From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V13 #357 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Wednesday, January 2 2008 Volume 13 : Number 357 To unsubscribe: e-mail ecto-digest-request@smoe.org and put the word unsubscribe in the message body. Today's Subjects: ----------------- Favorite cds of 2007 [Craig Gidney ] My favourite music of 2007 [neile ] Re: Why Happy didn't make my best of-list (and why I'm out of here..) [j] Re: Find Me (was Why Happy didn't make my best of-list (and why I'm out of here..)) [Timothy Jones-Yelvington ] Re: The RIAA and Berklee music blog [birdie ] Re: Find Me (was Why Happy didn't make my best of-list (and why I'm out of here..)) ["robert bristow-johnson" ] Efterklang, Espers & some recommendations on decent freak-folk & folktronica [Leonora Christina Skov ] Re: My favourite music of 2007 [neal copperman ] Re: My favourite music of 2007 [morayati@email.unc.edu] Just a little question about 2007 [Yngve Hauge ] Re: Just a little question about 2007 ["Alexander Johannesen" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 06:03:57 -0800 (PST) From: Craig Gidney Subject: Favorite cds of 2007 Happy Rhodes, Find Me Hannah Fury, Through the Gash Sylvi Alli, A Hundred Birds Roseland, Self Titled Susanna, Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos Electric Butterfly, Self-Titled Irfan, Seraphim Unwoman, Blossoms Dwelling, Ainde de Noite Stars of the Lid and Their Refinement of the Decline Blog: http://ethereal-lad.livejournal.com ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 10:04:35 -0800 (PST) From: neile Subject: My favourite music of 2007 My favourite musical discoveries: * Tunng * Efterklang * Espers * Lisa Knapp * Rachel Unthank and the Winterset * The McCarricks * Bellowhead My favourite albums: * Fiery Furnaces, Widow City * Noe Venable, The Summer Storm Journals * Feist, The Reminder * PJ Harvey, White Chalk * Jesca Hoop, Kismet * Tunng, Good Arrows * Kristin Hersh, Learn to Sing Like A Star * Two Loons for Tea, Nine Lucid Dreams * St. Vincent, Marry Me * Beirut, The Flying Club Cup * Tara Fuki, Auris * Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band EP * Lais, The Ladies' Second Song Not as interesting as I hoped: Bjork's Volta and Christine Fellows' Nevertheless. Both are among my favourite artists and neither of these are bad albums, it's just that both have shown in previous albums how much more interesting they can be. (No, Happy isn't on either of these lists. _Find Me_ just isn't my kind of music. While _Warpaint_ and _Many Worlds_ are among my favourite albums _ever_, _Find Me_ just doesn't work for me. Believe me, no one is sorrier than I am about this.) This year I went to one of the best concerts I've ever seen: Joanna Newsom and the Northwest Symphony Orchestra. I went in not expecting much and a somewhat indifferent Newsom fan but was blown away. Thanks, Tamar! - --Neile ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:12:38 -0800 From: jessica spurling Subject: Re: Why Happy didn't make my best of-list (and why I'm out of here..) I don't manage the list any more, but I did found it, and it was VERY important to me at the time that the SINGLE founding principal of this list was that it be a list for folks to talk about _any_ artist they liked in a supporting environment of folks interested in hearing about new music and others' opinions about and experiences with the music they like. It's called 'ecto' because 1) it was indeed founded by a happy rhodes fan (me :), 2) the words and concept of the Happy song "Ecto" really connected with me at that time and especially the bit "my only desire will be to communicate" seemed to me to go with the intent of this list. This list was born out of a flame war on the kate bush newsgroup. there were a bunch of folks discussing happy's music and the kate fans who didn't like happy (or didn't even want to hear her music, or were just 'purists' when it comes to what's in what newsgroup) were up in arms. it was really unpleasant. I felt like creating a place where that wouldn't happen. So don't leave the list Leonora. I hope you will not! And everyone should take a deep breath and remember that sometimes folks write impassioned things about what _they_ care about... and it does not mean you need to feel the same way. Even if they wish you did. :) - --jessica Steve VanDevender wrote: > Leonora Christina Skov writes: > > However, Vickie's and Michael's posts make it pretty clear to me that > > being on this list means supporting Happy in everything she does - > > and being policed if you don't. > > Please don't anybody think that. While this list was originally founded > by fans of Happy Rhodes and contains some of her most dedicated fans in > the world, it grew beyond being just for fans of Happy Rhodes very > quickly, and our definition of "ecto music" encompasses many, many > artists, genres, and tastes. > > I personally think Happy is wonderful and _Find Me_ is fantastic but > let's not criticize anyone who doesn't find Happy or _Find Me_ to their > taste. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:14:23 -0600 From: Timothy Jones-Yelvington Subject: Re: Find Me (was Why Happy didn't make my best of-list (and why I'm out of here..)) To completely alter the direction of the conversation in what I hope will be a productive way... I think one unfortunate thing this conversation brought to light is that we haven't had a good, involved discussion about our reactions to "Find Me," the way we have about albums by Tori and others. Even more than Happy deserves our devotion, she deserves to be discussed and debated as the vital artistic force that she is. She deserves to get people talking. Although I love "Find Me," I also love finally hearing more ambivalent reactions from serious longterm Happy fans/hardcore ectophiles like Paul, Meredith and Neile. What an opportunity for additional, spirited conversation amongst fans! ~tim On 1/2/08 12:12 PM, "jessica spurling" wrote: > I don't manage the list any more, but I did found it, and it was VERY > important to me at the time that the SINGLE founding principal of this > list was that it be a list for folks to talk about _any_ artist they > liked in a supporting environment of folks interested in hearing about > new music and others' opinions about and experiences with the music they > like. It's called 'ecto' because 1) it was indeed founded by a happy > rhodes fan (me :), 2) the words and concept of the Happy song "Ecto" > really connected with me at that time and especially the bit "my only > desire will be to communicate" seemed to me to go with the intent of > this list. > > This list was born out of a flame war on the kate bush newsgroup. there > were a bunch of folks discussing happy's music and the kate fans who > didn't like happy (or didn't even want to hear her music, or were just > 'purists' when it comes to what's in what newsgroup) were up in arms. it > was really unpleasant. I felt like creating a place where that wouldn't > happen. > > So don't leave the list Leonora. I hope you will not! > > And everyone should take a deep breath and remember that sometimes folks > write impassioned things about what _they_ care about... and it does not > mean you need to feel the same way. Even if they wish you did. :) > > --jessica > > Steve VanDevender wrote: >> Leonora Christina Skov writes: >>> However, Vickie's and Michael's posts make it pretty clear to me that >>> being on this list means supporting Happy in everything she does - >>> and being policed if you don't. >> >> Please don't anybody think that. While this list was originally founded >> by fans of Happy Rhodes and contains some of her most dedicated fans in >> the world, it grew beyond being just for fans of Happy Rhodes very >> quickly, and our definition of "ecto music" encompasses many, many >> artists, genres, and tastes. >> >> I personally think Happy is wonderful and _Find Me_ is fantastic but >> let's not criticize anyone who doesn't find Happy or _Find Me_ to their >> taste. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 11:26:08 -0800 (PST) From: Ellen Rawson Subject: Re: My favourite music of 2007 - --- neile wrote: > My favourite musical discoveries: > * Tunng > * Efterklang > * Espers > * Lisa Knapp > * Rachel Unthank and the Winterset > * The McCarricks > * Bellowhead Neil, I'm with you on Tunng, Lisa Knapp, Rachel Unthank and Bellowhead. I don't know the other groups, so I should seek them out. I saw all four live in 2007 and was very impressed by them. Rachel Unthank and the Winterset, in particular, put on a fantastic live show. (We saw them with Devon Sproule opening, so it was a wonderful night.) Both Lisa Knapp and Rachel Unthank and the Winterset are up for some Folk Awards. Another UK folkie-type discovery I made this year is Steve Tilston's daughter, Martha. Good stuff that woman. > > > (No, Happy isn't on either of these lists. _Find Me_ > just isn't my kind of > music. While _Warpaint_ and _Many Worlds_ are among > my favourite albums > _ever_, _Find Me_ just doesn't work for me. Believe > me, no one is sorrier > than I am about this.) Me too, me too. I like some aspects of 'Find Me', but overall, I'm more into her earlier albums. I'm sorry, I really am. I first listened to it in the car on a road trip, and my husband, whose musical tastes are very similar to mine, was rather unsure about it -- liking her voice a lot (he's not familiar with Happy), but not thrilled with the production. Oh well. :( Ellen ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:09:34 -0800 From: birdie Subject: Re: The RIAA and Berklee music blog Timothy Jones-Yelvington wrote: >The impression I've gotten from the very independent artists I've talked to >(ie Emily Bezar) is that the potential that the gradual tanking of the major >labels has for independent artists is still mostly just that -- potential. > > Actually, the single most helpful thing about the majors tanking - is that peeps are forced to look