Great Live: Phoenix Live. 30 Days Ago

Great live, indeed.

Sometimes one can be extremely lucky when it comes to buying records. In around 2006 I had this kind of look. I was a avid Phoenix fan all ready and outside a record shop, in the very cheep cd-s section; about 300 copies of a Phoenix live album that I hadn't even heard about. Price: 20 kr (About 2£). Of course I bought it, thinking that it had to be quite good, since it's a good band and after all it only costed 20 kr.
I went home, put it into my CD player and by golly! Firstly, a few of the songs are recorded in Oslo at Rockefeller, secondly it has turned out to be probably my favourite live albums of all time. It is tight, entertaining, and brilliant and you can feel the intensity of the crowd and what an amazing experience and energy the band is sending out. Makes me want to headband next to the stereo. They are playing, and it's beautiful. I saw them live a few years later, and it was exactly as brilliant if not even greater. Class, first-class.

Listen to it on Spotify

Musical Memories: The Shangri-Las

When I grew up, my parents bought this amazing collection of double LPs of the history of rock'n'roll. We are talking 50 double albums here. It was brilliant to grow up with. I started with listening to a lot of the 60's pop up until I was about 10-12 and then progressed into the more gloomier part of the collection. One of the tracks that really caught my eye was Remember (walking in the sand) by The Shangri Las. And as time has progressed I have grown to love them more and more. They are the backstreet, crazy, raw, ruff and tuff version of The Supremes.

The fantastic changes in rhythm and arrangements and the feel of the thing really does it for me... It's so lovely gloomy, sad, desperate and melancholic, but at the same time the kind of melancholy that you just want to enjoy and soak in. You really feel for the poor gal and her hopeless destiny.

The most famous song is without a doubt The Leader of The Pack, and again there is the classic story about a bad boy, a good girl gone bad and her family. It's never been my favourite, but is a great pop tune.

A few years back I found a even sadder song by them: I Can Never Go Home Anymore, about a teenage girl who leaves her mother for a boy and never can go home. "Life is so lonely, like a child without a toy, and then a miracle and then - a boy". The storytelling of this songs is like any sad classic story we have heard in gypsy songs and similar.

And then the fantastic Past, Present and Future that has none other than a spoof of Beethovens moonlight sonata in the background. That's should say something about drama and gloom!

Guest Blog: Maarten Boos on Colin Stetson

I have always had an idea that I would like to have guest bloggers on my blog at this point. So here is the first one Maarten Boos talks about Colin Stetson, one of the most exciting musicians I have seen in a long while too. Enjoy!


Music from composition, composition from instrumentation. This simple line of thought tells an essential truth about the solo artist that cannot be ignored. Music takes up actual, volumetric space, wherever it takes place. The fewer people behind it, the greater the amount of skill required to fill it up. A musician who manages to take a single instrument and somehow makes it fill up this void with full, complete composition, possess true musical genius.

I first heard of bass saxophone player Colin Stetson while reading up on Bell Orchestre, a six-piece instrumental band from Montreal, several years ago. It was a particularly memorable phase of the past decade during which I came to realize most of my play lists were near entirely Canadian. Bell Orchestre was, at the time, a purely instrumental side project of Arcade Fire. Colin Stetson has in fact played in both bands. His track record includes a series of impressive collaborations with various artists, including musical dramatist Tom Waits and new wave pioneer David Byrn.

Weapons of choice? Saxophones, ever increasing in size and gravitas, strewn with arrangements of microphones that record everything from the clapping of valves and the beat of his fingers to the multitude of sounds he makes with his throat and mouth. These sounds are lost in any type of conventional recording and can really only be heard live.



Colin scavenges sound, then amplifies and mixes it into arrangements that are beyond anything currently available on recording. The result is complete, full composition, including an identifiable bass line, percussion, melody and more. So much more. Simply put, if you are listening to his music and happen to be unaware of what's going on, you are very unlikely to assume all of these sounds originate from a single bass saxophone, recorded without looping in a single take.

The year of 2008 marked Colin Stetson's first album of a planned trilogy, New History Warfare. It has overseen the maturation of his distinct musical style. New History Warfare, Volume 2: Judges released this earlier year has reaped the fruits of that process. There is a strong sense of interconnectivity and story present in this album. Like the first part of his trilogy, several tracks include sections of speech, this time from performance artist, musician and vocalist Laurie Anderson. While speech may come off as a strange choice for a solo album, it works out beautifully.

New History Warfare literally speaks in volumes and I will definitely
be looking forward hear to the final one.

Maarten on twitter

New music: Little Fish

Sometimes music really can grab you, and I have always loved music that sounds like it is played by people who play like their life depend upon it. Little Fish is like that. I was touched from the first moment as the song came through on Last.fm. It made me go, what's this? And that doesn't happen to often. I really liked her voice, but at the same time for some reason felt a bit sceptical. But then I found a link to their YouTube page, and OH MY what a front woman Julia Sophie Heslop is. She has fusioned PJ Harvey, Nina Person and Skin into one. This is music that is dead or alive, that make you run around just scream along with the lyrics because http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifof her intensity comes through so strongly. So.. Enjoy! And oh! Who doesn't like a girl that can play guitar well too? Ha?

Official Homepage

Great covers: Bear McCreary - Battlestar Galactica

And now, just a quick blog post from in between exam writing! My boyfriend found this and it's just brilliant for Battlestar Galactica fans and accordion fans alike :) Enjoy, people! :)

Great covers: Big band covers of Radiohead

Not surprisingly, I have heard many great covers of Radiohead-songs over the years and posted a few here as well, but this is the first time I have heard a big band do it. And this is just plain and simple very very cool. I love all the details of these songs, so it's very exciting to hear how they have incorporated them into their versions, but at the same time put their own touch to it. I also think that signifies good songs, when they can be translated into all kinds of genres and still sounds fresh and is interesting to listen to. Great stuff and proof of the presence of genius. And how proud one must feel to be celebrated with great covers like these. Enjoy and have a nice weekend. And I am sure more will come in time.

Great music videos: Ok Go - This Too Shall Pass

I am almost out of words! It's been a long time since I have laughed so much that I cried in the beginning of a music video and then cried because it was beautiful overwhelming beauty at the end of it (around 2.27). I always cry at great marching bands. Enjoy! I hope this will make your day better! It sure did mine. And OK Go, genius people. Always amazing videos.

Great music videos - R.E.M - We All Go Back To Where We Belong

Sometimes watching a human being can just simply be the most beautiful in life and especially if they are filmed in a great way and to emotional and beautiful music. This really made me feel alive, thankful for the great world and the people in it and filled we with a deep feeling of joy, crying like a bride on her wedding day. Both videos are equally beautiful in different ways. Enjoy! How I will miss you R.E.M.

Bloglovin'

I thought it might be nice to be a Bloglovin' member. Then I apparently need to post some text in a new post, so here goes. Other than that, I have a cold, but a pleasant one. Sick enough to not work, well enough to sit in front of a computer or a tv, with breaks.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Life: Rules for city living - part I

It's been a long time since I have written something here that would fall into the "life" category, but for a long time I have been wanting to write some rules and guidelines for city living somewhere. Today I had one of those days where everybody around me behaved insanely, so here is my social comment on it. Basically it's the do-s and don'ts of what to do when you are out and about in the city. The rules are at least valid for Oslo, but I am sure they also apply for other cities. And I am just as sure that there will be a part II one of these days, with more observations.

