Jessie Ware

Jessie Ware - Devotion - 2012 - Island

Devotion received general acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 85, based on 27 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". Mike Diver of BBC Music wrote, "Devotion is the sort of sophisticated, soulful pop record that comes along all too rarely, a collection that never hides the heart on its sleeve. Down-tempo it may be, but no listener will come away downcast. Overlook the relatively low chart positions for Running and 110%, as they're hardly indicative of the quality on display. Ware never stretches for an out-of-reach note; she never gives her songs over to hyperbole or bombast. Throughout, there is a well-measured, well-mannered elegance that engages with more efficiency than many an artist dressing their material up as The Next Big Thing. There's nothing 'next' about Ware: she's here, now, and superb". Tim Jonze of The Guardian wrote, "Sophisticated, smooth and sensual, in the wrong hands Devotion could easily have been a footnote in the New Boring movement, that vibrant strain of youth culture that has already given us Emeli Sandé, Adele and Bruce Springsteen concerts that wrestle with the spacetime continuum itself. Yet Jessie Ware's debut album is saved by one fact: for all her album's poise and restraint, dance music clearly runs through this 27-year-old south Londoner's veins. Throughout Devotion you're never told to sit up and pay attention. Instead it quietly works its magic, a genuinely individual statement by an artist who didn't expect to become a pop star, but might struggle to stop it happening anyway – after all, the groove is in her heart". At the end of 2012, The Guardian named Jessie Ware's Devotion number 3 of Best Albums of 2012, saying "Ware brought disparate fragments together to make something almost seamless. In doing so she made a record that was both classy but accessible. She was nominated for the Mercury prize and her songs were featured in the TV coverage of our golden summer of sport". – Wiki

A handful of collaborations released during 2010 and 2011 hinted at Jessie Ware's range and potential. The singer outclassed her fellow vocalists on SBTRKT's SBTRKT and Joker's The Vision; she displayed exquisite restraint on the former's "Right Thing to Do," while she had her way with the latter's lancing title track. Along with the two low-key 2011 singles, "Valentine" and "Strangest Feeling," there were indications that Ware was capable of making something like Devotion -- an album of uncommon depth, a sophisticated but stimulating hybrid of pop, soul, and adult contemporary. Ware works extensively with Dave Okumu, Julio Bashmore, and Kid Harpoon, but it's Okumu -- a member of the Invisible, as well as an affiliate of Bugz in the Attic and Matthew Herbert -- who is most responsible for helping Ware prance across the tightrope that comes with making subtle, sophisticated music. Ware's voice is an instant draw. Her whispers are as powerful as her wails. Whenever the lyrics read like they're aiming for the profound but appear hollow, she rescues them with elegance and power impressive enough to astound any of the elders to whom she has been compared -- Alison Moyet, Annie Lennox, Sade Adu, and Lisa Stansfield included. Take the weakest link, "No to Love"; the repeated exasperation "Who says no to love?" seems utterly ridiculous, but the delivery fits into the all-consuming heartache that is alternately concealed and exposed throughout the set's duration. If this isn't the album of the year, it's at least the art-pop album of the year, or the neo-sophisti-pop album of the year, or -- beside Frank Ocean's Channel Orange -- the alternative R&B album of the year. As far as "proper music" from the U.K. is considered, it belongs in a class with Roxy Music's Avalon, Sade's Diamond Life, the Blue Nile's Hats, and Caron Wheeler's UK Blak. © Andy Kellman © 2013 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/devotion-mw0002347154

This is not an age of great subtlety in dance pop, generally speaking, but just try telling that to Jessie Ware. As a featured vocalist on last year's SBTRKT album, the 26-year-old U.K. singer turned heads with her understated style. She perfects that approach on this set of elegant synth ballads, confiding hopes and heartbreaks in tones that command attention without ever chewing the scenery. By & © SIMON VOZICK-LEVINSON SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 © 2013 Rolling Stone; Jann S. Wenner, editor and publisher http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/devotion-20120921

In its review of “Devotion”, Clash called Jessie "the missing link between Adele, SBTRKT and Sade" and hailed it as "a strong and accomplished debut”. Idolator named it one of the best albums of 2012. Jessie is reminiscent of the polished, 80’s soulful neo-jazz pop sound of genuinely talented vocalists like Sade, Rosie Vela, and Lisa Stansfield and also a refreshing change from the overmarketed, autotuned, asexual, gaga-ized, and hammer licking brigade who are lauded as superstars in the fake, plastic music industry today. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 100 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Devotion - Ware, Okumu 3:24
2 Wildest Moments - Ware, Tom Hull 3:42
3 Running - Ware, Bashmore, Baptista 4:28
4 Still Love Me - Ware, Okumu 3:56
5 No to Love - Okumu 3:33
6 Night Light - Ware, Hull, Okumu 4:13
7 Swan Song - Ware, Okumu 3:43
8 Sweet Talk - Ware, Bashmore, Dockrill Okumu, Bashmore 3:37
9 110% - Ware, Bashmore 3:27
10 Taking in Water - Ware, Hull 4:27
11 Something Inside - Ware, Archer, Dockrill 3:34

MUSICIANS

Dave Okumu - Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Synthesizer, Drums, Finger Snaps, Rap, Background Vocals
Kid Harpoon - Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion
Robin Mullarkey - Guitar, Piano, Cello
Lexxx - Synthesizer Bass
Leo Taylor - Drums
Jessie Ware - Vocals

BIO (WIKI)

Jessica Lois "Jessie" Ware (born 15 October 1984)[2][3] is a British singer-songwriter signed to PMR Records and best known for her 2012 single "Wildest Moments". She has sung vocals for Joker, and for SBTRKT in concert and on their recordings. In its review of her debut album, Devotion, Clash called Jessie "the missing link between Adele, SBTRKT and Sade" and hailed it as "a strong and accomplished debut" while Idolator named it one of the best albums of 2012. Ware was born in Queen Charlotte’s Hospital in Hammersmith, London, and was raised in Clapham, South London. She is the daughter of Helena (née Keell), a social worker, and John Ware, a BBC Panorama reporter, who divorced when she was 10, and the younger sister of actress Hannah Ware. Her mother has been a big support in starting her musical career and Jessie considers her as "her hero", saying "She brought up my sister, brother and me with so much love and fun and always told me I could do anything I want." Ware was raised Jewish. Ware shared a flat with Felix White of The Maccabees and is also friends with Adele. Ware was educated at Alleyn's School, a co-educational independent school in Dulwich in South London, followed by the University of Sussex, where she took a degree in English Literature. After her studies, she briefly worked as a journalist at The Jewish Chronicle, did sports journalism at The Daily Mirror and worked behind the scenes at TV company Love Productions. There she was a colleague of Erika Leonard, otherwise known as E. L. James, the author of Fifty Shades of Grey. In the years prior to releasing her first solo album, Ware did the backing vocals on live gigs for Jack Peñate and Man Like Me. Ware said she learned a lot during the period of being backing vocal for Jack Peñate: "Performing with him was really good training, because I got to learn all about how other people do it – I was able to perform live without the pressure of being a lead singer. It gave me a taste of what to expect, and it prepared me for what I’m doing now." It was Peñate who started up her music career, taking her on tour in America as his backing vocalist, while his bandmate Tic introduced her to SBTRKT. Ware and SBTRKT collaborated on 'Nervous' (2010). She consequently met Sampha, best known as SBTRKT's main collaborator and live member. They created "Valentine" together, which was released on a special edition, heart-shaped vinyl by Young Turks in 2011. "Valentine" was partly inspired by James Blake's song "The Wilhelm Scream" and based on their own personal experiences in love. The music video for Valentine was directed by Marcus Söderlund. On 14 October 2011, Ware released her debut solo single "Strangest Feeling" on limited 10" purple vinyl. The song did not chart in the UK. She then released "Running" on 24 February 2012, as the lead single from her debut studio album Devotion. "110%" was released as the album's second single on 13 April, the song peaked at number 61 in the UK. "Wildest Moments" was released as the album's third single on 29 June, the song peaked at number 46 in the UK. Ware reckons the proudest moment of her career was hearing 'Wildest Moments' accompanying a television montage of highlights from Andy Murray's dramatic third-round win at Wimbledon. On 20 August 2012, she released her debut album Devotion, which peaked at number 5 on the UK Albums Chart. "Night Light" was released as the fourth single on 24 August. On 11 September, Devotion was announced as a nominee for the prestigious Mercury Prize. In late 2012 the song titled "110%" had to be changed to "If You're Never Gonna Move" due to legal problems with the clearance of a sample of "Dream Shatterer" by Big Punisher, which was an integral part of the song (the title itself was a play on another of Big Punisher's tracks, "100%"). "If You're Never Gonna Move" contains a similar-sounding sample instead. In the early part of March 2013, Ware toured in the UK, supported by Laura Mvula, starting with Cambridge, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Oxford, Bristol and ending in London. The UK tour was followed by a European tour in the second half of March 2013 and a US tour in April 2013. In the summer of 2013, Ware played many festivals all over the world. "Nervous", "Valentine" and an additional collaboration with DJ Joker ("The Vision") led Ware to a record deal with PMR Records. She also participated on Ceremonials (2011), an album by Florence and the Machine, where her good friend Florence Welch is lead singer.