elsewhere for music...and... thats been a good reason for the RIAA to go after internet radio. For years they dominated the airwaves with all their prefab cookie cutter crap and god forbid if you were original talent - in the early 90's - you basically had to be a rap or heavy metal act to get airplay....sorry to bring up such aggravating memories...but....that was when the majors were in serious control and you know - Thank GOD for the internet....it took awhile to develop and more peeps to have access, but here we are. Home studios, myspace, facebook, iLike, last.fm, reverbnation, kcrw and others online, podcasts, CD baby, iTunes, Amazon, websites.... a few years back...we were still locked in Usenet land, you could only get the BBC on shortwave or one of the big old sat dishes, and the only download sites were ALL illegal and free! more than anything - it's about developing sound profitable quality ways to manage digital content....and....new ways to sell/promote. There's room for great new ideas, fresh business models, and lots of networking. I think taking things back to vaudeville - tin pan alley - fundamentals - - with fantastic aural and visual components - should be successful. Where you have great live acts, quality recordings, downloadable sheetmusic - songs- albums - artwork - merch... great venues and curcuits to travel on....interactive websites... >But I definitely agree that we need to keep in mind that there's another >story that isn't being told. > >I also think that those of us who value complex and commercially unviable >music need to be participating in this process of reevaluting how music is >funded and resourced and disseminated and help create new and alternative >support structures (without mucking around in the artist's artistic >process or expecting additional services, ie artistshare. That model is fine >if it works for an artist, but I don't think all independent artists should >be expected to become "service providers.") to make our favorite artist's >work something they can afford to continue creating. > > I agree, completely and I also think we can look back to tried and true models (music publishing for one) that can/will survive the transistion, and can be re-tooled to incorporate digital content. The Berklee Music Blogs are good to puruse as the school is funded to a degree by The Music Industry....and artists that have been RIAA involved in their careers. Either as Alumni, donors, or guest teachers.... but also, there is a ton of students who plan on being 100% indie or are grad's and are famous indie's now...so, it's this hybrid hodgepodge, and lots of aspects of the biz have not not changed and work for indies as well as majors. I could have sworn that ASCAP reported it's highest earnings ever within very recent times - as a result of ringtone earnings and other new digital markets opening up. I think that, it is a very complex, diverse, and morphing situation...but...the trend is the majors have lost the plot and are going down for the count. I am interested in picking through it all and sorting out new/old ways that are just great and supporting artists, directly. Lists like this are fabulous for everyone...and i am so grateful that it was founded with the purpose it has served so well.... Someone witha direct connection to the owner of CD baby should see how sales have been, over the past 5 years. My guess, is that the last 2 have been climbers. Happy New Year! Birdie >~tim > >On 12/31/07 1:39 AM, "birdie" wrote: > > > >>www.berkleemusicblogs.com >> >> >> Funny, when you read things about how music sales are down 50% from >> last year etc etc - they mean - RIAA and/or the major labels....and >> it was a crappy year for them. Artists are jumping and getting >> dumped off labels in record numbers....and, going indie. What no one >> is reporting is how the indies are doing!! Is CD Baby doing better >> than ever??? Were their profits up? anyway, I was reading the RIAA >> stuff here and then, I switched to the berklee music blogs and >> you'll see what I mean...you have to keep two ears tuned - one that >> picks up RIAA biz stuff and the other that is keyed into everything >> else....and that is a BIG everything else... btw, I am sure a few of >> you on the list would dig the berklee music blogs so , i left the >> url at the top of the page.. and here's a bit of one.... cheers >> birdie >> >> >> Happy New Year! >> >><> >>Dec 28 >>Posted by Eric Beall >> >>Hope everyone had a great holiday! While most music weasels remain >>sequestered away on holiday, trying to shield themselves from the >>year-end numbers or the Bahamas sunshine, it might be an apt time for a >>year-end wrap-up, and some thoughts for the new year. Herebs a start: >> >>Letbs officially declare the Music Business of 2007 a Disaster Area. >>Therebs no way to put a positive spin on this one. Major record label >>profits are down by as much as 50% from last year, which itself was not >>exactly a Golden Age. The biggest tours of the year