shelleyhanveywriter's Blog

LIVE REVIEW: Noah and the Whale at Manchester Apollo, Friday 30th March 2012.

The first said, “Who has been sitting on my chair?” The second, “Who has been eating off my plate?” The third, “Who has been taking some of my bread?” The fourth, “Who has been eating my vegetables?” The fifth, “Who has been using my fork?” The sixth, “Who has been cutting with my knife?” The seventh, “Who has been drinking out of my mug?” Then the first looked round and saw that there was a little hole on his bed, and he said, “Who has been getting into my bed?” The others came up and each called out, “Somebody has been lying in my bed too.”…And he called the others, who came running up, and they cried out with astonishment… “Oh, heavens! Oh, heavens!” cried they, “what a lovely child!” and they were so glad that they did not wake her up, but let her sleep on in the bed. And the seventh dwarf slept with his companions, one hour with each, and so got through the night. When it was morning (the child) awoke, and was frightened when she saw the seven dwarfs. But they were friendly and asked her what her name was. “My name is Snow-white,” she answered. ‘Little Snow-White ‘(Brothers Grimm, 1812)

Noah and the Whale’s final night of their 2012 UK tour took place at the Manchester Apollo last weekend, and it was a night of interpretations and representations; different interpretations of their three album back catalogue and big screen visual representations of love and heartbreak. The theme of the monochrome projection put me in mind of fairy tales throughout history, particularly those of the Brothers Grimm. The link between the band and the Brothers – neither shies away from describing love and its associated heartache in a straightforward, severe and sometimes savage fashion.  Before the editors and well-meaning mothers got their hands on such folklore tales as ‘Little Snow-white’ and ‘Rapunzel’, these stories didn’t always have a traditionally happy ending, indeed a main character often met their demise in a most disturbing fashion. Charlie Fink (lead singer and songwriter), I am pleased to report, is very much alive, well and able to re-tell his own tales of heartbreak; experiences which have led him on a path of artistic evolution as opposed to personal expiration.

Performing a total of eighteen tracks, the band entertained the animated and appreciative capacity audience with picks from their three hit albums, ‘Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down’ (2008), ‘The First Days of Spring’ (2009) and ‘Last Night on Earth’ (2011). The five-piece folk outfit emerged from behind the stage, which was cast in pastel blue and white skies; the perfect staging for such an atmospheric night. Kicking off with latest album track ‘Life is Life’, the band was welcomed to the stage with loud applause. A Noah show always attracts a varied age range of attendees, this is a feature of folk gigs that I most enjoy; the couples with young children who are getting their first taste of the joys of a live band, the late teens and early twenties who have recently caught the nu-folk bug, right through to the veritable veterans of the scene. Noah and the Whale is truly a band for all seasons. The upbeat, electric feel continued with the addictive ‘Give It All Back’, also from their latest album which has been certified platinum in the UK. What came next was particularly special for me; an indie-rock interpretation of debut album track ‘Give A Little Love’, which happens to be a personal favourite of mine.

Going back to the theme of love and heartbreak, of which Fink is truly a linguistic master; I was lucky enough to hear three of my favourite tracks performed with a fresh approach at the show. Fink manages to capture such intricate emotions in his lyrics, by setting them against the backdrop of everyday experiences and inanimate objects, after all, does love not affect every fibre of your being and reside in every object you encounter? I won’t attempt to outshine Fink’s wordsmith prowess; resistance would be futile. I will, however, share some of my particular favourite Fink-penned lyrics from all three albums: ‘Well if you are (what you love), and you do (what you love), I will always be the sun and moon to you. And if you share (with your heart), yeah, you give (with your heart), what you share with the world is what it keeps of you. ‘(‘Give A Little Love’). ‘There’s a hope in every new seed, and every flower that grows upon the earth. And though I love you, and you know that, well I no longer know what that’s worth.’(‘The First Days of Spring’). ‘Cause it’s hard to feel like, you’re worth something in this life, when you’re walking next to me, I can hear my body speak.’ (‘Waiting For My Chance to Come.’)