Heather Greene

Heather Greene - Five Dollar Dress - 2006 - Wildflower Records

Heather’s slow and steady rise amongst the ranks of New York musicians is now gathering momentum like the slow and steady burn of the sun towards noon. With a bittersweet collection of original material that slowly envelopes the listener into her slo-mo world of layered soundscapes, she has charmed enough of her hometown over the past two years to sell out high-profile clubs in New York City such as Joe’s Pub, Tonic, Southpaw and the Living Room. Her tunes slowly slip into your consciousness, leaving you to feel like you’ve just driven down a lonely highway with a lover you’ve just met but never imagined you’d end up sleeping with night after night. WNYC proclaimed her “New York’s Best Kept Secret” and publications like Time Out New York, The New York Post, and The Village Voice all praise her music and continually recommend her performances to those wishing to hear live music. Rolling Stone France just gave her CD three stars and radio DJs at top stations are gently waking up to her lush compositions © http://www.bhm-music.de/bhm/en/artists.php?upc=090204899883&PHPSESSID=5022a73c588ca1b41bb57533408e9805&s_name=21&PHPSESSID=5022a73c588ca1b41bb57533408e9805

At once sexy and innocent, romantic yet a tiny bit sarcastic, bold yet dreamy, Heather’s songs contain a duality of opposites that capture moments in time otherwise lost by busy lives and hurried heads. “I want this music, like my own career, to grow and last.” Guitars, strings, upright Bass, drums and, other sounds are layered upon her piano-driven compositions by incredible colleagues like Bill Frisell and the Tosca String Quartet. Each musical part uncovers mini-stories unto themselves, revealed after many listenings. Her intimate cover of the Cars “Just What I Needed” indicates a sense of play and sexiness, and has prompted at least two reporters to call her “daring.” Like so many musicians who are coming out of the New York City scene, Heather’s songs teeter on a mix of Jazz, pop, folk and even a bit of country. © http://www.bhm-music.de/bhm/en/artists.php?upc=090204899883&PHPSESSID=5022a73c588ca1b41bb57533408e9805&s_name=21&PHPSESSID=5022a73c588ca1b41bb57533408e9805

An album that grows on you after a few listens. An attractive, intelligent and subtle blend of jazz, pop, country, electronica and folk. Buy Heather's "Sweet Otherwise" album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Just What I Needed - Ric Ocasek
2. Not Exactly - Heather Greene
3. I Wrote Your Name - Heather Greene
4. Hold Me Down - Heather Greene, Tony Salvatore
5. When You Drive - Heather Greene, Tony Salvatore
6. Daybreak - Heather Greene
7. 1000 Lights - Heather Greene
8. Saving Goodbye - Heather Greene
9. I Wanna Thank You - Heather Greene
10. Looking Glass - Heather Greene
11. Five Dollar Dress - Heather Greene

MUSICIANS

Heather Greene - Piano, Wurlitzer, Vocals
Bill Frisell, Tony Salvatore - Guitar
Jon Hyde - Pedal Steel Guitar
Keith Lowe - Bass
Ron Weinstein - Hammond B3
Eric Eagle - Drums
Tucker Martine - Percussion
Steve Moore - Celeste, Vibes, Pump Organ
Tosca String Quartet - Viola, Cello, Violin, Woodwind
Eyvand Kang - Viola

BIO

As one of the world’s only female Scotch whisky experts, Heather Greene has quite an intriguing life. Heather was already building her career as a singer/songwriter of international acclaim when she discovered her passion for what has since become her “day job”. After selling out venues in New York, Paris, London and Berlin with her beautiful and thoughtful record “Five Dollar Dress,” which she recorded with critically acclaimed guitarist Bill Frisell and for which she received a rave reviews in media outlets such Rolling Stone and the BBC, Heather moved to Scotland in 2006 for some space and quiet. It was there, during a break from the quickly changing music industry that Heather discovered a zeal for whisky. Noticing the similarities between these two forms of craftsmanship and the passions of those who create both whisky and music, she threw herself into the world of Scotch, and her voyage of discovery led her to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Edinburgh, where, as the first American woman to be invited to serve on the tasting panel. Heather has since joined William Grant and Sons as a Whisky Ambassador and Scotch specialist for Glenfiddich, the worlds most awarded and top-selling Single Malt Scotch. It was also while Heather was in Scotland crafting her second album, Sweet Otherwise, that an elderly man offered her a century-old piano – a relic that has became a constant companion and inspiration. Recorded when she returned to New York in 2008, Sweet Otherwise evokes lush, pastoral landscapes as potently as it captures the urban pulse of a vibrant city, weaving a kaleidoscopic array of musical elements – from classic 1960s-era folk to twangy country to textural electronica to upbeat, hooky 80s pop – into a distinctive sound. All Music Guide wrote that it was one of the “best records of 2009″ and NBC New York wrote that her music is a blend of “Dido, Elliot Smith and Massive Attack.” Drummer and longtime musical companion Mino Gori appears on several tracks. Guitarists Bernie Reilly and Brad Craig and keyboardist and producer Dennis Martin, also make cameos. Heather is equally comfortable in the worlds of whisky and music and often combines the two. From working on her new album, to performing in front of rooms filled with Scotch enthusiasts or music lovers, she has broken the mold by demonstrating these crafts to audiences around the world in a passionate, serious and thoughtful way. Heather was raised in both Detroit and rural Massachusetts. She moved to New York after college where she got her start singing jazz standards in clubs throughout the city. But she soon fell in with an experimental musical crowd that inspired her to write her own work. Her debut album, Five Dollar Dress, an ambitious exercise in country-kissed chamber pop, was released in 2005. Each of its elaborately crafted songs reveals hard-edged street smarts, an undercurrent of emotional vulnerability and a winking sense of irony, from the album’s only cover, a sultry rendition of the Cars’ “Just What I Needed” to the rootsy, rambling, Gothic-spiked “Not Exactly.” The album placed her firmly within the New York art music scene. It featured guitarist Bill Frisell, Steven Barber and the Tosca String Quartet and it was produced by Tucker Martine. Heather wrote most of the album while working at Tonic, the now shuttered downtown club that was a stomping ground for the creative music linchpins, like Laurie Anderson, Cecil Taylor, Yoko Ono and Bjork. As a bartender there for several years , she spent her night shifts hobnobbing with industry insiders and the daytime composing songs on the club’s piano. It was at Tonic that she formed the network that connected her with the distinguished musicians who would record with her on “Five Dollar Dress.” Heather’s songs are the product of an artist who’s well-traveled and has a profound understanding of people’s relationships with home, both as a comfort zone and a space that can alienate. Her musings on how people relate to others – and themselves – take shape in her lyrics, and she makes even deeply felt intangibles of the heart sound at once beguiling and refreshing. Heather is also co-producer, writer and singer, for a new Electronic Synth Pop project called “Argon40″ which released 4 double-A singles this year in the UK. The catchy electronic pop duo is well on its way to success – within two months of a growing online buzz, Tom Robbinsons , tastemaker on BBC6 called her single “When the Words Don’t Come” one of the best singles of 2009. Zinc magazine compared the project to MGMT meets Goldfrapp. There are plans to bring Argon 40 to the USA in 2010. © http://heathergreene.com/?page_id=2

