co-creator Jaime Hewlett to fictional music super group Gorillaz for a spectacular third album that builds on the two previous outings. I feel slightly embarrassed writing about anything Albarn’s done. In my wild and misspent youth in the barren prairies of western Canada, I willfully wrote off Blur as ‘the group that wrote that woo-hoo song’ and never gave them a second glance until I was much older. Putting past indiscretions aside, this is one hell of a fine album.

Damon has grown in leaps and bounds as a composer and this album showcases his ability to create a cohesive sonic experience. A task made daunting with a mish mash of musical genres at play and a host of guest artists, each able to steal a song away. Some of the music giants that appear on the album are Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, Stuff White People Like certified Mos Def, Paul Simonon and Mick Jones and a powerful and evocative Bobby Womack, who appears at the request of his daughter who assured the aging soul man that the Gorillaz are “cool”. As with previous Gorillaz albums this is a mix of Dub, Electro, Hip Hop and especially pop and Plastic Beach adds to this with Bollywood strings and some Chicago flavoured horns.

It’s hard to pick out tracks that stand out, as they are all pretty tight. Glitter Freeze featuring The Fall’s Mark E. Smith is great. Some Kind of Nature featuring Lou Reed is a great tonal piece, and it’s said that Lou Reed demanded no one be present during the recording. Being bashful maybe? Either way, the end result is phenomenal. The album really gets its legs on its third track; White Flag featuring London hip hop artists Kano, Bashy and the Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music.

To me the only song that never really takes off is second off the top; Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach with the lethargic rhymes of Snoop Dogg. After the weight and scope hinted at during the Orchestral Intro, Snoop and company don’t really reign in the scope that Plastic Beach achieves in latter tracks.

This is a near perfect album. The production, composition, they are all top notch. This is a clear front runner for every "Best of 2010" list out there.

Bands you should like #1:

The Happy Mondays

The Happy Mondays are one of the coolest bands to come out of Manchester. Period. And I'm talking about a town that produced The Smiths, Joy Division/New Order, The Stone Roses and on a lesser scale of cool, Oasis.

With the Stone Roses and Inspiral Carpets, The Happy Mondays were the forefathers of the Madchester scene, a never before seen mixture of dance and guitar based rock. The band formed in the 80’s and in their original incarnation, released four proper albums. Well, three proper albums and one that sunk them and their label into financial ruin.

The Mondays had a pedigree to them that most bands never achieve. They were signed to the hugely influential Factory Records. Their albums were produced by the industry’s finest: Martin Hannett, John Cale and Paul Oakenfold. Their lyrics were catchy and at times quite profound, this being particularly interesting due to the mental state of the mind producing them. Above all else, they had a magnetism that attracted equal parts critical acclaim and fan following.

The band’s history is like a modern day Robert Johnson, so much of it is owed to legend it can be difficult to distinguish the band from the myth. So, here are some of the best stories I’ve heard about the Mondays:

1. As it goes, the Mondays were discovered at a battle of the bands at Tony Wilson’s Hacienda nightclub and were signed regardless of placing last.

2. There’s also the time that singer Shaun Ryder and Bez fed bread laced with rat poison to countless pigeons that took to the air only to rain dead to the ground.

3. There’s also the going rumour that it was Happy Monday’s resident “dancer/percussionist/dealer” Bez that was responsible for introducing Ecstasy to the UK.

4. Or that the Monday’s were so hooked on heroin that they had to be flown to the heroin free Barbados to record their fourth album, only to become addicted to crack. And in order to support that habit they sold their recording gear and clothing.

5. And the last, too good to be untrue rumour that the Monday’s walked out of a record deal with London Records under the pretense of getting some KFC, never to return. It would be safe to assume that KFC was code for heroin and lots of it.

The Mondays broke up (for the first time) in the 90’s due to a cocktail of addiction and publics lack of love towards Madchester on the dawn of American Grunge. They’ve recently given it yet another go, with three of the original players back in action but, it’s not the same. Whatever magic they captured during Madchester is gone, and it is a bit queer seeing these old buggers try to tear it up.

