The Almighty Oracle

“Everybody loves you, baby; of course, they do
Do you miss me? I miss you.“

Yesterday was New Year’s eve but it’s spring already? This year is passing me by unlike any other before.

Poor light but this is my calendar.

These past 3 months have been quite good, musically speaking. With new albums by Andrew Bird, Antony and the Johnsons, Beirut [double EP but still], Morrissey, LGS, Mansfield.Tya and some promissing upcoming releases from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Metric, Placebo and Bat For Lashes you can’t honestly say there hasn’t been good music around.

Then, you have the gigs. Emiliana Torrini was amazing and I have a feeling every concert I’ll choose to attend this year will be just as special. First one coming up : Kaki King in Cologne followed by Moriarty, LGS and Mansfield.Tya the same week and Loney Dear, Gossip, Andrew Bird, Laura Marling and Bat For Lashes before June. Insane.

Here are my favourite songs these days :

[Metric - Sick Muse / Beirut - My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille / Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll / Schuyler Fisk - Hello / Bat For Lashes - Siren Song]

(side note : if you live in or near Cologne, Germany and have a couch or soft enough carpet I could crash on next week (Friday night,  March 27th) after Kaki King’s gig, do tell! Please. I don’t snore, don’t sleepwalk nor need any special attention. Driving 3 hours is ok, but at night it can be harsh.
And if you just want to hang out before the concert, have some awkward silent moment [I really am not a big talker! be warned.] or anything, let me know! I’m in Germany only once or twice a year, after all) didn’t happen; family happened.

“Did they tell you
You should grow up
When you wanted to dream?

Did they warn you
Better shape up
If you want to succeed?

I don’t know about you
Who are they talking to?
They’re not talking to me

All the questions
And suggestions
They mean nothing to me”

mel :: Mar.21.2009 :: Andrew Bird, Antony and the Johnsons, Bat For Lashes, Cologne, Emiliana Torrini, Germany, Gossip, Kaki King, Loney Dear, Metric, Moriarty, Placebo, Random :: No Comments »

Mark your agendas for January 27, 2009. [if you already have a 2009 one, that is!] Why? you should ask. Well, because it’s the release date for Andrew Bird’s new album Noble Beast.

The tracklist is :

1. Oh No
2. Masterswarm
3. Fitz and the Dizzy Spells
4. Effigy
5. Tenuousness
6. Nomenclature
7. Ouo
8. Not A Robot, But a Ghost
9. Unfolding Fans
10. Anonanimal
11. Natural Disaster
12. The Privateers
13. Souverian
14. On Ho!

The first song to appear on the internet, thanks to Pitchfork, is Oh No. It features violin, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, soft drums, simple vocals with sweet harmonies, hand claps and wonderful wistling working together to build one very enjoyable song. Andrew Bird is basically an extraordinary violonist who seems to master everything he intends to do. Seeing him live solo is one of the most amazing showsince he has to build every song from scratch with violin, guitar, xylophone, whistling and singing. Can’t wait for the go everywhere possible 2009 tour! But first, January 27 : Noble Beast. I’d add it to my wishlist but Christmas comes a month too early.

Oh No : 

mel :: Oct.25.2008 :: Andrew Bird, Noble Beast, Oh No, Song of the Day :: No Comments »

I arrived an hour and a half early on this cold and rainy Thursday afternoon only to find out I was the only one risking to catch a bad cold. The concert was scheduled to start at 8pm, the doors opened at 7:20 and only 4 people were waiting. By 7:30, the first opening band took the stage. The Swedes of Loney, Dear seemed a bit surprised to find a quite empty venue to welcome them. Way to go for intimate atmosphere. Emil actually sang the first song without the mic, it was really nice. The band played for about half an hour, picking songs from all of their albums. The song that caught my attention the most was Ignorant Boy, Beautiful Girl because it quite simple yet tricky to play/sing.

Mister Bird in action

After Loney, Dear left, Vic Chesnutt took the stage. Continue Reading »

mel :: Nov.24.2007 :: Andrew Bird, Concert Review, Loney Dear, Photos, Vic Chesnutt :: No Comments »