1) When you are in a grocery store, there are two cashiers and you stand in between two queues, you must expect to be passed on one side by others who have actually chosen which line they want to be in. Let's move this along swiftly, ok?

2) On top of escalators, don't stop one step after getting of it. There are actually other people that are coming behind you and they don't like to bump into you so that you all fall over.

3) On a bus it is never accepted to sit on the outer seat of the two when the bus is full without obvious reason for doing so, like supporting a large object or baby. We are all ready squeezed in there, make room so people can get out of the way and sit down!

4) And good people.. move backwards in the bus and away from the doors. In 1/20 cases you will not be able to get of the bus, but the odds are very low. If you observe someone wanting to get off, but the driver is about to close the doors, feel free to shout to the driver: "Hey, someone is getting off" or similar.

5) Never ever step on a bus, tram or subway if you smell of bad body odour of any kind.

6) Let people get off the bus, tram or subway, before you get on yourself. Just pure logic, people!!

7) If the bus, tram, subway is full, and you are by the door, but not getting off: Get off the bus, tram or subway to make it easier for people to get off. Then get on again. It is common curtsey to let these people be the first ones to get on the bus again.

8)Yes, we know that you have a baby trolley and that's ok. But if the bus is full and there all ready are 2 trolleys on the bus. Don't try to squeeze in a 3rd one. Generally try to avoid rush hour, ok?

9)If the bus is full and there is only a ticket register thing in the front of the bus, ask your fellow passengers to send it forward and stamp/beep it. That should be a very easy little favour job to do for your fellow passenger.

10) For men: We know that you have things between your legs, but we would also like some leg-space/ butt-space on the seat.

11) It's never accepted to listen to loud music on the bus, especially not techno. You know it's loud. Come on. I listen to music on the bus every day and it's plenty loud enough if you have good headphones.

12) It's never ever accepted to talk in a cell phone for more than 3 minutes on a bus and especially loud and screaming and talking about your latest pub crawl or sexual experience. Funny maybe on a good day, but mostly just sad.

13) If you bring a dog, ferret or cat on the bus, make sure it's not stepped on or next to someone who is obviously scared of the animal.

14) Get up for elderly, pregnant or people who have trouble standing. Youth doesn't always equal healthy, so don't force other people to get up. You don't know if they have a bad back or a coming flue. Make sure that the old are old enough to be considered old, or the will be very offended.

15) Your fellow passenger are generally just as nice and tiered and happy and sad as you. Give them a smile and a friendly comment and assume the best rather than the worst, and we will have a good trip.

16) When it comes to escalators in big shopping malls and especially train stations, walk to the left, stand on the right.

17) If you have to fix something in your purse or look for something in your pocket. Step out of the way, so that people can clearly pass you.

18) If you are a big group, make sure people can pass you even though you are walking slowly and babbling, people might be in a hurry.

19) Never ever suddenly stop when people are around you. Other people are walking too, and will run into you.

20) If you smoke, don't smoke on other people. If your don't smoke and don't like it, don't position yourself in the middle of someone else's smoke.

21) Never ever ever spit on a public street. That includes chewing tobacco or snus. Common curtsey.

I think that's it for now. Any comments, please?
(This might include spelling mistakes and grammar trouble, due to fast and excited writing).

New music and new album: The Duke Spirit - Bruiser

Since I first heard The Duke Spirit, I have been hooked. For me it was such a fresh breath of air to hear someone who still makes good arrangements, have great guitar riffs, and last, but not least, the voice of Liela Moss. She also is one of the greatest front woman I have seen in a long, long time. She in some ways remind me (and others) of Debbie Harris in Blondie. Thought they are very different, she certainly have the same edge and is able to hold you under her spell.
It makes me believe in contemporary music. It's been a long time since I have seen this kind of soul, heart and drive.

On their latest album Bruiser, they have done it again. This is classic great rock'n'roll that makes you want to party and run around the room, but thankfully there are more depth to it as well. Lielas voice is the core of it all, she takes you by the hand and takes you through tough screaming hard core rock tunes, but also more tender moments with an intensity that reminds me of PJ Harvey at times, for instance in the beginning of the song "Sweet Bitter Sweet". The guitar riffs are always edgy and if they had just gone totally through every song, it would have been very boring, though quite powerful. Thankfully The Duke Spirit are also masters of building up to climaxes and arrangements of instruments and when to take one or all away to give the music air and excitement. Brick walls of guitars works extremely well in small portions and I think they know :)

In addition to all of this the intensity is always present. I feel like shaking my head constantly to the beat. I always like artists that play and sing like they would die if they weren't allowed to do it, and I get that feeling from The Duke Spirit. I also tend to love music that I would love to play myself, because it sounds like they are having so darn much fun. This is no exception.

My favourites so far are "Everybody's Under Your Spell", "Villain" and "Surrender". They all have some kind of "perfect hit" sense about them. They are just darn good songs and good . But I am starting to love the others more and more. They are growing on me for every play. I love how "Everybody's Under Your Spell" has an amazing beginning of rhythms. You think you finally got the rhythm, but then it changes, before it plummets into the deep and drags you with it, and reaches a climatic refrain. So sexy, so raw, so cool. "Villain" is just deep haunting and grand.

To fully appreciate The Duke Spirit, you need to see them live though. I can see them live in my head when I listen, and to me that adds an extra dimension to the music. So here are my favourite live clips and other useful links:

Bruiser on Spotify
Home page

Great voices: Kelly Jones

If you have heard the voice of Kelly Jones of Stereophonics, you will not forget it or confuse it with something else. To me he has the quintessential rock'n'roll vocals. It's hard, raw and rusty, but at the same time it has so much emotion, sexiness, passion and feelings to it. When he reaches the first high note of Rooftop it just gives me the chills. And his version of Sumertime is my favourite version of the classic. At the same time he is one of the few who have managed to continue and push is band through after the 90's. They were after all one of the first brit-pop bands I listened to, even though I didn't get my ears really open for them until 2001 and the great JEEP album :) Strictly speaking I guess they are a little bit post-brit-pop, but to me they are part of the same period. Here are some of my favourites.

My first favourite:


Not as good as the album version, but still great: Spotify
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Summertime:
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

With Tom Jones: Spotify


Other then that, the whole best of album is great stuff.

Photos: Summer in Holland

I love music, as you should have understood by now, if you have been reading my blog. But I also love to take photos. I tend to take photos of houses much more than of people. I always think that people might not like to get their photo taken. Bikes and houses, they are ok. A few weeks ago we went to Amsterdam and around Holland, by boyfriends home country. There are a few of the photos that I really am happy with from the trip. Do you like them? Do you hate them? All comments welcome.

Great live: Elliott Smith - Needle in the Hay

This is one of those times when the live version of the song is just brilliant. Even more brilliant than the already brilliant studio version. I already love this song, but the electric version just blows my mind. On top of everything it's great to see Elliott live and also fun things happen during this performance that they really deal with in a professional, but fun manner. It's not always wise to turn around on stage too much. I'll say it again, just brilliant.

