#MusicMonday :: 'Light It Up'

Sharing this pretty, summery tune with you this morning to brighten up this temperamental August Monday.

Having followed Eliza and The Bear for a little while now, they just never fail to put me in a good mood and their new single, 'Light It Up', is perfect for all things summer, from barbecues to road trips. I hope they get to releasing an album soon.

I've started this week feeling all light and happy after what feels like one of the best weeks of the year. Maybe, it's the excitement of my birthday coming on Saturday but I feel like letting anything annoying just wash over me at the moment and that's quite nice.

#MusicMonday :: 'Everlasting Light'

If this is something I plan on keeping up for at least little bit then it wouldn't be quite right to talk about music on here without mentioning the band that I've seen over 10 times in the last three years, especially when they have an album coming out at the end of the month.

Dry the River have well and truly cemented themselves as one of my favourites, they can virtually do no wrong. Despite the fact these last two singles from their forthcoming album haven't been the stand-out 'Hidden Hand' that I've heard when going to see them, they still hold a lot of merit and make me so excited for what they're going to do next.

'Everlasting Light' is a little more edgy than anything I've heard from Dry the River before and reminds me a little of Taking Back Sunday. The video is neat and the lyrics of the song are as well-executed as ever so nothing but love over here.

After reading Pete's little piece about it just after the video was released, I was happy to see a bit of Newbury-love. Did I mention that we share a local and I played a pub quiz against him over one of the May Bank Holidays this year? No? That might be because it's not like I talked to him or anything...

'Everlasting Light', along with 'Gethsemane' and the prospect of seeing them in October has me on tenterhooks for 'Alarms in the Heart', it feels like it's been such a long wait.

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And to follow here are a couple of short music-related lists... I just feel like it's nice to write a bit again and maybe I haven't been recently, you know? When you write things all day for work, it's another one of those situations but this is actually quite a nice bit of respite. I didn't even realise I was missing it.

Favourite 2014 Albums so far ::

• Sheezus :: Lily Allen
  I know so many people don't like her, and I don't really care why. I like everything about her and her unapologetic attitude, I even own a couple of the dresses she did for New Look. I'm a fan and I'm a fan of the comeback. I can listen to this album from start to finish, each song giving me something different. I'm not sure what I can say that's not already been said but her social commentary is on-point and I like that.
• The Take of and Landing of Everything :: Elbow
  If I said this was the perfect Sunday morning album, would you know what I meant... because I mean that. It's got nice gentle Guy Garvey singing bits and nice rifty bits plus there's a lot of love in it, which is what I liked the most about Build a Rocket Boys.
• Jungle :: Jungle
  I think I already talked about this last week but you can have 'Sunday morning' albums and you can have albums that are perfect for dancing by yourself to in the car... or in the lounge... with the cat.

Most Anticipated 2014 Albums ::

• Alarms in the Heart :: Dry the River
  As written above - after finally hearing a few new songs live in May last year, I've been waiting for this for what feels like an age. It will be good to finally get a proper recording of them too, they managed to transfer their great live songs so well on their last album. Even though they're still a million miles better live, I feel like they're going to pull this off, plus more material when I do see them live, which is always good.
• Carry on the Grudge :: Jamie T
  After his mysterious hiatus just when he was riding high on the back of two super successful albums, Jamie T is back! Moon and I have often pondered what happened to him because we really liked him and just didn't get it. We missed out on his upcoming, annoyingly sold through the terrible Seetickets, mini-tour but there's hope he'll be doing a bigger one soon - unless he still fancies the life of a recluse. The first single from the album, 'Don't You Find' is definitely a grower but as it has indeed grown, I'm looking forward to hearing what he's going to bring out next.
• This Is All Yours :: alt-J
  The two songs I've heard so far aren't as 'alt-J' as I thought they would be but I really like them in their own right all the same. If 'This Is All Yours' is on the same wavelength as 'An Awesome Wave' then I think we're going to get along just fine. alt-J just seem to really know how to make interesting music.

I feel like this might be a little TL;DR but hey, writing practise so...
What's your favourite new music at the moment?

#MusicMonday :: JUNGLE

Jungle and their debut album 'Jungle' have been played nearly non-stop for the last couple of weeks.

They're completely different from anything that I would listen to normally but I can't get enough of them. They're perfect for dancing with myself while driving to work and getting motivated while at work. You really can't beat a good album to have a boogie to - they're calling themselves 'modern soul', so I suppose that's a thing.