I would suggest you give a listen to the bands first three albums: Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out), Bummed and Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches for the best of the Mondays. These albums best exemplify what the bad was. For more Happy Monday action, check out the film 24 Hour Party People, the band plays a heavy, if not fictionalized role. Shaun Ryder even has a cameo as a drug dealer.

Here are some videos of the band:

Alex Chilton - December 28, 1950 – March 17, 2010

Thanks for the music.

Big Star - Thank You, Friends


Photo: Jack Plunkett, AP

Review-a-palooza #4:

Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More

I first heard about Mumford & Sons last year and quite by accident. For one reason or another, I found myself reading the BBC’s “Acts to Watch” list and one of the only bands that stood out was Mumford & Sons. And so began an obsession. I waited for months and months for their debut album to come out and finally on February 16th my patience was rewarded.

The album is full of rich instrumental arrangements, romantic production thanks to Arcade Fire and Bjork producer Markus Dravs, Neil Young-esque lyrics and phenomenal harmonies. It’s overwhelming to think that this group has only been playing together since 2007 because they sound like they’ve been playing together for decades. Listening to what the band has accomplished with this album makes it exciting to guess at what comes next.

It’s hard to pick tracks that stand out as they all shine in their own way. However, album opener “Sigh No More” is full of spirit and the playing on this track is top notch. What starts out as a Fleet Foxes sound a like quickly transforms into a best of the year contender. What surprises me is that this song hasn’t been one of the albums singles.

“Little Lion Man” is one of the albums more aggressive songs. And unlike most aggressive songs out there, this one has some pretty solid banjo.

“White Blank Pages” is a wonderful thematic sequel to “Little Lion Man”. And like Pearl Jam’s “Alive”, “Once” and “Footsteps”, Mumford & Sons are telling a three-part story. The final piece has been recorded, but not yet released. It contains every element that makes this album a must listen. The vocals are beautiful, the lyrics' rich and the music floats out of the speakers.

Best: Sigh No More, Little Lion Man, White Blank Pages

Check out their website here

Watch them live on BalconyTV here

And finally, their video for Little Lion Man

Review-a-palooza #3:

Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

Gil Scott-Heron is a man who has lived a paradoxical life. He was the voice of a revolution and for his troubles became the godfather of rap and hip-hop. He was a black Thomas Paine whose words spoke of a cultural revolution for the poor America. And then he gave it all up. He got hooked on drugs, did time and worst of all stopped recording new albums after being dropped by his label. This new album is a statement saying that whatever he had back in the day, is still with him. He still has something to say and can say it better than most.

"I’m New Here" is new and uncertain ground for Scott-Heron. Aided by the magnificent Richard Russell whose electronica influences drag Scott-Heron’s rhymes kicking and screaming into the 2000’s. This is a deeply personal album with Scott-Heron’s wicked tongue and focus turned inward. He says this best in one of the many interludes on the album, “If you gotta pay for things you’ve done wrong, I’ve got a big bill coming for me at the end of the day.”

The album has some great tracks but feels disjointed. This could be due to the fact that it was recorded over several sessions that spanned years.

The Delta blues/Robert Johnson inspired track “Me and the Devil” is the disc’s first single and one of the strongest pieces. The voice that leaks from your speakers belongs to a man who has truly lived. It’s not been the best life, but it’s the only one he’s had. The album is full of Scott-Heron’s spoken word poems set to (at times) some great ambient and electronic pieces. While not for everyone, they are undeniably deep and moving.

The album is not without it's levity. "On Coming From A Broken Home" parts 1 and 2, Scott-Heron sends love to the women that raised him and argues that you have to be smart and realize what some people tell you is broken, can work just fine.

The album is short, too short. With only nine songs over two minutes one cannot help but think, “Is that all you have to say?” But maybe, what was said is enough.

At least, for now.

Favourite tracks: "Me And The Devil", "Where Did The Night Go" and "Your Soul And Mine"

Click here for his webpage.