New music: Graham Coxon, Bill Ryder-Jones, Paloma Faith - Desire

Thanks to a great little ad-on thing for Last.fm that plays videos from YouTube, I just found a new song with one of the greatest guitarmen in the world, mr. Graham Coxon. He has lately become very active on both Facebook and Twitter and posts a life changeing song every day. Absolutely worth following! Anywaays..This new song is apparently a commercial for converse and it totally rocks!! (To say it very Americana). It's been a long time since I have thought that about something new, but I guess it's now wonder as things always rock when Graham is playing. The vido in itself is also extremely cool and nice 30's- 40's style :)

But... Excuse my ignorance who are the two others, I had to look it up... Let's see...
You can read more about Paloma Faith here! What an amazing voice!! I need to check out more of what she has done! And Bill Ryder-Jones is apparently from The Coral... Hm, they are ok. But a little bit of another league than Coxon at least. But now! Enjoy! :D



Behind the scenes:

Great music and new music (for some): Valkyrien Allstars

One of the "national musical instruments" in Norway is Hardingfele (Hardanger fiddle). It has an extremely distinct sound and I think it almost always does something to the listener. It has four strings like a normal fiddle or violin, but also 4 or 5 sympathetic strings, meaning the also make sound, though you don't play directly on them.

When I was a kid, I would hate it. I would literately put my fingers in my ears all the way up until I was far into my twenties. Then something changed. I started connecting it to my Norwegian identity, or maybe I had all along and just not realized. The last years I have realized there is something quintessential Norwegian about it. When ever there is a Hardanger fiddle starting and there are Norwegians around, you see them tap their fingers on the table or move their feet a little or clap. There is something that awakes in us. But more about that later. Let's get to the song.

In 2008 I discovered this amazing band, Valyrien Allstars, who play a kind of Norwegian quite modern folk-rock-pop using often old songs and Hardanger fiddles and other fiddles. It's just an amazing sound. The Norwegian music tv-program on NRK, Lydverket, did a great series with bands playing concerts in strange places. This is a part of the series. Valyrien Allstars is playing live at Valkyrien, a pub on the west side of Oslo. I wonder where they took their name from? Anywaaays.. Such an electric performance!

Homepage - Spotify

Great covers: Paranoid Android by YouTubers

I think I only can say one thing: Great music inspires! :) I am sure you all have seen it by now? It's been around for a few weeks, and now apparently Radiohead have watched it too as they posted it on their website.
Enjoy!

New music: Radiohead - Staircase

Nothing can make you happier than when your heroes step back into the role of heroes again. The last 3 hours I have constantly been watching and listening to this video. I am hooked. I am stupefied. I am dumbfounded. I stare. I stare. I listen. I listen. And occasionally I am trying to get some work done. I can't wait to see the rest of the live concert. Something tells me it's going to make me love The King of Limbs as well. Possibly. It's good to see more people than Mr.Yorke.

Great videos: Sivert Høyem - Belorado

Some music videos capture more then the greatness of the song or the artist itself. Here both the song and the artist are premium, but on top of this the video hos captured some kind of essence of Oslo. It's even filmed on the roof of the place where my band used to practice down town. I am sure that was on purpose. Easy to bring music to that roof. It's the light, the colours, the coldness in the air and the mix between nature and city. It warms my heart and make me proud.

Great Covers: Keane - Under Pressure

I can not believe I haven't blogged about this before! I was looking for my old blog post about it, but no there were none. Well, here goes. The mark of a great vocalist to me is in many ways that he/she is able to do many different things with his or her voice. I think most people who have heard Tom Chaplin from Keane knows that he can do very impressive stuff with his voice, but to take on David Bowie and Freddy Mercury in one song and do it well! Who can not be impressed?? If you are not, you can try the original and see how well he's doing. I also love to see how he's really working to get it! So many different parts of the song as well. Ok, he gets one note really wrong, but bless him, that's ok :) Enjoy! Oh, and of course the rest of the band is also doing amazingly well, not to mention the extra bloke on guitar there. Recognize him? :)

Great lyrics: Ane Brun - The Fight Song

This song has been my favourite for years, but the last year or so I had completely forgotten about it. It's one of the greatest songs written about trying to get away from someone that you love and hate at the same time and just try to physically and psychologically rip yourself away from them. And what a cool bottleneck :) And as always, what a voice.

Spotify link

Link to the lyrics

And wow, what a great video. I have never seen that before!

Great covers: Radiohead - The Headmaster Ritual

Can't believe I haven't posted this before!! This basically speaks and rocks for itself without me having to explain to much. My oh, my, it makes me wanna be in this band and play this song. It seams as such intense fun. I almost like the cover better than the original. Though that is great too. Oh, that's of course the great The Smiths :) Oh, and the comments in the beginning is of course because it's from a live web cast, and they had no idea how many people where watching. I sure was ;)



Original by The Smiths

Great music video and great song: Bee Gees - Stayin' alive

This song and video I have such a love and hate relationship with. The teeth, the pants, the whining, the strange dance moves, makes me a little physically sick. But at the same time it is totally hilarious. A friend of mine pointed out the lyrics to me a few years ago, and that made it amazingly funny. The lyrics is " I am a woman's man, no time to talk". Such a tough cool guy, but at the same time look so ridiculous. I understand of course that they looked good at the time, but there is some kind of universal sense of what stays beautiful over time, I think. This is not one that will stay alive.. haha! And of course it always make me think of a Norwegian commercial now.

Enjoy!
The first video is the music video. The lower one has the lyrics.

Great live: Hans Zimmer & Johnny Marr - Inception concert

In August last year, I also wrote a blog post about how amazing the Inception film is and also the incredible music. Thanks to Johnny Marr's tweets I found that he had posted this amazing like to a concert with him and Hans Zimmer and a full orchestra playing the music live! Amazing to watch! I wish I was a brass player in this band. Looks like they are having fun :) Not to mention of course, one of the worlds greats guitarists and film score composers! Good stuff on a Sunday.

Inception - Johnny Marr & Hans Zimmer Concert. from Johnny Marr on Vimeo.

As far as I can tell, the link below is the full concert, with interviews.

Inception - Johnny Marr & Hans Zimmer Concert full with Interview's from Johnny Marr on Vimeo.

Friday Fun: Dominos in a Finnish K-market

Since I haven't posted any Friday Fun videos lately, I hope that you forgive me for giving you this one on a Saturday. It's a lovely domino video made by two Finnish guys who work in a K-mart apparently. The build an amazing domino track around the whole store. Strangely enough the owners of the store didn't appreciate it ;)

Enjoy!

New music and New Album: Veronica Maggio - Satan i Gatan

It's not often that the first round I listen to a album I find myself really enjoying and listening to the lyrics. Whenever that happens, it's quite a miracle and deserves a blog post just for that. I just put on the new album to the Swedish artist Veronica Maggio, just for fun and was totally blown away. Beautiful pop song with so much soul and honesty and power, lovely stuff! I am looking forward to checking out every little detail of the album as I go along. And her voice is amazing, it captures you and draws you in. It's sharp, demanding and clear, but in a very very good way. Great music for a Saturday morning, though not always so happy lyrics. If she continues in the tracks of the last album, very likely from what I have heard, she is highly self ironic and talks about her own little party life a lot, and I just like it. I wasn't sure when I heard her old album, it just sounded winy, but for some reason it now works! It's almost as catchy as Kent at times. And she's amazingly good at build ups to. Guitar riffs are almost as catchy as Håkan Hellstrøm. I guess this is Swedish delight. Makes me shake around the room. :) Enjoy!