I'm not as up to date as a I could be with a lot of music, I guess but I just had to share these guys with you.
Apparently they used to play gigs 'hidden' so they couldn't be identified, a little weird but intriguing. I was hoping to catch them on tour at the tail-end of this year as I won't be heading to any festivals but it looks like I'll be waiting a little while unfortunately though as the dates don't work out for me at the moment.

I first caught these guys while watching Glastonbury coverage last month and was instantly hooked. I feel a little guilty about this now given that I probably wouldn't have given them a chance if I'd managed to get myself to the festival and had actually been there.

What have you been listening to lately? Have you found anything new that you wouldn't normally listen to?

Number 9.

Am I a Dry the River superfan yet?


I'm actually not sure I want to be, I can't think of anything worse than being known to people in a band for just always being there. Going to a gig is a really weird concept, if you think about it, you're essentially going out to stand in a dark room to watch people perform, something about that has never really sat right - that being said, it's still something I enjoy doing, and I'm super proud to proclaim to anyone who'll listen that I've seen Dry the River nine times in the last two years.

South Street Arts was a great venue to see them in and brought me back to seeing them at The Cricketers all those months ago - a little bigger though, as the band didn't have to carry their equipment back out through the crowd once they'd finished. It was great to see them in a small space again is I guess what I'm trying to say, with no barriers so (say, if I was creepy) I could have touched them.

They sounded as amazing as they always do, I've said it before and I'll say it again, they always sound better live. I mean, their album is one of my favourites but it's incomparable to their live shows, they're heavier and it just feels like they're putting out a little more. They played a couple more new songs than the last time we saw them, and I like them all, I just want physical copies so I can get to know them as well as I know the ones on Shallow Bed.

I was very impressed with their support too, a guy called Matt who plays under the name Big Fin. He gave me major 'first time I saw Dry the River' feels, I was just blown away by his voice, it's beautiful. Without meaning to sound judgemental it was a little unexpected from an awkward beardy man who I'm pretty sure I had questioned over Steve Zissou-channelling at Dot-to-Dot. He's usually just Dry the River's guitar-tech but they finally let him support him and I hope they let him do it again because I'd really love to hear more. His E.P is only four tracks long and for just £4, I'm not complaining, but this guy needs an album.

Sometimes when I take my camera places I do feel a little disjointed, not a good trait to have if you're a 'qualified photographer', this was an example of such a time. It's all about getting over myself a bit I think though, and I think I managed to get a few good ones (even if they're basically the same as last time, I really need to see some other bands).


So close, we could sit on the stage(!)


MORE BIBZ!


Big Fin.

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Totally had a similar picture re-tweeted by the DtR Twitter, until someone chickened out and deleted it.
Not my problem you're not ready to face your alcoholism...


Feet of Dry the River.






The vest is back, along with some sweet moves!




Always appreciative of a bit of mime.



For their encore they played a new song called 'Husk', Matt whipped out a pair of scissors for it and it made some nice sounds.



Maybe nine times is a little excessive but we've got to make it a nice round 10 when we see them at Glastonbury in just over a week's time (eep!). If they weren't always playing and didn't sound so good then we wouldn't always see them - more bands definitely need to be as accessible as these guys, I mean going away for just five months to work on a new album, they don't waste any time.

Music Monday #3.

It's hard to keep up with myself, how has another Music Monday come around already? The weekend was a pretty big one for music, I think it's a pretty good effort to manage to see five bands in a day, I've been feeling a little more like listening to guitars and soft vocals recently and a mixture of the familiar and the new, which I suppose is fairly standard for me really.


1. Volume 3 - She & Him
I've been listening to She & Him a lot recently, which I guess is why they're here. I totally didn't 'get' Zooey's voice when I first gave them a listen after falling in love with 'New Girl', but now I do and I love her more than ever. Their songs have a lovely, old-fashioned tone that I can't get enough of and this album is even better than the previous two, I just think the production is much more in point. I'm excited to see if they make the trip over to the United Kingdom to perhaps do a few live shows here, it would be good if they weren't at The O2 too (or were generally away from London).

2. For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver
I watched 'Place Beyond the Pines' last weekend and after hearing 'The Wolves' during the end credits, I decided they needed a little more credit and attention than I'd given them previously. I mean sure, 'Skinny Love' is a great song, but it's far from their best and 'For Emma, Forever Ago' as an album is just so easy to get immersed in.