were by artists that >>in better times would be considered oldies acts. Among the few new >>artists emerging this yearbDaughtry, Colbie Caillat, the Plain White >>Tbsbit would be hard to find anyone breaking much new ground. Even among >>music fans, there seemed to be more interest in new marketing strategies >>like the free Radiohead release or the Prince gift with newspaper >>purchase scheme, than in any new musical trend. You could call it a time >>of challenges. You could call it a mess. Letbs just call it over. Onward >>to 2008b& >> >>So what can the industry do in the new year to avoid a repeat of last >>yearbs highlight reel? What has to change? Who has to change? And how do >>we find the solutions to the problems that are draining both the profits >>and the fun from our industry? My suggestion: >> >>Start with the little stuff. No one is going to solve the dilemma of the >>99 cent download or the waning public interest in new music overnight. >>Certainly, no one is going to do it alone. So in the meantime, here are >>a couple of suggestions to the musical communitybrecord label >>executives, music publishers, artists, writers, managers and producers b >>that we can all undertake on our own. These wonbt solve the problem. But >>they might create an environment in which all of us can do a better job, >>make better use of our time, and hopefully bring the talents that have >>gotten us this far to bear on the challenges now staring us in the face. >>THE MUSIC WEASELbS NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS: >> >>1. Stop the bleeding. >>However the music business comes back, itbs unlikely to do it in a way >>that justifies the midtown skyscraper office buildings, private planes, >>company dining room, and lunch at Mr. Chow lifestyle that the record >>business seems to feel is part of the cost of doing business. The sooner >>we cut back expenses, the sooner we can all re-imagine a way to make >>this industry profitable. The major labels are like a couple of drunks >>lingering in the empty ballroom on New Years Day. The partybs over guys. >>It was fun. But now itbs time to go to work. >> >>2. Stop stalling. >>Imagine a year where we all quit wasting each otherbs time. Where phone >>calls were returned the first time. Where people actually said what they >>thought. Where the artist turned up at the session on-time and ready to >>work, and the producer didnbt triple-book, and the songwriters actually >>showed up at their writing session. >>Where showcases started on time, rather than keeping the whole industry >>milling around the bar for an hour. Time is running out my friends, >>because webre wasting all of it! >> >>3. Start innovating. >>This year, letbs figure out what we would normally doband do something >>else instead. If webve got a hit single, letbs not make a perfunctory >>and over-priced album. Letbs try another single. Or an EP. If we find a >>hot new songwriter with potential, letbs do a single song agreement, >>rather than an onerous and expensive three-term co-publishing deal. >>Letbs try a few projects on spec, or use some street-team marketing >>techniques, or play a venue that hasnbt had music in the past, or figure >>out ways to tie into electronic games, or theater productions, or books, >>or sports events. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing >>over and over and expecting a different result. >> >>4. Have fun. >>Sure, itbs a job. But itbs a job that is hardly necessary for the >>preservation of life as we know it. Itbs a job that most of our parents >>told us not to take. Itbs a job that we chose because we wanted it, so >>letbs at least have some fun before they shutter the doors and we all go >>to work for Steve Jobs. Enough of the corporate back-biting, and bthe >>record label ruined my lifeb whining, and the anti-technology bickering, >>and the endless negotiating over contractual points that will be >>forgotten the minute the deal is signed. Letbs make some music and have >>some fun. Itbs worked before. >> >>All the best for the new year. See you in 2008! >> >> >> >> >>meredith wrote: >> >> >> >>>Hi, >>> >>>Carolyn Andre wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>>>Tim's question ended up just with me. Interesting question. As far >>>>as I understand, RIAA represents record companies distributing the >>>>labels as listed on their site: >>>>http://www.riaa.com/aboutus.php?content_selector=aboutus_members >>>> >>>> >>>The quick-n-dirty rule of thumb is, if it's DIY/indie, chances are >>>you're safe from the RIAA. >>> >>>Buying CDs direct from the artist (or via CD Baby) is the way to go. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 15:25:00 -0500 From: "robert bristow-johnson" Subject: Re: Find Me (was Why Happy didn't make my best of-list (and why I'm out of here..)) > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Timothy Jones-Yelvington" > Subject: Re: Find Me (was Why Happy didn't make my best of-list (and why I'm out of here..)) > Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:14:23 -0600 > > > To completely alter the direction of the conversation in what I hope will be > a productive way... > > I think one unfortunate thing this conversation brought to light is that we > haven't had a good, involved discussion about our reactions to "Find Me," > the way we have about albums by Tori and others. > > Even more than Happy deserves our devotion, she deserves to be discussed and > debated as the vital artistic force that she is. She deserves to get people > talking. > > Although I love "Find Me," I also love finally hearing more ambivalent > reactions from serious longterm Happy fans/hardcore ectophiles like Paul, > Meredith and Neile. i'm not particularly ambivalent, but since Find Me was preceded by the earlier limited release that Happy produced for us fans (the Find Me sampler), and although that previous CD was not "mastered" (which made the levels a little bit loud, in comparison to other CDs except for, , Ricky Martin), i was not adjusted to the musical/artistic differences in the final release version of Find Me vs. the pre-release version. that's a danger one might have in releasing different versions of the same music. but Happy has different versions of the same song (like the ones on The Keep). some versions i prefer over others, and in other cases, the two versions sound just as good to me (like Hold Me). one sorta obscure version of a song is the live Flash Me Up on the Left Hand Demos. that live version made my hair stand on end, but The Keep version (also live from an Echoes Living Room Concert) was possibly "more produced" and had nice back-up vocals. but i have to say, sometimes i like some of the "less refined" or "less produced" versions of Happy's songs over the more produced versions. at least some of the time. they're more intimate. i *did* have several nice things to say about the sampler when it came out. unlike some other Happy CDs, i actually liked *every* song on the sampler (but i can't say as much about the final release version) although there were only 8. but, i dunno if Happy monitors this list or not, i see no useful purpose in picking on *any* music of Happy's that might not meet my fancy. what good does it do? > > On 1/2/08 12:12 PM, "jessica spurling" wrote: > > > I don't manage the list any more, but I did found it, thanks for doing that, Jessica. > > It's called 'ecto' because 1) it was indeed founded by a happy > > rhodes fan (me :), 2) the words and concept of the Happy song "Ecto" > > really connected with me at that time and especially the bit "my only > > desire will be to communicate" seemed to me to go with the intent of > > this list. i really think that, although artists like KaTe existed before Happy - e.g. i think Sade (pronounced "Shar-day", remember her? "Cool Operator") qualifies as part of the genre, or Lisa Gerrard - the term "ecto" was the first good and unique term to describe this progressive, otherworldly, distinctively feminine genre that is neither jazz nor rock nor fusion nor "new age" (geez, i hate that term) nor folk. i dunno exactly how to define what is meant by ecto (although i made an attempt at the Lily Pad website, for the sake of persons reading the gig listing that were unfamiliar with either Happy or Noe) but, like that Supreme Court justice (he was refering to pornography), i can't define it, but i know it when i hear it. > > This list was born out of a flame war on the kate bush newsgroup. there > > were a bunch of folks discussing happy's music and the kate fans who > > didn't like happy (or didn't even want to hear her music, or were just > > 'purists' when it comes to what's in what newsgroup) were up in arms. i can understand if a Kate group started to look like a Happy group that someone might get unhappy with that. having a new group is a good thing. expanding the charter of the group to include other ecto-like artists is good. - -- r b-j rbj@audioimagination.com "Imagination is more important than knowledge." ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 16:10:11 -0500 From: JoAnn Whetsell Subject: regina spektor holiday song exclusive at iTunes Just wanted to let people know that this year iTunes selected Regina Spektor to record the special holiday song. It's a cover of Peggy Lee's "My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year), it's lovely, and it's FREE. Happy New Year everyone! JoAnn _________________________________________________________________ The best games are on Xbox 360. Click here for a special offer on an Xbox 360 Console. http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/wheretobuy/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 15:13:29 -0600 From: Doug Subject: Re: My favourite music of 2007 This isn't a Best Of list, nor is it ten, but my favorites for the year are (not in any order): PJ Harvey's White Chalk (thanks to the folks on this list for pointing it out) Feist's The Reminder Happy's Find Me Cindy Alexander's Wobble With The World (not sure if she's Ecto or not, but it's the CD I like best, and it's easily her best release yet). - --Doug ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 22:14:09 +0100 From: Leonora Christina Skov Subject: Efterklang, Espers & some recommendations on decent freak-folk & folktronica Hi there, I have listened to Efterklang and Espers for a couple of years now and especially Efterklang is highly recommended  and not only because they're Danish ;-) In a way the sound is pretty similar to that of Sigur Rss, but Efterklang is a ten-piece ensemble and their albums are more orchestrated with strings and horns and male/female voices that blend effortlessly with the instrumental arrangements. Don't expect any traditional songwriting here. All their albums are very ambitious, though I tend to prefer their debut Tripper over their later material. Tripper is just so inspired and beautiful. Espers is freak-folk and personally I prefer Orion Rigel Domisse who released her debut album on Espers' new label Language of Stone earlier this year. It's produced by Greg Weeks from Espers and it's a true danse macabre with cello, harp, violin, vibraphone, keyboards and Orion Rigel's high whisper of a voice all over the place. On top of it all the lyrics are very dark, sometimes even freaked out. For instance there are four titles with the word 'death' in them (Fake Yer Death, A Faceless Death, Suicide Kiss (Because Dead) and Drink Yourself (to Death)) but it works for her. Like Marissa Nadler and Fern Knight she really succeeds in creating a universe that recalls Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber and similar neo-goth masterpieces. A reviewer called her style "a new kind of goth for the morbidly romantic" and I totally agree. While I have heard several bands that remind me of Espers I have never heard a sound like Orion Rigel's. Oh, and by the way, if you're into folktronica and like Tunng you should check out Psapp, especially their debut Tiger, My Friend. The tracks are simple yet multilayered, combining conventional instruments, traditional song structure and sultry female vocals (by Galia Durant) with madcap sounds like whirrs, music boxes, bells, whistles, what sounds like a rubber duck on "Rear Moth" and a cat purring on "About Fun." An infectious and highly original collection of glitch-pop goes blip electro. Very accessible and good fun. And then, of course, there are CocoRosie, Mzm, and Colleen's masterpiece Everyone Alive Wants Answers. And Lali Puna, the German folktronica band. I only know their 2004-release Faking the Books which is a combination of lo-fi electronics, live instruments and lush female vocals (by Valerie Trebeljahr). Obviously, the band is quite inspired by My Bloody Valentine with plenty of guitar right-hooks and garage drum workouts and while I find Lali Puna a bit too noisy at times I really enjoy their quieter moments that share a great repetitive quality and that extra edge. Finally: I can't recall if you have already discussed Emily Haines and the Soft Skeletons here on Ecto?! I'm listening to her 2006-release Knives Don't Have Your Back right now and it's a splendid and remarkably quiet singer/songwriter-disc. Especially in comparison to her work with Metric. It takes a few listens to sink in - which is a good thing, in my opinion. I expect to be listening to this for quite a while. Thanks a lot for your lists of favourite music this year. I have so many new artists to explore.. Cheers, Leonora "My passions were all gathered together like fingers that made a fist" (Bette Davis) Forfatter, mag.art. Leonora Christina Skov H.C. Xrsteds Vej 35, 3.tv., 1879 Frb. C. Tlf 38 19 03 81 / 26 85 67 27 www.leonorachristinaskov.blogspot.com www.leonoraschoice.blogspot.com > Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 11:26:08 -0800> From: silme13@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: My favourite music of 2007> To: ecto@smoe.org> > --- neile wrote:> > > My favourite musical discoveries:> > * Tunng> > * Efterklang> > * Espers> > * Lisa Knapp> > * Rachel Unthank and the Winterset> > * The McCarricks> > * Bellowhead> > Neil, I'm with you on Tunng, Lisa Knapp, Rachel> Unthank and Bellowhead. I don't know the other groups,> so I should seek them out. I saw all four live in 2007> and was very impressed by them. Rachel Unthank and the> Winterset, in particular, put on a fantastic live> show. (We saw them with Devon Sproule opening, so it> was a wonderful night.) Both Lisa Knapp and Rachel> Unthank and the Winterset are up for some Folk Awards.> > Another UK folkie-type discovery I made this year is> Steve Tilston's daughter, Martha. Good stuff that> woman. > > > > > > (No, Happy isn't on either of these lists. _Find Me_> > just isn't my kind of> > music. While _Warpaint_ and _Many Worlds_ are among> > my favourite albums> > _ever_, _Find Me_ just doesn't work for me. Believe> > me, no one is sorrier> > than I am about this.)