Laurence Juber

Laurence Juber - LJ Plays the Beatles, Vol. 2 - 2010 - Solid Air

Laurence Juber has done it again! LJ Plays The Beatles Vol. 2 is an album of 15 great Lennon-McCartney songs superbly arranged for solo guitar. The original LJ Plays The Beatles has become a true classic, showing up on virtually every list of all-time great acoustic guitar albums, and this one is just as great. Well, even "better" if you consider that it has 15 tracks to its predecessor's 14. This CD has been eagerly awaited by acoustic guitar fans around the world, and I am confident in predicting that it will be THE great acoustic guitar CD of 2010. The creativity in LJ's arrangement does full justice to some of the greatest songs ever written. Any one of his arrangements would be a masterpiece for most guitarists, and a set of 15 is nothing short of amazing. Several guitarists have recorded fine CDs of Beatle songs, but they hold a special place in LJ's heart. After all, he played in Wings along side Paul McCartney, and has recorded with George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Even a quick look through his long discography will show Beatles songs appearing on most of his albums. In each case the arrangements have a feeling and veracity that marks them as artistic creations in their own right while at the same time paying homage to the songwriters and their work. Penny Lane is a rousing start to the CD, with its bouncing bass and light-as-air melody. Beyond maintaining more of the original's music than might seem possible, LJ perfectly captures the feel of the song. The trumpet solo is a masterful combination of the actual trumpet part with the need for a full accompaniment. This is no mean feat, and I have heard a number of versions that fall down at this point either because they just play the trumpet part which leaves a huge gap in the song, or they play the solo in the trombone register which just sounds strange. One other cool touch is the very ending, where LJ plays the trumpet figure that was deleted from the final song and now shows up on the Rarities CD and Anthology 2. I hear it as sort of a "wink" to Beatles fans. Eleanor Rigby presents a real challenge to an arranger. While the chords are quite simple, the sound of the string players' bows "biting" into the strings is impossible to imitate with a guitar. Here LJ wisely picks up motives from the string parts and keeps them going during the verse, a technique so effective that you are liable to forget the original string arrangement. Of course this is aided by LJ's almost uncanny imitation of a cello, and his weaving of important violin and viola lines in with the melody. Another brilliant solution to a difficult problem. Drive My Car is a softer arrangement that brings out the songs R&B and bluesy sides. The solo is wonderful with a very nice imitation of slide guitar. Rather than fade out at the end, LJ adds a terrific little coda that builds to a definitive ending. Great fun! I came to Here, There and Everywhere with some trepidation. This is a song that I arranged years ago and will play whenever anyone is foolish enough to let me on a stage with a guitar. I still think mine sounds pretty good, but LJ adds some exquisite touches throughout the song that makes it his own.The little melodic flourishes, and even the way single notes are played, are simply beautiful. One of the Beatles' best played by one of the guitar's best. You Can't Do That was one of the real surprises for me. The original has such nice interplay between the guitars and one of John Lennon's most searing vocals. LJ presents the songs in a milder version that grows in intensity right through the solo, and then falls into an easier swing permeated throughout by that great riff. That and a perfect ending. You might think that Blackbird would be easy to play solo as it is mostly solo guitar and voice, but the guitar part actually moves pretty far afield of the melody for much of the song. LJ finds just the right balance between playing the original guitar part and staying true to the melody. The bluesy touches that he adds to the melody present it in a subtly new light, while the whole song sounds just effortless. A great one to just sit back and enjoy. From the very first note (and all guitarists will get the reference when they hear it) you know that I Feel Fine is going to be an authentic version. It's all there, the riffs, the lead solo, the great melody and the harmony. Everyone will enjoy this one, but the guitarists will be taking out their instruments to try to figure out just how LJ got all of this into the arrangement. (Don't worry, there will be a music / tab book of the CD coming out soon!) Dear Prudence is equally amazing. In addition to the beautiful melody we get John's fingerpicking guitar and George's great lead breaks all in one seamless presentation. This is one of my favourite tracks, an absolute gem.I gained a new respect for When I'm Sixty-Four last summer when I played it with my friend Markku Wainman at CAAS in Nashville. LJ manages to do things solo that we could not do with two guitars, and it sounds wonderful. Hats off to a stellar arranger and great guitarist! Please Please Me was another surprise and a real revelation for me. As it began I wondered why the opening riff was played so low, until I realized how it set off the melody when it entered. This song is like a short master class in building an effective arrangement. There are all sorts of masterful touches like the octaves in the guitar that appear in the middle, and the "backing vocals" played by slapping the chord behind the melody. I doubt I am the only one who had to listen to this one again right away. There is a lot to learn here, as well as to just enjoy. And speaking of building an arrangement, No Reply is another great one. LJ begins softly and builds in volume and richness on each successive verse. I would never have thought this song could sound so good on solo guitar. But if we are talking unlikely songs for solo guitar, is there one less likely than I Am The Walrus? This one is just incredible! There is so much in there, I can't imagine how LJ could have made it more authentic without actually reciting the snatches of dialogue from King Lear! A powerhouse. A tour de force. An unexpected delight is All I've Got To Do. This is not a song that you hear as often as other Beatles hits, but as this arrangement points up it has a beautiful melody and a characteristic atmosphere that is all its own. You are in for a real treat with this one. An inspired choice. Michelle seems to have entered America's consciousness again with Sir Paul's receiving the Gershwin Prize at the White House. LJ plays this beautiful song perfectly right through the guitar solo with a lush, luxuriant tone. When he breaks away into an inspired cadenza he breathes new life into the song that races to a climax before putting on the brakes to end with as much decorum as he started with. With the release of Let It Be - Naked the world was finally able to hear The Long And Winding Road as its composer meant it to sound. It reveals the beauty of the melody along with the very rich piano accompaniment, some of Paul McCartney's finest piano work. LJ manages to retain the beautifully rich harmonies while keeping the melody front and centre. All the fine touches are there in this captivating end to one of the finest collections of arrangements recorded. Yes this is a rave because this is one of those great CDs that come along all too rarely. The combination of one of the world's very finest guitarists and arrangers with some of the greatest songs ever written has resulted in this most magnificent album. Don't take my word for it. Buy it and hear it for yourself. You will not regret your purchase. It is simply sensational! You can buy this fantastic CD from Acoustic Music Resource (http://www.acousticmusicresource.com/cat.php?cPath=7) OR from :Amazon.com © 2010 David Walker http://www.davewalkermusic.com/page2/LJ_BeatlesVol2.html

