A music blog dedicated to my ever-expanding tastes. A musical journey with endless pitstops along the way. Bringing you the best of what I see and hear.
Well it's about damn time! After being consumed for the entirety of 2010 with their In Time project that saw British orchestra pop purveyors Left With Pictures writing/recording, and creating music videos for a brand new song a month and the subsequent release of the songs as an album, Left With Pictures essentially disappeared. Not entirely because they were active on social media (mainly to share thoughts of other's musical happenings they were excited about) and the odd show here or there while they worked on an all new album of songs. Finally 5 years later, they have an offering in the form of Afterlife.
While still not entirely certain of what happened in that five year span, "Terra Firma" sees Left With Pictures making a surprising leap into rarely charted territory - namely stripping away the strings that characterized their sound. If you're used to Left With Pictures vibrant melodies and orchestral flourishes "Terra Firma" is sure to be a shock to the system to find strings replaced entirely with synths. Unlike Left With Pictures past foray into synth pop "This Light", "Terra Firma" is a much more somber affair complimented by founding member Toby Knowles' bartitone.
And then halfway through the sparsely textured tale of loss, things take a turn. A synth return in place of the piano, the strings enter, and harmonies brighten up the rather dour narrative. It's due to this sudden forceful brightening; of harmonic, stratospheric highs that give the last verse the entirety of its power. Left With Pictures have always balanced artful arrangement with intelligent lyricism but "Terra Firma" seems like a leveling up of both for them. They're so concerned with the tale that they're weaving that pop hooks don't really occur but they're competent at not only songwriting but composition that the instrumental informs the lyrics before they even happen. The last minute or so of "Terra Firma" reward the patient listener with winsome moments of not-quite pop but enjoyable melodic/harmonic work nevertheless.
It may have been five years since their last batch of new tunes but "Terra Firma" displays that it's been five years well spent as Left With Pictures now marry the acoustic with the newfound interest in the electronic while also staying true to their smart chamber pop that got them noticed in the first place. Welcome back, Left With Pictures, we've missed you.
Left With Pictures third full length record Afterlife is due April 29th on Organ Grinder Records.
British chamber pop troupe Left With Pictures certainly earned themselves a bit of time off after the marathon that was their song-a-month In Time project and subsequent album release but after about a year and change off working on their third album, there's a peak at fresh new music in the form of "Bloody Mess", the last in their previously ongoing Miles End live video series.
Featuring fingerstyle as well as slide guitar, "Bloody Mess" doesn't transition Left With Pictures into the realm of folk pop. No instead, they adopt these into another of their feats of thrilling timbre experimentation. As if the differences between Stuart Barter and Toby Knowles wasn't enough disparity, they pair electric and acoustic guitars as well as sparingly utilized violin and piano for a real wealth of textures despite their stripped down numbers.
A melancholic little dirge with simple but instantly memorable melodies, "Bloody Mess" is a proper return for the British five-piece (appearing as a threesome in this video) and a sign of good things to come on their upcoming third album. Here's hoping it's not too long of a wait until then.
Strangely enough, I remember when a year ago when I swore I would never do a Best Of list. At least not in the way that some blogs do there. Rehashing old reviews and offering nothing new - that might work for some but it's not my style. And yet, Best Of lists are a great way to discover some great music you might've missed throughout the year or might've forgotten about. So my hope is that by throwing my own hat into the Best Of ring I can help do one of those things for you. Enjoy my first Best Of list or more aptly put, my favorite 15 tracks of 2011.
15) The Deloreans - "Buffalo", "American Craze"
Before Sam at MiddleClassWhiteNoise introduced me to The Deloreans, I wasn't aware there was anything of note in Kentucky. Let alone the three stellar bands I was later introduced to from Louisville. An ode to old-fashioned American decadence and a hodge-podge of different styles, practically any song on the album is worthy of a slot and definitely necessary listening but what set "Buffalo" apart is its multi-faceted nature. Fun and frenetic for the choruses but subtle and restrained for the verses, the track utilizes the intense energy of "American Craze" without sacrificing any of the thematic content.