> > Me too, me too. I like some aspects of 'Find Me', but> overall, I'm more into her earlier albums. I'm sorry,> I really am. I first listened to it in the car on a> road trip, and my husband, whose musical tastes are> very similar to mine, was rather unsure about it --> liking her voice a lot (he's not familiar with Happy),> but not thrilled with the production. Oh well. :(> > Ellen _________________________________________________________________ Fe styr pe dine billeder gratis med Windows Live Billedgalleri www.windowslive.dk/billedgalleri ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 12:04:29 -0800 (PST) From: neile Subject: Re: My favourite music of 2007 We discovered The McCarricks when they opened for and played with Kristin Hersh this year. All instrumental, wonderful evocative music. When our niece went to Copenhagen last winter she came back raving about Danish band Efterklang. Hard to describe--Sigur Ros meets Under Byen? Espers is very like a contemporary Pentangle. - --Neile On Wed, 2 Jan 2008, Ellen Rawson wrote: > --- neile wrote: > > > My favourite musical discoveries: > > * Tunng > > * Efterklang > > * Espers > > * Lisa Knapp > > * Rachel Unthank and the Winterset > > * The McCarricks > > * Bellowhead > > Neil, I'm with you on Tunng, Lisa Knapp, Rachel > Unthank and Bellowhead. I don't know the other groups, > so I should seek them out. I saw all four live in 2007 > and was very impressed by them. Rachel Unthank and the > Winterset, in particular, put on a fantastic live > show. (We saw them with Devon Sproule opening, so it > was a wonderful night.) Both Lisa Knapp and Rachel > Unthank and the Winterset are up for some Folk Awards. > > Another UK folkie-type discovery I made this year is > Steve Tilston's daughter, Martha. Good stuff that > woman. > > > > > > (No, Happy isn't on either of these lists. _Find Me_ > > just isn't my kind of > > music. While _Warpaint_ and _Many Worlds_ are among > > my favourite albums > > _ever_, _Find Me_ just doesn't work for me. Believe > > me, no one is sorrier > > than I am about this.) > > Me too, me too. I like some aspects of 'Find Me', but > overall, I'm more into her earlier albums. I'm sorry, > I really am. I first listened to it in the car on a > road trip, and my husband, whose musical tastes are > very similar to mine, was rather unsure about it -- > liking her voice a lot (he's not familiar with Happy), > but not thrilled with the production. Oh well. :( > > Ellen ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 14:43:00 -0700 From: neal copperman Subject: Re: My favourite music of 2007 Wasn't that McCarricks show incredible? We had them here in Albuquerque and I was totally blown away. Was disappointed that I didn't pick up the CD. Has anyone heard Kronos Quartet's Sigur Ros ep yet? neal np: Toro Sacamandu - Zazhil (from Mexico) . At 12:04 PM -0800 1/2/08, neile wrote: >We discovered The McCarricks when they opened for and played with Kristin >Hersh this year. All instrumental, wonderful evocative music. > >When our niece went to Copenhagen last winter she came back raving about >Danish band Efterklang. Hard to describe--Sigur Ros meets Under Byen? > >Espers is very like a contemporary Pentangle. > >--Neile > >On Wed, 2 Jan 2008, Ellen Rawson wrote: > >> --- neile wrote: >> >> > My favourite musical discoveries: >> > * Tunng >> > * Efterklang >> > * Espers >> > * Lisa Knapp >> > * Rachel Unthank and the Winterset >> > * The McCarricks >> > * Bellowhead >> >> Neil, I'm with you on Tunng, Lisa Knapp, Rachel >> Unthank and Bellowhead. I don't know the other groups, >> so I should seek them out. I saw all four live in 2007 >> and was very impressed by them. Rachel Unthank and the >> Winterset, in particular, put on a fantastic live >> show. (We saw them with Devon Sproule opening, so it >> was a wonderful night.) Both Lisa Knapp and Rachel >> Unthank and the Winterset are up for some Folk Awards. >> >> Another UK folkie-type discovery I made this year is >> Steve Tilston's daughter, Martha. Good stuff that >> woman. >> > >> > >> > (No, Happy isn't on either of these lists. _Find Me_ >> > just isn't my kind of >> > music. While _Warpaint_ and _Many Worlds_ are among >> > my favourite albums >> > _ever_, _Find Me_ just doesn't work for me. Believe >> > me, no one is sorrier >> > than I am about this.) >> >> Me too, me too. I like some aspects of 'Find Me', but >> overall, I'm more into her earlier albums. I'm sorry, >> I really am. I first listened to it in the car on a >> road trip, and my husband, whose musical tastes are >> very similar to mine, was rather unsure about it -- >> liking her voice a lot (he's not familiar with Happy), >> but not thrilled with the production. Oh well. :( >> >> Ellen ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:58:12 -0500 From: morayati@email.unc.edu Subject: Re: My favourite music of 2007 > Not as interesting as I hoped: > Bjork's Volta and Christine Fellows' Nevertheless. Both are among my > favourite artists and neither of these are bad albums, it's just that both > have shown in