Zeon's Music Blog

The Return Of Rosay Pipette

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:39:00 +0000

It's been a while since I last mentioned ex-Pipette Rosay. After leaving the group with Riotbecki, she started a solo career under her own real name, Rose Elinor Dougall. To be honest, I had heard a couple of songs, but wasn't entirely hooked. That was until today, when I finally saw her again, in what is her first music video since the departure, a dark, beautifully-shot black-and-white affair for the new single 'Start/Stop/Synchro'. I know those polka-dot days are far behind now, but it is still a bit strange to see Rose in a modern, non-novelty get-up. The music is still closely tied to the sixties, but this time leans for a folkier direction. The warm tone of her voice suits the song well. So far, this is the best I've heard from her, so my hope is up for this project. I notice the single is being released by Elefant Records, Camera Obscura's old label, so she's in the right place. A full-length won't be coming soon even though it has got a name ("Without Why"). According to her Myspace, it's due in 2010. Maybe by next year, we'll have new materials from both the current (fourth) lineup of The Pipettes and the exes? Hopefully so. Have a look at the video, and sample the song below.

MP3: Rose Elinor Dougall - Start/Stop/Synchro

Her singles are available now on iTunes UK and her website.

Covered: 500th Post

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:13:00 +0000

As you might have noticed, lately I've developed a thinly-veiled preference for covers. Should I face it and just transform this blog into a covers-only one? I admit there are lots of pros to posting covers. They take less time to prepare draft, the source is perpetual, and I love seeing songs I heard before in new coats. Plus any song covered should, by default, be at least half-decent. I do have a thing for rarities, be it covers, remixes, acoustic versions, demos or unreleased tracks. But on the other hand, I still want to talk about new artists and other aspects of music too. These days, I mostly talk about new music through Twitter though. Oh dear, this has become rather puzzling, hasn't it?

Oh well, meanwhile, here are 5 fresh picks from my library. All clickworthy.

Nicole Atkins - Under The Milky Way (The Church)
(Digs Other People's Songs EP, 2008)
A rather unexpected but excellent rendition of this underappreciated '80s new-wave gem.

The Watson Twins - Just Like Heaven (The Cure)
(Fire Songs, 2008)
I apologize for not featuring this gorgeous version earlier. Probably one of my favorite covers in 2008. The hazy twang-tinged vibe is so beautiful.

Vienna Teng - 1000 Oceans (Tori Amos) (Live)
Have you heard the new Tori album? It's just like I expected, half of it was good but other was just dreadful. My fave tracks are 'Maybe California' & 'Flavor'. It's such a shame she's past her prime, as I was going through a heavy old-Tori phase earlier this year. Here's a faithful cover of one of her best ballads, '1000 Oceans'.

Duke Special - Shining Light (Ash) (Live)
Annie Lennox recently covered this. But Duke Special & Coldplay got there first. This time, I give you Duke Special's.

Billie The Vision And The Dancers - I'm A Cuckoo (Belle & Sebastian)
(A Century of Covers: Belle and Sebastian Tribute, 2oo6)
Such a straightforward take, and yet I do like it as much as the original. The spirit is not lost here. I haven't spent much time with the new Stuart Murdoch project 'God Help The Girl', but 'Come Monday Night' is lush. Billie makes lo-fi indie pop and he's good at it. And he gives it all away for free! Be sure to look up his excellent collab with Hello Saferide, 'Overdosing With You', maybe the first song to reference Desperate Housewives characters!

PS. A post was deleted by Blogger last week, so technically, this is now my 500th post. Cheers, for the second time!

Covered: Fiona Apple/Betty LaVette

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:51:00 +0000

The perennially moody Fiona Apple recently recorded a cover of Cy Coleman's 'Why Try To Change Me Now' for a tribute EP, "Then Was Then & Now Is Now". It was great to hear something new from her. It's Fiona doing what she has mastered at. An introspective jazzy ditty for those rainy days. I hope she is in a studio somewhere working on some new music. It's been 4 years since 'Extraordinary Machine'.

Fiona Apple - Why Try To Change Me Now

I don't know much about Betty LaVette except that she's a well-respected soul singer. Apparently, she really liked Fiona Apple's 'Sleep To Dream', so much that she covered it and named her 2005 album after a line in the song, "I've Got My Own Hell To Raise". Fiona might have sounded bitter and resentful, but for Betty, she is real pissed! I love how she made the song her own by inserting a little more attitude, like "Gimme my back and get yo ass out there". Great cover, and rather rare, too.

Betty LaVette - Sleep To Dream

P.S. I just noticed this is my 500th post. Well, cheers to that!