14) North Highlands - "Roundhouse", Wild One
For an album named Wild One, there's actually a shortage of songs that are actually all that unchained and yet that works for North Highlands. Brenda Malvini's soft, delicate vocals are inviting and the band, broad and sweeping around her, pull you in like ocean waves. Malvini quiet coo in "Roundhouse" "If I was wild, if I was brave..." explains a bit, and ends up far more effective than a roar. The track pulses with an infectious energy while maintaining an almost stoic control before there's an unexpected rush, the opening of the floodgates and you're smacked with feeling. The track tells a story but is also intensely danceable. The best of both worlds.
13) The Dodos - "Good", No Color
When I first read that Neko Case would be contributing vocals to the new Dodos album I regarded it with a great deal of surprise and confusion. Meric Long's voice somehow fits the percussion-heavy folk realm the two inhabit but how would Neko Case's translate? Incredibly well. And yet, the tracks where she was barely there- a mostly quiet spectre in the background were the tracks I enjoyed most. When she shouts and harmonizes on "Good" it's almost too much good to bear. "Good" is great because it's driving, hard-hitting, with an astonishing amount of simplicity but effortless precise and no doubt memorable. It's 6 minutes long but far from monotonous - something always catching your ear to keep you from just drifting off. Good by The Dodos by Mute-Song
12) Hello MTN - "Suitcase Song", Tour EP
Portland folk duo Hello MTN have been working on an album for better part of the year, taking breaks pretty much solely to tour. Luckily, the duo decided to make a four song EP so concertgoers would have something tangible to hold onto and things just kind of spiraled from there. "Suitcase Song" might seem like a bit of a novelty (being that the song features an actual suitcase as the percussion) but the song is positively awash with emotion. The song makes use of the duo's seemingly endless array of talents and features remarkable musical interludes between verses.
11) Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers - "We Are Everything", On Being
It's hard to fathom the possibility of not seeing Joe Hertler and his band in that small mostly empty bar at the start of my CMJ but I did and for that I'm exceedingly glad. On Being shows off Joe Hertler's deft songwriting chops and a wisdom far beyond his years with "We Are Everything" functioning as a delightfully enjoyable cog in Joe Hertler's conceptualized vision. While songs on On Being wrestles with bigger picture ideas and pseudo-religious themes, "We Are Everything" notes how tiny humans are in the grand scheme of things when compared to the limitless wonders of the universe and yet, does so with nary a heavy-hand. Instead with his rich imagery and patience, Joe Hertler creates something truly soul-stirring.
10) Left With Pictures, "June", In Time
Last year, British chamber pop quintet Left With Pictures challenged themselves to the great songwriting feat of writing a song a month as part of their In Time project. Not only did they have to have a fully developed song that would be premiered by Gideon Coe on BBC 6Music on the last Monday of each month but they also had to have a finished video which they would post the next day. For 2010, I had no greater joy than when a brand new Left With Pictures track was revealed as each month their songwriting seemed to get better and better especially when they reached months without an obvious inspiration. One of my favorite tracks from this was "June", inspired in part by the advent of summer but with no obvious references to it. Instead "June", the month it was composed for, is personified as a beautiful girl whom has utterly enchanted the narrator. The song is as big as it's claims that a thousand battle ships would launch for her - the band pulling out all their songwriting chops to brilliant effect to create an upbeat romp full of positively delightful musical moments.
