I've just read that Esbjörn Svensson of EST died in a scuba-diving accident in Stockholm over the weekend. How sad. Not only was he an incredible mucisian (at the forefront of a very classically minded move in Scandinavian jazz) but he always came across on stage as a thoroughly decent guy. RIP.
If you didn't see it last night (and you have the good fortune to live in the UK), you can pop over to the BBC IPlayer to watch last night's excellent Culture Show. The whole programme was devoted to the band Sigur Rós. I've never found them enormously accessible, but it transpires that they're a band whose music ought to be seen as well as heard.
Well, Joanna Newsom has done me another favour. I received the album of the guy who supported her at the concert last week, Ned Collette and, though it's a bit ropey at times, it's generally fabulous. Very Nick Drake. And, to a small extent, Richard Thompson. If you like acoustic singer-songwriters, you could do worse. Only thing is, don't bother following Collette's links to his UK distributor (they seem to be a wholesaler). The Australian source for his album got it to me in no time at all so I'd try them.
Anyway, this all got me a-youtubing music. And where better to end up than with one of the loveliest songs in contemporary English folk...
Great concert by Joanna Newsom last night. Good support from from Ned Collette (Nick Drake morphed into a one-man God Speed! You Black Emperor) and then one hell of a show from the calloused one and her band. There's nothing better than hearing slight variations on album tracks as the musicians try to keep things fresh. This was most striking with the songs from Ys, at least to me. Wonderful. And, as with all these things, when it comes to more acoustic music, nothing beats seeing the person actually manufacturing the sound on stage. God knows though, if you sit up in the cheap seats you're going to be subjected to an amazing amount of whispering, fidgeting and fucking off to the bar on the part of your tourettes-ridden fellow concert goers. I think I'm getting way too old: we'll have to book a curmudgeons box next time.
I've been exploring Youtube, mainly for Clancy Brother tunes but came across this Planxty gem. Perm-tastic! And as for Christy on the piano: recede-abulos!
That said, I've always thought that the two songs bookending The Woman I Loved So Well were Planxty at their best.
The last song, Little Musgrave, is a variation on a 17th Century folk song called Matty Groves. There's something wonderful about the very old songs giving as they do tiny snapshots of sensibilities long passed. Also: The Rocks of Bawn with its aspirations for joining up, and the distinctly pro-Napoleon Isle of Saint Helena (I can't find lyrics, but it's on this album).
Anyway, I'm wandering. Here's all ten minutes of an older and less hirsute Planxty's Little Musgrave:
I'm not generally one to rush out an buy an album because I looked at a website, but for Amor Tobin's Foley Room I think I might make an exception. Incredible site and the found music samples (when you find them) are like nothing I've heard before.
Speaking of great music, we had a marvellous time at the Esbjörn Svensson Trio's concert in Vicar Street on Friday night. Great atmosphere and incredible music. See them if you can!
After a bit of a break I've gone to the world of mashups for jogging music: check out (with your volume muted if you're in work) French duo Loo and Placido's site. They've managed to produce an irritating Flash monstrosity, but the site is very much worth the trouble since you're visiting for the music. Check out the Bastards at Work playlist in the downloads section for some damn fine dancey cheesey goodness.
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