From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V16 #1299 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Thursday, December 18 2014 Volume 16 : Number 1299 To unsubscribe: e-mail ecto-digest-request@smoe.org and put the word unsubscribe in the message body. Today's Subjects: ----------------- Today's your birthday, friends... [Mike Matthews ] best of 2014 [Jason Gordon ] Marina and the Diamonds [Karen Hester ] Top 10 of 2014 [Paul Jensen ] Best of 2014 [Leonora Christina Skov ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 03:00:01 -0500 (EST) From: Mike Matthews Subject: Today's your birthday, friends... i*i*i*i*i*i i*i*i*i*i*i *************** *****HAPPY********* **************BIRTHDAY********* *************************************************** *************************************************************************** **************** Laura Clifford (laura@reelingreviews.com) **************** ********************* Dirk Kastens (no Email address) ********************* ************************ Milla (no Email address) ************************* ****************** Chris Schernwetter (no Email address) ****************** ******************** Sherry Haddock (no Email address) ******************** *************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- - -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Laura Clifford Tue December 17 1957 Sagittarius Dirk Kastens Tue December 17 1963 Sagittarius Milla Wed December 17 1975 Sagittarius Chris Schernwetter Tue December 17 1974 Sagittarius Sherry Haddock Sat December 17 1960 Sagittarius Tracy Benbrook Tue December 18 1973 Sagittarius Mark Lowry Mon December 22 1969 Capricarius Kay Cleaves Wed December 22 1976 Prancing Pony Uli Grepel Wed December 25 1968 Steinbock Joseph Wasicek Sat December 25 1976 Brown Eagle Stuart Castergine Mon December 30 1963 You Are Here Marvin Camras Sat January 01 1916 Tapehead Jeanne Schreiter Tue January 03 1967 Capricorn John Sandoval Wed January 04 1967 Capricorn Aly Fields Thu January 04 1990 Yield Paul Cohen Tue January 05 1954 Capricorn Tony Garrity Mon January 08 1962 Pool of Life Greg Bossert Tue January 09 1962 OfTheTimes Troy J. Shadbolt Thu January 14 1971 Capricorn Chris Sampson Wed January 15 1964 Void where prohibited Alex Bertran Fri January 15 1971 Capricorn Denis G Parslow Fri January 17 1964 ...of the Saint Ross Alford Thu January 17 1957 Positive Sarah Morayati Tue January 17 1989 Capricorn - -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 10:59:55 -0500 From: Jason Gordon Subject: best of 2014 As it stands right now, here is my list: 1 My Brightest Diamond - This Is My Hand (USA) 2 Golden DiskC3 Ship - Invisible Bonfire (Germany) 3 Lykke Li - I Never Learn (Sweden) 4 Mr Little Jeans b Pocketknife (Norway) 5 Samaris b Silkidrangar (Iceland) 6 DVA b Nipomo (Czech Republic) 7 Mirel Wagner - When the Cellar Children See the Light of Day (Finland) 8 Einar Stray Orchestra b Politricks (Norway) 9 Oyama b Coolboy (Iceland) 10 Fka Twigs b LP1 (UK) I've been a little light on getting new stuff in 2014 as well (still need to get the Lydia Ainsworth, Inga Liljestron, Jenny Hval/Susanna, His Name is Alive, Grouper, Damien Rice, Wildbirds and Peacedrums, Perfume Genius, Ballet School, First Aid Kit, Owen Pallet, and Emilie Simon) I did go see My Brightest Diamond last week in LA...phenominal show (and her current trio setup completely rocked out; very different from the last time I saw her years ago with a string quartet) - - Jason ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 12:58:40 -0500 From: Karen Hester Subject: Marina and the Diamonds Not wowed with her new stuff. 'Froot' is a cute but inconsequential pop song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZzcY7ASQno) with an oddly humorous video for the light-hearted lyrics. It's like the video for 'Power and Control', she seems to have a businessman fetish. Pity the single version cuts out the only dark bit ("I'm your carnal flower, I'm your bloody rose...") Ballad 'Happy' is pretty and simple, but the lyrics are straight-up self-help gunk so not my thing. Acoustic version - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6AHxF0s764 If you didn't like the artifice of her last album, maybe you'll appreciate the emotional straightforwardness of these. K ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 19:35:20 -0600 From: Paul Jensen Subject: Top 10 of 2014 #1 Lydia Ainsworth: "Right From Real" The year's most surprising and mysterious debut. Filled to the brim with sonic trickery, gorgeous strings, and soaring female vocals. Her style is so unique it just needs to be experienced. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgAWdI-l25Q #2 Future Islands: "Singles" Like many, I first learned of this band through their (in)famous Letterman gig earlier this year. Not only did frontman Samuel Herring captivate with his passionate delivery, but the band's pleasant synth/rock had an infectious vibe to it. I immediately wanted to hear the song again, and again, and again.. Turns out, the same can be said of the entire album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5Ae-LhMIG0 #3 Inventions (self-titled) Easily my favorite ambient/instrumental album of the year. Inventions is made up of Matthew Cooper (aka: Eluvium) and Mark T. Smith (from Explosions in the Sky). The album is filled with calming loops, whispers, and occasional walls of noise. There's a wonderful balance of serenity and energy throughout the album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_S_lg9FCP4 #4 Perfume Genius: "Too Bright" Without a doubt, Perfume Genius is the most important queer musician currently making music. His first two albums were painfully intimate - reflecting on his troubled past. This new album finds him more confident - looking outward instead of inward. His songs continue to be concise (usually around 2 and 1/2 minutes long) - but he says so much in a very small amount of time. For instance, in "All Along", his final, simple plea always brings tears to my eyes: "I don't need your love. I don't need you to understand. I need you to listen." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7OSSUwPVM4 #5 Sea Oleena: "Shallow" I nearly let this album drift past me at first. It was lovely, but was it memorable? This is a woozy, dreamy set of songs - like a slower, softer version of Mazzy Star. Lots of piano and cello. Lots of reverb. But I found myself coming back to it over and over. Sure, these might not be pop anthems you'll have stuck in your head, but the feelings this album evokes are intoxicating. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcMlc_us2E #6 Lyla Foy: "Mirrors in the Sky" This is a gentle gem of a pop album. Everything about it feels soft - cooed vocals, delicate keyboards, easy beats. The songs could almost float away, but the melodies keep them grounded and demand your attention. On the second track, Lyla warns, "I only have one look, I only have one move, I only have one style." I'm okay with that. :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77lquzoHPk4 #7 Lewis: "L'Amour" It was hard not to get pulled in by the strange backstory of this 1983 reissue. The album was self-pressed in the early-80's, and later discovered at a flea market. Nothing was known of the man behind the album, who released it under the pseudonym "Lewis", but it gained a cult following on the internet. This year it received a proper remastering and reissue on vinyl, and it's an amazing relic. Filled with mumbled words of longing and romance, alongside gorgeous synths reminiscent of Angelo Badalamenti. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG4FemqT-7I #8 Owen Pallett: "In Conflict" After finding his last album, "Heartland", a bit impenetrable, my expectations were very low for this one. What a pleasant surprise to find such a fascinating album, both sonically and lyrically. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr_SbrFIuKA #9 Lana Del Rey: "Ultraviolence" Lana's first album was a dizzying, bloated collection of songs that dabbled in just about every genre you could imagine. It was also my #1 album of 2012. "Ultraviolence" is a fantastic follow-up that is much more focused - sticking closer to a single genre rather than experimenting with many. In some ways, it's not as fun as "Born to Die", though. It's a pretty serious, somber affair, which kept me from coming back as much as I wanted to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJABBmAMXnY #10 Dawn Landes: "Bluebird" This elegant album was born as a result of Dawn's divorce from singer-songwriter Josh Ritter. The songs, along with Dawn's delivery, are honest and simple. And despite the album's origins, there's a lot of beauty and hope amidst the reflections and sorrow. But, the sorrow is definitely still there. On "Diamond Rivers" she notices: "Diamond rivers run in streaks down my lover's cheeks. They run for weeks, and cut so deep." And album closer "Home" is enough to make you weep: "Got nowhere to call home. No one to call home. Won't someone take me home? I wanna go home." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9fg2ICOsgA Other albums I greatly enjoyed this year: Tori Amos: "Unrepentant Geraldines" Natalie Merchant (self-titled) Chandeen: "Forever and Ever" Woman's Hour: "Conversations" iamamiwhoami: "Blue" (this is an excellent album, very reminiscent of Bel Canto) She & Him: "Classics" Disappointments: JJ: "No. V" - lovely moments, but where are the memorable hooks and choruses? It feels very rambly and meandering. Marissa Nadler: "July" - (see comments for JJ) Can't wait to see more lists! :-) Paul ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 19:50:12 +0100 From: Leonora Christina Skov Subject: Best of 2014 And here is my list. 1. Saint Saviour - In the Seams2. Melanie de Biasio - No Deal3. Imogen Heap - Sparks4. Flip Grater - Pigalle5. Sia - 1000 Forms of Fear6. Donna Regina - Holding the Mirror for Sophia Loren7. Natalie Merchant - Natalie Merchant8. The Jezabels - The Brink9. The Smoke Fairies - The Smoke Fairies10. Broken Twin - May11. Sharon van Etten - Are We There12. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Wanderlust For me, it hasn't been a particularly strong year in music but I might have been too busy writing to truly pay attention. All best from Copenhagen,Leonora CallSend SMSAdd to SkypeYou'll need Skype CreditFree via SkypeCallSend SMSAdd to SkypeYou'll need Skype CreditFree via Skype ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V16 #1299 ****************************