With comparisons to Joanna Newsom, Marissa Nadler and Karen Dalton, Californian folk singer Alela Diane is back with her new album To Be Still. Having captured hearts with her glorious debut, The Pirate’s Gospel (named Rough Trade Shop’s number one Album of 2006), Diane is one of the world’s most bewitching new songwriters.
Fairport Convention / Who Knows Where The Time Goes Sandy Denny is one of my favorite vocalists- such purity and grace in the way she carries a melody. The words of this song are ringing true for the way my days have been passing lately. Too soon gone, not sure what happened.
White Ink, Black Ink is Wheat’s most straightforward, heavy-hitting indie rock album to date. It looks at life’s ups and downs and how to cope with everything, creating songs both for the listener and for themselves. “Now, even the live show is much more about the clarity and sincerity of the communication,” says Harney. “The new songs have a much bigger than us sort of feel,” adds Levesque. “In February 2008 my Dad died. It was my first real meeting with that kind of physical absolute. Most of us are a sum of our total, not a total of our some. It’s not really who we were, but how and by whom we are survived.”
Dan Deacon / Build Voice This song totally blew me away because I had no idea what to expect from this record. It starts with some noise music and then builds and builds. Then this completely triumphant melody starts and carries the thing away. The sounds are warm and amazing. The structure is timeless. True beauty.
Depending on your background, the term “power trio” may bring to mind the ’60s sonic depth-charges launched by the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream; the twisty prog-rock styles of mid-70s King Crimson and Rush. Or the post-grunge bash of Seether and Wolfmother. In the case of Civil Twilight, as evidenced on their self-titled debut album, the term means all of that. And much more.
Grizzly Bear / Two Weeks I love this whole album. In fact, our whole band has been getting into it and really enjoying it. It’s a super creative and fun album that seems to transport one to a magical world of sounds and pictures, melodies, rhythms and harmonies that the Beach Boys would be proud of.
My Secret Playlist is a music discovery website and weekly email publication. We invite our favourite bands and musicians to give us the rundown on their eight favourite songs right now. These are their words on the music that inspires them.