People are forever making lists of "All Time Greatest Guitarists", and "Best Guitarists Of All Time". Guaranteed, there is always somebody omitted from these lists who deserve a high ranking, and Laurence Juber is one of those guitarists. "LJ Plays the Beatles, Vol. 2" is a brilliant solo acoustic guitar arrangement of 15 Lennon & McCartney songs by Grammy award winner and former Wings lead guitarist Laurence Juber. In 2000, Laurence released "LJ Plays the Beatles" which was voted one of Acoustic Guitar magazine’s top 10 all-time acoustic albums. Laurence, speaking about this 2nd album said that "Every time I hear a Beatles record I gain a new appreciation. Above and beyond the analytical part of it and creating the arrangements, when I start deconstructing Beatles songs, I find unexpected things. I can never listen to a Beatles record twice and hear exactly the same thing. There’s always something that I’ve missed, or a new discovery where you say, “Wow, what was that little guitar lick?” Or the way in which the backing vocals come in…there’s always something. And in a way, it’s a reason why I decided to do LJ Plays the Beatles Vol. 2. In the decade since Vol.1 , I’ve learned a lot in terms of my guitar artistry and was willing to apply that to a fresh batch of Beatles songs". There are countless covers of songs by Lennon & McCartney. Although many of the memorable parts of some of the Beatle's great songs were created in the studio by George Martin, the melodic inventive genius of Lennon & McCartney is the mainstay of most of the Beatles songs. All of the compositions stand on their own. It is always great to hear a musician who can bring something "new" to these classic songs, and Laurence Juber manages to do that brilliantly. The album is VHR by A.O.O.F.C . [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 102 Mb]. Buy Laurence's amazing "Altered Reality" album. For another magnificent collection of Beatles acoustic guitar covers, check out Stephen Bennett's awe inspiring "Beatles Acoustic Guitar Solos" @ STEPHBENN/BAGS

TRACKS

1 Penny Lane 2:42
2 Eleanor Rigby 2:24
3 Drive My Car 2:25
4 Here There & Everywhere 2:26
5 You Can't Do That 3:07
6 Blackbird 2:32
7 I Feel Fine 2:26
8 Dear Prudence 4:03
9 When I'm Sixty-Four 2:29
10 Please Please Me 2:58
11 No Reply 3:18
12 I Am the Walrus 4:30
13 All I've Got To Do 3:36
14 Michelle 2:30
15 The Long & Winding Road 3:13

All songs by John Lennon & Paul McCartney

SHORT BIO

Acoustic guitarist, composer, and producer Laurence Juber, known by many of his fans simply as "LJ," was born and raised in London. By the time he was 13, he began to earn money by performing at local get-togethers. A couple of years later he took up the study of classical guitar and then went on to earn a music degree from the London University, Goldsmith College. He also performed as a soloist with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Around the mid-'70s, Juber found work as a session player. He perfected his skills as a variable guitarist along the way and earned a respected name for himself in the profession. In 1978 he joined the Paul McCartney group Wings as lead guitarist, where he spent the next two years. During this time Juber won a Grammy award for Best Rock Instrumental for the tune "Rockestra" off the album Back to the Egg. In the early '80s Juber left his homeland behind and moved to Los Angeles. He easily slipped back into session work. He did a lot of work for hit television shows like Home Improvement, Seventh Heaven, Boy Meets World, and Roseanne, as well as noted movies such as Dirty Dancing, Splash, Doc Hollywood, Pocahontas, Snow Day, Good Will Hunting, and many others. In 1990 Juber signed with the Beachwood Records label, which belonged to fellow artist and friend James Lee Stanley. That very year Juber recorded his solo debut album, Solo Flight. It was followed three years later by Naked Guitar, and then by Winter Guitar in 1998. In 1999 Juber was named as the number one Fingerstyle Guitarist of the Year. In between numerous tours, he released three new albums for 2000 -- LJ Plays the Beatles, Naked Solos, and The Collection -- each recorded under the Solid Air Records label. © Charlotte Dillon © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/laurence-juber-p26582/biography

The Beautiful South

The Beautiful South - Painting It Red (Bonus Disc) - 2000 - Go! Discs/Mercury

Painting It Red is the seventh original album released by The Beautiful South in October 2000. The album is the band's joint longest, with 19 tracks. The bonus version contains 20 tracks (includes "White Teeth"), and sometimes comes in the format of two discs, while the American release offers only 17 tracks. The album made it to number 2 in the charts, but despite the number of tracks, only two singles were produced: "Closer Than Most", which reached number 22 in September and the double A-side "The River"/"Just Checkin'", which reached number 59 in December. - from WIKIPEDIA

The Beautiful South once again run aground with diminishing sales, bungled CD pressings, and -- probably the most troubling -- the reported departure of longtime vocalist Jacqueline Abbott. Still, the band had always managed to sound unflinchingly upbeat amidst bleak situations in the past, and Painting It Red comes off, in some ways, grinning more like an unsuspecting teenager than ever before. The band's staples of lyrical chicanery and mid-'80s inbred folk-pop are still lurking about apologizing to no one. Which might strike longtime listeners with the force of wet asparagus (what with predictably Heaton-esque lines like "Don't feel ever sorry for the dicks" or the kind of over-produced jangle this side of Orange Juice and Tears for Fears mud-wrestling for five hours, it's arguable the template has run its course), but -- nevertheless -- it can strike others of a band mastering their own roots. It's a challenge the album poses now and again. Single "Closer Than Most" is instantly likable, yet wouldn't be so out of step with Welcome to the Beautiful South. "You Can Call Me Leisure," a saucy, subtle duet rolling around on a bed of prancing pianos, is about as antagonistic to the band's discography as Menswear's "Daydreamer" is to Wire. But there's definitely something here that makes it hard to hate. This is a path much taken that still somehow promises rewards after ten years of traveling. Odd even while surrounded by new rumors of imminent breakup. If this marks the South's final statement, then so be it -- at least they went out with a blast of delusional air. © Dean Carlson © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/painting-it-red-r505753/review

A critically acclaimed and much loved album (At least in the UK!). On their seventh studio release, the great songwriting duo of David Rotheray & Paul Heaton once again manage to intertwine soul, R&B, and light jazz to create twenty beautifully crafted, melodic pop songs, many with sardonic, wry, witty, cynical but always intelligent lyrics. HR by A.O.O.F.C. Check out TBS's "Blue Is The Colour", and "Choke" albums on this blog, and listen to the band's classic pop jazz album "Welcome to the Beautiful South".