Covered: Kat Edmonson

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:59:00 +0000

Kat Edmonson is a fresh, young voice to emerge in the jazz scene with her debut album 'Take To The Sky' recently released...
No wait come back!
Beside the obligatory standards like 'Summertime' & 'Night And Day', she also offers a unique spin on more contemporary hits, two of which is 'Just Like Heaven' and 'Lovefool'. To be honest, I was too suspicious of how she would reimagine these songs into her smooth, classic jazz style, but she seems to pull it off with ease. In short, I dig her versions. My favorite is probably 'Lovefool', though. So check them out, cover lovers, and see if she did a good job or not?

Kat Edmonson - Just Like Heaven (The Cure)

~~Kat Edmonson - Lovefool (The Cardigans)~~
*sorry, removed as requested

Nina Nastasia

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:39:00 +0000

I've been a quiet follower of Nina Nastasia for a couple years now, and last week, to my surpise, I realized she was never mentioned here. How could it slip my mind?
Nina's music is quite stark, stripped down but poetic. Her short story-songs conveys raw emotions. My entry point was actually her 4th album, 'On Leaving'. One highlight was definitely track 8, 'Treehouse Song'. Growing up, I was fascinated with the idea of a treehouse, though we never had one. There was just something neat about having your own little space, to escape to and be by myself, to gaze upon the surroundings from a different view. So I guess the song just struck all the right chords with me. And everytime the cascading piano keys arrived at the chorus... it was astounding.
Her follow-up a year later is a collaboration with Jim White, a more experimental effort. The artwork was fantastic as usual, and there were good songs, but I felt something missing from this album. Nevertheless, I remain a fan and am really looking forward to some new materials by her. For now, you can try a few samples below.

Nina Nastasia - Treehouse Song
Nina Nastasia - Settling Song
(On Leaving, 2006)

Nina Nastasia & Jim White - Our Discussion
(You Follow Me, 2007)

Covered: Kate Bush

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Tue, 26 May 2009 21:37:00 +0000

Kate Bush is one of those trail-blazing artists that are so often cited as influence, and yet never properly investigated by me. And then on this fateful night, I was bored enough to make a routine check of Youtube, and decided to view her video for Wuthering Heights. Oh my, it was a revelation. I had heard that she has a reputation for being kooky before, but after viewing that, I know she's a total cuckoo! (in a good way, of course). That video was so amazingly shot and choreographed that it's still refreshing by today's standards. To think that it was about 30 years ago! It took me a while to get used to her voice, but once I did, the song becomes superb and addictive.
Well, I'm convinced. Consider me converted. I shall investigate more about this delightfully bonkers woman's music. In the meantime, here are some covers of two of her most popular singles, 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Running Up That Hill'.

Chromatics - Running Up That Hill
(Night Drive, 2007)
Italo disco!

Placebo - Running Up That Hill
(Sleeping With Ghosts (Special Edition), 2003)
Androgynous alt rock!

Within Temptation - Running Up That Hill
(Single, 2004)
Dutch symphonic rock!

The Puppini Sisters - Wuthering Heights
(Betcha Bottom Dollar, 2006)
'40s cabaret!

The Sweptaways - Wuthering Heights
(CDR, 2006)
Gleeful Swedish a cappella choir!

Songs For Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Sun, 24 May 2009 14:42:00 +0000

I've been saving these for a day like today, for it's the perfect time to spin them. I'll let the tunes speak for themselves. Enjoy your weekend!

Fionn Regan - Be Good Or Be Gone
(The End Of History, 2007)
Lay Low - Last Time Around
(Farewell Good Night's Sleep, 2009)
Alexi Murdoch - All My Days
(Away We Go Soundtrack, 2009)
Ian Broudie - Song For No One
(Tales Told, 2004)
Little Joy - Unattainable
(Little Joy, 2008)

Simone White

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Sat, 23 May 2009 11:09:00 +0000

Simone White possesses a lilting, mellifluous voice. She crafts songs that sound much better on rainy days. Her bittersweet mellow ditties are unobtrusively pleasant, but alluring enough to draw me in and keep me coming back. Because sometimes, that is all I need, beautiful, acoustic music to make the day seem a little less longer.

Simone White - The Beep Beep Song
(featured in an Audi commercial)

Simone White - Why Is Your Raincoat Always Crying?

Simone White - Sweetest Love Song

Her new album, entitled "Yakiimo", will be released soon in June, which gives you just about enough time to catch up with her solid 2007 album "I Am The Man". Other highlights include 'I Didn't Have Any Summer Romance' & 'We Used To Stand So Tall'.

Covered: Jens & Tracey

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Wed, 20 May 2009 21:26:00 +0000

Jens Lekman and Tracey Thorn
recently teamed up for the 20th-anniversary Merge Records covers compilation "Score!". As I'm a big fan of both, I was psyched when Tracey first announced this on her blog. It literally just came out of nowhere. And I can confirm that it's indeed excellent. Their voices just entwined so well together, and it's deceptively sweet for the wry, deadpan lyrics. Definitely one of the best covers I've heard in 2009.

