Laura at Immanuel Presbyterian

Just this past Monday I saw Laura Marling live at Immanuel Presbyterian. I got there early and had a seat in the second row. On my way to get in line, a blond girl exited the side of the church. I thought, hey she almost looks like--it's Laura! I walked right past her--about a foot away. I didn't say anything because I didn't know what I would say. So I smiled, satisfied, knowing that I had seen her off stage.

When it's a concert like this, with no band, my favorite part becomes the new songs. One in particular was quite beautiful. And someone--bless them--recorded it. Make sure you listen to the lyrics.

I've been up late with the night birds,
begging the dawn not to come.
Oh how I don't want to leave you
so much I can't hardly bear.
I have some things I must tend to.
Would you stay as you are lying there?

You are too much a man
to let go.
I am too much a woman
not to know.

Kissing the rain off your shoulders
answering questions with stares
holding my chest like I'm a wild horse
running my hands through your hair.
The sun kicks the moon off the mountain.
That is my cue to leave
The long tears of women are silent
so they don't wake those who sleep

You are too much a man to let go.
I am too much a woman not to know

I'm coming to get you
hoping that you haven't changed your mind, baby
Be mine.

So intimate. It's enough to make me wonder if she has a new man in her life. But it could just as easily be a new book with her. I love that line "answering questions with stares." The other new song she played is here.

Arctic Monkeys, you rock my world

I saw them in concert last night. This is the second or third time I've seen them live and it was the best yet. They even played my favorite song! (well, there's more than one, but this one for sure) Alex wore a glittery copper blazer, with his 50's greaser hair, skinny black pants, pinky ring, and what were probably Beatle boots. He spent the evening moving to the music with twisting feet and jutting hips. When I think of trying to describe how good he looked, how sexy he is, I mostly come up with phrases involving expletives, so I'm not gonna try.

LM at the Masonic Lodge in Hollywood Forever Cemetery

This was my view last night:

2nd row center. It was just Laura and her guitar. It was as wonderful as you might expect. I look forward to her coming back to promote Once I Was an Eagle (which drops next Tues). Listen to the full album stream here. So good.

Laura Marling

New album May 28

 

beautiful, as always

Franz

Photo by Andrew Youssef via Stereogum

I spent last night at a fabulous Franz Ferdinand concert. They're definitely one of my favorite live acts, and of the four concerts of theirs I've been to, this is in the top two (it's hard to say whether this one or Royal Albert Hall was better). It's impossible not to move with their music. It was a relatively small venue, and the crowd had fabulous energy (they/we were obviously passionate about Franz Ferdinand). There was lots of dancing and jumping and singing along. And Franz themselves were in fine form. They sounded great. There were moments of improvising and riffs. And then there's Alex's personality--kicks and dramatic faces and dancing that make me smile. They played a lot of songs I've never heard before, which I'm guessing will be on their forthcoming album. (and I'm assuming they'll be back to promote it!) It's not always fun to hear songs you don't know, but I liked every new song I heard. During Take Me Out, the whole crowd was stomping, jumping so that you felt the beats of the song reverberate through your body. Also, opening act the Palma Violets weren't bad.

Take Me Out


Take Me Out with a view of the audience


Can't Stop Feeling & Outsiders, complete with drum orgy


This Fire (which ruins the album version b/c it will never live up to the speed and intensity of the live version)



I love them so much.

Happy Birthday Ludwig

So the last movement of Beethoven's 9th is 24 minutes long. The only videos are divided into parts:







Freude! And Happy Birthday to Jane Austen, too--it's a good day for the arts.

Awake My Soul

Went to see Mumford and Sons at the Hollywood Bowl last night. Fantastic. Can we do that again tomorrow?

A few highlights:

The Hollywood Bowl. It was such a great setting for Mumford & Sons. They had these lights that gave it an outdoor, backyard kind of performance. And on quieter songs, that were mostly just acoustic with harmony, you could sit down, and look at the stars (which, incidentally were brighter/easier to see there than in the city). It would have been a great concert to be at w/a bf.

The harmonies. Live, I could hear (and see) the harmonies much more clearly.Many songs have 4 part harmonies.

The instruments. I loved seeing a banjo player, and a bass player rocking out with three horn players. They also have a great fiddle player on tour with them. I enjoyed seeing what instruments were brought out for each song.

The guy who said to me, "I think it's cool as f*** that you came by yourself."

That they closed with a cover of With a Little Help from My Friends.

All the dancing, fun, silliness that went on when they played "With a Little Help from My Friends" and "Awake My Soul" with the Angeleno band, Dawes.

After the concert, "Come Together" played in the background, and many audience members sang along as they made their way to the exits.






If you're a Mumford & Sons fan, don't miss this.

Singles of 2011

"Lonley Boy" by The Black Keys
This was tough because I like to only have 1 single per group, but the Black Keys had two stellar singles from two different albums this year. (The other was "Howlin for You" from Brothers). It took me a long time to get with the program (Tighten Up deserved a place in last year's list), but now I'm hooked on the Black Keys. Sometimes all you wanna hear is some good old-fashioned guitar-driven rock n roll. How they got put in the Alternative category of the Grammys I'll never know.


"Rolling in the Deep" by Adele
Fantastic. She has that fabulous voice, and then you add a great a beat, some soul, and a song that isn't just some characterless pop song. I also love Rumour Has It, Someone Like You, and Turning Tables.


"Young Blood" by The Naked and Famous
A new band from New Zealand with a unique sound chracteristic of new electronic trends in alternative music.


"If You Wanna" by The Vaccines
The Vaccines worked on stripping down songs to the essentials. The result? Irresistible, simple rock songs like this. I dare you to resist.


"Holocene" by Bon Iver
beautiful. And the video was shot in what looks a bit like paradise to me: Iceland.


"Hellcat Spangled Shalalala" by Arctic Monkeys
A laid back 60s summer afternoon. My favorite songs from the new album? Suck It And See, That's Where You're Wrong, and Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair. This song has an interest factor that landed it on the list.



"We Found Love" by Rihanna
One of her best.


"Lotus Flower" by Radiohead
Whatever Radiohead comes up with next, it's usually interesting. Though I always skip 2 tracks on the disappointingly short album, I like the single--and I even like the video in all its Thom Yorke weirdness.


"Sophia" by Laura Marling
Laura continues to evolve in her sound and mature in her music and her presence. "Sophia" is indicative of a new twang and hint of blues that was introduced on the new album.


"Cruel" by St. Vincent
Weird, interesting, original. And I wanted to put someone new on the list. I think my favorite song from the album is Strange Mercy, but this is the single, alors voila quoi.




Honorable Mention

"Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People


"Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes


"Still Life" by the Horrors


"Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga


"Super Bass" by Nicki Minaj
If you want to listen to this one without swearing or seeing scantily clad people, go here.


"Midnight City" by M83



Notably missing: Coldplay (one word: bleagh ;-D actually the album is okay, but no more than okay.)