TRACKS

DISC ONE

1 Who's Gonna Tell 2:37
2 Closer Than Most 3:07
3 Just Checkin' 3:38
4 Hit Parade 3:45
5 Masculine Eclipse 3:55
6 'Til You Can't Tuck It In 3:30
7 If We Crawl 4:14
8 Tupperware Queen 3:34
9 Half-Hearted Get (Is Second Best) 4:24
10 White Teeth [Bonus Track] 4:50

DISC TWO

11 The River 5:43
12 Baby Please Go 2:46
13 You Can Call Me Leisure 4:31
14 Final Spark 5:03
15 10,000 Feet 3:02
16 Hot On The Heels Of Heartbreak 3:59
17 The Mediterranean 4:02
18 A Little Piece Of Advice 3:55
19 Property Quiz 3:50
20 Chicken Wings 4:29

All songs composed by David Rotheray & Paul Heaton

N.B: Some releases of this album contain only 17 tracks, and omit "Who's Gonna Tell", "White Teeth", & "Chicken Wings". Other issues contain 19 tracks, and exclude "White Teeth". All 20 tracks are on album posted here. [N.B: Tracks 1-10 (Disc 1) are @ 160 Kbps. Tracks 11-20 (Disc 2) are @ 96 Kbps with audio quality maintained: Pt 1 file size = 43.4 Mb, & Pt 2 = 27.3 Mb]

MUSICIANS

Guitar – David Rotheray
Bass – Sean Welch
Keyboards – Damon Butcher
Drums – David Stead
Vocals – David Hemingway, Jacqui Abbott, Paul Heaton

BIO

Following the disbandment of the British indie pop group the Housemartins in 1989, vocalist Paul Heaton and drummer David Hemmingway formed the Beautiful South. Where their previous group relied on jazzy guitars and witty, wry lyrics, the Beautiful South boasted a more sophisticated, jazzy pop sound, layered with keyboards, R&B-inflected female backing vocals and, occasionally, light orchestrations. Often, the group's relaxed, catchy songs contradicted the sarcastic, cynical thrust of the lyrics. Nevertheless, the band's pleasant arrangements often tempered whatever bitterness there was in Heaton's lyrics, and that's part of the reason why the Beautiful South became quite popular within its native Britain during the '90s. Though the group never found a niche in America -- by the middle of the decade, their records weren't even being released in the U.S. -- their string of melodic jazz-pop singles made them one of the most successful, if one of the least flashy, bands in Britain. Their popularity was confirmed by the astonishing success of their 1994 singles compilation, Carry on Up the Charts, which became one of the biggest-selling albums in British history. Heaton and Hemmingway formed the Beautiful South immediately after the breakup of the Housemartins, who were one of the most popular and well-reviewed British guitar pop bands of the mid-'80s. The Housemartins had earned a reputation for being somewhat downbeat Northerners, so the duo chose the name Beautiful South sarcastically. To complete the lineup, the pair hired former Anthill Runaways vocalist Briana Corrigan, bassist Sean Welch, drummer David Stead (formerly a Housemartins roadie), and guitarist David Rotheray, who became Heaton's new collaborator. In the summer of 1989, they released their first single, "Song for Whoever," on the Housemartins' old record label, Go!. "Song for Whoever" climbed to number two, while its follow-up "You Keep It All In" peaked at number eight in September, 1989. A month later, the group's debut, Welcome to the Beautiful South, was released to positive reviews. "A Little Time," the first single from the group's second album, Choke, became the group's first number one single in the fall of 1990. Choke was also well-received, even though it didn't quite match the performance of the debut, either in terms of sales or reviews. In particular, some critics complained that Heaton was becoming too clever and cynical for his own good. The Beautiful South released their third album, 0898, in 1992; it was their first record not to be released in the United States, yet it maintained their success in Britain. Following the release of 0898, Corrigan left the group, reportedly upset over some of Heaton's ironic lyrics. She was replaced with Jacqui Abbot, who made her first appearance on the band's fourth album, 1994's Miaow. While both 0898 and Miaow were popular, they were only moderate successes. Their respectable chart performances in no way prepared any observers, including the band themselves, for the blockbuster success of Carry on Up the Charts, a greatest-hits collection released at the end of 1994. Carry on Up the Charts entered the charts at number one. It was one of the fastest-selling albums in U.K. history and its success outlasted the Christmas season. The album stayed at number one for several months, going platinum many times over and, in the process, becoming one of the most popular albums in British history. Its success was a bit of a surprise, since the popularity of the Beautiful South's previous albums never indicated the across-the-boards success that greeted Carry on Up the Charts. The album wasn't released in America until late 1995, after it broke several U.K. records. The Beautiful South released their follow-up to Miaow, Blue Is the Colour, in the fall of 1996. Quench followed three years later, then Painting It Red in fall 2000, and Gaze in 2003. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-beautiful-south-p3647/biography