Tracey Thorn and Jens Lekman - Yeah! Oh, Yeah! (The Magnetic Fields)
I always meant to check out Magnetic Fields' stuff, actually, but I got intimidated by their hefty discography. It doesn't help that the most recommended album to start with is called '69 Love Songs'!

And while we're at it, here are some more fine covers courtesy of Jens & Tracey:

Jens Lekman - A Little Lost (Arthur Russell)
Damn you and your kalimba, Jens.

Jens Lekman - Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death (Scout Niblett)
The build-up here is amazing. Instruments along the way with Jens' crooning make the lyrical content less grim. Almost. :(

Jens Lekman - Water Runs Dry (Boyz II Men)
Wait for his explanation at the end.

Tracey Thorn - King's Cross (Pet Shop Boys)
The Hot Chip Mix is probably more popular, but here's the original version of the cover, a b-side to 'It's All True'. Earlier this year, there was a period when the chorus lyrics of this song really resonated with me.

Last but not least, check out this brilliant collaboration of Jens with Swedish choir The Sweptaways, called 'Happiness Will Be My Revenge'. So so good. Jens has got the Midas touch, everything he does is essential. His collabs? I'll save that for another time.

Covered: Timo Räisänen

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:58:00 +0000

Timo Räisänen's cover album '...And Then There Was Timo' must be one of the oddest of its kind in recent memory. The selections are literally all over the place. Rarely can you find covers of AC/DC, Dolly Parton, Sonny & Cher, Josh Groban, Whitney, Mariah, and the obligatory Radiohead all in one tracklist. His approach is tongue-in-cheek, and a bit 'Let's throw all at the walls and see what sticks', but there are some gems here. His surprising cover of Sugababes' "About You Now" is certainly a highlight. I didn't know that song did well in Sweden, or did it? Certainly miles better than this disasterous, Americanized monstrosity of a cover for the tweens (click at your own risk!).
However, the most unexpected one goes to his cover of New Radicals and their only hit 'You Get What You Give'. Seriously, that song is so much fun to sing along to! How come no one had covered it before? Take note, musicians. Timo delivered a faithful version that I found very enjoyable.
Timo is currently on the roster of very cool Swede label Razzia - the home of Hello Saferide, Maia Hirasawa, & Firefox AK. Sample a few below.

Timo Raisanen - About You Now (Sugababes Cover)
Timo Raisanen - You Get What You Give (New Radicals Cover)
Timo Raisanen - Creep (Radiohead Cover)

Buy
MySpace

More Covers Coming Your Way...

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:23:00 +0000

collage by Julien Pacaud

Another batch of covers. I'm not really in the mood to write some new artists-centric posts, so this should suffice for now. I was having a dreary day that seemed to drag forever, so here's hoping yours is going more smoothly. Besides, if those stats were to be trusted, you guys do love covers. Scoop 'em up, folks!

Rio En Medio - Let's Groove (Earth Wind & Fire) (Let's Groove/Staying Alive 7", 2008)
A simple, yet addictive groove. Her own music is not too dissimilar to what Bat For Lashes is doing.

Tara Busch - Let's Go To Bed (The Cure) (Various Artists - Perfect as Cats: A Tribute to the Cure, 2008)
One of the better ones from an uneven compilation. I really dig this psych-folk take. It appears that Tara's bed may be way up there, among the clouds.

Tricky - Slow (Kylie) (Knowle West Boy, 2008)
Unexpected. His version verges more on electro-rock. Did you know Emilíana Torrini co-wrote this track, and won a Grammy for it? Didn't see it coming either.

Bryn Christopher - Sour Times (Portishead) (My World, 2008)
Bryn was an unfortunate case of buzz over quality. He can sing, and wears nice trenchcoats, but his debut single was rubbish, and the follow-ups didn't fare so well, either. There was a Portishead cover on his album and it wasn't even mentioned in the press releases.

Ingrid Michaelson - Creep (Radiohead) (Live Sessions EP - iTunes, 2009)
The standard Radiohead cover song. Ingrid has a pretty voice and an uncanny resemblance to Lisa Loeb. Her songs are a bit too coffee-table-friendly for me, but this cover is lovely indeed.

Cover Ahoy!

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 19:21:00 +0000

collage by Julien Pacaud

An assortment of covers for the weekend! 5 excellent ones, as per usual. They're not exactly new, but still on high rotation for me. Enjoy.

Lily Allen - Womanizer (Britney Spears)
Recorded live for KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic. I really like her acerbic take on this. 'It's Not Me, It's You' is a stunning follow-up, by the way.

Jonna Lee - Human (The Killers)
A lovely acoustic take from Swedish singer/songwriter/Razzia-signee Jonna Lee. She's got a newsingle coming out called 'My High'.

