This September, Listening to

September has been a crazy busy month, but in the best way possible. With lots of projects in the air and some late nights of designing and making I've been listening to my Ipod a whole bunch and making lots of youtube playlists. 

This has been my month in music...

 Castlecomer, especially this mash up cover (below)

 My favourite of their original songs has to be Heaven is Closer (below)



I was lucky enough to get to Glastonbury in June and I found some fantastic new bands namely

 Haim. You can decide for yourselves which is better the original or the cover by Castlecomer above.Controversial, I know.

Discovered the lead singer of this band at culture night a few weeks ago. He did a solo acoustic set in the Oxfam Bookshop on Parliment Street in Dublin. He's from the Irish band Shadows and Dust



Also love this one by them

And finally some Rory Gallagher for you.



Have a great weekend.

This week...

 1.
I heard this song by Loiuse Killeen on Rte Radio on Thursday and I love her voice. She is an Irish singer from Co. Offaly.

Video for her song Charming Hands below

In fact I loved it so much, I just bought the album from her website here and bonus points for buying Irish!  

2.

You may be familiar with the Dove Ad Campaigns that focus on natural beauty and while they are a marketing tool and cynics will highlight that fact I think there is a really genuine foundation to them. Their latest campaign RealBeautySketches, took a selection of women and had them describe themselves to a sketch artist. Then the same woman was described by a stranger. The differences, well watch the video to see.


(and thanks to Christine for posting this on facebook)

3.
I was at a gig in The Grand Social on Thursday night and there was an artist there called Barry Jazz Finnegan and his work is amazing. I think he calls himself a photo-realistic artist. As the bands were playing he worked away and from a blank sheet of paper he created an incredible piece of work. Loved watching art in action

You can see the stop motion videos of some of the other works he's done on his youtube channel here.

Hope you're all enjoying the lovely weather this weekend.

xx V

This week... listening to

I had scribbled the name of this band down on a post it note. I don't know when or who recommended it but I went and checked them out over on vimeo (the arty youtube).

And short story shorter; I found a great new band.

WE CUT CORNERS 

We Cut Corners "Pirate's Life" from Kijek / Adamski on Vimeo.

I also love this track (below)

YET

We Cut Corners - Yet from Playroutine on Vimeo.

Just went over to the delphi label website and bought the album. 

Can't wait until it arrives! 

Have a great weekend. xx V 

This week...

Well this week I...

#1
 I saw out 2012 and welcomed the new year in a very civilised manner with Jool's Hollanhds Hootenanny. But then, chatting to a friend later on in the week she tells me that ITS NOT LIVE! He had us all fooled. In hindsight it did seem a little unbelievable that he could manage to get all that fame into one room on New Years. There goes that bubble. Pop

#2
Just before Christmas I was contacted by an indie band called Third Smoke. I had mentioned loving Bon Iver's Skinny love in this post and they mentioned doing a cover of a Bon Iver song, which I loved. They sent me on some of their original songs and these boys are talented.  I couldn't decide what one I loved more so here are my top two. Definitely a band to watch this year!



You can catch them in The Grand Social on Sunday the 27th of January in Dublin

#3

 This ties in with No 2. In the same post I talked about discovering another new musician that I loved, Vincent McMorrow and that I ordered his album. Well it arrived in the post and I have been listening to it on repeat ever since. His voice is so hauntingly beautiful. Couldn't recommend it more.

 #4

  I booked a little road trip away for my Birthday next week. Just to Kinsale in Co. Cork, but I am looking forward to sea air and fingers crossed some scrummy sea food. One place I can't wait to grab a bite at is Fishy Fishy Restaurant. I shall report back.

Have a great weekend.

xx V

This week I'm listening to...

Home Again by Michael Kiwanuka

Higher Love by James Vincent McMorrow (below)



I went and bought his album after listening to this song. And I really don't do that very often. Just love his voice and the lyrics.

Lastly Bon Iver's Holecene, which I found after listening to a cover. It made me want to find the originator.

This week I'm Listening to...

Little Green Cars, this acoustic set by the band of their song 'Grow' is just beautiful 

If you go their bandcamp page there is a free download of their version of the traditional song 'It's a long way to Tipperary' 

And Sam Amidon, I found him when I was listening to the recording of a Julia Stone gig in Paris earlier this year. This is his song 'Wedding Dress' I picked it because I just love the video.

This week I'm listening to...

Some Jessie Ware



and a little bit of Ham Sandwich -
love this song, randomly;y found them when I was doing up one of the soundtracks for The Crafty Birthday Parties I do. What does it say when 6 year olds are educating my music palette! And they're Irish.

What are you listening to? 

xx V 

What I've been up to...

I've been watching...

Making composting cool as only Etsy can do

 

Also watching The Newsroom. It is filling the large Revenge shaped hole in my heart.



I've been listening to...
acoustic versions of songs and Later with Jools Holland music show is fantastic at picking the best artists from here and now and somehow making them sound even better. 

loving this by The Villagers (video below)

I've been snacking on my Watermelon sorbet that I finally learned how to make. It turns out that you can find pretty much any excuse to eat sorbet. Oh look its tea time must have some sorbet, I finished doing my accounts I should treat myself to some sorbet, Oh look the Olympics are on definitely need some sorbet to go with this. You get the picture right.

I used a variation on this recipe because a) I don't have an ice cream maker and b) even if I did freezing it the night before would be far too much forward planning for me.

That's me, until next time.

xx V

Music in 2012...

Every year there are predictions of who will be making it big in the next 12 months. Now I'm no music expert, but I know what I like and the majority of them don't tend to be mainstream. I'm a big fan of the do it yourself youtube trend that has taken hold over the past few years. I've discovered some of my favourite artists that way. But having said that here's a taste of who I think should and hopefully will make it big in the months to come.

Probably a very obvious choice to start off with considering the crazy amount of publicity that's been generated around her but my top pick has to be Lana del Ray. Nearly all of you will be familiar with her song Video Games but I have to say I really love 'Born to Die' (below) 



Her album will be out January 30th

A very close second is Scottish singer/song writer Emeli Sande
'Heaven'(below)



Her album's out in February. Know the name? She's already done colabs with Professor Green and written music for the likes of Tinie Tempah.

Absoloutely love this performance from her on Jools Holland (below)

I insist that you check out her youtube channel here to hear more. Notably 'Maybe' and 'Kill the Boy'

Third up is Rebecca Ferguson with her new album Heaven. I think the acoustic version of her single 'Nothings Real But Love' (below) suits her down to a tee. Would I go see her live, probably not, but I'll be getting that album thank you. Its nice to see a bit of soul emerging from something like the X Factor.

And lastly but not least we have London based singer/songwriter Daley with 'Those Who Wait' (below)

You can also download his album for free here. A dangerous gambit perhaps, but sure to generate a big fan base.

Also check out Azealia Banks a R&B star who's February gig in Whelans has already sold out along with pretty much all her other dates.

And Lianna La Havas with these top performances on Jools Holland here 
and here 'Age' is my favourite