9) tUnE-yArDs - "Bizness", W H O K I L L
My introduction to "Bizness" happened live at tUnE-yArDs' concert in Central Park about a year and a half ago. There she performed almost all the sounds that weren't created by bassist Nate Brenner or with her own drums sticks with her own mouth (besides the brass band she had join her for a couple songs). It was exceptionally impressive. So when I heard the new version where those vocal effects were replaced with studio-processed machine sounds I was a little disappointed. And yet, even with that little let down, the infectiously catch nature of "Bizness" won out. It takes some of the best moments of her 2009 debut and amplifies them about tenfold. Garbus' decision to studio record affords the track with increased accessibility but also allowed her to throw some great things onto it (like the aforementioned brass band). tUnE-yArDs - Bizness (4AD) by Ragged Words
8) The Head and the Heart - "Rivers and Roads", The Head and the Heart
During an intimately live show at Pianos in September, I had an epiphany: Spunky Seattle folk sextet The Head and the Heart write some pretty sad songs. This might seem like a no-brainer or even downright wrong to you but underneath their fun, poppy arrangements are lyrics about feeling out of place and alone whether you're far from from or stuck in your hometown. And yet there's a shortage songs on the album where this emotion is just left to its own devices - not played with by the groups various band members and their skilled arrangements. "Rivers and Road" is one of those rare songs that's not upbeat and makes no attempts to be. You don't get rapped up in the feel of the song and think it's about something else entirely - no, instead you get this wonderful moment of heart-on-your-sleeve confession carried from a purely vocal standpoint. Guitarist/vocalist Josiah Johnson gets his moment to shine while the rest of the band helpfully keep tempo and Jonathan Russell and Charity Rose Thielen add backup harmonies. And it's all quite lovely and good and makes for a nice song and then in an utterly unexpected moment Charity takes the helm with powerhouse vocals radiating with soul and you're a puddle on the floor. It elevates the already good song to an absolutely other plane of greatness and tugs at each and every one of your heartstrings. Rivers and Roads by ImpressYourPeers
7) Carter Tanton - "Murderous Joy", Freeclouds
It strangely alright that, like a lot of my musical discoveries, Carter Tanton was a case of being at the right place at the right time. Because Tanton's "Murderous Joy" might just be one of the best songs I've heard in awhile and especially was about a month ago when I was introduced to it. It's catchy in an excitedly nonchalant way - a brilliant masterpiece of a song that single-handedly proved Carter Tanton and an able songwriter to me. There's an ineffable greatness about it - it ebbs and flows at precisely the right moments; its simple with unassumingly intelligent turns of phrase and a pervading sense of calm nostalgia. 01 MURDEROUS JOY by NYLONmag
6) Tallest Man on Earth - "Weather of A Killing Kind", Adult Swim Singles Program 2011
After the release of The Tallest Man on Earth's sophomore album The Wild Hunt and subsequent Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird EP just a couple months after last year I figured we'd be done with any new Tallest Man for awhile. So when Adult Swim released a brand new Tallest Man track as part of its Single Program this summer I was incredibly surprised and equally as appreciative. It's quintessential Tallest Man with his trademark rasp and complex fingerpicking but also with beautiful melodies. The Tallest Man on Earth - Weather of a Killing Kind by All Around Sound Blog
5) St. Vincent - "Cruel", Strange Mercy
When I first heard St. Vincent's music, I remember being strangely neutral about it. Albeit my first foray was at a live show that Annie Clark herself was disappointed in. But earlier this year when Annie Clark teased Strange Mercy via Twitter-fueled Youtube videos, color me intrigued. I revisted her older stuff and found myself actually really liking it. When "Surgeon" dropped, I ate it up and asked immediately for more. Then "Cruel" came out. This track took the big rock licks that were my favorite part of "Surgeon" and made a whole song of it. It's big, bold, and strangely enough not in your face. Annie Clark knows subtlety. She's made a career of wink-wink nudge-nudge moments and yet, "Cruel" is subtle in a brand new way. It's vunerable and open with a shouted from the mountaintops vibe that she tones down into something far more marvelous. It's catchy without trading in any of the necessary emotion and virtuosic without being overly showy. St. Vincent - Cruel by Posh Magazine
4) Fleet Foxes - "Grown Ocean", Helplessness Blues
Fleet Foxes' Helplessness Blues is arguably one of the best things to come out of this year. Especially when you realize it almost didn't. But Robin Pecknold's musical perfectionism ended up creating one of the greatest albums of the year - one that tackles an important theme of growing up. One of the best songs on Helplessness Blues is no doubt "Grown Ocean", with it's driving drums and bass, not to mention it's place as the cathartic end to an album with heaps to say and even more questions to ask. Everything you love about Fleet Foxes spills out in this track - Robin Pecknold and the band's lovely songcraft, everpresent nature imagery, soul-gripping vocal harmonies. The whole thing is utterly magical, even the wonderfully little ellipses that ends the track (and album). Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean by subpop
3) Marissa Nadler - "In Your Lair, Bear", Marissa Nadler
If I had made this list about a week ago, this track wouldn't be here. But since sitting down with Marissa Nadler's self-titled I've found this song has completely taken over my life. Since I heard the opening strains of the album's opening track, I've hardly been able to listen to much else. It's slowly but surely consuming me. And yet, isn't that exactly what our favorite songs do? With her slow, lilting siren song Marissa Nadler has charmed her way not only onto the list but also pretty high on my favorites list. "In Your Lair, Bear", with it's supple melodic lines and yawny unraveling narrative is bewilderingly beautiful. Not a bad song to have utterly take over your life, actually.
