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Lisa Hannigan’s US fans got some good news yesterday with the announcement that her debut album Sea Sew will be released stateside on ATO January 20th after earning rave reviews in Ireland. She’s earned a name for herself as the fragile vocal sidekick to Damien Rice, but this song “Lille” proves, not surprisingly, that her lovely voice is a gift unto itself.
For now, you can stream the entire album on Hannigan’s website.
While the LA Times is compiling a list for John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Jason Bonham containing 5 Ways to Avert a Disaster if they really do reunite Led Zeppelin with a singer who is not Plant, I’m content with getting my list of Top 10 albums of 2008 together, and Conor Oberst’s solo debut will most assuredly be near the top.
Recorded with his Mystic Valley Band in Tepoztlan, Mexico, Conor Oberst showcases Oberst’s skillful songwriting in a more stripped down country rock setting than we’ve become accustomed to with his Bright Eyes projects. The band stopped by Conan recently and their inclusion of several new songs not on the album, including the gorgeous “Ten Women,” has me pretty much prepared for the eventuality of them making the 2009 list as well.
You can get Conor Oberst straight from the source at Merge Records.
Many of the musicians we’ve worked with over 2008 have been inspired to voice their political beliefs in creative ways in the long march towards this historic day, but possibly none moved us as much as Ben Sollee’s poignant interpretation of “A Change Is Gonna” come. The Louisville cellist rewrote the 1964 Sam Cooke song to reflect his own personal stance in modern times without losing the sentiment injected by Cooke as he wrote it during the Civil Rights movement. This juxtaposition of new and old reflects, perhaps, how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go.
The song is included on Sollee’s impressive debut. If you haven’t listened yet, we strongly recommend it.
Now go and vote!
Trick or treat? You decide! We have two songs for you to sandwich in between gory Robyn Hitchcock songs on your Halloween playlist today. First is a cheeky mashup of “Something Special” by 23-year-old British artist Nick Harrison with The Specials “Ghost Town,” next check out this bluesy new Bruce Springsteen track that he says is about “the Jersey Devil” he grew up with. Check out the video on his website.
Nick Harrison "Something Specials" [4:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (46) Bruce Springsteen "A Night With The Jersey Devil" [3:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (42)
Although “Ghost Town” has become associated with Halloween for its spooky riff and title, it was actually written in response to increasing unemployment in the UK in 1981 under the rule of Margaret Thatcher. The song spent three weeks atop of the UK charts at the same time labor riots broke out there.
Just for fun today, it’s a cheesy cover! Radiohead’s tongue-in-cheek version of the Glen Campbell hit “Rhinestone Cowboy” recorded before the release of their debut album always puts a smile on my face. Maybe it’s the thought of Thom Yorke with a lasso. . . By the way, if you’ve been wondering about Radiohead’s pay-what-you-want scheme for their last album In Rainbows, the official figures were released last week, and it turns out they sold over 3 million copies, beating sales of their 2003 album Hail to the Thief.
If you’re looking for fun cover songs, here’s a great list.
Though you might not be familiar with him by name, you’ve no doubt heard his violin, mandolin, banjo or musical saw on recordings by artists such as M. Ward, Zooey Deschanel and Dolorean.
Ryan Adams fans delight! The new album Cardinology, his fifth with The Cardinals, hits stores today, and to celebrate we thought we’d treat you to this standout track (with an appropriately “Halloween-esque” title) “Cobwebs”. On the band’s blog, the Adams says the song is about his friendship with comic book artist Leah Hayes.
Yesterday’s track from Lucero’s Ben Nichols has us on a punk-rocker-turned-folk-singer run, this time it’s Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music, Rumbleseat) and Austin Lucas (Rune, Twentythird Chapter, K10 Prospect) unleashing their inner acoustic souls. Check out “Bloody Shells” from their recent collaboration titled Bristle Ridge. Ragan is currently on The Revival Tour with Nichols, with Lucas opening on select dates.
The album offers up austere Appalachian fiddle music echoing the darker side of American roots, featuring three original songs from each artist, three co-writes, and two traditional numbers.
Purchase Bristle Ridge.
Ben Nichols of the Memphis band Lucero has released a solo EP titled The Last Pale Light in the West, based on the Cormac McCarthy novel Blood Meridian. Nichols’ sparse treatment of McCarthy’s narrative deftly conjures the sun-drenched violence of the mid-1800’s Indian massacres as he portrays the plight of the lead character in “The Kid,” his sworn enemy in “The Judge,” and his emancipator in “Toadvine”.
The full version of the album won’t be released until next year, but you can purchase the 7 song EP now from Lucero’s webstore.