Jem - Yellow (Coldplay Cover)
This was on the Starbucks compilation Sweetheart. Her last album was a mess, bar about 3 good songs. Sigh.

Solange - Destiny (Zero 7)
It's the cool, hip Knowles! Her Twitter is quite entertaining, in between showing affection for her son, she also revealed her taste in music, mentioning acts such as Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MGMT, and Zero 7. This sweet performance was for the Spotlight Sessions, which you can watch here. When will she lend a few from her record collection to her big sister?

The Bird And The Bee - Don't Stop The Music (Rihanna)
A lush & playful cover. The Bird And The Bee can do no wrong in my eyes. Their new album 'Ray Guns Are Not Only Just The Future' is an absolute delight, a step-up from their debut, combining Greg Kurstin's slick production skills with Inara's gorgeous vocals. Do check out 'Love Letter To Japan', possibly their most accessible, poppiest track to date.

It's been such a long week for me. May next week come with some good news, I can be so impatient sometimes...

Hollywood, Mon Armour

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:12:00 +0000

Hollywood, Mon Armour is the latest project of Marc Collin, the man behind Nouvelle Vague. This time around, he relies on several chanteuses like Skye Edwards (former Morcheeba singer), Cibelle, Yael Naim, Juliette Lewis... to reinterpret '80s movie theme songs. The idea sounds promising on paper, but the actual practice turned out to be not as thrilling.
My main problem with the album is that the novelty has lost its sheen. It sounds exactly like what I'd expect it to be. The production is too repetitive to listen to all in one sitting. The tone is just so...monotonous.
Now that we get that out of the way, the album actually has a fair share of worthy moments, like Yael Naim's balladry take on 'Flashdance...What A Feeling', or Skye Edwards' enticing reading of Blondie's 'Call Me'. The treatment of 'Eye Of The Tiger' eerily reminds me of another cover version by Olivier Bernet for the soundtrack of Persepolis, though. Overall, in my opinion, Hollywood, Mon Armour would benefit from cutting off a few tracks (to later use as bonus tracks, perhaps). Marc's approach is just too safe and treading old ground now, he needs to take some new tricks up his sleeves. The formula's not broken, but it would help if things got shaken up a bit more.

Yael Naim - Flashdance...What A Feeling (Flashdance)
Skye Edwards - Call Me (American Gigolo)
Leelou - Don't You (Forget About Me) (The Breakfast Club)
Katrine Ottosen - Eye Of The Tiger (Rocky III)

Buy

Here's the tracklist:

01. View To A Kill (feat. Skye)
02. Call Me (feat. Skye)
03. When Doves Cry (feat. Nadeah)
04. Eye Of The Tiger (feat. Katrine Ottosen)
05. Cat People (feat. Dea Li)
06. Flashdance (What A Feeling) (feat. Yael Naim)
07. Footloose (feat. Cibelle)
08. This Is Not America (feat. Juliette Lewis)
09. Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) (feat. Nadeah)
10. Together In Electric Dreams (feat. Nadeah)
11. Reality (feat. Nancy Danino)
12. Forbidden Colours (feat. Nadeah)
13. It's Wrong For Me To Love You (feat. Bianca Calandra)
14. For Your Eyes Only (feat. Dea Li)
15. Don't You (Forget About Me) (feat. Leelou)

Covered: Girls Aloud

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:51:00 +0000

Everybody wants a piece of Girls Aloud nowadays.

First, Scottish musician Malcolm Middleton recently put up his cover for 'Call The Shots' for free on his website. Also included is his take on The Saturdays' hit 'Issues'. Malcolm's tactic is nothing new, which is to strip it down, dissect the melodies, strum the guitar and put on a strong accent. Still, it's interesting to hear such meticulously-produced pop songs in such context. The Saturdays cover might even be better than the original - the lamest single of the pop group so far (their pedestrian charity cover of Depeche Mode's 'Just Can't Get Enough' already counted).

Malcolm Middleton -Call The Shots (Girls Aloud Cover)

Malcolm Middleton - Issues (The Saturdays Cover)

Bloc Party had also covered 'Call The Shots' for Radio 1's Live Lounge. The intention is good, but let's say Kele's voice is not best suited for the song...

Bloc Party - Call The Shots

The latest British up-and-coming act, Florence & The Machine (pictured above) had a go at 'Can't Speak French', too. I still remain undecided on her own music, but her folk-infused cover is quite alright. She's clearly a nutter, which is great. I wonder whether Nicola and Florence would meet to share fashion tips?

Florence & The Machine - Can't Speak French (Girls Aloud Cover)

It's funny that only after 6 years in the business that Girls Aloud finally reached their peak, thanks to no small parts from Cheryl Cole's current X-Factor judge stint. My unashamed fascination with the group is also at an all-time high. 'Out Of Control' might not be their best album, but it still is an amazing pop confection. They even came close to dethroning The Cardigans as the most listened to band on my iPod (yikes)! It's great to see them getting the recognition they deserve, and here's hoping for a couple more albums before the eventual split.