Spotify link

And Jag kommer - I am coming.
This may easily be the one that ends up as my first favourite. Here is the video.

Music: Questions about top 50 artists on Last.fm

I like this little games, and I love lists. It makes me reflect around the music I like in new ways and remind me of the things we used to write about favourite hunks, movies and horses when I was a kid. I found this questioner in an old post from 2008 and wanted to do it again, just to see how much had changed. Here is the original post. It seams like a perfect little Easter quiz for me.

Yes, I know it's kind of childish but I love these things. Makes me reflect on my relationship with music, and is exciting at the same time to see what combinations that turn up.

1. What's your favourite song by 15?
Keane
Hamburg is an amazing song written about Tom by Tim and how he's worried about how he's doing. It's amazing to then again hear Tom sing that. Bedshaped is a good second and an amazing video.

2. How did you get into 20?
U2
I can not really remember a time that I didn't know about U2. But I think I got really into them in 1998 before going to see them in concert on the Pop mart tour. They are one of the constants in music life for me. Seen them twice and would love to again.

3. Who is your favourite member in 1?
(same as in 2008:)

Radiohead
I love them all but Jonny Greenwood often gets a bit underrated and he is just a brilliant musician and songwriter.

4. Whats your favourite lyric bit by 29?
(unknown) so impossible to tell.

5. Have you ever seen 22 live?
Jezebel
My own band, so yepp, about 1000 times ;)

6. What's your favourite album from 10?
Björk
Debut, Post and Homogenic are all just plain brilliant.

7. Do you own any merchandise from 3?
Travis
Yepp, I have a t-shirt. I love it, but it's tiny and almost impossible to wear. From "The invisible band" tour.

8. What is a good memory you have of 7?
(still the same as in 2008:)
R.E.M
Wow... A lot of good memories... Some of love, some of theatre and a lot of growing up.

9. Is there a member of the same age as you in 2?
Elliott Smith
I think I am just about the same age now as when he died. Sad.

10. When did you first get into 8?
Imogen Heap
Vivian, Jørgen and me was watching The late show with David Letterman, when she suddenly turned up and played live there. We wondered "What the hell is that?" and "Wow, that's one cool girl" Turned out, she's brilliant.

11. Who likes 4 along with you?
Phoenix
I have a few friends that like them, some more than others, and the last years just about the best of the world.

12. Which song did you first hear from 16?
The Cardigans
I don't really remember.. I must have heard them on the radio maybe? I think it's very likely that it was Lovefool.

13. What song made you fall in love with 5?
Blur
That must have been Song 2. But quite quickly after, the whole Blur album.

14. Which song do you not like by 18?
Graham Coxon
There are a few songs on the latest album so far that are extremely repetitive (Caspian sea!!!) I don't really care that much for them. But must of his stuff is truly brilliant.

15. Why do you like 14's songs?
Frank Sinatra
The class! The style! The velvet voice! The feeling! The feel of times gone and lost.

16. Where did you first hear 6?
Lali Puna
I truly have no idea. Must be through some related artist things, I think?


17. How long was 19 a singer before you liked them?
The Most Serene Republic
A quite long time, I think. I didn't discover them until my boyfriend showed them to me about 2 years ago :)

18. Does 13 have a song that gives you a bad memory?
(same as in 2008:)
Thom Yorke
Harrowdown Hill always give me a knot in the stomic because of the lyrics.

19. When did you get into 17?
Arctic Monkeys
I had heard about them for years and didn't really get around to listening to them before I heard Brainstorm. Then I was hooked.

20. How long have you been into 9?
Kent
Since 1998 when I bought Isola on a gas station in Sweden on my way to Praha.

21. If 11 had a concert 300 miles away, would you drive there to see them?
Odd Nordstoga
Nah, don't think so. He would be around soon again.

22. How many CDs do you own of 12?
Coldplay
4 albums, I think.


23. Does 21 have a song that makes you cry?
Bo Kaspers Orkester
No, moved in many ways, yes. But not to tears.

24. Does 27 have a song that makes you happy?
Jamie Cullum
He's just a very happy go lucky person. He generally makes me very happy.

25. Does 23 have a song that makes you smile?
Beirut
Beirut is a wonderful guy and lots of his music just makes you smile in the way you would at the local pub with all your friends and family around.

26. What's the last song you've listened to from 28?
Editors
Escape the Nest, I think.

27. Is there a song by 32 that you've listened to more than 30 times?
Brendan Benson
If The Raconteurs – Many Shades of Black counts, yes :)

28. What is a song from 50 that you've only listened to once?
Aleksander With
I am sure there are many...

29. Is there a song you are sick of hearing by 24?
DumDum Boys
Sick and tired of Splitter Pine, but it's still an amazing song.

30. What song got you into 40?
The Strokes
Nice and simple: Last Nite!

31. What is your favourite single by 25?
deLillos
Oh dear, that is many! Klokken er mye nå is one of the more unknown favourites.

32. If 49 hated you, what would you do?
Michael Bublè
Not fight him. He's from Canada and they know their hockey fights.

33. What would you say if 42 or one of the members from 42 asked you out?
Johnny Cash
I would go in an instant! Wow, imagine having dinner with Cash.

34. Would you care if 41 had a boyfriend/girlfriend?
Ane Brun
Couldn't care less!

35. Who has the best voice in 46?
Ella Fitzgerald
Say no more!

36. Do you think 26 is/are good looking?
Span
Sure, angry little rocker boys.

37. How many times have you listened to your favourite song by 36?
The Postal Service
Such Great Hights - 51 times

38. How many CDs do you own of 30?
The Raconteurs
Wish I had CD-s or LP-s. Have two on MP3.

39. Is there a song from 38 that makes you mad?
Kings of Convenience
Nah, they are quite guys and good background music.

40. Which member from 31 do you want to see go solo? If 31 is only one artist, what would you do if they joined a group?
Madrugada
Sivert Høyem seams to be the obvious answer here.

41. What does your favourite song from 48 remind you of?
The September When
Leave to Wonder was the background track for my life from years 17-19.

42. Did you hate 43 at first?
PJ Harvey
Nope, think I never hated her.


43. Does your best friend also listen to 33?
Foo Fighters
Yepp, I think a lot of my best friends listen to them.


44. Do you think your parents would like 37?
Bill Frisell
I highly doubt it. They are more into rock.


45. Does 47 have a song that makes you want to dance?
Aretha Franklin
I think everybody has a Aretha song they like to dance too :) Just a little bit!!

46. Have you ever seen 34 in person?
Oasis
Yepp, seen them live on stage twice - 1998 and 2008.


47. Do you like 44's name?
The String Quartet
Yepp, simple and beautiful.

48. Is there someone in 45 that you want to go out with?
Supergrass
Nah, seam like nice guys, but not dateable.

49. Do you know anyone that hates 39?
Belle and Sebastian
How can anyone hate them? Nah...

50. Have you ever danced to a song from 35?
Stereophonics
Of course! Tons of stuff.

New music and new album: Gorillaz - The Fall

Well, as I have stated in this blog before, I pretty much like any music as long as Damon Albarn sings. And when it comes to the new Gorillaz album it's no exception. From the moment I put this record on it was just clear to me that this is a darn good record! It's something with the flow of the whole thing. It's just beautiful! Hurrah! Great new music, there is almost nothing like it.