3. Pedestrian Verse - Frightened Rabbit
I get the feeling I've been feeling a little deeper than I feel like I actually have, in a musical sense anyway. 'Pedestrian Verse' seemed to be unavailable on Spotify for ages and although I've listened to it properly in Moon's car a few times, it's only recently that I've been able to properly take it in, and I'd definitely say it lives up to everyone's hype.

4. Shallow Bed - Dry the River
This is kind of a given, I'm not excited to hear more new things now as the songs on Shallow Bed were old to me even before the album came out (can't believe I just said that), and their new stuff is exciting. The same, but some how different with a little more Americana influence, I sure hope they play more of their new songs when we see them again in a couple of weeks!

5. Third Generation Hymnal - Venna
These guys were a total accidental find, and you can definitely skip 'Oh No', a creepy, annoying track, but they have a beautiful version of Sara Siskind's 'Lovin's For Fools', a song I can't get enough of and am in love with since (sorry, not sorry for mentioning them again) hearing Dry the River's version. It's just so full of desperation, it's beautiful.

What have you been listening to recently? Be sure to follow me on Last.fm ♥.

#MusicMonday

Currently trying to think about and work on things I blog about regularly to come up with a more consistent theme - which is why I've stripped a few things away in the meantime.

Music Monday is always something that I've wanted to be a part of but I'm a pretty inconsistent person when it comes to listening to music. Don't get me wrong, I love music but I'll go a week of nearly always being plugged in, and then not make the effort to select a song I like for another couple of weeks. Now I have a car, this has changed me a little as I usually listen to the radio on my way to or from work and if I don't like that, then I'll pop a CD on.

All that being said, my music tastes this week have surprised me quite a bit. I've been listening to what in my head I would refer to as 'boy music', because it's mostly consisted of bands I roll my eyes at when Moon tells me about them but then secretly listen to and really enjoy - and She & Him and The Lumineers because I've been feeling both macho as well as twee.

I've actually taken it upon myself to listen to real albums more than once from start to finish this week too, something I never do, I'm a shuffler - it's definitely something that can get annoying when it's tracks that flow into each other but I just don't care.

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1. It's Blitz - Yeah Yeah Yeahs


We listened to this all the way 'home home' a couple of weekends ago and I almost haven't stopped playing it since. I pretend not to like them but after having this on constantly, I think Yeah Yeah Yeahs might have moved up my list slightly. The album is great for driving generally, but I've also found it goes really well with the sunny weather we've been having and is really motivating me to get through my work. My favourite songs are probably 'Zero', 'Dull Life' and 'Little Shadow'.


2. Discovery - Daft Punk


So, a lot of people have been raving about 'Get Lucky', Daft Punk's track with Pharrell Williams. I'm definitely holding their new song responsible for rediscovering them, there are so many songs of theirs that I love. They do have a tendency to get on my nerves if I'm not in the right frame of mind, but this is another album that's great for motivation and I'm as hooked on 'Get Lucky' as so many others are too, they're definitely in my good books at the moment.


3. Contra - Vampire Weekend


Few bands get me in the mood for warmer weather like Vampire Weekend. They're one of those bands that just remind me of summer, and are another band that owe a new single to a rediscovery. I find it so weird that they have such a tiny back catalogue because I like pretty much all their songs. If 'Diane Young' is anything to go by then there's nothing but more good things coming from them, and I can't wait. Although 'Cousins' is one of my favourite music videos of all time, I thought I'd share my favourite song from Contra with you, 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa', such summery vibes. ♥


4. In Love - Peace


I'm not sure if I have anything in particular to say about this album, but they were another band 'recommended' to me by Mr Moon who I initially ignored but after listening to their album without encouragement really enjoyed. It's just something I've been putting on and found myself enjoying from start to finish, which I guess means it has a pretty nice flow, so just give it a listen, yeah?


5. Bankrupt! - Phoenix


Shamelessly listening to an album because one song is everywhere but actually discovering the album is pretty enjoyable. I just wish that the 'video version' of 'Entertainment' was the same as the album version, it's way cooler.

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Anyway, those were my albums of the week, I guess. I don't know if I'll make this a feature, or ever do it again, but I've been feeling pretty musical for the last week or so and getting over my shuffling, even if only temporarily, is a minor accomplishment (the most minute of minor accomplishments, ever).

It was nice to listen to some different music this week as opposed to the same playlist over and over, I could use some friendly recommendations. Maybe we could be friends of Last.fm, that would be fun, huh?

Lion on The Island.