Other tracks performed from the band’s debut album included: ‘Rocks and Daggers’, ‘Shape of My Heart’, ‘5 Years Time’ and ‘Jocasta’, all of which were received warmly and to great applause, particularly the perfection that is ‘5 Years Time’, therein lies a track that I could never tire of. Second album tracks ‘Blue Skies’ and ‘Our Window’, were performed with a more serene and sombre delivery, before the jubilant delights of ‘Love of an Orchestra.’ Tom Hobden (violin/keys) is one of my musical heroes and this particular track provides all the reasoning for such a proclamation. Hobden is an unassuming and dapper fellow, whose talents on the violin are a sight to behold; clearly a popular band member with the younger female contingent, if the screams were anything to go by. Fink said that it had been particularly special to be playing at the venue, as he had lived quite close by several years ago, perhaps a sentiment which inspired his next performance of ‘Old Joy.’ An artistic representation of a man and woman, where the man’s heart seemingly travelled up through his body and out of his mouth was rather striking. These images played on the projection screen whilst the band performed latest album track ‘Wild Thing.’ The woman’s ears then exploded upon hearing the news that the man had delivered and the explosion carried through to her brain. Very clever and almost impossible to divert your attention from; I’d like to discover the artist behind the images we were treated to that night.

The seamlessly suave Fink carried us through to the next track by stating that the night was special for three reasons: it was a Friday night, it was the last night of their tour and, ‘Tonight’s the Kind of Night.’ A little surprise came in the form of Heart cover, ‘Barracuda’; I’ve never heard the band perform a cover live before and this was particularly memorable. Crowd pleaser ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N’ followed, before the band left and returned for their final number, ‘The First Days of Spring.’

And before long she opened her eyes, lifted up the lid of the coffin, sat up, and was once more alive. “Oh, heavens, where am I?” Snow-white cried. The King’s son, full of joy, said, “You are with me,” and told her what had happened, and said, “I love you more than everything in the world; come with me to my father’s palace, you shall be my wife.’ Now I can’t promise to revive the dead or to offer regality, but I can promise to love Fink and the boys more than every other folk band in the world, and we shall all live happily ever after.

shelleyhanveywriter

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Brit award-winning folk wonder Laura Marling has premiered the first single to be released from her third solo album. The track, ‘Sophia‘  will be available to download instantly (in the UK), to those who pre-order the album on iTunes from July 26th, 2011, as well as an individual download. The 4:54-second track begins gently with Marling’s unmistakably reflective and hushed vocals, before she is complemented and accompanied on her journey by acoustic strings and ethereal background vocals. When the bell tolls 3:00, the track takes a marked shift towards a perhaps more  traditional folk sound, with definite country elements creeping through. ‘Sophia‘  could be described as a musical antonym to the terms, ‘repetitive’ and ‘predictable’. It would be fair to say that I am somewhat in love with this track at the moment.

The track is taken from upcoming album, ‘A Creature I Don’t Know‘ which is released on September 12th, 2011 in the UK and September 13th, 2011 in the US.

Marling has also announced a new Autumn 2011 tour to support the album. The ‘When The Bell Tolls Tour’ kicks off in the US and Canada, as follows:

• September 17 – San Francisco, Bimbo’s 365 Club
• September 18 – Los Angeles, Masonic Temple
• September 20 – Los Angeles, Troubadour
• September 22 – Chicago, Lincoln Hall
• September 23 – Toronto, The Great Hall
• September 24 – Montreal, Corona
• September 25 – Boston Brighton Music Hall
• September 27 – Washington DC, Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
• September 28 – New York, Webster Hall

The UK tour is as follows:

• October 14 – Exeter, Exeter Cathedral
• October 15 – Winchester, Winchester Cathedral
• October 17 – Guildford, Guildford Cathedral
• October 18 – Gloucester, Gloucester Cathedral
• October 21 – York, York Minster
• October 22 – Sheffield, Sheffield Cathedral
• October 24 – Manchester, Manchester Cathedral
• October 25 – Bristol, Bristol Cathedral
• October 26 – London, Westminster Central Hall
• October 28 – Liverpool, Liverpool Anglican Cathedral
• October 29 – Birmingham, Birmingham Cathedral

I reviewed Noah and the Whale at Manchester Cathedral last year and it will probably go down as one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to; the venue was sublime as was to be expected, but the atmosphere and reaction to the band were just as heavenly. I can’t wait to see Marling perform tracks from what I’m sure will be her equally as successful third album, in such peaceful and serene surroundings.

Tickets for the tour go on general sale at 10am local time on Friday, July 29th, 2011 at www.seetickets.com

www.lauramarling.com / www.twitter.com @lauramarlinghq

shelleyhanveywriter

I think we’ve pretty much seen the majority of what the UK Music Festival scene has in store for us this year, but I’ve had cause to wonder; what constitutes a headline-worthy artist? Are record sales the main criterion; perhaps international or tabloid appeal, or could it be something else?