Beast - Mr. Hurricane

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:39:00 +0000

How do you like the spanking new layout? I finally caved in yesterday and decided to upgrade from the classic Blogger template. Closed the blog for about 2 hours, meddled with codes, refurbished this and that. And I'm very pleased with the result. It looks so much nicer, isn't it? I particularly like the rounded corners and the fixed background. That dusty, dull, unsightly old one can retire now, phew. On to the music...

Beast is a new Montreal duo, consisting of Jean-Phi Goncalves and Betty Bonifassi. Now Betty came as a big surprise, as I remembered her singing on the soundtrack for 'The Triplets Of Belleville', one of my favorite animated movies ever, and also one of the most bonkers I've seen. Never would I have guessed that, since her vocals on the following track is so much...rawer.
'Mr. Hurricane' is a fuzzy mix of soul, rock, and electronic. Betty coined their sound as 'trip rock', so let's stick with that for lack of a better description. The track got me bobbling head and tapping toes instantly, and that is always a good thing. There's a certain '90s flair to the driving beats, but with a more updated touch. Also, there's a choir in the chorus! Plus one! Actually, I think the choir made the song.

TRY: Beast - Mr. Hurricane

The music video for the song is very cool, if a bit uneasy. Beast has a recurring obsession with bees, apparently. Not just a few, thousands of swarms of them. You're best advised to not click on the play button if you have apiphobia.
Beast - Mr. Hurricane from MapleMusic Recordings on Vimeo

Beast's self-titled album was released in the US on March 3. I find this taster decent and very likable, so I will probably give it a spin. You can purchase it here or on iTunes.

P.S. I was going to make 'Beety and the Beast' the headline. Thank goodness I did not. Ummm...

Loney Dear - Airport Surroundings

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:27:00 +0000

Loney, Dear and I got off on the wrong foot back then, as I made the mistake of viewing the rather disturbing video for 'I Am John' first. I was put off and decided to pass.

2 years and minus a comma later, Loney Dear's back with a new one. Luckily this time, the second first impression hits all the right chords.

'Airport Surroundings' is his new excellent single, in that it's properly catchy indie pop and also managed to, in risk of sounding cheesy, "pull my heart strings". The first listen was a bit manic with all the frantic layers, but soon all came together. The earnest lyrics demonstrated the quiet wreckage and the despair so well I half expected him to have a nervous breakdown at the end of the song. The moment the crescendo came, and the harmonies kicked in before the chorus was sung once more - Wow. So much emotion packed in just over 3 minutes. Can you imagine driving to this after a not-so-good day? My mouth was singing along, but my head hurt, in a good way. Had I heard this 2 years ago, I don't think I would have enjoyed this as much. I guess I'm at a different place now, and my taste expands with time. Sad, sad music for lonely nights.

Avoid the radio edit that reconstructs the song into the traditional verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure. Fail. Just listen to the original in all its glory.

TRY: Loney Dear - Airport Surroundings

Oh, need I mention he's Swedish?

Watch the apt driving-themed video.
Visit his MySpace.
Buy the album.

Towa Tei + Miho Hatori = Big Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 20:57:00 +0000

Towa Tei, one of the leading figures in the Japanese electronic scene, has returned after a long hiatus with new single 'Mind Wall'. Considering he's a former member of Deee-Lite, I guess it makes sense that he recruited the help of another '90s alumni, ex-Cibo Matto Miho Hatori! And the result is fantastic. I like the contrast of the rhythmic verses against the jazzy, laidback chorus, of the thumping drum-n-bass beats against the plodding piano keys. This kind of fusion might not be anything new, but it works perfectly. And the animated promo video is total eye candy, it's bonkers, Japanese style!

The new album, 'Big Fun', is on iTunes internationally by now, I think. I'm looking forward to hearing the rest.

TRY: Towa Tei Feat. Miho Hatori - Mind Wall

If you're not too familiar with Towa, make sure to check out his two Kylie collaborations. 'German Bold Italic' is an ode to an imaginary typeface (!), with an odd video featuring Kylie in geisha get-up, directed by her then-boyfriend Stéphane Sednaoui. The other, 'Sometime Samurai', was released in 2005, a good 7 years after the first collab.

Bic Runga Returns.