Last weekend, Moon and I went with our friend Chris to see some friends that live on the Isle of Wight. It was a lovely weekend, and quite relaxing, even if I stayed up way past my bedtime. One of the main reasons we went was to catch up before the year was out, but also to see Tom the Lion play at the Ventnor Christmas Fringe Festival.


It was nice sunny weather which made the island look beautiful, I think it's somewhere I'd really like to take the time to explore properly eventually - I'm sure I find myself saying this about almost everywhere I go to, but the Isle of Wight is different because you have to get on a boat and everything.

Anyway, for those who haven't heard of Tom the Lion, he's a lovely folky guitar man from London. We picked up his pretty wooden CD in Rough Trade last year and play it all the time. I didn't really know what to expect as I had no idea what he even looked like or if it was only him. Well, he plays with a band, plays a bit of piano as well as guitar and sat the next table over from us in the pub we went to before the gig. He is also - what's good about all live music - like his CD, but better.

There wasn't much to do in Ventnor, but what a pretty little town, the gig itself was really good, and everyone sounded great. Supported by local Isle of Wight acts, Floella Grace - who was far to nervous for how lovely she was - and Babushka Baba Yaga - who sounded good too but weren't my cup of tea - it was held in St Catherine's Church, which featured a total of no less than 9 Christmas trees (that we could count). It was chilly but pretty and it all felt so Christmassy.

We were so close too - front and centre and sat down makes for a kind of strange gig experience but I think I enjoyed the intimacy of it all the same. It was really nice set up and I'd definitely be interested in seeing what else the Ventnor Fringe have to offer in the future. Here are some of the photos I took, I really hate how my Nikon 1 performs in low light, but I did manage to get some decent shots all the same.


There was a great cat sitting in the graveyard earlier in the day when we first arrived.




Floella Grace


Babushka Baba Yaga



Tom the Lion

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The following morning we popped to Cowes Food Festival, which was little but full of lots of tasty looking food. The lovely Harriet Gray was also there selling her wears, and I picked up a cute holder for my train tickets and one of her great temporary cat tattoos. I'm keeping an eye on all her neat pug stuff coming up.





My favourite song of the night was Floella Grace's cover of 'Blue Christmas', not long to go now, have a listen and get yourself in the mood. ♥

Come out of your cave walking on your hands.

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Doing anything on a weeknight is borderline exhausting nowadays thanks to a combination of a long day at work and sheer laziness. Saying that, seeing Mumford & Sons in as small a venue as Portsmouth Guildhall on Thursday night was more than worth it.

I've seen them at their tiniest, supporting The Maccabees at Southampton University Union, and one of their highest heights so far as second headliners of Glastonbury's Other Stage, I have a lot of love for them and every time I think I'm over them, they draw me back in. I wasn't even that excited to see them at the beginning of the week, I take that all back though and will pretend I never even mentioned it.



They were as beautiful as always, absolutely perfect without a hair out of place and their support was great - something that's always good when seeing live music. It's easy to forget that they only have two albums because they had such a long break between 'Sigh No More' and 'Babel', but this smaller back-catalogue meant they played basically everything from old favourites to soon to be new favourites. I often feel like listening to new songs after loving an album for such a long time can be like making new friends, after seeing them live properly after so long, I think I'm finally ready to let songs from 'Babel' into the fold.


Dawes.





As I mentioned, I thought the support acts were great - well chosen generally but well-suited too. I thought that Dawes were so good in fact, that I went into HMV and bought myself their actual CD today - I feel that I must add that the lead singer, Taylor Goldsmith's voice is about a million times better in real life than on recordings, I was actually quite moved (#gigwuss).



Piff the Magic Dragon and his glamourous assistant, Mr Piffles.


They were also supported by Piff the Magic Dragon of 'Penn & Teller Fool Us' fame, who was not only funny but accompanied by the most adorable assistant, speaking as a non-Chihuahua fan.




Always have a lot of time for Marcus Mumford's weird face.











Something Mumford & Sons should make their trademark - they brought Dawes and Piff on stage!

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My favourite Dawes song of the night was 'When My Time Comes', and my favourite Mumford & Sons songs were 'Winter Winds' because the lights all came up and it was beautiful and 'The Cave' because the crowd were almost as loud as they were. Saying that, 'Sigh No More' will always have a place for me because it's the song that made me remember them when I saw them the first time.




All in all it was just such a fun evening, and it was nice to see them again in such an intimate space. I'm a little saddened as part of me knows there's such a small chance of something similar happening again especially as we had such a great spot, then again, you never know.