Yesterday I read up a bit on the story of the Gorillaz as well and how that whole thing started. I love it:

"Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett created Gorillaz in 1998 when they were living together in a flat on Westbourne Grove.[10] The idea to create the band came about when the two were watching MTV, "if you watch MTV for too long, it's a bit like hell – there's nothing of substance there. So we got this idea for a cartoon band, something that would be a comment on that," Hewlett said".(quote from Wikipedia).

I also read somewhere else that from the beginning the idea behind the band was to mix all kinds of genres and just see what happened. To me that must be the greatest idea for a band I have ever heard of. It made me respect and love them even more.

The new album The Fall was also recorded and made in a very interesting way.

"The entire album was recorded on group founder Damon Albarn's Apple iPad, during the American leg of the Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour in October 2010, and mixed in England by Stephen Sedgwick"(Wikipedia)

. If you look at the albums track listing it's very clear that this songs were made in different places in America. Most of the songs titles have some reference to the place where they were made. And to make it all in a quite new media and within the boundaries of that seams like a brilliant idea. To me that means you have to be creative in a whole other way than if everything is available to you. It seams like it can be both a comfort for the "musicmaker" and a horror. The Gorillaz succeeded, that's for sure. I want to make my own sounds too.

In some ways, the new Gorillaz album is what I hoped that the new Radiohead album would be.. It just sound fresh and exciting and new, but of course very much like Damon made it :) It will be exciting to see what Mr. Coxon will release upon the world soon. Oh how I wish someone could make these too make music together again. That would result in something truly new and exciting, I think.

Spotify
There is also supposed to be a new video on YouTube for Amarillo, but I can't find it. Feel free to look :)

Great songs: The Raconteurs - Carolina Drama

I have written before about my love for Mr. Jack White as a performer in this blog. Now it's time to celebrate his storyteller skills. The Raconteurs song Carolina Drama is an fantastic little hill-billy story that has all the classic elements that hark back to storyteller geniuses like Johnny Cash, of family dramas and murders and deceit. Still this one is quirkier than the classic country ballads, though it is clear for me that the inspiration comes from that tradition. Somehow though I think Mr. Cash never would have chosen a bottle of milk as a murder weapon. The music also builds in a brilliant way and underpins the rise of the climax of the story by steadily more climatic music. Perfectly done. That also go for perfectly timed breaks that makes you hunger and wonder for the next part of the story. The haunting high pitched vocals at the back of this little breaks in the music also adds to the airiness and chilliness of the whole thing, as it is absolutely one hell of a drama. As I said, great storytelling.

It took me about 60 tries to get my head around the lyrics and understand who is actually killing who and who is who's father. I loved that whole process of unfolding that whole brilliant story, so I am going to give you the chance too. You can either listen to lyrics yourself or read them from the link below. There is also something strangely "True Bloodish" about this whole lyrics too, as my darlin' pointed out. I find myself really liking that part of the American style. Must look more into that.

Lyrics

Spotify

New music (for some of you): BigBang

Sometime one comes across personal favourites that one doesn't understand why other people don't like. You try to get your friends into it, but nah.. On a larger scale, what about those bands that are great heroes in a country, but for some strange reason haven't made it out there for real. BigBang is one of those bands I think. I am not sure really to what degree they have sold records outside of Norway, but they haven't got the huge appreciation that I think they deserves. This is a band who has been around since 1992 and that I think all Norwegians have in their hearts to some degree. A couple of weeks ago they released a brilliant new album. I should probably write more about it, but the truth is that I haven't really listened enough to it yet, only enough to know that it is over all very very good.

So what can I say? BigBang to me has the same kind of solidness as you find when you are listen to R.E.M. Everything they do is just quality. It's just rock bottom steady and nice and just darn good! They are such great talented musicans. They are a great guitarist, bassist, drummer and singer. And when they make music together they just float. More then ever live. You just find yourself nodding you head along and thinking, "Oh, yeah! This is groovy!". As any good music the music speaks best for itself, so if you haven't heard about them or haven't heard enough, or want to hear it again, here are some links:
And remember to tell your friends..

Spotify
Home page
Live clips:
http://www.nrk.no/kultur-og-underholdning/1.7589062

New music: Arctic Monkeys and Foo Fighters

It feels like the whole of 2010 went past with any quality rock music. All my favourite rock band seamed to want to start playing some weird kind of 80's rock hard synth pop style and throw the guitars out the windows. Well, I like guitars, so shoot me. I like them a lot together with tons of interesting electronica effects too. But not rock bands who just removed all trace of the guitar band they once was. Some examples are the latest album from The Strokes', The Editors' and Kent's latest albums. And it seams like Radiohead has stopped doing rock and guitars too.

In all of this, I am extremely happy with the latest album of Foo Fighters and what I have heard so far from the latest Arctic Monkeys album. The Foo fighters are still masters at both amazing use of rhythms and the skills of hit writing that is almost at Bon Jovi and U2 level. The songs that stick around in your mind and you just love. I need to listen more to the new album, but so far it's just great and makes me go "oh, cool! " That is not often in my musical world. Arctic Monkeys released another single from their upcoming album on their web page to, and it just sounds as great quality as always. They just have their own significant and quite brilliant signature that stays with them even if they expand and grow. Let's hope the future will see more of this at other people too. There must be time for some rock'n'roll soon now. The last years have been either metal or pop.

Foo fighters new album on Spotify
Arctic Monkeys new single

New music: Justice - Civilization

Darn it, there is not much to say except, "Oh, how I LOVE French electronica". It's so elegant, so cool effects, so tight, so pretty, so well arranged, so just plain great. Justice is back and they have been listening to to their for-fathers. Makes me groove around the room.

Here, enjoy!

Great songs and Great music video: Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten

Some artists have a voice that just brings tears to my eyes because it's just so sincere and seams to come straight from their heart. Natasha Bedingfield is one of those. Even though she might be considered to pop or to commercial for a lot of the people out there, I think she just have that certain special little thing. I love quite a few of her songs and they just hit me on a very personal note somehow. This is the first one who became my favourite and can still brighten up a day when the world just seam to big and scary, I feel tied down to the same boring things and like nothing new is ever going to happen. Listening to this song makes me remember who I am and how I like to live my life. Hope it can give you some hope and brighten up your Sunday too. And what an amazingly cute video!

I am unwritten,
Can't read my mind
I'm undefined
I'm just beginning
The pen's in my hand
Ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your innovation

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten, yeah

Oh, oh

I break tradition
Sometimes my tries
Are outside the lines, oh yeah yeah
We've been conditioned
To not make mistakes
But I can't live that way oh, oh

Staring at the blank page before you...

Feel the rain on your skin..
Feel the rain on your skin..

Staring at the blank page before you...

Feel the rain on your skin..
Feel the rain on your skin..


The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten

Great musicians: Charlotte Hatherley

Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/lornethomson/

(This is an old blog post I wrote back in 2008 in another blog, but Charlotte is still a great gal, though her latest solo work, is not that great. She's just a very cool.)