It has always been my opinion that those festivals which consistently perform well with ticket sales, are those which have a clear brand identity and generally, a niche market; Leeds and Reading Festivals, Cambridge Folk Festival, Glastonbury and T In The Park being prime examples. I suppose it isn’t  rocket science really – if you cater to a specific section of the gig-going public, provide the artists and bands that  they want to see, at a price they can afford, how can you go wrong? But so many appear to do just that. Looking at some of the festival line-ups for 2011, I’ve felt largely underwhelmed and uninspired, with only a select few pricking my curiosity to find out more. Admittedly, music tastes are subjective and entirely personal to the ticket-holder, but when the ‘big five’ (V Festival, Glastonbury, Leeds Festival, Reading Festival and T In The Park) music festivals in the UK are charging relatively similar weekend prices, how can a couple of them defend their line-ups against their peers?

Of course, a music festival is about much more than just the music; the location has to be just right, as well as: accessibility, on-site facilities, entertainment, catering, toilets, general crowd atmosphere and the list goes on. Can a perfect ten in all of these criteria however, really make up for a poor line-up? Is a great festival weekend about who you’re with, not where you are; would you trade six good medium-stage acts for one great main stage act?

The UK Festival Awards 2010 announced the following winners late last year:

Best Small Festival in association with Doodson Entertainment – Kendal Calling

Best Medium Festival in association with Smirnoff Flavours – Green Man Festival

Best Major Festival in association with Tuborg – Bestival (see photo above)

Line-Up of the Year in association with XL Video – Rockness

Bestival is a boutique music festival, which takes place at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight. The four-day spectacular which promises to inspire ‘peace, love and dancing’, is curated by BBC Radio 1 DJ, Rob Da Bank. This year, the festival takes place on the 8th – 11th September 2011 and is set across 15 stages, offering the likes of The Cure, Pendulum, Primal Scream, Kelis, Robyn, PJ Harvey, Noah and the Whale, The Unthanks and Groove Armada. It would be fair to say that the line-up is a mix of folk fusion and boutique chic and the festival site promises ‘an original boutique camping experience, cocktail bars, fancy dress and a hidden disco.’ I think the fact that the festival has always promoted itself as being particularly family friendly hasn’t hurt; children enjoy music too, it isn’t all about the beer tokens people! To find out more about Bestival, please visit the link below.

Green Man Festival takes place on the 19th-21st August 2011 (the same weekend as V Festival, but tailored to an entirely different audience) in the Brecon Beacons. The festival is aimed specifically at the folk and electronic indie- loving public and again, is very welcoming to families with children of all ages; indeed, under 12s get in free. Highlights on the line-up this year include: Fleet Foxes, The Low Anthem, Bellowhead, Explosions In The Sky, The Burns Unit and Villagers. I think that I would enjoy this particular festival; I love folk and electronic music and I love a beautiful scenic environment in which to camp and lounge. To find out more about Green Man Festival, please visit the link below.

Kendal Calling takes place on the 29th-31st July 2011 in Lowther Deer Park in the Lake District. This is an independent festival, combining contemporary music and art with rural entertainment. I think it would be a fair assumption to say that this festival largely caters to a somewhat younger demographic than the former two; particularly with regards to the line-up, which this year includes: The Cribs, Blondie, Chase and Status, Echo and the Bunnymen, Levellers and Young Knives.  The festival also offers dance, comedy and new music stages. For more information on Kendal Calling…you know what to do.

Out of the ‘big five’ headlining acts this year, my favourite would have to be Glastonbury (22nd-26th June 2011): Coldplay, U2 and Beyonce. The brilliance of these choices lies in the fact that there will probably be something for everyone here. The acts are diverse enough to attract wider audiences, yet remain true to what a great headliner should be – an act that commands your attention, whether that be by dividing the audience right down the middle or uniting everyone with one memorable anthem that will go on to sum up the entire weekend.

Taking in to account the line-up in its entirety however, I would have to opt for Latitude Festival as my favourite(14th-17th July 2011). The mix of folk, electronica, comedy, poetry and the spoken word could have been tailored specifically with me in mind. I would pay to see the majority of the acts on the billing, including: The National, Bombay Bicycle Club, Caribou, The Duke and the King, Foals, Hurts, KT Tunstall and Rumer , as well as the fantastic stand-ups on offer including Alan Carr and Omad Djalili . Plus it also takes place on my birthday weekend!