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:45:00 +0000

Bic Runga is probably the greatest musical export ever from New Zealand. Why her music never really caught on beyond her native country still perplexes me. 3 years after 'Birds', she finally returns with a new compilation. 'Try To Remember Everything' comprises b-sides, rarities, live cuts and previously unreleased materials. The album's actually quite good, in comparison with others of this ilk. One of the many highlights is 'A Day Like Today', a b-side from my favorite Bic era 'Beautiful Collision'. It's a wonderful feel-good song with not a single note gone to waste. Bic's cute way of enunciating certain words is also on display here. Listen closely. I misheard 'carried' as 'carefree', and 'a message' as 'Mrs. Jones' all the time. 'Strangers Again', a new recording of a song by Kiwi band Sneaky Feelings, is closer to the style of her third album, 'Birds'. There's also an orchestral take on the jazz standard 'Autumn Leaves', and two pristine live versions of 'Drive' and 'Sway'. I swear I had like 4 different live versions of 'Sway' and I love them all. Here I offer you a rare acoustic performance from the Irish charity compilation 'Even Better Than The Real Thing' instead. If you're not familiar with her, then make 'Sway' your starting point. I still remember clearly the first time I saw the music video for 'Sway' on VH1. So captivated was I that I rushed to my dial-up connection to find out more about this amazing woman. That video was an alternate version that's not on Youtube, the one with her walking down the snowy streets, bumping into eerie twins. I'd love to watch that one again. Aah, good times...
You don't know how hard it is to find an old pic of hers with decent quality. I ended up choosing the one above, a very young Bic from the late '90s, she's lovely isn't she?
If you're already a fan, then this is a nice collector's item to tide you over, if you're not, seriously, start digging.
I know she's quite busy raising her child these days, but let's hope new materials will be put out soon. In the meantime, enjoy.

Bic Runga - A Day Like Today
Bic Runga - Strangers Again (Sneaky Feelings Cover)
Bic Runga - Drive (Live)

Bic Runga - Sway (Live)
(from Even Better Than The The Real Thing Vol. 2, 2004)

Try to buy the album here.
Visit her MySpace.

I'm Done Hibernating.

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 19:05:00 +0000

Welcome back, guys! Yes, I finally return from my 3-month hiatus. Feels good to be home. Happy new year, 2009! If you're reading this, thank you - for sticking around.

So I guess I should start with a rational explanation. College applications. To America, that is. It was a painstaking, cruel process, but I'm glad it's all done, now all I can do is sit here waiting and hope for the best come April.

I must admit it felt refreshing to be out of the loop. I was able to spend more time revisiting the good old tunes and those I'd overlooked. Overall, 2008 was an uneventful year musically. Plus, I was a bit intimidated by the whole Blogger-vs-bloggers debacle. It was devastating to see my posts yanked down by a bot. I'd read some ridiculous stories, and I even had doubts about whether I should carry on or not. In the end, I just couldn't give up, so here I am. For now, I'll try to stay low profile, buying my own domain is just not an option as a server costs money of which I'm running short...I was a bit annoyed that I wasn't able to put together another Christmas mix this year, though, I had a lot of materials and now they'll have to wait for another year - what a waste of festivity.

Anyways, as a way of making up for my lack of updates, I'll make an exception and do a special repost! Drop a comment and I'll accept the first 5 requests! One track per person, please. (Okay I'll make it clearer. What I meant was if you're new here, and want to get an old track I posted that has now expired, then just say it and I'll repost it for you)

Here's a little treat for you all. No introduction necessary, I shall give you:

Adele - Black And Gold (Sam Sparro Cover)

Enjoy.

Covered: Around The World Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:06:00 +0000

NORWAY:
Singer/songwriter Ane Brun recently recorded her own acoustic version of Alphaville's 'Big In Japan' for a Swedish documentary called 'Stor I Japan'. It's currently sitting atop the iTunes Sweden chart. The simplicity of her cover reminds me of her sublime collaboration with Koop for 'Koop Island Blues'.

Ane Brun - Big in Japan (Alphaville Cover)

AUSTRALIA:
Angie Hart has a remarkable musical output that's enough for a whole week (or more) worth of coverage. Either when she was with Frente!, Splendid, or on her own, she proved that her voice is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. Her cover of The Cure's 'Pictures Of You' was produced for the Transport Accident Commission's anti-speeding campaign ad (which you can watch here), and when put into that context, it's pretty mesmerizing and touching. It's now available as a single on iTunes Aussie, but since I don't have access to that, this 96kps rip from her MySpace has to do. I really wish I could do a feature on her 'oeurve' someday.

Angie Hart - Pictures Of You (The Cure Cover)

SWEDEN:
Aww...Those Dancing Days! I've been quietly following them ever since Swedesplease introduced me to them with 'Hitten'. These girls are like the antithesis to the Disney empire, they're still in high school, and yet they already show more credibility and potential than those Jonas brothers or whomever Disney Channel starlets that are raping my ears by butchering the classics for dvd bonus features could ever dream of. Um, awkward comparison? Maybe I'm just biased because the lead singer reminds me of Molly Ringwald in her heyday. All of them are adorable, though! Here's their cool version of Britney Spears' 'Toxic', a b-side to their latest single 'Home Sweet Home', which is quite good by itself!