MORE ABOUT TBS

A band as well known for their gin-soaked cynicism as their catchy and lush pop melodies, the Beautiful South have had enormous impact in their native England, while success in America has been limited to cult status. Music critics on both shores and beyond, however, have praised the South and in particular, lyricist and singer Paul Heaton, for his cockeyed views on love, the music business, and whatever else comes up, as well as his and songwriting partner Dave Rotheray's innate ability to invent hummable tunes with irresistible pop hooks. Named for the not-so-beautiful debilitated neighborhoods of South London, their name, like their songs, is an exercise in irony. As Spin's Jonathon Bernstein observed, their music consists of "intricately constructed melodies serving as safe houses for bilious attacks on men and women—and that dumb, doomed dance they do together." Formed from the remnants of the breakup by the House martins, another cynical band, albeit with a more political bent, singer/songwriter Heaton, along with Housemartin drummer Dave Hemingway started the Beautiful South in 1989 in their hometown of Hull, a gray, working-class city in the north of England. With guitarist/songwriter Rotheray, bassist Sean Welch, drummer David Stead, and vocalist Brianna Corrigan, the South presented a more expansive musical playing field than what was offered in the Housemartins. With Hemingway, now a singer not a drummer, Corrigan, and Heaton, the band was able to move seamlessly through the vocal characterizations of three quite different lead vocalists. "Their voices," Parke Puterbaugh observed in Stereo Review, "one a croon of limited range [Heaton], the other more of a sing-speak [Hemingway]—are joined by Corrigan's girlish mouse-squeak and backed by a crack three-piece band of guitar, bass, and drums." SONGS FOR WHOEVER - The Beautiful South stormed out of the gate with their debut single, "Song For Whoever," a magnificently sardonic view of syrupy love songs which feature women's names as a protaganistic prop. Released in May of 1989, the song went to number two on the charts in the UK and marked a stellar introduction to the new band. The next single, "You Keep It All In," also a hit, featured all three vocalists bemoaning the stodgy, reserved tendencies of the British. Both songs appeared on their debut album, Welcome to the Beautiful South, released in October of 1989. "Make a list of qualities that define great pop music," People magazine's Michael Small suggested in his review, "and you've got a pretty fair description of the Beautiful South." The album did exceptionally well in England but received a cooler response in America, despite praise from the likes of Small and his colleagues. "They aren't yet a classic pop band," Spin's Tony Fletcher asserted, "but Welcome to the Beautiful South remains exactly that—a warm introduction to an enticing new proposition. Here's to the sequel." The sequel turned out to be 1990's Choke, an album that cemented their reputation as biting ironists. Stereo Review's Puterbaugh describes the album as a "mix of lyrical quirks and music-hall andcabaret-influenced pop.... [which] stops just shy of being cute and charming, however, and gives the songs here a devilishly droll edge." For their part, just before the album's release in an interview with Melody Maker, Heaton and Rotheray expressed some regret to being thought of as mere cynics. "It's just the way I write. Unfortunately," Heaton offered. "I'd like to be able to write just straight in some ways.... I think there's a bit of immaturity in the way I write actually." Hemingway confessed he didn't like that people saw the band as cynical. "I don't think we are," he said. "It's just that the bubble of unreality is there and there are not many people bursting it. So we took it upon ourselves to burst a few bubbles." ALCOHOLISM, NUDITY, ETC. - It was 1992's 0898 Beautiful South that had the most bubbles bursting. With 0898 being the English equivalent of America's 1-900 sex lines, the album opened with "Old Red Eyes Is Back, a lush and airy tale of alcoholism. Labeled a "pop album with fangs" by Stereo Review's Puterbaugh, he also declared "Old Red Eyes Is Back" as his nominee for song of the year, and commented on the song being "compassionate while noting the waste of a life. It is this kind of juxtaposition of serious themes and sunny music that makes the Beautiful South stand out from the pack, and 0898 Beautiful South contains a dozen songs that can equally be hummed, pondered, and puzzled over." Heaton, in an interview with Stuart Maconie of England's Q magazine, discussed "Old Red Eyes," asserting that it wasn't a morality tale. "It's looking at the more humorous and sad side of being drunk.... It sold respectably but the radio didn't really play it. I don't suppose they like songs about alcohol abuse." Another song from 0898, "36D," caused even more furor. Written about England's Page 3 girls, women who appear topless on the third page of some London tabloids, Heaton and Rotheray's intention was to attack the industry that supports it, not the women themselves, but mixed messages in the song reflected otherwise. "We all agree that we should have targeted the media as sexist instead of blaming the girls for taking off their tops," Hemingway admitted to Eric Puls of the Chicago Sun-Times. "It was a case of rushing headlong into the recording of the song." Vocalist Corrigan refused to sing on the song and when she left the band after the album's release, rumors intimated that it was the sexist lyrics of "36D" that prompted her exit. Corrigan said that may have been an impetus, but not the reason. "I left really because it was the right time for me to go, " she told Gary Crossing of England's The Big Issue. "My reservation about some of the lyrics became like a trigger to spur me on." Creative growth played a role as well, Corrigan admitted. "I'd always written songs for myself, but I knew there wasn't going to be an opportunity for that in the band. As a woman in this business you're always in a much stronger position if you perform your own stuff." Following the exodus of Corrigan, the band took some time off and returned with Miaow, a 1994 album featuring new vocalist Jacqueline Abbott, whom the band discovered singing at a party. While only available as an import in America, the album didn't fare well in England despite critical praise. After hearing the album Peter Paphides of Melody Maker declared "Heaton (not the smug, flat-capped curmudgeon we'd have you believe) oozes more humanity from his tiniest cuticle than any of the lemon-faced irony-challenged Americans we blindly laud."The small reception didn't seem to bother Heaton, however, confessing to Melody Maker's Sylvia Patterson, "Sales figures certainly aren't important to me, that's a dangerous way to think.... People know what I look like , they stilllike me and that's more important.... I'm genuinely happy I've enough money to go into a bar, buy another gin and tonic and people have enough time to give me a smile—that seems like a fair enough agreement." CARRYIN' ON UP THE CHARTS - Heaton and company wouldn't have to worry about record sales much longer. In November of 1994 Carry on Up the Charts-The Best of the Beautiful South was released and became the third fastest selling UK album of all time. At the same time, Heaton was questioning how much further he could go with the band. "I was feeling a bit unconvinced about me own future in music, " he told Patterson. "Because I just feel a bit old for it....I was just thinking how I'm not sure, as a singer-songwriter in a band, how long you can go in the pop industry. There are four songwriters I can think of, and they're all better than me, who started off in bands and went solo: Paul Weller, Neil Young, Elvis Costello, and Van Morrison. If I was gonna be like that I'd have to be a lot stronger in terms of personality and security than I am now. Right now, I can't even imagine going to New York by meself. I'm just Paul Heaton, I'm not able to do it. I haven't got the confidence." FOR THE RECORD. . .Members include Paul Heaton, vocals and song writer; Dave Rotheray, guitar and songwriter; Dave Hemingway, vocals; Brianna Corrigan (left band 1992), vocals; Sean Welch, bass; David Stead, drums; Jacqueline Abbott, (joined band 1993), vocals. Formed 1989 in Hull, England. Heaton and Hemingway had previously been in the band, the Housemartins, which disbanded 1989; released first album, Welcome to the Beautiful South, 1990; album received good reviews and the band toured America, 1990; released 0898 Beautiful South which contained the controversial song "36D," 1992; Corrigan left band, 1992; compilation, Carriy on Up the Charts-The Best of the Beautiful South, became third fastest selling album ever in the UK, 1994: Addresses: Record company—Polygram Records, 825 Eighth Ave., New York, NY 10019: Towards the end of 1996 the band released Blue is the Colour, another album available only as an import in America. Jennifer Nine of Melody Maker described it as, "charming, subversively luscious business as usual." So it seems Heaton will carry on with the Beautiful South admitting to Patterson in 1995 that he's, "starting to write really good lyrics now. I'm starting to get proud." Not that he'd ever describe himself as a good songwriter, however. "Because I'm not," he told Patterson. "Because I'm not Otis Redding and I never will be." But Heaton does confess that the Beautiful South, aside from exploring the undiscovered hooks and melodies of pop, is furthering the mission begun by The Clash, The Jam, and the Sex Pistols. "It's all a question of putting people on the right train," he told Patterson, "telling them to watch out, there's things in people and society to be angry about." Additional information for this profile was obtained from the Beautiful South page from Polygram Records, www.polygram.com. © Brian Escamilla © 2011 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved http://www.enotes.com/contemporary-musicians/beautiful-south-biography

Stephen Bennett (Beatles Related)

Stephen Bennett - Beatles Acoustic Guitar Solos - 2005 - Cimirron / Rainbird

"I have loved the Beatles since I started playing guitar in the late '60s. Over the years I have put together solo arrangements of many of their tunes, those presented here and many others. For this recording however, I have gone back and reworked these 15 tunes so that they are as complete as I can make them. With some, I have tossed out my previous arrangements and started over from scratch. They are all in their original key, which sometimes presented a challenge, but I thought it was important that these tunes, which so many people around the globe know, be in the register the boys from Liverpool recorded them... sb" [From Stephen's web site]

Using acoustic 6-string, National Steel, and harp guitar, the hugely talented Oregonian guitarist, Stephen Bennett plays amazing versions of fifteen classic Beatle's tracks. Stephen uses rare Dyer and Merrill harp guitars for tracks 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 & 14. It is a joy to hear these great songs played so beautifully by a master musician. The album is V.H.R by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Stephen's brilliant "Reflections" album, and for other stunning guitar instrumental covers of Beatle's songs, listen to Laurence Juber's "LJ Plays the Beatles"album.

TRACKS

1. Eight Days A Week
2. A Hard Day's Night
3. Hello Goodbye
4. In My Life
5. Maxwell's Silver Hammer
6. Blackbird
7. Yesterday
8. Here, There And Everywhere
9. Strawberry Fields Forever
10. Penny Lane
11. Something
12. If I Fell
13. All My Loving
14. Hey Jude
15. All You Need Is Love

All songs composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, except "Something", by George Harrison