Whichever UK festival you choose to visit this year, I wish you good weather and great memories

www.festivalawards.com / http://www.vfestival.com/ / http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/ / http://www.latitudefestival.co.uk/ / http://www.leedsfestival.com/ / http://www.readingfestival.com/ / http://www.tinthepark.com/ / http://www.greenman.net/ / http://www.bestival.net/ / http://kendalcalling.co.uk/ http://www.rockness.co.uk/

I found myself attributing the title of ‘my modern-day Shakespeare’ to Charlie Fink this week. I have a great respect and admiration for both wordsmiths and as a writer; I find each to be a great source of personal inspiration.  It was the great Bard of Avon himself that once said:

When griping grief the heart doth wound, and doleful dumps the mind oppress, then music with her silver sound…with speedy help doth lend redress. (Romeo and Juliet, Act IV, Sc 5)

I think it would be fair to say that we have heard both griping grief and the contents of Fink’s oppressed mind in the music and lyrics of Noah and the Whale’s second album, ‘The First Days of Spring’ (August, 2009), which to some came as somewhat of an unwelcome shock after the peppy folk-pop delights of debut record,‘Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down’ (August, 2008); what comes next however, is a sound as equally unexpected as it is gratifying; as deviating as it is habitual.

And with latest album ‘Last Night on Earth’ (released March 7th, 2011), what redress indeed doth Fink lend.

The Petty, Reed and Springsteen influences on this record have all been well documented, but for me what truly stands out from these tracks is the evolution of Fink’s songwriting style. An avid lover and maker of film; Fink has always described himself as a visual songwriter, likening each track to a particular scene or location. On this record, his ability to depict lives and landscapes so intimately, makes you wonder whether these fictional characters and metaphorical recollections are in fact the very real contents of Fink’s predisposed cinematic mind…and if so, what an intoxicating life he doth lead. Enough of the blatant misuse of prose methinks…

I do feel that lyrically it was a leap forward for me. It was writing out of my comfort zone, writing in a new style, with new subjects. It opens up a whole new world to write; once you’ve opened up the third-person narrative it means you have to rely less on your own life and it’s more fantasy and fiction. (Charlie Fink speaking to The Guardian, February 24th, 2011)

I consider the third-person narrative to be the most challenging in which to write; having to take yourself out of your own thoughts and experiences and put yourself in to the mind of another. Can you ever really leave your own personality behind or will every ‘fictional’ character bear some hallmark of your own self?  This previous penchant for first-person profound prose was the very quality that drew me to the temple of Fink and his compadres a couple of years back and they appear to be getting very comfortable with the status of higher musical beings; opting to record ‘Last Night On Earth’ in a synagogue in Bethnal Green. There were of course the obligatory trips to LA jotted around too; not a perk that your regular run-of-the-mill deity gets to partake in.

So, to the record itself.

1. ‘Life Is Life’

…and it feels like his new life can start and it feels like heaven.

I couldn’t have put it better myself. For Noah fans of old, the opening track shocks you with synths as the band experiment with a new and rather eclectic soft rock sound. It becomes apparent after the first few chords that this record is a million miles away from their second album; channelling an air of hope and possibility for the future, as opposed to disillusionment and negative self-worth. The band has returned refreshed, with a new outlook and creative inspirations; Fink appears mended and as a fan, I can’t help but feel rather proud. ‘Life Is Life‘ raises your spirits and your expectations for those tracks which follow.

2. ‘Tonight’s The Kind Of Night’

…tonight’s the kind of night, where everything could change…and tonight he’s not gonna come back home.

This track has more of a pop rock feel to it; echoing the life affirming and positive sentiments of the album opener. Fink sings about being open to the prospect of change and the idea of venturing out at night, not knowing what experiences await you and not being afraid in that regard. The character which the track focuses on, decides that he’s not only going to welcome change, but he’s also going to shed the safety net of domesticity by never returning home. I enjoy Country music in the same regard; tracks often speak about leaving your small home town and embarking on a journey to a more exciting, more liberating place. That place may simply be the nearest city, but the message remains the same; sometimes you have to take yourself out of your comfort zone in order to truly discover what you are capable of. The harmonies and vocal accompaniment on this track deliver an almost gospel-like performance, which helps to solidify its position in the Noah and the Whale catalogue of  classic rousing riffs.

3. ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N’

This track was the first single to be released from the album and the band started performing it live last year. I had the pleasure of reviewing one of these shows, in the most spectacular venue you could imagine – Manchester Cathedral. Hearing their tracks performed live in such an intimate and visually stimulating environment, was an experience that I will never forget. I remember hearing this track at the close of the set and thinking that it sounded very distinctly different to their previous releases; clearly a taster of what was to come with this record. This beautiful and addictive example of melodic folk-rock, focuses on the lead characters of Lisa and Joe. Both are small town drifters, working in a bar and living out of a case respectively. This track is about the power of the individual; it says that life isn’t about what you’ve got, rather what is in your soul. The simple instrumentation and violin and string accompaniment just make the lyrics of the track all the more effective. ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N‘ is the heart and soul of this album.