A few years back I started listening to a lot of Ash, but it was first about a year ago I realized that the lead-guitarists on those tracks was actually a woman: Charlotte Hatherley. Later she has left the band and got a solo career, but I still really love those guitarlicks that she made for the Ash songs. Tonight I also looked at some of her solo stuff and it's really cool to.

Great interview about guitarplaying.

Bastardo is a really funny song and a great cartoon video.
Making of Bastardo

Mostly her solo stuff is not as good as Ash though, but the guitarplaying is genius as always :)

This is Shining light of Ash where I think she does some really really beautiful guitar lines especially on the refrains in the end. (Look how little focus it is on Charlotte though she actually does more than sing and almost all the solo guitar stuff. That would never happen to a boy ;)

On Jules Holland though things are a little better. They always know the song before they film it ;)

This from Glastonbury is not so bad either

Cool interview, a little bit bad sound though :)

New single: Arctic Monkeys - Brick By Brick

Arctic Monkeys have always known how to play real good rock'n'roll and at the same time have that little kick of adventuress to it, and thankfully in their new single "Brick By Brick" they still do. The song starts with another great raw guitar riff and then is soon followed by the genius of the rhythm section of Arctic Monkeys. There are few other that play with such intensity like them. I love that they all ready after the first vers/chorus combination that is quite repetitive, even though it rocks puts in a little, but oh so great guitar solo. After another verse and refrain, it sound like the song is gonna stop, but instead they go into a slower version of the same theme, and oh, what a lovely sexy version of it, before returning to the original riff.
But most curiously of all, who is singing the verses on this thing, either Alex Turner is doing something crazy amazing and new to his voice or they put one of the other members in the "singer-driver-seat". For a while, I even wondered if it was an actual Arctic Monkeys song, but in the choruses Alex is back, I think.

Oh, yes. I love the video. In true style Arctic Monkeys videos are always good. And I am very glad to hear some amazing guitar riff and arrangements when Radiohead has apparently stopped caring about that ;)

Musical Memories: DumDum Boys - SUS

Obs, det var her vi var
Vel, hurra for det
Teddyfor i hue og vrient lynne

Time for another of my musical memories: those songs or albums that just brings you back to a certain time in your life and you can almost feel the air from back then around you.

For me one of this magic moments are connected to the Norwegian band DumDum Boys album SUS. I have it on cd, but I am a lazy one these days and listen to most of my music through Spotify, so I have waited for a long time for that album to be released on Spotify. A lot of people doesn't really like this DumDum album, I think. But I simply love the sound of it. It has great guitar riffs (all through the album), exciting arrangements (Texas/Møkkamann), sounds and effects and cool rhythms (Nå er Nå). DumDum Boys is almost always great when it comes to pure rock'n'roll and great lyrics, but this has something extra. And I also think it's quite amazing that it came out in 1996. It's somehow very adventures for it's time and just before the years when some of my favourite new and adventurous albums from the late 90's came out, but I mean this is Norway..! I just think it's a little treasure. Not to mention the strange fact that it was recorded in Australia.

I haven't listened to the album in several years now, but it's amazing when you find music that you have for some reason loved in your life, and you still remember every line of lyric and they are still great. It brings me back to being 17 in my mother's basement. I can almost smell the sound of the walls. Looking forward to have this as my background music while I work on Monday.

SuS on Spotify
Wikipedia
Home page for DumDum Boys

New Music: Charles Spearin - The Happiness Project

February has been a very quiet blog month to me, mostly because I didn't have any internet for about 3 weeks, but here is a last little post squeezed in. I'll try to post a few more at least during March, I am starting a new job, but

Thanks to the greatness of my last.fm player I again heard a song called Mrs. Morris of Charles Spearin as part of The Happiness Project. To explain the concept easily Charles interviewed his neighbours about the topic of happiness and listened to the melodies they made as they talked and then made music of it. I think it's a genius idea. It would have been amazing to do a similar project to this in Norwegian because everybody that doesn't speak it say that Norwegian sound like we are singing and that we are always happy. Maybe something for the future. That Mrs. Morris is also a quite brilliant woman.

Video about the project and web site

Link to the album on Spotify

Friday Fun: Animals from BBC

This week's Friday Fun comes thanks to my darling boyfriend. He suddenly was doubled up with laughter in his chair and saying "You have to see this!" and so I did and soon found myself laughing so hard I was crying too. I found a few more episodes today and it's been a long time since I have laughed this hard. Basically it's a little series of clips with animals who have been voiced over by humans. Just hearing it described like that, I would have thought it was just stupid, but take a look. This is very well done, as everything BBC usually is. Have a nice weekend!

These are my three favourites, but there are tons more here.

Thoughts on music: Me and Radiohead

This is an answer I wrote in a discussion about Radiohead and it's music in a message board tonight, and I think it sums up a lot of what I think about Radiohead and also the new album in context, so I want to share it with you as well:

Hm.,,, Let's see... I don't think I have been clear enough in either my blog post or the last post here. I guess I am just not used to writing to people who (like me) have such detailed knowledge of Radiohead's music + I haven't really had the time (or now for that matter) to sit down and explain all the details in the relationship between me and Radiohead's music. That can literally take hours, I think :) First of all, I get the feeling that you think that I am one of those who only like the easy accessible things, though "I might be wrong". The songs I choose as examples was very random and the first ones that came to mind as I was writing. One of the things I like most about Radiohead is their diversity and that they have done pretty much everything from punk to very very strange experimental electronica via jazz... etc. People who master song writing to that scale is truly brilliant geniuses to me. (And don't forget Jonny, I am a huge fan of his and most of the time think that he is more brilliant that Thom when it comes to solo stuff, he's a 9,5 out of 10 while Thom is around 9 for me. The combination of the two of these brilliant minds and of course the others makes the magic for me. Anyhow, isn't arrangements a big part of song writing? to me it is at least, and easily the part I enjoy the most when I am writing music with my band. The thrill of finding the perfect bass line, the right rhythm combination between two guitars, the right use of cymbals on the drums. Not to mention the build up's. Radiohead are masters at that and one of the things I admire them most for. So far there has never been a dull moment in what they have made and they have such an amazing ability to do the right things at the right time, take the bass out for two bars here and put in a squeak there. I am grinning as I am writing. Clearly the most inspirational music for my own work. And I don't only mean in the more poppy or main-streem songs if you wish... Now I am scared of coming with examples, because I love all the songs for different reasons and it would, as I said, take years to explain why.
When it comes to rhythmical interplay, I must disagree, even though I haven't heard all the details yet. There are far more exciting things on other songs, like for instance Pyramid song (of the top of my head).There might be more exciting bass lines on TKOL though...But the drums are fairly boring, and stay the same all through the songs, though very groovy :)
I never said Ok Computer did strike me right away, it took me some time to like that one too. And I think 98% of everything they have done from PH to IR has that grace feeling and brilliance. TKOL might get there, but I have a feeling it will take me way shorter time to decipher and figure out, and than a lot of the thrill is gone for me. Hm... But... Again.. I love different Radiohead songs for different reasons. I love Pop is Dead for it's brilliant gitar solo and "devil-may-care" attitude and "2+2=5 for all it's different parts, and "Sail to the moon" for the lovely feeling of being in the middle of the night and the amazing presence that has, I love Kid A(Kid A) for the beautiful spider web of sounds and well calculated beeps and squeaks. Did I make myself clearer? :) I am a tiny bit enthusiastic about this topic. And sorry for being off topic to this thread!