BIO

Stephen Bennett is an extraordinary musician, an acknowledged master of the harp guitar, a challenging teacher, a gifted composer, and a performer of astounding sensitivity. The Toronto Fingerstyle Guitar Association calls him “the Jedi Master of Fingerstyle Guitar”… Stephen has traveled the world and performed with the best. From California to Maine, Texas to Tennessee, as well as around Europe, Canada, Australia and Japan, Stephen has played all sorts of venues and events. He has released 20 recordings of music, along with a couple of DVDs, books and other instructional materials – and he’s always working on something new! The testimony of those who hear Stephen is that his work is the product of both mind and heart, intellectually challenging and emotionally satisfying – - and it is deeply personal, even as it is universal. Listeners have a feeling that they have stepped into the world of the musician, and for a short moment in time, there are only the two of them there. Says one reviewer: “With his ear near the body of the harp guitar, Mr. Bennett gave the impression of a father cradling a newborn baby . . . His performance was imbued with heart and grace.” The producer of a Texas music Festival writes, “Stephen’s music draws the listener in. He has the ability to make you feel as though you are a part of the music he is making. From France: “Stephen’s compositions are so beautiful, filled with great emotion and great sensitivity. He is one of those musicians who serve the music, and only the music.” “When I first heard him playing a few years ago in France, I felt like I had been pushed into a different world, where the lost emotions come back to your heart and make it beat in a different way. What Stephen can do, and few artists have this gift, is to speak directly to your heart and to move your best feelings!” Pierpaolo Adda, music journalist and festival promoter, Italy.“The image of Stephen Bennett embracing his harp guitar is the one that tends to linger. The fact that Stephen is only too happy to champion the cause of the harp guitar may inadvertently obscure his abilities on the six-string instrument. In what is becoming known as the Golden Age of Guitar Luthiery, it’s easy to overlook the fact that this is also the Golden Age of Guitar Playing. With six strings or more, as one of the most original and prolific composers and arrangers for the guitar on the current scene, Stephen Bennett is clearly a part of the latter heritage.” S. Rekas – Mel Bay Publications Stephen is also is the founder of the Harp Guitar Gathering, an event that celebrated its seventh season in October of 2009. The HGG seeks to celebrate all things harp guitar as it brings players, luthiers, scholars and fans together for a weekend of performances, workshops and camaraderie.Whether playing his great-grandfather’s harp guitar, slide on his National resonator guitar, or a standard six-string, Stephen Bennett is a musician to hear. His music has won awards and critical praise. In live performance and on record, his diverse musical influences and interests are joined in a life-long love affair with the sound of guitar strings. © 2009 Harp Guitar. Conforms to W3C Standard XHTML & CSS 2.8.6, http://truefiretv.net/sites/harpguitar2/?page_id=51

MORE ABOUT STEPHEN BENNETT

Stephen Bennett is one of the greatest performers and songwriters that we have ever had the pleasure of knowing. His music moves and inspires us to no end. Guitarist Stephen Bennett was born in Oregon, grew up in New York and has lived in Virginia for the last twenty-five years. Since his 1987 win at the National Flatpicking Championship, held in Winfield, Kansas, USA, he has come to be known as a guitar master, one who consistently garners critical praise and audience enthusiasm for his recordings and live performances. He is the only person to ever win awards in both flatpicking and fingerpicking styles in the nearly 30-year history of the National Guitar Championships. His arrangement and performance of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite has been played on radio stations around the United States and is regarded in some quarters as the alternative version. As one of the world's only performers on the too long neglected harp guitar, Stephen has created arrangements of classic tunes and composed new music as well. Three of his harp guitar compositions have been included in compilations on the Narada label, with the latest due out in March of 2001. Three other of his pieces have been licensed by the Bose Corporation. Stephen performs regularly around the US and recently in Europe as well, including a recent performance on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion. Armed with a standard six-string, an old National steel resonator guitar, his harp guitar, a broad repertoire, and thirty-five years of guitar playing experience, Stephen Bennett engages his audiences with an entertaining show of first-rate musicianship. © http://www.pick-uptheworld.com/featuredartist.html

Elizabeth & The Catapult

Elizabeth & The Catapult - Elizabeth & The Catapult - 2006 - Elizabeth and the Catapult

"Elizabeth & the Catapult have managed to hurl themselves pretty far through word-of-mouth buzz. The unsigned local trio, led by vocalist Elizabeth Ziman and her Aimee Mann–like drawl, has built a loyal local fanbase via jazzy,buoyant pop songs; they're now making frequent appearances on NPR's Studio 360. Check out jaunty earworm "Momma's Boy," off their self-titled EP—these three won't be flying under the radar for long." - The Village Voice

"The self-assured Elizabeth and the Catapult prove what a sultry-voiced Greenwich Village habitue with a Norah Jones jones should do: Just let it flow" - The Boston Globe

"The jazzy/funky voice of Elizabeth and the Catapult's Elizabeth Ziman caught my ear immediately, their "Waiting for the Kill" is one of the discs standouts." - Pop Matters

"The secret to their booming success lies not in a bevy of publicists and yes men, but in their original and refreshing sound. Bringing together Ziman’s classical vocal and piano training, Molad’s love of visionary pop like Beck and Jon Brion, and guitarist Pete Lalish’s edge and roughness, they have come up with a style that is at once technically challenging, harmonically interesting and bursting with pop hooks. But Ziman hates being lumped in haphazardly with piano goddesses like Tori Amos, Regina Spektor and Norah Jones. “This band is more about arranging and is more a band as a whole.” That said, her strong and velvety vocals oscillate from a playful Ella Fitzgerald staccato to a wave of ethereal harmonies reminiscent of Sarah McLaughlin". © Lee Ann Westover, www.thevillager.com

Brooklyn based The Catapult's sophisticated songs, with their combined elements of jazz, pop and funk are a breath of fresh air on the "pop" scene. The Catapult's songs have been compared to those of Rufus Wainright, David Byrne and Leslie Feist. This 2006 s/t six track ep is very creative, intelligent, and most enjoyable. Try and hear the band's great "Taller Children" album, and expect bigger things from this band in the future. Check the band on My Space @ E&TC/MYSP Listen to a good WFUV FM podcast about the band @ E&TC/PODC

TRACKS

1 Waiting For The Kill
2 Right Next to You
3 Momma's Boy
4 My Goodbye
5 Devil's Calling
6 Golden Ink

All songs composed by Elizabeth Abby, and/or Lynn Ziman

BAND

Elizabeth Ziman (vocals, keys)
Danny Molad (drums)
Peter Lalish (guitar)

BIO

Elizabeth & the Catapult highlights the jazzy, neo-baroque songwriting talents of vocalist Elizabeth Ziman while making room for flourishes of pop and lounge music. An active musician since childhood, Ziman trained as a classical pianist until the age of 16, at which point she shifted focus toward the shaping of her voice. The budding entertainer then joined Patti Austin on tour in 2002, singing background vocals for the soul legend for the next 18 months. Upon her return in 2004, she began piecing together a trio with drummer Danny Molad and guitarist Peter Lalish. Elizabeth & the Catapult released a self-titled EP two years later, having recorded and produced the effort themselves. After establishing a strong D.I.Y. ethic and attracting attention from (but never signing with) several major labels, the band inked a contract with Verve Records in 2008. Elizabeth & the Catapult then traveled to Nebraska, where they set up shop inside Mike Mogis' Omaha studio. Taking inspiration from the serene surroundings, the band pounded out an album's worth of material at a quick pace and returned to New York shortly thereafter. The resulting record, Taller Children, marked their major-label debut in June 2009. © Andrew Leahey, allmusic.com