Charlie and Tom recently spoke about the music videos which provided inspiration for the album tracks, these were by such artists as Tom Waits, Lou Reed and Tom Petty. I have included a link to this piece below:

4. ‘Wild Thing’

For me, this track is a merging of two cultures; electric-stringed americana, with a soft yet unmistakably British electro synth-pop styling. The track is soothing and ideal to kick back to on a lazy weekend, or perhaps the soundtrack to a spectacularly scenic road trip…to be fair, any situation which requires a little bit of soul.

5. ‘Give It All Back’

This track opens with an almost Hawaiian feel to it, marrying cool xylophone sounds with the electric guitar. Fink recounts the summer of ’98, living in the suburbs and planning his escape. He describes the band’s first live performance at a school assembly where he had felt nervous and awkward, yet the passion remained ‘real and profound.’ Fink continues to appear slightly nervous I think when performing live, yet never crosses that line into ignorance or complacency towards the audience; which I might add, I have experienced on a couple of occasions with other perhaps more well known traditionally folk acts.  The track is reflective throughout and speaks about the forming of close friendships, likening his band to soulmates. I can’t imagine Fink and his band mates ever changing; their appeal in part lies in their modesty and almost aversion to the bright lights. This is definitely one of my favourites.

6. ‘Just Me Before We Met’

This would be perhaps the most typically folk-sounding track from the album, with a glorious performance by Tom on the violin. It speaks about looking through old photo albums, perhaps whilst in a new relationship, and laughing at who you once were. Fink tells us not to be shy and to be proud of our past, embarrassing as it might be. Clearly he hasn’t been subjected to my last year of Junior school photo and the notorious half up-half down hairdo. Jane Harris (aka Plain Jane Superbrain) of Neighbours fame has a lot to answer for.

7. ‘Paradise Stars’

This track is a 1:30 interlude, with trademark Noah and the Whale atmospheric keys throughout. The track grabs you and pulls you in, in the same vein as ‘Instrumental I‘ and II on ‘The First Days of Spring.’ I’d love to know what’s floating around in Fink’s head when he composes such pieces; much beauty and splendour I expect.

8. ‘Waiting For My Chance To Come’

By this point in the album, it is clear that the band has more than successfully managed to merge both folk and rock influences on this record; we have the ever brilliant Tom providing his staple sensory overload on the violin, whilst Fink snaffles our attention with his characteristic vocal voodoo. This track speaks about the true meaning of being independent; choosing to be with another person, yet not needing them to make you happy. Fink muses that it takes ‘…real guts to be alone‘ and ‘… it’s hard to feel like you’re worth something in this life.’ The message of the track being that it doesn’t have to take another person to quantity your worth; if they want to and you’re happy to hear it then great, but only you can ever know your own true value. Fink does speak of a ‘love interest’ in the track, but it’s unclear whether that love is a person or his renewed sense of self; either way, I’m happy!

9. ‘The Line’

This track focuses on the crossroads that we all reach in life at some point; whether to stay or whether to leave. The female protagonist of the track looks out of her window and tries to decide whether her life is the line between heaven and hell. The window analogy brought me to mind of the band’s second album, on which windows feature recurrently. The analogy couldn’t be more different however, as in this case the protagonist is still hopeful of something better to come; the focus instead being on her own decision as to whether she wants to change things. On ‘The First Days of Spring‘, the emphasis was more on the fact that Fink couldn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, instead just seeing his own reflection and not liking what he saw. The track flows gently in a synth-laden melodic fashion, never giving even the slightest hint of gloom, choosing instead to teeter on the edge of the emotional waterfall, as opposed to diving right in without your goggles.

10. ‘Old Joy’

The final track on the album showcases the raw emotion ever-present in Fink’s vocals; to think that he wasn’t even going to perform his own tracks, deciding instead to write for others rather than have to perform on stage. Fink delivers a magical performance accompanied by piano and choir; the impact of both being powerful and poignant. He says that day by day, the old joy comes back and tells us not to dream of yesterday. And what a note to conclude this Noah and the Whale love-in on.