Those Dancing Days - Toxic (Britney Spears Cover)

UK:
Surprising listenable! I normally detested the idea of 'indie bands legimitizing pop hits by ruining them' but this is actually quite decent. This song is just that good.

Guillemots - Black And Gold (Sam Sparro Cover)

GERMANY:
Last but not least, a ridiculously awesome Latin-flavored cover of Daft Punk's 'Around The World'. Senor Coconut is just one of the many aliases of German DJ Uwe Schmidt. He has done a remix for Jamie Lidell in the same style. It's great fun to listen to, a very interesting interpretation it is.

Señor Coconut and his Orchestra - Around The World (Full Version)

So Long, Summer. A Mix Compiled By Zeon

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 17:19:00 +0000

It has become somewhat of a tradition for me to make an annual summer mix, and this year is no exception. So here comes the third. I've spent quite a lot of effort on this, as I want it to be capable of capturing my mood, the music I frequently listen to in the summer of '08, like a time capsule, so that one day I can look back and reminisce (and weep and moan about the good ol' days). I'm really satisfied with the results, I think I'm getting better at this, and I hope you will enjoy it, too, though it's kinda late by now, isn't it. I planned to make a muxtape, too, but the site's in trouble now, too bad. You can either download each track by choice or just grab the whole zip for convenience. Either way, here's my way of waving goodbye to an eventful summer.

TRACKLIST:

1. The Sundays - Summertime
The definitive summer song. This summer, I found myself listening to this song while going for a walk quite a lot, with the chorus constantly ringing in my head ("And it's you and me in the summertime..."). No one can sing like Harriet does. And the guitar slide at the end. This deserves its opener spot in every way. Classic.
2. Nine Black Alps - Bitter End
A jaunty, catchy number I discovered last year. I don't know much about the band and I doubt their other materials are as good as this track, but this really is a good one.
3. Irene - By Your Side
Probably the cheeriest song on the mix. From the mighty Swedish label Labrador. Wait 'til the singalong climax - I fell for it every single time. Oh, there it goes in my head again...
4. The Billionaires - The End Of Summer Song
I've been saving this one for this mix - very relatable lyrics. Great spirit, if by great you mean 'Let's get drunk by the campfire like we don't give a shit about tomorrow'.
5. Aimee Mann - Ghost World
Inspired by the graphic novel of the same name. I watched the film and read the book a few months ago, and I already declare it one of the greatest teen movies I've seen. So much angst & bitterness. I'm still in the process of coming of age, you know, and I don't think I'm coping well with it.
6. The Cardigans - Pooh Song
One of the best Cardigans b-sides. I think it is indeed named after Winnie The Pooh. There's not a note gone to waste in this track. So wonderfully twee. This is way before Nina started to drink too much and penned sad sad songs.
7. Club 8 - Heaven
More lovely Swedish indie pop. Club 8's last album was my number one album in 2007, which is not surprising as I became quite obssessed with twee pop last year, and this gorgeous single is one of the highlights of that album. So uplifiting, though there's a slight melancholy undertone.
8. Beth Orton - Central Reservation (The Then Again Version)
Remixed by Ben Watt, the other half of Everything But The Girl. Sweet slice of '90s electronica. I like the part when she says 'It's like...'.
9. Ivy - It's All In Your Mind
A short instrumental track, a very rare bonus from 'Long Distance'. Ivy is one of my favorite bands ever, I just had to include something by them. This one is a summery, relaxing groove, suitable for a stroll down the beach/along the park.
10. Texas - Say What You Want
A rediscovered gem. I didn't like Texas enough to feel the need to listen to every album and single they put out, but still I can't believe I missed this one. I saw my mistake and it's been on rotation ever since.
11. Goldfrapp - Caravan Girl (Live Choral Version)
Overlooked summer song of 2008. This version can be found on the single. The choral crescendo is eargasm.
12. Jens Lekman - Your Arms Around Me
I wish I could write love songs as easily as Jens does. An awkward tale about cutting off your fingers while slicing an avocado in a hot day in August. So silly, yet so romantic. This is movie-ending-soundtrack fodder, imagine lovebirds walking together as the camera pans to the dreamy skyline. Somebody hire me!
13. Caribou - Irene
A tad more leftfield. Psychedelic ambience. With a video full of National Geographic footage to boot.
14. Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Mysteries
Now this is just too beautiful for words. Almost hymn-like. I would have chosen this as the closer...
15. Alphaville - Forever Young (Hamel Album Remix)
...but I gave this one the honor instead. A sublime mix from Bill Hamel, probably the best one of this classic yet. No other track would do. Yes, I'd like to live forever, please, at least until I got bored of it. With this I bid adieu to the summer of '08, and say hello to what possibly will be the busiest quarter ever...Time doesn't wait for no one...

