Thursday, September 27, 2007

Vic Chesnutt - Keeping It On The Road


North Star Deserter is strong, serious stuff. Vic Chesnutt made a record for the intellect and the emotions to live together. Always there is an air of tension on this record, some songs are very calm, spare, and restrained, just contrabasse from Thierry Amar and Vic’s nylon string guitar, they always signal, in a dramatic way, the major section of the album, compositions of explosive grandeur like Everything I Say and Debriefing, where the musicians from Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band give Vic Chesnutt space in which to walk without abandoning him. Another major moment on this record is Splendid with the beautiful guitar playing ala Dead Man from Efrim (Godspeed You! Black Emperor).

North Star Deserter was constructed with the help of Jem Cohen a New York City-based filmmaker and this is one of the reasons why the album sounds so good. It’s a winter record. It’s one of my favorite albums so far this year.

Web:
vicchesnutt.com
MySpace: myspace.com/vicchesnutt
Label: constellation records

Vic Chesnutt - You Are Never Alone .mp3 from the 40watt 6/11/07 at Southern Shelter
Vic Chesnutt - What Do You Mean? .mp3 (Ghetto Bells, 2005)

Bonus:
Thee Silver Mt Zion Orchestra And Tra-la-la Band - God Bless Our Dead Marines .mp3

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Monday, September 24, 2007

iLiKETRAiNS - Hystory Repeating


Before I launch into this, I think it fair to warn readers that this is a post-rock record, if you have problems hacking your way through dense jungles of scything guitars and feedback, cavernous echo, then wait for the next review. If, however, you appreciate the unorthodox approach to pop and mischievous experimentation, then iLiKETRAiNS’ first album Elegies To Lessons Learnt should be right up your alley.
Elegies To Lessons Learnt is a concept album. iLiKETRAiNS are obsessed with past characters and events, the album charts a series of tragic episodes in history from the Great Fire of London in 1666 (25 Sins) to the death of Conrad Schumann who hanged himself from a tree in his orchard in 1998 (Come Over). This is the reason why this record is “morose” like the press release says and I think that it is also mainly due to the vocals that are in my own opinion sometime too much irritating - it’s just the weakest point of the CD. Musically, it is an interesting and enjoyable fifty minutes sound collage or combination of noise sculptures reminiscent of Low, Pink Floyd, Mogwai, Songs:ohia, Godspeed, ensuring that there is diversity enough to assure repeated listens.
Elegies to Lessons Learnt is to be released in the UK and Europe on 1st October and on 23rd October in America. Songs and tour dates below.

Web:
iliketrains.co.uk
MysSpace: myspace.com/iliketrains
Label: beggars.com/banquet/index

iLiKETRAiNS - Terra Nova .mp3 SXSW Showcase, 2007

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Thursday, September 20, 2007

Tribute To The Young Neil Young


I just come back from a tribute evening to Neil Young (La Maroquinerie, Paris).
My first interrogation when I entered the venue was: will there be enough Neil Young fans in Paris to fill a room who can accept up to 500 people standing? Well, it was almost pack and it was my first surprise. Second question was: will there be a lot of young people attending this special evening honouring a musician who started to write songs when there parents where young like them in the mid-sixties? Yes, parents and/or children were there knowing all the words from every song.
Last question: what about the music? I already attended tribute evening to Neil Young in England or in Germany with musicians whose mother-tongue is English. Last night, on stage, most of the singers were French (and one from Belgium). I must say that it was quite perfect and between very few “Nail Jung”, Emily Loizeau (Web), Juliette Paquereau (from Diving With Andy) and all the musicians sung with a perfect English.
So what about the setlist? That was my only regret, they didn’t take any risk, they choose only songs (hits) from the 60’s to the late seventies (except Harvest Moon (1992) beautifully sung by Emily Loizeau). Too bad that nobody tried to go deeper in the huge catalogue of great songs that the Canadian wrote after Rust Never Sleeps (1979). Because of that, for me it was more a Tribute to the young Neil Young than to Neil Young. Anyway, it was a very enjoyable evening; congratulations to the musicians and thanks to
La Maroquinerie.

Many French talented musicians already covered Neil Young. Here is my personal list of official releases, sure I missed one or two:
· Les Rita Mitsouko - A Man Needs A Maid (En concert avec l’Orchestre Lamoureux, 2004)
· Nana Mouskouri – After The Gold Rush (Nana’s Book Of Songs, 1998)
· Jean-Jacques Milteau – Heart Of Gold (Memphis, 2003)
· Nana Mouskouri – Love Is A Rose (Roses & Sunshine, 1979)
· Emily LoizeauPocahontas (
L'Autre bout du monde, 2007)
· Pascal Comelade – Prime Of Life (Musique de genre, 1997)
· Hurleurs – The Needle And The Damage Done (Blottie, 2002)
· Françoise Hardy – Till The Morning Comes (If You Listen, 2000)

The Aardvarks - Cinnamon Girl .mp3
Gorch Fock - Ohio .mp3

Bonus:
Diving With Andy - Moon River .mp3 with Juliette Paquereau via Aliquid

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Sunday, September 16, 2007

Joni Mitchell - Come Rain Or Come Shine


I will be honest with you, I don’t know much about Shine the forthcoming album of Joni Mitchell, her first “real” one since 10 years, I only had the chance to listen to Hana on a local radio, which is a great song, that’s all. Anyway, it’s the new Joni Mitchell and I’m glad that she’s back - with Travelogue (2002), Joni said it was over for her and that it was her final recorded work. Of course, I will purchase Shine as soon as it will be available (September 25).
But there is a slight problem for me, it’s this Starbuck business. Joni Mitchell has signed a 2-album deal with Starbucks'
Hear Music label. Shine is the first. I don’t mind that artists like Paul McCartney want to reach a larger audience in selling CDs in a coffee shop, but come on Joni, not you! And what about our local record shops, big ones or not… Why do we have to go in a coffee shop to buy a CD? Sorry, I don’t feel quite comfortable with that.
Well, Shine includes nine new songs as well as a new version of Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi. The full track listing is (the lyrics have been released
here):

1. One Week Last Summer
2. This Place
3. If I Had a Heart
4. Hana
5. Bad Dreams are Good
6. Big Yellow Taxi
7. Night of the Iguana
8. Strong and Wrong
9. Shine
10. If (bm)

Web:
jonimitchell.com

Coinciding with Joni's own release date for Shine, the upcoming Herbie Hancock Joni tribute project will be out. The album is titled River - The Joni Letters and will feature some of the biggest names in pop and jazz music. After
A Tribute To Joni Mitchell (read), another homage to the Lady Of The Canyon from a great musician. And last but not least, Chaka Khan's Funk This (Web) which will feature a cover of Joni's song Ladies' Man, will be out the same day.

Web:
herbiehancock.com

Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi .mp3 (Ladies Of The Canyon, 1973)
Joni Mitchell - A Chair In The Sky .mp3 ft. Herbie Hancock (Mingus, 1979)

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Friday, September 14, 2007

St. Thomas - R.I.P.



"St. Thomas is 25 years old. He was born in Oslo. His heart gets warm if you appreciate his music. Please take care of him.” That’s what you can read on the inside sleeve of I’m Coming Home, St. Thomas’s second album (2001).

Norwegian singer/songwriter Thomas Hansen (aka St. Thomas) died last Sunday at the age of 31. Read more here: Thomas Hansen, 1976 - 2007

Web:
stthomas.no
MySpace: myspace.com/stthomas1976

Two songs from I’m Coming Home (2001) via
Misra Records, his best record - for me - very much inspired by indie artists like Elliott Smith, Bill Callahan, Will Oldham:
St Thomas - Cornerman .MP3
St Thomas - Take A Dance With Me .MP3
Picture taken by Ilse Lazarom

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Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Anna Ternheim On Tour


Recent years have seen a raised profile for Scandinavian women singer-songwriters especially from Sweden (Sofia Talvik, Frida Hyvönen et all). In 2006, Anna Ternheim released Separation Road a long-awaited follow up to her debut album Somebody Outside (2004) who gave her a Swedish Grammy Award for Best Newcomer. More melodic and with the help of an orchestra, this second opus allows Anna Terheim to be more known in Europe.
On October 30th, she will release an EP in the U.S. with Shoreline (from Somebody Outside) as main track. Anna Terheim will spend the rest of the year
touring Europe and U.K. to promote her second and also latest album Separation Road (you can listen to some extracts of songs, or watch video clips in Anna’s website).

Web:
annaternheim.com

Anna Ternheim - To Be Gone .mp3 via six-by-nine

Bonus:
Frida Hyvönen - Once I Was A Serene Teenaged Child.mp3
Jens Lekman - Opposite Of Hallelujah .mp3

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Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Richard Shindell & Joseph Parsons - Unplugged In Paris


I wish I could begin these reviews differently but, and once again, another brilliant Acoustic In Paris show last night at this hole-in-the-wall nightclub close to St. Michel in downtown Paris last night. An almost sold out crowd warmly received Richard Shindell’s 1st visit to Paris in 10 years. Fans from Italy and Nederland have made the trip especially to see this concert and it was a fitting testament to the superb talent of this acoustic guitar and bouzouki player. Relaxed, causal, confident, friendly, skilled, funny, deep, entertaining and well, “folksy” are all apt adjectives to describe his music. In the classic mode of what you might think of when you say the word “folk singer”. Without a doubt I had the feeling I was in the presence of greatness last night. (One thing that I’ve really been impressed with at all of these concerts is the very high skill-level these guitarists have. Gone are the strumming-strum-strum days of yore. And thankfully, a long, long way from those days).

Philadelphian songwriter Joseph Parsons was warmly welcomed for his debut Paris concert last night and gave us a strong and intimate, perfectly paced 40 minute set.

Both songwriters played newly written songs, which I really appreciated. There is always a little element of chance when those new songs are played but when it works well as it did last night, the whole show is elevated for both players and audiences. Another magical night for music and much appreciated by this writer!


Bookerfatz2

Joseph Parsons - Sun Gonna Shin .mp3 from The Fleury Sessions (2006)
Photo: Leaky Sparrow - Richard Shindell in La Pomme d'Eve, Paris, Tuesday 04, 2007

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Monday, September 03, 2007

Single Of The Month - Thedo: On My Shoulders



Thedo (o with a /) or when Dan levy, a French film score composer (imdb), meets Olivia B Merilahti a singer-songwriter from Finland. Two new talents together.
They don’t have a label yet but On My Shoulders is already a hit on myspace.com/thedoband. Enjoy!

Thedo - On My Shoulders .mp3 via Le Mellotron

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Saturday, September 01, 2007

Terry Lee Hale - New Song For Leaky Sparrow 200th


Already 200 posts since Leaky Sparrow started to fly in April 2006. That’s a lot of posts friends and I am the most surprised of all! Never had I imagined that I could find enough material to share with you, which means that music is still very much alive for me and that there are still good records to listen to and shows to watch. Let me take the opportunity of this “anniversary” to thank all of you for your visits, for your useful comments and for mentioning Leaky Sparrow on other websites and blogs. Also, big thanks to my contributors and co-writers: Lucky Girl, Bookerfatz2 & Sunday Worker – for their reports from Cologne, Seattle and, of course, Paris.

For this special occasion, Terry Lee Hale has allowed me to link Big Sigh from his latest album Shotgun Pillowcase (January 2007) that you can purchase here:
Borderdreams, Amazon.
This is what Terry Lee says about it: “This song and also Devil Blues (featured on
Terry Lee Hale Web) were written at exactly the same time and place and I remember it well. It was in the kitchen and springtime garden at Glitterhouse Records office (Beverungen, Germany) maybe in 1998 or something. I was touring at the time and had a couple days off and so was kindly being hosted by the record company. The original song was much more jaunty and happy, almost like skipping rope kinda music. Written by a much younger man for sure. This version (featured on Shotgun Pillowcase) has been heavily edited and shortened from that first original writing. To be remembered: when it comes to song writing, nothing is sacred!!”

Web:
terryleehale.com
MySpace: myspace.com/terryleehale

Terry Lee Hale - Big Sigh .mp3 from Shotgun Pillowcase (2007)

Terry Lee Hale & Fingerbones in The Netherlands:
25/10/07 - "De Witte Bal" - Assen
26/10/07 - "Musiekpodium Bakkeveen" - Bakkeveen
27/10/07 - "Night Live Music Bar" - Volendam
28/10/07 - "Patronaat" - Harleem

Illustration: Claude Monet (1840-1926) La Pie (The Magpie). Between 1868 and 1869 - Paris, Musée d'Orsay.

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