Noah and the Whale are touring the UK, including the following North West dates:

Weds 30th March 2011, 7:30 pm - Deaf Institute, Manchester

Tuesday 3rd May 2011, 7:30 pm – The Ritz, Manchester

Monday 9th May 2011, 7:30 pm – Stanley Theatre, Liverpool

For tickets and more information, please visit: http://www.seetickets.com/Tour/NOAH-AND-THE-WHALE

www.noahandthewhale.com

www.myspace.com/noahandthewhale

My favourite folk band, Noah and the Whale, released the official video to their upcoming single today; L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.

The single is set for release on February 28th, 2011 and is taken from their upcoming third album ‘Last Night On Earth.’ The album follows on March 7th, 2011.

The track has more than a hint of country about it; perhaps influenced by the time the band spent recording the album around L.A. The music is mellow and the lyrics are sunkissed, as Fink narrates the stories of two main protagonists; one male, one female, both following their creative and performing dreams, with several physical and mental obstacles along the way but all the while not taking L.I.F.E too seriously. Fink muses about not having more money than sense; but having heart and going your own way. This upbeat and parabolic track resurrects the band we were introduced to back in 2008 with their debut record ‘Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down.’

Tour dates to bookend the album’s release include:

The Sunday Times – Rock and Pop albums of 2010

For any interested parties; The Sunday Times published its list of the best Rock and Pop albums of 2010, this week. In order to view the list online the publication has now introduced a subscription-only service; but fear not my fellow pre-yuletide cash-strapped friends, for I have secured the goods and bring them to you below:

Hailed by the weekly title as ‘the most original songwriter in Britain‘ , folk and festival favourite Laura Marling tops the list with her second album ‘I Speak Because I Can.’ Justifying her billing, critics said that:

…(Marling) made a second album on which classical myth and wartime love letters served as wellsprings for lyrics of unrivalled insight and ambition. Musically, the palette was broadened to take in Americana alongside a haunting pastoralia rooted in the ancient soil of England.

It is these very hallmarks of the folk genre which fuel my love for it; particularly the ever-growing nu-folk breed of artists from across the UK. Marling’s songwriting and vocal talents cannot be denied and I like to imagine that she learnt a thing or two in this regard from one-time partner and music collaborator Charlie Fink, of Noah And The Whale. I’m sure the learning process was also a reciprocal arrangement. So, congratulations to Laura on this fine achievement which hopefully, in some way might make up for missing out on the Mercury Prize this year.

My chosen selections from the list would include: The National, Ed Harcourt, Robyn, Field Music and Marconi Union.

The rest of the list goes as follows:

Robert Plant – ‘Band of Joy‘

Gorillaz - ‘Plastic Beach’

Arcade Fire – ‘The Suburbs‘

The National – ‘High Violet‘

Paul Weller – ‘Wake Up the Nation‘

Kanye West – ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy‘

John Legend and The Roots – ‘Wake Up!’

Anais Mitchell - ‘Hadestown‘

Eels - ‘End Times‘

Robyn – ‘Body Talk Pts 1-3‘

Ed Harcourt – ‘Lustre‘

Yeasayer – ‘Odd Blood‘

Mavis Staples – ‘You Are Not Alone‘

Cee Lo Green – ‘The Lady Killer’

Phosphorescent - ‘Here’s to Taking It Easy’

Field Music – ‘Field Music‘

Marconi Union – ‘A Lost Connection‘

Take That – ‘Progress‘

Manic Street Preachers – ‘Postcards from a Young Man‘

Perhaps a few ideas for music lovers’ Christmas presents in that bunch?

shelleyhanveywriter x

Noah and The Whale – New album and live shows for 2011

With the temperature forecasted to plummet to -3 around these north western parts in the coming days, I thought today was going to be somewhat solemn…oh how wrong could I have been, my Fink and Folk- loving friends!

Noah and The Whale; the quirky, quite simply brilliant  and in my opinion most underrated band of recent times, are set to release their third album ‘Last Night on Earth‘ in March 2011. Expectation will be high for this record after the masterpiece that was debut album ‘Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down‘ (2008) and their second, perhaps more suitably somber offering,’The First Days of Spring‘ (2009).