2) Laura Marling - "Flicker and Fail", A Creature I Don't Know (Bonus Version)
I was first introduced to the live version of this song which Laura Marling debuted at the Radio 2 Folk Awards early this year and I was struck by how good it is. When describing Laura Marling's music calling it "good" seems kind of like kind of a moot point but considering that half the song is an old song her father wrote and the rest is just things she fixed around it, I was surprised by how well it all seemed to go together. Laura Marling has always been described as being a mature songwriter but this song left me completely floored. Still does. For all the conceptualizing on I Speak Because I Can and A Creature I Don't Know, this track hit me square in the heart. Not only did it sound amazing, like all of Marling songs, but it captured all the elements I loved about Marling and elevated them to the next level - her witty turns of phrase? Present. Her intricate guitar melodies? Present. It contains the emotional side-stepping Marling has started to make her songwriting staple and yet, does in a manner that doesn't make you question it. "Flicker and Fail" shows a decidedly better Laura Marling that was hinted at in some of the best tracks on A Creature I Don't Know and her decision to include it (albeit as a bonus track) shows that she knows this too.
1) ARMS - "Heat & Hot Water", Summer Skills
"Heat & Hot Water" might not have been the first song I heard from ARMS (that slot is reserved for "Emily Sue, Cont'd") but it was the song that launched my year-long obsession with all things ARMS related. So much storytelling is packed into 4 minutes of vibrant, visceral songwriting not to mention so many delicate musical ornaments and intricate textural strokes. While practically any song from Summer Skills could've made it on this list, "Heat & Hot Water" is my definitive ARMS song. The moment on their 2010 EP where I realized I needed to know more, and probably my most listened to track of the whole entire year of 2011. Not to mention a surefire contender for one of my favorite songs ever written ever.
Honorable Mentions: Conveyor - Sun Ray, Sun Ray EP The Middle East - "Hunger Song", I Want That You Are Always Happy Laura Marling - "Don't Ask Me Why"/"Salinas" A Creature I Don't Know Sondre Lerche - "When the River", Sondre Lerche The Voluntary Butler Scheme - "Don't Rely On It, Don't Count on It", The Grandad Galaxy
For those lucky enough to know about Left With Pictures last year, you probably witnessed one of the most daunting, artistic endeavors in their rather young lives. I'm referencing, of course, their In Time project: Composing a new song and video every month for the whole year, inspired by the month it was to be written in and released at the end of each month. The concept itself isn't that new but Left With Pictures definitely make it their own and the result is captured on their latest release, sophomore album In Time.
I had the great pleasure of viewing the project blossom over the past year but honestly, the monthly fixtures are only really done justice in album form where you can trace both the evolution of the year and the band's songwriting chops. Beginning with January's "Constantly", the album's sound isn't all that different than what you might've heard on Beyond Our Means or the Secretly EP at least until the band decides to take some risks. Risks that just so happen to pay off big like Toby Knowles acapella in "October Waits".
Considering the fact that the project wasn't envisioned as an album, it's pretty surprising how well all the songs fit together. Most likely the reason the band decided to put out the project as an album. On In Time, the classical musicians turned pop artists get to prove their talents as both composers and songwriters. It's a delightful blend of upbeat, easy listening music and music of the more serious sort. What stays constant throughout is the riveting stories of enchanting characters that you want to know more about. In Time's greatest achievement however (aside from writing a brilliant Christmas song) is in its ability to maintain a level of unpredictability throughout. Left With Pictures really challenged themselves to provide something fresh and innovative to great success. In Time is a great album with several absolutely astounding music moments that you're bound to be humming long after the album is over.
