Baby, I will let you be right.

Got to spend a lovely little time this afternoon with Laura (aka The Mynabirds).
Roamed around Soho a bit and had a coffee in the garden at Saturdays.
She's just in town for a moment doing a little press promoting her new album that's coming out on Saddle Creek
(look for her in an upcoming issue of Bust alongside Best Coast and Florence & The Machine).
It's an awesome record, by the way. Bluesy, folky, a tad rugged and most of all, beautiful.
Have a listen to the first single here or download it from her band's site.

http://www.themynabirds.com
http://www.saddle-creek.com
http://saturdaysnyc.com

All grown-ups were children first. (But few remember it).

I heard this the other day over the WESC soundsystem.
It stopped me dead in my tracks as it features a sample from an Alan Lomax recording that I once knew but have forgotten.
A melody that every so often comes into my head like a wild wind and gets stuck in my drafty house of a brain.
Though I spent all day trying to figure out and research the original version, I've had no luck.
If anyone can tell me it, a few rounds of your favorite beer or whiskey will be on me.
In the meantime, enjoy the Durutti Column's beautiful take on this lullaby from their album Tempus Fugit.
I find it absolutely transfixing.

http://www.thedurutticolumn.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Lomax

Would you be an outlaw for my love?

In my (and many others - The Replacements, Elliott Smith, R.E.M., Teenage Fanclub, etc.) music universe, Big Star are a massive force, and tonight they are playing at the Masonic Hall in Brooklyn, just 7 blocks from my house.
I've never seen them live and I lucked out on a guest list spot via Rhino/Warner Bros.
Big ups to Cyndi for that.
Though it's not the original line-up, this is a show that I am looking forward to the most 
in many, many years (aside from Dylan, who I am seeing tomorrow night).
Can't wait.

 

 

Music is healing, I love the feeling.

Peep this little gem from Speech Debelle, the newest winner of the Mercury music prize.
Her full-length, Speech Therapy, is out now on Big Dada, one of my favorite labels.
Really impressed by the album and this track in particular is killing it for me at the moment.

http://www.speechdebelle.com/
http://www.bigdada.com/artist.php?id=142
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/09/speech-debelle-wins-mercury-prize

Women of the world take over. Cuz if you don't, the world will come to an end and it won't take long.

Working on a bunch of projects today and as I was nosing through tracks, I came across this.
An oldie, but a goodie.
Figured it'd be nice for those who may have never heard it.
Plus, I completely agree with the sentiment.
And funny enough, throughout my life, I randomly find myself having these lyrics pop up in my head from time to time.
Just roaming around, singing this song.

http://www.dragcity.com/artists/jim-orourke