previous albums how much more interesting they can be. A lot of people seem to be disappointed by Volta. I didn't put a 'disappointments' section on my "best of 2007" list but it'd be there for me too. I've heard several of the tracks and they all have one thing in common, which is that they did nothing for me. Everything I read gushed in particular about Earth Intruders, the single, which was alternatingly tuneless and irritating to my ears. Perhaps I just need to listen to the whole thing a few times to get it, but I have too many albums on my "to-buy" list right now to buy something that's currently batting 0. - -Sarah ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 22:36:48 +0100 From: Yngve Hauge Subject: Just a little question about 2007 I did start and give up on several best of lists for 2007 as I did for 2006. The problem for me is that I have a huge problem picking something over other somethings. I got a little question to you all though: Which album or albums did you play the most the last month of 2007? For me it was Over the Rhine Trumpet Child and Snow Angels (the last one is a kinda obvious choice kinda like :) - -- Yngve ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 10:13:25 +1100 From: "Alexander Johannesen" Subject: Re: Just a little question about 2007 On Jan 3, 2008 8:36 AM, Yngve Hauge wrote: > Which album or albums did you play the most the last month of 2007? Two, and both of them Happy ; * The Left Hand demos (what a find!!) * "Find me", with emphasis on "Find me" and "She won't go" I also played a bit of Elena Stone band (http://www.myspace.com/elanastoneband, her debut album), Zoe and the Buttercups (http://www.myspace.com/zoehauptmann ; especially watch the video "Creeps and the Weasles"), two young Australian jazzy indies (Zoe plays bass for Elana). great stuff. Alex - -- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Project Wrangler, SOA, Information Alchemist, UX, RESTafarian, Topic Maps - ------------------------------------------ http://shelter.nu/blog/ -------- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:11:37 -0800 From: birdie Subject: KCRW's most played songs of 2007 If the number of plays looks small to you, remember that we are only a part time music station *ON AIR* at 89.9FM, with news/talk programming during most of the daytime hours. But KCRW.com has a dedicated music stream pumping out tunes 24/7 with the same DJ's you love (just click on the purple MUSIC tab at the top of the home page to listen). Next year we hope to include play tallies from the online station as well. 1) AIR - 226 2) FEIST - 211 3) SHINS - 184 4) KOOP - 170 5) RONSON, MARK - 167 6) MOCEAN WORKER - 163 7) SPOON - 155 8) WINEHOUSE, AMY - 153 9) LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - 147 10) GOOD THE BAD & THE QUEEN - 143 11) RADIOHEAD - 142 12) ARCADE FIRE - 132 13) CHEMICAL BROS - 131 14) JUSTICE - 130 15) WILCO - 129 16) INTERPOL - 125 17) PACHA MASSIVE - 124 18) GROOVE ARMADA - 122 19) MARLEY, BOB REMIXED - 113 20) BLOC PARTY - 112 21) LILY ALLEN - 111 22) CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA - 110 23) MIA - 109 24) SCHNAUSS, ULRICH - 101 25) PETER BJORN & JOHN - 100 26) NOISESHAPER - 98 27) FUJIYA & MIYAGI - 96 28) GONZALEZ, JOSE - 96 29) SEA WOLF - 95 30) BITTER SWEET - 94 31) LITTLE DRAGON - 94 32) SIA (SOME PEOPLE HAVE) - 90 33) DIGITALISM - 88 34) WHITE STRIPES - 88 35) NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB - 87 36) BJORK - 86 37) AUBELE, FEDERICO - 85 38) TRAVIS - 85 39) HOOP, JESCA - 83 40) FOUR HERO - 79 41) MAXIMO PARK - 75 42) JONES, SHARON - 74 43) HARPER, BEN - 74 44) THORN, TRACEY - 74 45) WILLIS, NICOLE - 74 46) SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO - 73 47) SIA (LADY CROISSANT) - 73 48) HARRIS, CALVIN - 71 49) UNKLE - 69 50) ROGUE WAVE - 68 51) BAND OF HORSES - 68 52) BEASTIE BOYS - 68 53) TRENTEMOLLER - 68 54) ZAP MAMA - 68 55) AIM - 66 56) BAT FOR LASHES - 67 57) CHK CHK CHK - 63 58) BUDOS BAND - 63 59) CARIBOU - 63 60) EDITORS - 63 61) NACIONAL LOTERIA BEATS - 63 62) VHS OR BETA - 62 63) PINKER TONES - 62 64) KCRW SOUNDS ECLECTIC - 61 65) LEGEND, JOHN - 61 66) WEST INDIAN GIRL - 61 67) OZOMATLI - 59 68) KEREN ANN - 55 69) KIDJO, ANGELIQUE - 55 70) ORANGE LIGHTS - 54 71) BONOBO - 53 72) MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND - 52 73) EARLIMART - 51 74) WALDECK - 51 75) NEW PORNOGRAPHERS - 50 76) DEPHAZZ - 49 77) LET'S GO SAILING - 49 78) BIRD & THE BEE (PLEASE CLAP) - 48 79) FAITHLESS - 48 80) LAVIE, OREN - 47 81) OLIVER FUTURE - 47 82) TOURE, VIEUX FARKA - 47 83) WILLIAMS, LUCINDA - 47 84) ZEB - 47 85) ALIENS - 45 86) GREAT NORTHERN - 45 87) A FINE FRENZY - 45 88) LEE, BEN - 44 89) ATHLETE - 43 90) TING TINGS - 43 91) CASSIUS - 41 92) BIRD & THE BEE (BIRD & THE BEE) - 40 93) EARLE, STEVE - 40 94) HARVEY, PJ - 40 95) LEE, SHAWN (VOICES & CHOICES) - 40 96) VEIRS, LAURA - 40 97) GAINSBOURG, CHARLOTTE - 39 ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V13 #357 ***************************