New Music: The King of Limbs - Radiohead

Every time there is a new Radiohead album this happens to me, I know that it's coming and I am not looking forward to it.

It's been like this since Kid A, I think. The first 4-15 times I listen to the album I don't really like it. I kind of hate it to be honest.

And this comes from a woman who has Radiohead's music in her heart-blood and brain core.

And I know that after a while the pieces of the puzzles will fall into their place and I will start to love them all like little babies, one after the other. I love the fact that it's music that I can dig into for years and still find new stuff, but at the same time it's a horrible process to get that far. This time I am also more scared that I have been in years.

To be very honest, I wonder what Ed O'Brien has been doing through most of the recording of this album. As a first listen a lot of the songs sounded like they could come from a Thom Yorke solo album.
I miss the layers upon layers of guitars, guitars in general and Mr. J. Greenwood's influence of the music. And I missed the brilliant arrangements and the excitement of different parts (On songs like Arpeggi, 2+2=5, All I need etc ). It all turned me quite sad.

Thankfully it is now slowly getting better. I am starting to see snippets of things I love here and there... Hear details that I know comes from them all, or I at least believe so.
I am starting to get used to the idea of an Radiohead album that is this stripped down. It took me some time. It also helped a lot to imagine the songs being played live in my head. That adds a energy that I think is somewhat lacking.

Pieces of brilliance that I have found so far includes: Codex in general, except a bit of a boring piano riff, the amazing first long tone that Thom sings, it's almost like Liam Gallagher on his best, there is some kind of double depth to the voice. Last night that song made me get chills for the first time, that must be a good sign.

I love that there are guitars coming in on Separator just when the song is starting to become so boring that I almost want to turn it off. That's a tiny piece heaven right there.

I love the middle section of Bloom in opposition to the rest of the song. I can hear a lot of Greenwood solo stuff there somehow. And I love Thom Yorke, but I want them both.
In general there is a lot of lovely groovy drums and bass playing, but it could have been even more exciting and in different time figures and stuff. Hm. But I am getting there.

Starting to love the guitars and rhythms on MorningMrMagpie also now. hm...
And I have loved LittleByLittle since the start.


Darn it. I am loving more and more of this. I think I am getting there again. It seamed impossible 24 hours ago. Sigh :)

And I really want to hear an interview with them now.

Are you now thinking. Radiohead? New album? where and what? You can click here

New Music: Matthew Kilford

Putting on Matthew Kilford's song "Zurich" feels like a movie starts in your head. In my head I walk through the door on the front of his album cover and into a room where the light falls in from the side and the window is open to a late summer evening. It's something very comforting, beautiful and peaceful about it. At the same time your heart and head catches that there is a little undertone of something a bit more sad underneath it all.

Kilford's guitar playing is just wonderful and spins around like some kind of nice little machine in the background, and I mean machine in a nice way. I am not sure exactly what kind of machine it is, but I think it is made of silver and is quite elegant and pleasant. In short, great guitar playing.

But most of all, what caught my ear, was this brilliant voice. It has it's own very clear beautiful, emotional and sweet tone, but also remind me of such great men as Simon and Garfunkel, Jeff Buckley (when he's calm, Jeff that is) and last, but not least Andy Yorke, brother of the more famous Thom. And when I tell you that Matthew also is from Oxford,it shouldn't be surprising as all good things to seam to come from there these days, at least Oxfordshire. Sorry, I apparently don't know my English shires :)There is someone else he also very much remind me of in the singing department, but I am totally unable to pin point it right now. But it's someone I really like, so a compliment.

Don't let this chance pass you, good people. Let's make this man get the fame he deserves. Why don't you start with the one on the bottom of this post. It has an truly great contrast between the verses and the refrain. I think we need to see this man live in Norway soon too.

And I haven't even gotten far enough to listen to the lyrics for real yet, but enough to know that it's beautiful. For me that is a bit like unwrapping a gift slowly.

My Space
Spotify
Youtube
Twitter

Tv memories: Sunday morning cartoons

Me and my boyfriend started this Sunday morning with talk of the cartoons we used to watch as a child on Sunday mornings. We searched our way through many delights on YouTube and I made you a little list of the highlights. Do you remember any of these? Are they just popular in Norway or/and Holland? These are my memories from late 80's and the early 90's at least, hope you like it :) Everything from Rag doll Anna (Tøydukke Anna) to Zorro. They were not all on on Sundays, but I hope you will forgive me for that. And they are not strictly all cartoons, but they all give me that sneaking up in the morning to watch cartoons feeling :)

Friday Fun: Scandinavia and the World - webcomic

Awesome Hats by *humon on deviantART

And then it's time for another Friday Fun post! I have been looking forward to this all week, since around last Sunday when my darling showed me this one. It's a webcomic with characters based on all the different countries around the world. Mostly it's seen from a Scandinavian point of view, but there are others from all over the world quite often turning up too. As a Norwegian I laugh my head of and I think the writer has really nailed how the Scandinavian countries relate to each other: The organized Swede, the happy-go-lucky Norwegians, the drunk under the table Danish. Finland and Iceland are very often included too, but remember boys and girls, they are not Scandinavian countries :) Other frequent characters is USA, King EU, Germany and Nazi-Germany. Under you will find some of my favorites, just use the arrows on the top of the page to navigate to the next comic

Direct link to the page.
Some of my favourites:
not-a-yahtzee
nordics-like-fish
mixed-feelings
computer-technician
damn-kids
the-north-sea-lotto
come-and-get-it-big-boy
christmas-traditions
Metal

New Music: Spring Offensive

As I said last week, all good things seam to come from Oxford these days, and here is another example. If my Last.fm related artists radios keeps giving me such great stuff again and again, I think I might be addicted to "the Oxford-sound".

Spring Offensive is one of those bands who just made me go "Wow, this is great stuff" over and over again to my poor boyfriend. I just had to tell someone. The vocals are great, the way the guitars lines line up with each other is just beautiful. The bass and drums makes me want to get on my feet and groove to the beat in songs like "A Let Down". Over all there is just a great intensity in everything they do, that make me sit up in my chair and listen every time they randomly comes over my stereo. That intensity also comes through in the videos and seeing the videos for "Every coin" and "A Let Down" really did it for me. I want to see these guys live now! Apparently they are famous for one of the most touring bands in Britain, maybe they will jump on a ferry and go to Norway one of these days! If you look at the last clip of this blog post, you understand why. Great stuff.

Spotify link to Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive's Home page

Youtube videos:

Great songs: Odd Nordstoga - Borga i Ur

Somewhere between 5 and 10 years old, when we were all free and single, all my best friends gathered together for one great weekend in the mountains in a cabin. As we "wushed" by waterfalls and mountains, cliffs and was slowly climbing higher, one of my friends started talking about this new great records he had bought and it turned out to be Odd Norstogas album "Luring". Odd somehow managed to fusion his folk music background with all kinds of folk from over the world and hit the Norwegians directly in the heart. On a gas station my friend bought the CD, and we couldn't have had more perfect for this trip. It and the landscape just fitted so perfectly with the whole idea of being Norwegian and felt so much like home somehow. We first of all listened to the hit and single of the CD quite a lot, but whenever "Borga i Ur" came on, something would happen and I have had the experience that this happens to other people I have played it for later as well. People go very quiet and get goosebumps and is amazed by the brilliant arrangement. The song is about some kind of Mideastern pre-biblical or biblical society. This part of history is not my strongest side, so read more about Ur, if you want to. The magic for me in the arrangement is the way the violins sneak up under you, under that beautiful voice and guitar. It's so big, so magical.. Listen with good stereo or headphones!

Spotify link to Odd Nordstoga - Borga i Ur

Youtube video with brief translation of the lyrics:

Great musicians: Elliott Smith - The pianist

Time to continue my Great musicians series. One of the artistes who has absolutely meant the most to me in my life so far, is the brilliant Elliott Smith. Pages upon pages have been written about Elliott and his depression and possible suicide. But enough about that for now, instead I am going to focus on the extraordinary good musician he was and through a series of clips and blog posts I am gonna give you a peak into that.
I start the series up with giving you two clips that portrays Elliott the pianist and at the same time the positive Elliott, and that he could be very happy and cheerful. Among other things he does a brilliant moonwalk. He also play some Rachmaninov, famous as one of the hardest things to play on piano ever. Being a classically trained pianist myself, I am so impressed with his technique too. It just look so effortless. This is a man who as considered a child prodigy on piano, and you can tell. Turned out that he could do most other things in music too, he plays all of the instruments on his albums most of the time, but more of that in the next parts.
Here he is in the studio:



The songs he were playing here were the intro for a cover of the The Beatles song "Because", "Figure 8" and "Everything means nothing to me" Only the last one has been released. One of my favorites when it comes to great arrengments

And here he is playing Rachmaninov:

Great songs: Nickel Creek - The Lighthouse's Tale

A few years ago I wanted to explore a bit of American folk music style music and I found the great Nickel Creek thanks to a last.fm radio. I love they way they use the traditional instruments and the amazing mandolin playing of Chris Thile. Nickel Creek no longer exists as a band, but I have kept listening to them on my mp3 player. I always loved the feel and melody of the song "The Lighthouse's Tale", but in true style of me, I didn't really listen that closely to the lyrics until I was on the way to work a few months ago. It really hit a chord with me and I almost started crying on the bus. Today has been a day of talk about American singer/songwriter/folk music that tells good tales (since Fleet Foxes is coming to Norway's greatest music festival)and in that light I though I would share this great song with you. It's the story seen from the perspective of a lighthouse, and I like that. The video is quite horrible, so I think I would just listen to it without watching, if I were you.

These are the lyrics:

I am a lighthouse, worn by the weather and the waves.
I keep my lamp lit, to warn the sailors on their way.

I'll tell a story, paint you a picture from my past.
I was so happy, but joy in this life seldom lasts.

I had a keeper, he helped me warn the ships at sea.
We had grown closer, 'till his joy meant everything to me.

And he was to marry, a girl who shone with beauty and light.
And they loved each other, and with me watched the sunsets into night.

And the waves crashing around me, the sand slips out to sea.
And the winds that blow remind me, of what has been, and what can never be.

She'd had to leave us, my keeper he prayed for a safe return.
But when the night came, the weather to a raging storm had turned.

He watched her ship fight, but in vain against the wild and terrible wave.
In me so helpless, as dashed against the rock she met her end.

And the waves crashing around me, the sand slips out to sea.
And the winds that blow remind me, of what has been, and what can never be.

Then on the next day, my keeper found her washed up on the SHORE.
He kissed her cold face, that they'd be together soon he'd swore.

I saw him crying, watched as he buried her in the sand.
And then he climbed my tower, and off of the edge of me he ran.

And the waves crashing around me, the sand slips out to sea.
And the winds that blow remind me, of what has been, and what can never be.

I am a lighthouse, worn by the weather and the waves.
And though I am empty, I still warn the sailors on their way.

And this is the video:

New Music: The Winchell Riots

Sometimes it seams like all the good music in the world comes from one great place. And the last few days it's been all Oxford for me. First of all with the great Radiohead of course, but then I also remembered that other favourites of mine Youthmovies are also from Oxford. I was sad to read that Youthmovies have decided to split up, but at the same time I found a remix they had done and of course had to listen to the band that they had remixed. And oh hey ho and hallo!! hehe. I am in love with The Winchell Riots, maybe I won't be in a few days or tomorrow, but the first impression is just over the moon, and that is very seldom that I will say that! It in many ways remind me of some kind of Radiohead light, it has that great vocal and the great guitars and the fantastic rhythm and vibe. Oh yes, I love this.

I will come back with more detailed descriptions later, if I keep loving them as much as this and that is very likely :) But for now, I give you these links:
Spotify

And here are tons of clips from YouTube, I am still exploring myself. But so far I have loved every note. So let's enjoy!

Great live: R.E.M at La Blogothéque

Again I realized that I thought I had blogged about this a long time ago and had not. I have written a little about the great La Blogothéque before however and their "Les Concerts A Emporter" (The take-away concerts). It's a French concept and is basically to film artists and bands playing live while they move from one place to another, or sometimes in very strange and unexpected places with little equipment. It's an amazing idea, because it brings people a little out of their comfort zone and you have to be a great artist to do this:) The first one of these I saw was of Beirut (I have to blog more about that sometime soon) and I have blogged about Andrew Bird and Phoenix in that setting too (You can read those posts here La Blogothéque)Oh, and yes, the site is in French and I have no idea what it says, I kinda like it like that.

But, back to R.E.M. The collaboration between La Blogothéque and R.E.M gave 5 amazing videos. I don't even know what to write about them without going on for 3 hours, so more than anything it's something you should just see and experience yourself. It's a extremely special feel to the whole thing, and you feel like you are literally sent of to a late evening in Athens, Georgia somehow. Makes me long for summer and remember those evenings when you just take your friends and a car and just drive randomly around and see what you can find and experience. I miss that.

My favourite of the 5 clips is "Living Well Is The Best Revenge" I think. Look at that amazing joy of playing even though they are showed up all in a tiny car. And what great bass technique! I also love "Sing for the Submarine"", because of it's use of effects (a silo!) and the whole vibe of the apartment in "On the Fly". I love that Michael Stipe still smokes a little and needs lyrics when he sings. To many songs written by now for one little head.. Sigh! I love all of it. Oh yes, and I love how it's filmed (entirely?) in one take most of it. That gives an amazing flow to it all. Anyways, good people, click on the link and enjoy:

R.E.M on La Blogothéque
(and cranck it up to HD if you can)(Or click below)


#89.1 - R.E.M. - Until the day is done
Uploaded by lablogotheque. - See the latest featured music videos.


#89.2 - R.E.M. - Living well is the best revenge
Uploaded by lablogotheque. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.


#89.3 - R.E.M. - On the fly
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#89.4 - R.E.M. - Houston
Uploaded by lablogotheque. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.


#89.5 - R.E.M. - Sing for the Submarine
Uploaded by lablogotheque. - See the latest featured music videos.