Here's the video to the single "Me And The Devil"

And here is a link to the haunting "Where Did The Night Go"

Review-a-palooza #2:

Jim Jones Revue - Jim Jones Revue

The self-titled Jim Jones Revue disc is a full frontal assault in the best way. Jim Jones Revue is a five piece that sounds like they just crawled out of some southern swamp and right into a honky tonk. The bands consists of screamer Jim Jones, guitarist Rupert Orton, bassist Gavin Jay, drummer Nick Jones and a maniac named Elliot Mortimer pounding the hell out of the piano.

This album was recorded live off the floor in a scant 48 hours and has more energy than anything you’d hear on the radio. The album opens with “The Princess and the Frog” a song that sets the tone for the entire album. As soon as the piano comes in you want to kick out the chair from under you and lose your mind. The same can be said for the rest of the album, there is so much raucous energy exploding out of your speakers it’s hard to keep your feet from moving. The sound is undeniable garage, but hits you with punk, rockabilly and rhythm ‘n’ blues.

The Jim Jones Revue owes a lot to the great rock and roll men of the past. Every track drips Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard, in fact the band covers “Hey Hey Hey Hey” on this disc.

The Jim Jones Revue have already earned the praises of overseas MOJO magazine and, god willing, it’s only a matter of time until they break out over here. At only ten tracks and with most songs coming in at around three minutes or less, it’s a great throw back to the early days of rock and roll.

If you aren’t a fan of fun rock and roll, than this ain’t for you. If you want a great way to kill a half hour, check The Jim Jones Revue out. Seriously. It's one of the best legal ways to kill a half hour.

Best: Princess & The Frog, Hey Hey Hey Hey, Make It Hot, Cement Mixer

Check out their website here: www.jimjonesrevue.com/

Here's the video for The Princess & The Frog

Review-a-palooza #1:

The Heavy - The House That Jack Built

The Heavy are a neo-soul meets indie guitar group from Noid, England, which is a wee town near Bristol. The band is a five piece with Kelvin Swaby on vocals, Dan Taylor on guitar, Spencer Page on bass and Chris Ellul. The band started releasing singles in 2007 and dropped “Vengeance and Furious Fire” in September of that year. “The House that Dirt Built” is their sophomore follow-up and was released by Counter.

The Heavy’s got this real cool soul vibe and Kelvin rocks a killer old school R&B vocal. Lot of folks say he’s got a Curtis Mayfield voice, but the dude’s got range. On “Oh No! Not You Again!!” he can drop a James Brown meets Mick Collins wail like nobody’s business.

You can really pick up on the fact that The Heavy aren’t a one-note soul revival knock off act. They bounce around musical genres while keeping a consistent backbone. They’ve got tracks with tastes of garage rock, Sergio Leone spaghetti western themes, reggae and dub and Screaming Ronnie Hawkins rock and roll. The album is finished off with a quiet song, punctuated by piano and strings not the strongest track, but I digress.

The songs bleed cool. “How You Like Me Now?” is the type of track that Guy Ritchie would lay over a slow mo montage of his slick gangsters doing something nasty. In fact the band’s gotten a lot of mileage out of that track with it appearing on Entourage and Community, not to mention an awesome Letterman appearance.

My favourite track as of this second is “Sixteen”; a classic rock track complete with devil and sexed up femme fatale. It’s “I Put A Spell On You” (with some of the Godfather of Soul thrown in for good measure) but with the Heavy’s twist on it.

The Heavy is a cool band and totally worth a spin.

Best: Sixteen, How You Like Me Now?, Oh No! Not You Again!, Short Change Hero

The Heavy's website: http://www.theheavy.co.uk/

Check out Sixteen on YouTube here

An Introduction

Hello internets.

I’m going to give this blog thing the ol’ college try. I’ll be writing about the coolest things on the planet. Or failing that, some killer music, over the top comic books and whatever ridiculousness that passes for a thought.

A set of rules I will try to adhere to:

1) I will try not to be lame
2) I will try to update often, with quality musings
3) I will try to be something you want to read

See you soon.