Left With Pictures' sophomore album is available via their record label Organ Grinder Records but also for those of us stateside available digitally via Amazon
Earlier than normal, Left With Pictures is releasing their final In Time song/video. A little Christmas ditty called "Forgive Me". The video directed by Chris Boyle is, unsurprisingly, one of the best produced of all the In Time videos. Its charming, funny, and even a little weird. A naughty little boy, played by Reece Buttery, upon being left coal declares revenge and grows up to be a full blown Santa Hunter. With help from his wife, played by Natasha Broomfield, he finds clues that eventually bring him to the North Pole. Though the video is artfully produced, the song that accompanies it is definitely one of the best to arise out of the In Time project. Starting off as a sentimental piece of gorgeous piano pop, the band's other instruments come in at the just the right times to elevate the song to another level of well composed loveliness. The song even quotes the "Carol of the Bells". This is one of those rare moments where a song and video fit perfectly together. Left With Pictures definitely ended their In Time project on a high note. The amazing amount of growth the quintet had during this project is sure to result in a fantastic new album so here's hoping that's coming up soon!
Watch the video for Left With Pictures' last In Time composition "Forgive Me":
Limited Edition copies of their In Time album are still available for Preorder, so if you enjoyed the In Time songs and videos, think about buying the CD+DVD package here.
Well it's the last Monday of the month so that means British chamber pop-pers Left With Pictures are serving up another brand new In Time video. I was awaiting the arrival of their November In Time since immediately after their October one since I was curious what they'd use for inspiration. Abroad there's no major holiday in November like Thanksgiving in the US, so they'd probably find inspiration in other things. Their latest In Time song/video "Stuck In Time" is a curiously little thing. Dark sounding like last month's "October Waits" but also way more colored and full of flushed out sounds, the In Time shows what amazing things can happen when a talented bunch of instrumentalists get together. The video, directed by Chad Mason and shot in a single take by Greg Harris, features Stuart Barter traveling backwards through a house while band members occasionally swoop in to add their instrumental parts in before Barter joins the band in the outside garden-area with his banjo and some choral-like group vocals. The rather dark sounding nostalgia-fueled tone of the song changes at times, towards hopefulness and a little something more before suddenly just sorta cutting off. The interesting thing about the track was the finality of it all, it very well could have been the last In Time track but it's not and makes me incredibly excited about next month's.
Watch November's In Time "Stuck In Time":
Left With Pictures is currently offering up a limited edition of their upcoming In Time album for pre-order. The special edition comes with a 2011 wall calendar, a CD and a DVD featuring the 12 videos, and a poster. So if this sounds like your cup of tea, you can order it from the band's record label Organ Grinder Records here.
Sometimes inspiration for their monthly In Time project is hard to come by for chamber pop Brits, Left With Pictures. However their most recent track/video "October Waits", directed by Ed Christmas, with its spooky clustered vocal accompaniment, dark and airy balladic a capella, and setting in an abandoned hospital wouldn't surprise listeners with its inspiration from October's major celebrated holiday: Halloween. The track features Toby Knowles on vocals whose lower range gives the track some extra oomph, and features some bone-chillingly awesome viola solos in between all the swooping and swaying in the vocals.
Watch the latest In Time release "October Waits" here:
Left With Pictures has also announced plans to release an In Time album sometime in January 2011 and perform a release party/Christmas party for their label Organ Grinder Records on Dec 17 in London. Stay tuned for some info on the album.
September is almost over and that means Left With Pictures is serving up another freshly made In Time song. The latest for September "This Light", shot by Ed Christmas, features all five members of the band. The video, unlike their others is more traditional music video with the band performing in front of each other in a fancy chateau-esque building. The song itself, is interesting in the fact that its created from several synthesizers, drum machine, and guitar as opposed to their normal eclectic assortment of instruments. And yet, the song is so deeply rooted in their sunny chamber pop style that you probably won't mind the change. Enjoy Left With Pictures' Ninth In Time composition "This Light":
August is officially over and with its end comes a brand new installment of Left With Pictures' In Time project; the band's ambitiously awesome monthly track and video release. For August's song "Go, Simon, Go!", the band follows up July's somber but hopeful gem "Half Time" with a bluesy almost balladic feel. My favorite part is the brief change in tone, mood, and vocalist that occurs near the end before heading into the chorus. Interesting to note, is the video. Directed by Laura Copsey and edited by Tom Rochester, the video manages to incorporate different types of filming techniques and seems like a natural evolution from last month's stop motion video directed by Jake Ogden. Enjoy the video for "Go, Simon, Go!"
You can also read a short interview with LWP's Stuart Baker on The Daily Growl here.
Earlier this week was the last Monday of the month, meaning that British chamber pop band Left With Pictures released the latest song/video in their ongoing In Time project. The video for the song "Half Time" was created by a group of the bands friends: directed by Jake Odgen, produced by Ben Kidd, and featuring Dan Ward, Hannah Ogden, and Chloe Ogden. The video has this sort of stop-motion like filming style which works interestingly considering the premise of the video is the three actors are running a race. The song itself is mellower than last month's anthemic love song "June" and is interesting in its kind of stripped down, psuedo-minimalistic melodies unlike anything I've heard from the band before but at the same time manages to still contain the band's signature sound. In fact, it's the song's simplicity both the melodic accompaniment and the vocals that make the song so memorable and nice to listen. Left With Pictures certainly didn't disappoint this month and its doubtful they will next month. Enjoy the video for July's In Time release "Half Time"
June ended earlier this week and Left with Pictures has been going strong, offering up their sixth In Time song/video titled "June". The song has a bright sunny feel similar to the season they're trying to invoke and the superb string arrangement Left with Pictures is known for. Unlike their previous videos that feature the band and friends, this new video consists of clips from various black and white era movies. Though that in no way detracts from the band's efforts. Here's hoping the band continues it's song-a-month project. Enjoy "June":
This past Monday was the end of May meaning that British indie pop outfit Left with Pictures premiere the song and video for the May edition of their In Time project. "Ropes" is upbeat, bright, and remiscient of spring (unsuprising considering its inspired by the month of May). The video created by bandmember Stu and actress/singer Laura Ellison features Ellison going through a series of costumes at a hyperactive pace and is meant to be sort of recreation of the outro of Michael Jackson's "Black and White" video. The video lacks any of coherent plot line like those establish in the previous In Time features but still remains charming in its simplicity and in Ellison's delivery.
Enjoy Left with Pictures' May contribution to their ongoing In Time series "Ropes":
April's almost over which means British chamber pop band Left with Pictures is dishing out another addition to their In Time project. Their fourth venture is called "River Avon" and was created by Mikail Chowdhury and the band's own Toby Knowles.
The video features Knowles as a closet superhero costumed in pantyhose, a Left with Pictures cape, and pair of swim goggles by the name of Powerman waiting for some sort of sign from other hero to spring into action before giving up. The song itself is slow moving and melancholic and remiscient of the rainy days April is known for. Watch it here:
It's the end of March and that means Left with Pictures is serving up a brand new song/video combo as part of it In Time project. March's song is called "The Ides of March" and while the subject and lyrics are kinda dark, Left with Pictures delivers another radiant gem of poppy goodness guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
British chamber pop group Left With Pictures has a new project: In Time. Their goal: To produce a new song and new music video for that song at the end of every month for the whole year that is inspired by each particular month. To make sure they don't give up halfway through they've enlisted the help of Gideon Coe at BBC 6 who already made and announced slots for each new song on his show and the band has promised the videos will premiere on their website the day after. These songs aren't just half-hearted endeavors either. They have to be written, recorded, mixed, and arranged and the videos have to be filmed and completed by an already agreed upon date. Tough stuff espcially considering the Londoners just finished and released their debut album Beyond Our Means late last year and plan on still playing shows.
I must say that I love when bands do stuff like this. Not only is it a challenge both creatively and technically but it almost always ends with amazing result and while fans wait until the end of March for the latest song, they can enjoy February's song/video "St. Dominic":
