A belated Happy New Year from me! I’m looking forward to lots of new music. Let’s start with WOLF, a Scottish artist I saw and loved last year at Summerhall. Her Black Rabbit split single was released yesterday and it is lovely.
All posts by Jo Bell
My 2015 in Music
Happy almost 2016!
This is a shorter list than usual, because this year, for the first time in a long time, I didn’t put music first. I put books and writing and smiling and yoga first instead. Making playlists lost it’s charm. I also listened to an awful lot of podcasts: Serial, All Songs Considered, New Yorker Fiction, Nerdist…the list goes on.
Still I bought a lot of vinyl and went to a good number of gigs. This is a potted look at what will stay with me from 2015.
Record of the Year: Sufjan Stevens, Carrie & Lowell
An unsurprising choice, I love it as much as the rest of the world.
Gig of the year: Twilight Sad at the Barrowlands
Watching a band who have come so far do so well was quite something. I also watched two of them do an in-store in February at Vox Box music. It was quite something.
New Discovery of the Year (x2)
Hector Bizerk
I love this band – Drums. Rap. Yes.
Frazey Ford
What a lady.
I was also listening to lots of other new and old stuff, which I have decided to bullet point for no particular reason…
- Micah P Hinson (especially the song Patience)
- Low (Drums & Guns & Ones and Sixes)
- David Bazan
- Damien Jurado
- Nada Surf
- The Decemberists
- Sun Kill Moon
- Dark Dark Dark
- John Grant
- Courtney Barnett
- Villagers
- Joanna Gruesome
Peace and happy listening x
Best Friends: I Wish I was a Lesbian
My friend sent me this song by Hello Saferide and I love it. It’s about how best friends are so awesome you want to fall in love with them AND it has the wonderfully catchy chorus ‘Damn I Wish I Was a Lesbian’. My friend is gay which made me laugh harder – I vaguely thinking that might seem inappropriate, it’s really really not it’s just hilarious. Live Laugh Love. Great friendships are so amazing.
Happy weekend everyone!
From my Shelf: Nada Surf
It’s October, which for me means driving to work more, in turn that means I’m listening to CDs. This Nada Surf album is one I bought from Fopp for £5 (I know as the sticker is still on). I loved it at the time and I love it not, particularly the song Inside of Love. It reminds me of how I used to feel, lost and lonely.
I thought I would hate this
When I turned on my NPR podcast and it had a guest DJ who was a female rapper my heart went sinking. Not that I have anything against women (being one and all), or rappers, it’s just not really my bag. I was happily surprised with Kate Tempest, because she seems intelligent and most of all hugely engaged with the world around her. It’s refreshing and inspiring. I’ve since read her book of poetry Hold Your Own and although I won’t listen to her music on a regular basis (still not really bag) I’m open to see what she comes out with.
Love words.
Frazey Ford
Awesome name, awesome lady. My friend introduced me to her with the video below, then kindly bought me the vinyl for my birthday.
Check it out! Dance and be happy.
Discover Discover
I know there are many who think Spotify is akin to Satan in terms of the little revenue it gives to artists, however lately I’ve found loads of amazing music through it. One such band/person (information seems to be very limited is Careful), have a listen.
(An aside on Spotify the thing with me is that I buy vinyl and I use to discover bands whose vinyl I buy and gigs I attend. Long live the physical medium of music!)
Just a Phase I’m Going Through
That phase in question is listening to, or rather binging on, the KEXP Song of the Day podcast. It’s a great way to discover new bands, plus most of the tracks I’ve heard so far are good and loud for the morning. If you haven’t already also check out the station’s live sessions, generally awesome stuff.
Discovered Rose Windows
And Bouquet
TODAY!
Listen Up! David Bazan
I’ve been watching this video. It’s fairly awesome.
Times, They are a Changing
Right now lots of things in my life are evolving. In an exciting way I think. Also it’s spring which promises long beautiful days.
I’m slowly having a little more time to get back in discovering new music, although I’m not a self imposed ban from buying vinyl. Luckily my very good pal sent me the Best Girl Athlete record, which is awesome.
Check it out below along with a couple of other things on my playlist.
Joanna Gruesome are a fun grunge band with a record called Peanut Butter. It reminds me of the 90s.
Angel Olsen is a woman I believe can do no wrong. She is the epitome of cool and I love her. This is a track from the Deluxe Edition of Burn… which I discovered this week.
