Category: Singer-Songwriter

First Listen: She & Him – Volume Two

It’s been a scary, busy month of dissertation drafting (due any day now!), and so I’ve been a bit remiss in updating this site.  Ok, fine, entirely remiss.  And this isn’t really so much of a post, as it is a postcard… But one of the things that makes it all more bearable is the new She & Him album Volume Two.   We’ve had a quick look at it on this site before, and you can still visit that post for a free download of “In the Sun.”  But for now, and until its release on March 23rd, you can hear the whole thing courtesy of NPR.  And of course, after the cut.  Enjoy!

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Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me

Out today on Drag City, Joanna Newsom’s Have One On Me is a triple LP of amazing depth and beauty.

And that’s really it.  I mean, I could try and explain this feeling that keeps me glued to my headphones.  This transcendental stillness that makes me feel like I’m both floating and sinking.  I could go on about the amazing bravery it must take to make a collection of songs that seems so driven by intuition and instinct.  The sort of courage it must take to make two hours of intimate, oft-abstract music, and then to try and organize that into something coherent.

I could do all of those things, but I’d just be keeping you from heading on over and having a listen.

So, after the cut, courtesy of NPR, I present you with the whole album.  I’ve also separated out “Baby Birch” – my current favorite.  Enjoy!

Continue reading “Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me”

Preview: She & Him – Volume Two

She & Him stopped by the BBC’s Radio 6 for an interview and performance of two songs – “Thieves” and “Gonna Get Along Without You Now” – from Volume Two (Out Mar. 23rd on Merge).  You can hear the BBC session by going here and skipping ahead to 1 hour, 41 minutes.  For some more details on the record,  you can visit Stereogum.

From the sound of things, fans of the first record (which, it seems, is just about everyone) will love what’s in store for them.  For those of you in a rush, visit Stereogum to hear “Thieves” right now.  You can find “In the Sun” below for your listening and downloading pleasure…

[audio:https://www.shh-listen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/02-In-the-Sun.mp3|titles=02-In-the-Sun]

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Lissie – Why You Runnin’ EP

I might have missed the release of her debut EP – “Why You Runnin'” – back in November, but I’m definitely trying to make up for lost time with Lissie.  From her soulful cover of “Wedding Bells” by Hank Williams (Sr) to the lush, aching deep of “Everywhere I Go,” Lissie’s music just makes your breath catch and your world slow down.  It’s a rare enough feeling that I’ve decided not to cloud it with too much exposition.  But if you want a little bit more, here’s an excerpt of Sean Moeller’s biography of Lissie over at Fat Possum’s site:

She lives by herself, with her dog, in a farmhouse in Ojai, Calif., where she tends to drink wine and will, on a whim, go to the store to buy paint for her rocks so she can construct a medicine wheel in her big backyard. She has all the time to listen to what’s happening in her inner chambers, what’s turning on and off her lights, what’s giving her goosebumps and where she thinks she’ll be led tomorrow.

You can find some of her songs on her myspace page, on daytrotter, down below this text, and wherever else fine music is served.  The EP (on vinyl and cd) is out on Fat Possum Records.  Go and check it out!

[audio:https://www.shh-listen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Lissie-Everywhere-I-Go.mp3|titles=Lissie – Everywhere I Go] Download

[audio:https://www.shh-listen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/weddingbells.mp3|titles=Lissie – Wedding Bells] Download

Laura Gibson – Daytrotter Session

I’m sure that it’s one of the more common adjectives to describe Laura Gibson, but, nonetheless, there’s something truly haunting about this Oregonian’s music.  From her debut album If You Come to Greet Me to her superb 2009 effort Beasts of Seasons, Laura has kept me enthralled with each new track.  With its complex depth of emotions, hers is the perfect sort of music to slide into on a lazy Winter’s afternoon, or whenever else you’re feeling contemplative.

Imagine, then, my immense delight at discovering that Daytrotter has posted a collection of six live tracks for listening and download.   You can also find her original session there – with five more tracks to listen to and download.

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P.S. While looking for a photo, I came across this unusual live version of “Spirited.”  Check it out.