I had the chance to review the band last year at Manchester Cathedral and it was genuinely one of the top three live shows I’ve been to. Songwriter and creative force Charlie Fink just has this charismatic authority about him, which compels you to watch and generally just marvel at the musical craftsmanship on stage. The venue also helped to make the performance feel other-worldly and that little bit special. To be honest, I get quite miffed when I hear Mumford and Sons touted as the British pioneers of the folk revival or nu-folk; I not only rate Noah and The Whale much higher, but they were also established a good two years prior to the latter. Alas, it seems such grandiose titles only apply if the person saying them just happens to prefer said band, after stumbling across them on their way out of the Radio 1 studios. But I digress…

To bookend the album’s release, the band have also announced some UK dates next Spring:

Wednesday 30th March 2011 – Deaf Institute, Manchester

Thursday 31st March 2011 – Brundenell, Leeds

Saturday 2nd April 2011 – Stereo, Glasgow

Sunday 3rd April 2011 – Whelans, Dublin

Monday 4th May 2011 – Thekla, Bristol

Tickets go on sale this Friday 26th November, 2010 via www.seetickets.com.

The first single from ‘Last Night on Earth‘ will be aired for the first time next week (week commencing 29th November, 2010) and I will endeavour to post a clip of the track on here.

Till then…keeeeeeeeeep Folking!

As promised – here is the link to  the new single, ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N’:

New tracks that I am loving this week  come from artists including:  Robert Francis, Florence & The Machine, Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling and Hurts.

Florence & the Machine, ‘Heavy In Your Arms’.

This chillingly cool track is taken from the soundtrack to the second ‘Twilight’ feature film installment,  ‘Eclipse. ‘ The track is released as a single on November 15th, 2010 and is sure to set the charts, as well as lovelorn teen hearts everywhere, alight in its dark intensity and just short of  taboo leanings. This is what Florence and her Machine do best, so it should come as no surprise to anyone that  the band are going from strength to strength in America at the moment; with a guest appearance this week on Saturday Night Live. Selfishly so, I just hope that the band don’t get too comfortable over there in their state of adulation and forget where they came from. I can’t see this happening, after all; who appreciates and does brooding and sullen better than the Brits?

Robert Francis, ‘Junebug‘.

Robert Francis is relatively new to the rock singer-songwriter scene in the UK; just about to hit our shores with a couple of live dates in London. ‘Junebug’ is taken from his second album and debut major label record‘Before Nightfall’ which is set for release in the UK on November 29th, 2010. Francis has been compared to Bruce Springsteen; high praise indeed, which I do think is justified when you hear this artist’s vocal skills. Francis’s debut album was the indie release‘One By One’, which at the age of 22 showcases some striking musical moments and a perfect take on classic American rock. Francis has been touring the US with my favourite band of the moment, Noah and the Whale and is about to embark on a series of live dates in the UK and Europe later in the year. If this stand-out track is anything to go by, both the album and the shows are going to be pretty memorable.

Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling, ‘The Water’.

I can’t adequately put in to words my love for both this track and the album from which it was taken. That album being Johnny Flynn’s ‘Been Listening.’ I am a huge fan of both artists, so a duet between nu-folk favourites Johnny and Laura was always going to sit extremely well and comfortably with me. It is a sublime track with some truly special vocal moments courtesy of Laura; I can only dream of a future collaboration between Johnny, Laura and Charlie Fink…hmm, may be waiting a while for that, methinks.

Hurts, ‘Stay’.

One of my favourite bands to emerge in 2010 would have to be Hurts. I think their album ‘Happiness’ is brilliant and I genuinely rate each and every track. After seeing the band perform live a couple of weeks ago, they just go from strength to strength for me and this latest single release also happens to be my favourite track from the album. A simple, yet classically ’80s synthpop sound; I could listen to this epic track on repeat for hours. After selling out their short UK tour in October, the band has just announced a Spring 2011 UK tour; I would definitely recommend that you pop by one night if you’re free. Hutchcraft is a wonder on stage, everything that a showman should be and much more besides.

That’s all folks,

You know that feeling that you get when you realise you’re in exactly the right place, at exactly the right time and even if given the chance; you wouldn’t change one single moment of it? I had that very feeling when  I visited the Cambridge Folk Festival for the first time this year…it happened, whilst I was watching Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit perform.

Being a relative newcomer to the expansive genre of folk music, I had done some research on a selection of the artists performing and made a most delightful discovery in the form of Flynn’s debut album ‘A Larum.’ The 14-track folk-rock recording was released in 2008 and features such superbly crafted tunes as ‘The Box’, ‘The Wrote And The Writ’, ‘Tickle Me Pink’, ‘Shore to Shore’ and ‘Eyeless in Holloway.’ Unlike perhaps some of his current nu-folk contemporaries, Flynn could never be categorised as one-dimensional; with his debut album swaying sweetly in the summer Sussex breeze between ‘pure folk’, country, blues and rock. I like a bit of diversity on a record; which makes it all the more pleasing to hear on a daily basis and not at all repetitive. I do tend to get a bit obsessive with new discoveries; I will find an album that I really like and literally listen to it every day, from start to finish, till I’ve learnt every lyric, every key change, every hidden moral and then I’ll rest for a while. Then the process starts over. I am having just that love affair at the moment with Flynn’s second album ‘Been Listening.’