DOWNLOAD THE ZIPPED FILE WITH ALL 16 TRACKS

Stop!!! New Pipettes Track Surfaces!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:29:00 +0000

I was having sort of a bad moment and then down from the sky came a miraculous ray of light in the form of some Pipettes news with a brand new track to cheer me right up. I knew subscribing to Pitchfork News will pay off someday. The track's called 'The Shoe That Fits', and they're generous enough to offer you a free download at their new remix Myspace page. So what's the catch? Well, it's acappella only since this is for a remix contest, but if your submitted version is the best, it will get to appear on an upcoming tour CD. Here's the version with Gwenno, Anna & Ani, and you can get the versions with seperate vocals of each Pipette here.

The Pipettes - The Shoe That Fits (Vocal Mix) [alt. link]

The smart move is now you get to hear and judge for yourself how good are the two new Pipettes' pipes. It seems that Gwenno stepped down a notch here to give the new member more singing time. Vocally, Anna & Ani are doing a goob job, but personality-wise, guess we'll have to wait and see. It's a nice little track to tide us over for now. There's still a whole floppy forest ("tee-hee") before them, The Pipettes ~~V2.0~~ V3.0, but I'm quite sure their sweet harmonies will continue to thrive. And best of luck to the former Pipettes, Rosay & Riotbecki and their solo projects.

A little confession: I still can't tell Ani and Anna apart. :-(

Susanna - Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:00:00 +0000

I once posted about the magnificent Susanna & The Magical Orchestra here. And now, Susanna has left the Melody Mountain (oh I'm funny) to make a solo debut with original songs this time. It's wickedly entitled 'Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos', released in August last year. She may be without the Magical Orchestra (Morten Qvenild), but she still makes strictly nocturnal music. The understated production gives the record an old-fashioned, sparse feel, and Susanna's hauntingly beautiful and quietly powerful voice's still capable of giving me the chills. The tone is still quite sombre, so it's best to listen to it at night, in solitary silence, as you're winding down after a stressful day. To be honest, her lyrics follow a certain pattern that gets repetitive after a while, but then for this kind of music, lyrics are allowed to come second to the mood it creates. All in all, for those of you looking for new music to listen to in the late hours, this would make a tasteful choice. You can sample the two cuts below. The album was released by Norwegian label Rune Grammofon.

Susanna - Born In The Desert
Susanna - Better Days
(Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos, 2007)

Swing by her MySpace for more song streams.

Lotte Kesner - China Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:28:00 +0000

Lotte Kestner is the current solo project of Anna-Lynne Williams, the singer of one of my favorite bands, Trespassers William. 'China Mountain' was quietly released earlier this year, so quietly that I wasn't aware until I passed by the band's website for some updates on their new album. The project sees Anna heading for a different direction, gone are the shoegaze tendencies, in favor of a more stripped-down, acoustic sound. Very little percussion was used, and Anna's bewitching vocals flow like a stream through the woods in the moonshine. The overall mood is drenched in melancholy, not that I'd expect anything else from her, but there's also a certain meditative quality to it. With 'China Mountain', she has managed to walk the fine line between beautiful lo-fi bedroom pop and Starbucks coffee table music. Although the album could have used a bit more variety, overall it's a respectable effort, the kind that could easily be overlooked but shouldn't be. If you like the two tracks below, then the rest is definitely for you.

Lotte Kesner - Crush The Bird
Lotte Kesner - Compasses

You can find the album on iTunes, order it from the band's website or CDBaby.

The album cover was done by Japanese illustrator Heisuke Kitazawa, who was responsible for the beautiful artwork for Trespassers William's last album 'Having'. You can check out his website for more of his amazing works.

Rediscovered: The Baldwin Brothers - Dream Girl (feat. Miho Hatori)

noreply@blogger.com (Zeon) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:11:00 +0000

Cibo Matto was ace. 'Sugar Water' is one of the true '90s alternative classics (and so is the video). After the disband, both Yuka Honda & Miho Hatori continued to pursue their solo careers. Honestly, I haven't heard Yuka's stuff, but I remember Miho's latest album 'Ecdysis' being quite decent. So here's what slipped through the cracks. In 2002, Miho Hatori lent her vocals to a track by The Baldwin Brothers (no, not those two) called 'Dream Girl'. I only got wind of this a couple days ago. It's worth the search, though, because I absolutely love it upon the first listen. It's a splash of fun, upbeat, bubbly, dreamy offbeat electronica with a dash of psychedelic grooves (sorry for the puns). Nothing boundary-breaking here, but lovely nonetheless. 'Lost gem' stamp approved.
There's a nice track featuring one of my fave vocalists, Angie Hart (Frente!) on that album, too.

The Baldwin Brothers - Dream Girl (featuring Miho Hatori)
(Cooking With Lasers, 2002)

Here's the video: