Múm - Peel Session - Out Now

Release date: UK, Europe, & Rest of World - 4 December 2006 | US, Canada - 23 January 2007

"December 4th sees the long-awaited release of múm’s only ever Peel session, recorded at Maida Vale Studios in 2002 for BBC Radio One’s infamous, revered, and fondly remembered John Peel show. The four tracks here (five if you include the amalgamation of the two songs on the opening track) are significantly different versions of songs that will be familiar to fans." from FatCat Newsletter.

Track List:
1 | Scratched Bicycle / Smell Memory
2 | Awake On A Train
3 | Now There Is That Fear Again
4 | The Ballad Of The Broken String

MySpace > http://www.myspace.com/mumtheband
If you like it support artist and buy at FatCat Records

Audrey EP

(Stereo Test Kit Records, 2005)
Original Czech version of the review is placed on www.post-rock.cz here.

Audrey is beautiful name for girl's post-rock band formed in small town on south Sweden in 2002. Members of the quartet are Anna, Victoria, Emilie a Rebecka. Unfortunately I don't know which girl sings but her amazing voice warms up your hearts. It is the one of advantages the band. She reminds you Björk from Sugercubes's era or maybe Ema Brabcová from Czech band Khoiba.

Opening song Box, and Fights has a dominant guitar theme at the beginning which meanders like a ribbon with honey cello at the other side during the whole track. An initial declamation is changing into a gently insisting singing. Guitarist Victoria Skoglund said about meaning of their lyrics:

"I like it when the lyrics can mean different things, that we give clues to our audience. Sometimes we can write quite incoherent things, but we are looking for a feeling in the music,"

Next Triumphal Arch starts with a muffled sound of piano as if from the next room through a half-open door. A guitar with smooth drums join in a little while. Suddenly the singing begins and you catch yourself that you are watching from window at a wind how is fondling with leaves in a tree-top and you're thinking about things from your mind oblivion. You're still listening mesmerized and don't want doing anything else because you are satisfied.

Suddenly you notice the song went over to next song fluently, only two-minutes length We Thought We Were Ghosts, But We Are Feathers. And it disappears as a featherlet in the wind for coming a new song Hymn, my most beautiful one and at the same time the most sad song in the EP. At an initiation the song reminds you Sigur Rós with shimmering guitar and murky keyboards. The lyrics start with "I can still taste you in corner of my mouth." and you get into the mood when thinking about past or present relationships.

Last the fifth track Helpless as well as its song-sisters is slow, full of melancholy and sorrow nevertheless emotions and certain defiance rise up from the music and the voice.

Audrey draws their songs with simplicity and minimalistic outline and gorgeous voices without supportive rolling guitar walls. However emotional impact on audience is extraordinary. They are not for daily listening but for right mood and state of mind. It's perfect for sleepy-rainy afternoon. They are one of the most shinning star on the post-rock sky this year for me! Highly recommend!

Track list
1 | Box, and Fights | 4:45
2 | Triumphal Arch | 5:07
3 | We Thought We Were Ghosts, But We Are Feathers | 2:44
4 | Hymn | 7:17
5 | Helpless | 6:11
Total time - 00:26:04

MySpace > http://www.myspace.com/audreyswe
Free mp3 > Box, and Fights

11/11 Sufjan Stevens at Paradiso, Amsterdam

Sufjan Stevens and his band the Magical Butterfly Brigade (incl. excellent five brass members) perfomed at the Paradiso last saturday nearly two-hour show. The music fairly floated on their beautiful wings to aud and I was truly happy to see them live at the moment. It was spectacular and awesome experience and travelling to Amsterdam was definetely worth.

Many thanks Sufjan!

PM: Thank you K and T! ... you know for what ;-)

Click on photos to enlarge.

Rubber Santas and Supermans were everywhere on the stage even on the piano :o)

Sufjan with eagle's wings

A snow projection during x-mas song "Majesty Snowbird"

Annie Clark aka St. Vincent charmed us with her beautiful voice

Only Sufjan and piano (bonus song "John Wayne Gacy, Jr.")

Sufjan and Buterflies without wings

All members of band played on piano during the concert

Sufjan Stevens Tour

I am crazy looking forward Sufjan Stevens in Paradiso, Amsterdam 'couse I've never seen him live before. And also I'm courious about live performing his rich arangement in CDs.

I'm aware of this tour dates is little late so I'm appologise you.

Official Page > www.sufjan.com
MySpace > http://www.myspace.com/illinoiseispretty

11/09 | Le Bataclan | Paris, France
11/10 | Gloria | Cologne, Germany
11/11 | Paradiso | Amsterdam, Netherland
11/12 | Vega | Copenhagen, Denmark
11/14 | Sentrum Scene | Oslo, Norway
11/15 | Berns | Stockholm, Sweden
11/17 | Frikirkjan Church | Reykjavik, Iceland
11/18 | Frikirkjan Church | Reykjavik, Iceland

Brad Mehldau Live in Prague - solo piano

What can I say about sunday's solo concert of Brad Mehldau in Dvorak Hall of Rudolfinum in Prague? I have no words ... or simply ... It was excellent, breathtaking and unforgettable experience with heart and soul and standing ovations at the end.

Thank you, Brad!

PS: you can read a little more about concert on Vysous's journal here.

Brad Mehldau - European Tour

Mehldau is American jazz pianist who plays original compositions, jazz standards and jazz arrangements of popular music, having a particular liking for the music of Radiohead, Nick Drake and The Beatles. Mehldau has a distinct talent for transforming these 'Rock' songs in such a way that they sound as if they were Jazz Standards in the first place. He is best known as leader of the Brad Mehldau Trio, with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummers Jorge Rossy and Jeff Ballard.

He will be on tour across Europe next month and I'm really looking forward to Sunday's concert here in Prague.

tour dates:
11/1 | Jazznojazz Festival Kaufleuten | Zurich, Switzerland(Solo)
11/2 | Teatro Eden | Treviso, Italy (Solo)
11/3 | Auditorium Comunale | Pagnacco, Italy (Solo)
11/5 | Dvorak Hall of Rudolfinum | Prague, Czech Republic (Solo)
11/6 | Auditorium - Parco Della Musica | Rome, Italy (Solo)
11/7 | Teatro Comunale di Ferrara | Ferrara, Italy (Solo)
11/8 | Theatro Augusteo | Napoli, Italy
11/9 | Impart Arts Center, Wroclaw, Poland (Solo)
12/11 | Audiitori de Barcelona | Barcelona, Spain

www.bradmehldau.com
Free streaming audio/video

Fontän - Aktionskammarn

(Best Before End, 2006)

Aktionskammarn is the outstanding full length debut from Gothensburg, Sweden based duo Fontän (Jesper Jarold and Johan Melin). As cherry on top featuring the aired vocal star Sarah Assbring (aka El Perro Del Mar). Fontän intriguingly blends a progressive electronica and 8-bit analogue synths with an accoustic instrumentation and gentle vocals. Perhaps it seems a little queer but it works! Aktionskammarn runs the gamut from happy to sad and back again however it's always fresh. Their music is once poppy (Gone Fishing) next time fluffy cinematic (Alla Kan Se Dig) and at the end you can looking forward to post-rock fireworks (The Ship).
Do you think it is not enough? I do and highly recommend!

Tracklist:
1. The Bird [5:15] | 2. Florida Towers [3:50] | 3. Alla Kan Se Dig [5:48] | 4. Gärdebylåten [0:30] | 5. Beautiful Bastards [4:11] | 6. You, Me & A Tree [7:28] | 7. Lie to… [2:43] | 8. …You [3:28] | 9. Blueberry And Raspberry [1:49] | 10. Lesbian Girls [3:52] | 11. Soltemperatur [0:34] | 12. Gone Fishing [3:05] | 13. Barentsburg [4:59] | 14. The Ship [12:50]

Total time: 60m29s

MySpace > http://www.myspace.com/fntn

Free mp3 > Gone Fishing / Alla Kan Se Dig / Beautiful Bastards

If you like it support artist and buy at dotshop.se or Boomkat.

Ryan Teague - Coins & Crosses

(Type, Release Date: September 11th 2006)

Do you like string orchestral soundtracks and a dark cinamatic sound? Do you also like an ambient electronica and an atmospheric noir feeling? And do you like a harp in music? If all your answers are "yes" so the album Coins & Crosses from young British elecroacoustic composer Ryan Teague is the right stuff for you. The album with roots in early sacred music and mysticism features a 24 piece String Orchestra performed by the Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Tim Redmond as well as acclaimed harpist Rhodri Davies. This stunning music is a perfect soundtrack for your imagined film which you dream of in deep your mind.
I highly recommend!

Free mp3 (only preview)
> 02. Coins & Crosses
> 05. Fantasia for Strings
> 06. Accidia

Streaming pieces
> 03. Nepesch
> 04. Tableau I

If you like it support artist and buy at dotshop.se, please.

New Efterklang mini-album finished!

Good news from Efterklang newsletter (October 01, 2006):

Originally the plan was to release a new EP here in October, but this has now been changed to a mini-album with 5 new songs and almost 30 minutes of new Efterklang music! The release date has also been changed. We have just finished the mini-album so this means it will be released early 2007. The title is "Under Giant Trees" and we look forward to share this music with you!

We are now taking a short breather, but very soon we will return to our studio to continue the work on our new full lenght album that also will be released in 2007. The full lenght album and "Under Giant Trees" will not share any songs in the tracklists so there is a lot of new Efterklang music coming your way in 2007!

On the picture here you see Casper, Mads and Rasmus with the brand new master after a night with no sleep and a lot of mixing ...

I can't wait to see new mini-album and of course brand new full lenght album in 2007!
It will be very good year for Efterlang fans!