The album doesn’t care for easing you in gently, preferring to eyeball you with the brass-laden, calypso opening of ‘Kentucky Pill’, watching you shift  suspiciously in your seat, eyes darting and rising as you quickly reach the conclusion that there’s no point fighting it; you’re hooked and there’s no going back. ‘Lost And Found’ follows, allowing the listener to regain their composure with its soothing melody and emotive, maritime-referenced ode to the macabre. It would be fair to say that Flynn’s first album touched more than a little upon the subjects of death and funerals; but strangely enough, never in a morose, depressing sort of way. I am of the belief, to reference one of Flynn’s peers and another favourite wordsmith of mine; Charlie Fink (Noah and the Whale) that ‘…you don’t know how it feels to be alive. Until you know how it feels to die’ (‘Shape Of My Heart’).

I really enjoy the Take-Away Shows on Blogotheque; on which Flynn appears, performing three tracks from his debut album. The videos are shot on location in Buenos Aires and are a perfect introduction to the genius and vision of Vincent Moon. I’d definitely recommend a viewing at the link below:

http://www.blogotheque.net/Johnny-Flynn,4703

Next up is Flynn’s account of loves; past, present and future, throughout the seasons in the evergreen‘Churlish May.’ The album title track, ‘Been Listening’ follows, with some soulful electric-stringed inflections to reel you in, then Flynn’s deep and dark dulcet tones to keep you enthralled throughout. I am in a most enjoyable- albeit fantasy- position at the present moment in time, as I cannot decide which voice alone I would most prefer to hear for the rest of my life; that of Charlie Fink or that of Johnny Flynn…I may have to do some kind of practical experiment in the very near future, so I’ll let you know how I get on with that one. Restraining order permitting, of course.

The track that I remember most vividly from Cambridge would have to be ‘Barnacled Warship’, which is the next track on the album. Flynn showcased his musicality with this number to breathtaking reception, alternating between violin and acoustic guitar with empassioned ease, as he took festival-goers on a trip across the high seas fighting the waves, the enemy and the inner workings of his own mind. A duet, entitled ‘The Water’ with critics-favourite Laura Marling is another album highlight. Marling’s honeyed tones complement Flynn’s perfectly in this dedication to that most pure and essential, yet at times deadly substance; This track has just been confirmed as Flynn’s next single release, on November 1st, 2010.

I am reviewing Mumford and Sons this coming weekend in Manchester, for which Flynn has been confirmed as support. I can hardly contain my excitement at seeing both of these tremendous acts in one billing and have heard great things about Mumford’s live performance prowess. Should be a brilliant show, of which I will of course be reporting back in full on here.

‘Howl’ should be a great track to hear performed live, given the instrumentation and vocal skills on display. Listening to Flynn’s work, it is hard to come to terms with the fact that there are artists out there at the moment, enjoying huge success on an international scale, who could never hope to possess such talent as a lyricist, let alone be musically proficient on such a varied scale from brass to strings and beyond. To be fair though, I am pretty sure that international acclaim and everything that goes with it, however nice that would be, is not Flynn’s primary motivation. I know him you see; we’re like that (index and middle finger crossed…)

‘Amazon Love’ is simply beautiful; Flynn’s sister Lillie sings on this piano and cello-led ballad about that emotion which we all feel and all wish we sometimes didn’t. ‘The Prizefighter And The Heiress’ concludes the album with an initially gentle and sauntering take on the differences between two star-crossed lovers, which steadily rides in to a country-fused western number; a fitting note on which to close an album peppered with diverse influences and dramatic displays of musical wizardry.

Flynn embarks on a solo tour of the UK in December, 2010:

Saturday 4th – O2 Academy, Birmingham

Sunday 5th – Academy, Manchester

Tuesday 7th – The Liquidroom, Edinburgh

Thursday 9th – The Trinity Centre, Bristol

Friday 10th – O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London

Saturday 11th – St Georges Church, Brighton

Sunday 12th – Phoenix Arts Centre, Exeter

I would highly recommend paying him a visit at one of these shows. Tickets can be purchased from www.seetickets.com or via the links below:

www.johnny-flynn.com

www.myspace.com/johnnyflynn