Efterklang - Tripper

(Leaf, 2005)

The debut of the Copenhagen-based collective Efterklang (reverberation, or perhaps echo) called Tripper is simply beautiful. They combine glitch electronica with epic-sound strings and wonderful etheric vocals in atmospheric, cinematic and very delicate music. Immediate comparations come to mind: múm and especially Björk and Matmos because of clicks 'n' cuts sounds but I rather like my own term "microbeats" ;-).

This is headphone album for calm and silent nights.

Free mp3
> Efterklang - Step Aside
> Efterklang - Swarming (Antenne Version)
> Efterklang - Monopolist

MySpace > http://www.myspace.com/efterklang

Support artist and buy here.

"SWARMING" video (2005) made by Karim Ghahwagi

... and this is perfect and hypnotic:
"PREY AND PREDATOR" video collage (2004) by Karim Ghahwagi

DeVotchKa - Little Miss Sunshine - video

I haven't seen Little Miss Sunshine movie yet but I'm looking forward to so much. And there is a couple of laconic words about it from Wikipedia:
(yes, i'm so lazy to write something more jucy :p)

"Little Miss Sunshine is a comedy-drama film directed by the husband-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The film had high praise and acclaim, including winning the Best Feature - World Cinema Audience Award at the 2006 Sydney Film Festival, and even a standing ovation at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival."

And finally there is a new DeVotchKa's song Till The End Of Time for this crazy movie.
Enjoy it!

Polar Bear - Held On The Tips Of Fingers

(Babel, 2005 - Mercury Music Prize nominated)

It was a big surprise for me when I came across British jazz quartet Polar Bear. 'Cause I don't expect something so catchy, fresh, joyfull and with a punkish energy :))

Members of group originate from Aberdeen, Scotland are drummer and leader Seb Rochford who wrote all the tunes, electronica artist Leafcutter John, bassist Tom Herbert and finally two tenor saxmen Mark Lockheart and Pete Wareham. If I were to pick a two favourite tracks it would be Beartown with marvellous leading twin saxes conversation and Fluffy for great breakbeat drums, noirish electronic soundscapes with big tension inside.

Polar Bear playing a clever post-jazz which you can only love or hate. Nothing else. I love it. So what's your choise? ;)

Free mp3
> Beartown mp3
> Fluffy (I Want You) mp3
> Held on the Tips of Fingers mp3

MySpace > http://www.myspace.com/sebastianrochford

Support artist and buy here.

Man Man - Engrish Bwudd + Young Einstein on the Beach (live)

This video totally blows my mind! I wanna see Man Man live!

loydd 2006/10/09: I'm so sorry but this awsome video is removed from YouTube: "This video has been removed due to terms of use violation."

DeVotchKa - How It Ends

(Ace Fu Records, 2004)

DeVotchKa (English transcription for девочка in Russian) is word means "young girl" and was used in Burgess's novel A Clockwork Orange.

The quartet based in Denver, Colorado (1997) and uses a lot of instruments such as theremin, guitars, piano, trumpet, violin, accordion, sousaphone and upright bass in their amazing music, which is full of crazy mariachi, balkan and east-european gypsy-rock influences as I like it :o) I had last similar outstanding experience with Beirut - Gulag Orchestar this year.

Btw. Ace Fu Records is really interesting label with many another great bands ... Tunng, Pinback, The Dears etc.

Free mp3 > Venus in Furs (from new Curse Your Little Heart EP)
MySpace > http://www.myspace.com/devotchkamusic
Support artist and buy here.

Man Man - Six Demon Bag

(Ace Fu Records, 2006)

When I first heard this great Philadelphia group I was impressed.
Man Man's music universe is mainly raucous voice of Honus Honus, clanging percussion, sonorous saxophone-trumpet-oboe lines and funny rollicking back vocals. All toghether is really weird experimental indie sound reminiscents you Tom Waits and Captain Beefheart maybe. Following short description from allmusic.com set laughing me: klezmer-influenced soundtrack to your scariest nightmare about killer clowns. ;o))

Best songs: Ice Dogs, Black Mission Goggles

I really enjoy Six Demon Bags very much. So I highly recommend this very unique release!

MySpace > http://www.myspace.com/wearemanman
Free video (Quicktime) > 10 Lb. Moustache
Free mp3 > 10 Lb. Moustache / Black Mission Goggles / Van Helsing Boombox
Support artist and buy here

The Happy Planets

The Happy Planets is the solo project of 19 year old songwriter and producer Eric Rieper. He looks like a younger Beck but his music is a little different, I'd say more introvert indie pop music combines accustic guitar sound with analog landscapes. Especially at the last release.

His first release Miles From Home (2004) and the recent Life During and After (2006, collection of B-sides) can be downloaded from his website www.thehappyplanets.com in full length. Life During and After streamable version at last.fm.

MySpace > http://www.myspace.com/thehappyplanets

Welcome! Come and feel The Quaint Space ;-)

The Quaint Space blog will be full of music which is definitely worth a listen.
Don't expect totally fresh stuff here but only fresh for me ...
So sit down comfortably, keep your mind open and enjoy a following bunch of small gems.

loydd