MORE ABOUT BAND / EP

Take a clear and powerful voice, add a memorable melody and set it to unique, sophisticated harmonies, and what emerges is Elizabeth and the Catapult’s singular sound. At a time when so much music is saturated with familiarity, the band’s style, which Northeast Performer describes as “a mixture of organic jazz, rock and pop,”is a welcome departure from a well-beaten bath. Comprised of Elizabeth Ziman (vocals, keys), Danny Molad (drums), and Peter Lalish (guitar), Elizabeth and the Catapult came into existence in 2004. In the less than two years since their move to New York, Elizabeth and the Catapult has already racked up an impressive list of accomplishments. In May and August of 2006 they were featured on WNYC’s “Soundcheck” as well as PRI’s “Fair Game with Faith Salie”. At the end of the year they were dubbed by NPR as “One of the Best Discoveries of 2006”. The Catapult have had residencies at clubs such as the Living Room and Rockwood Music Hall, and after opening for national headliners like Jessie Harris, Kirk Kirkwood (of The Meat Puppets fame), The Wood Brothers (of Medeski, Martin, and Wood), and Amanda Palmer (of The Dresden Dolls) there was enough buzz about them to support a tour and label interest on the West Coast. All of this success also earned them a place as the Billboard Underground Artist for last October. Bound by a common love of eclectic influences, Elizabeth & the Catapult draws inspiration from artists such as Tom Waits, David Byrne, Joni Mitchell, and Jon Brion- as well as classical influences such as Debussy, Ravel and Chopin. One explanation for the bands musical diversity is Elizabeth Ziman’s musical background. She was trained as a classical pianist until the age of sixteen. “As a kid, I used to practice all the time…” Elizabeth explains. “But one day I realized that I couldn’t lock myself in a room for eight hours a day…that’s when I started writing and singing.” After that, it quickly became apparent that her vocal abilities rivaled her piano kills. In 2002, Elizabeth successfully auditioned to be a background vocalist for soul-queen Patti Austin and ended up joining her on tour for the next year and a half. Elizabeth’s experience along with Pete and Danny’s folk/rock sensibility piece together to make up the band’s harmonically distinctive pop sound, a sound well reflected in their stylistically diverse new EP. After a listen to the Elizabeth and the Catapult EP, it is immediately clear that a great deal of thought went into each of the songs’ arrangements. Strings, Horns, Marimba and Synthesizers are all blended together, creating an organic, off-beat style that fans have often referred to as “baroque pop”. The sound of the EP is also shaped by the guerilla-style fashion in which it was recorded. Drummer Danny Molad recorded most of the EP in basements and bathrooms, producing the album, along with Elizabeth, in an incredibly modest home studio. With these limited resources, Elizabeth and the Catapult managed to produce an expertly mixed album. Every note of the EP sounds deliberately placed while there still manages to be an air of effortlessness that penetrates throughout all the songs. In their recordings as well as live performances, Elizabeth and her band members bring together all their backgrounds and experiences to make music that they themselves enjoy. They acknowledge their amorphous style and readily admit that it probably scares record labels. Even so, Elizabeth asserts that she is “not interested in assigning herself a specific style.” Elizabeth and the Catapult are proud of their ever-changing sound and are committed to keeping their music fresh and creative. © 2007, The Agency Group, LTD, All Rights Reserved

Judy Collins

Judy Collins - Sings Lennon & McCartney - 2007 - Wildflower

There are thousands of albums covering Lennon & McCartney songs. The classic songs of The Beatles have been adapted to suit every musical genre. The Beatles composed Blues, hard rock, ballads, and touched on the Avant Garde with songs like "I Am The Walrus", and "Strawberry Fields Forever". Yet, in the main, many of Lennon and McCartney and George Harrison songs will be mostly remembered for their beautiful melodies. It is amazing that The Beatles lifespan was a mere eight years, but in that time they turned out many, many classic songs, and are up there with great composers of the past like Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter. As regards the Beatle's reputation as modern composers, there is no need to elaborate. Many music polls have constantly nominated Lennon & McCartney as the "greatest composers of all time". Songs like ."Yesterday", ."Blackbird", ."Penny Lane", and ."When I'm Sixty Four" are some of the classic melodic Beatle songs that will live forever, and these are the songs that Judy Collins covers here in her pure, gorgeous voice, the voice of a nightingale. All the song here have a beautiful graceful subtlety, so typical of Judy Collins' unique voice. Listen to Judy's great "Maid of Constant Sorrow, " and "Judy Sings Dylan... Just Like a Woman" albums. It is also worth hearing Judy's beautiful "In My Life" album, with covers of songs like Randy Newman's classic "I Think It's Going to Rain Today", Leonard Cohen's glorious "Suzanne", and Dylan's "Tom Thumb's Blues". Wikipedia notes that "Collins' version of the song "Suzanne" is considered to be the recording that first introduced Leonard Cohen's music to a wide audience". There is info on Judy's "Judy Collins' Fifth Album" @ JUDCOL/5thALB and you can find Judy's "Wildflowers" album @ JUDCOL/WFLWRS

TRACKS

1."And I Love Her" - 2:58
2."Blackbird" - 2:28
3."Golden Slumbers" - 3:40
4."Penny Lane" - 2:55
5."Norwegian Wood" - 2:52
6."When I'm Sixty Four" - 2:41
7."Good Day Sunshine" - 2:28
8."Hey Jude" - 4:28
9."We Can Work It Out" - 2:23
10."Yesterday" - 2:26
11."I'll Follow the Sun" - 2:11
12."Long & Winding Road" - 3:19

All songs composed by John Lennon, & Paul McCartney

MUSICIANS

Judy Collins - Lead Vocals, Korg
Hugh McCracken - Acoustic Guitar, Guitar
Larry Campbell - Fiddle, Guitar, Mandolin
Tony Levin - Bass
Russell Walden - Organ, Piano, Keyboards, fender rhodes, Orchestral Keyboards
Christian Lohr - Organ, Harmonica, Harmonium, Mellotron, Vibes, Mini Moog, Glass
Tony Beard - Percussion, Drums
Mary Wooten, Erik Friedlander - Cello
Taylor Brenner, Paul Rolnick, Margaret Dorn, Angela Cappelli - Background Vocals

SHORT BIO

Judy Collins was one of the major interpretive folksingers of the '60s. A child prodigy at classical piano, she turned to folk music at the age of 15 and released her first album, A Maid of Constant Sorrow, in 1961 when she was 22. That album and its follow-up, The Golden Apples of the Sun, consisted of traditional folk material, with Collins's pure, sweet soprano accompanied by her acoustic guitar playing. By the time of Judy Collins #3, she had begun to turn to contemporary material and to add other musicians. (Jim, later Roger, McGuinn tried out his first arrangements of "The Bells of Rhymney" and "Turn, Turn, Turn" on this album, before using them with The Byrds.) Collins's musical horizons were expanded further by 1966 and the release of In My Life, which added theater music to her repertoire and introduced her audience to the writing of Leonard Cohen; it was one of her six albums to go gold. Her first gold-seller, however, was 1967's Wildflowers, which contained her hit version of "Both Sides Now" by the then-little-known songwriter Joni Mitchell. By the '70s, Collins had come to be identified as much as an art song singer as a folksinger and had also begun to make a mark with her original compositions. Her best-known performances cover a wide stylistic range: the traditional gospel song "Amazing Grace," the Stephen Sondheim Broadway ballad "Send in the Clowns," and such songs of her own as "My Father" and "Born to the Breed." Collins recorded less frequently after the end of her 23-year association with Elektra Records in 1984, though she made two albums for Gold Castle. In 1990, she signed to Columbia Records and released Fires of Eden, her 23rd album. A move to Geffen preceded the 1993 release of Judy Sings Dylan...Just Like a Woman; Shameless followed on Atlantic in 1994. Six years later, Collins released All on a Wintry Night. © William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide



MORE ABOUT THE ARTIST

Judy Collins has thrilled audiences worldwide with her unique blend of interpretative folksongs and contemporary themes. Her impressive career has spanned more than 40 years. At 13, Judy Collins made her public debut performing Mozart's "Concerto for Two Pianos" but it was the music of such artists as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, as well as the traditional songs of the folk revival, that sparked Judy Collins' love of lyrics. She soon moved away from the classical piano and began her lifelong love with the guitar. In 1961, Judy Collins released her first album, A Maid of Constant Sorrow, at the age of 22 and began a thirty-five year association with Jac Holzman and Elektra Records. Judy Collins is also noted for her rendition of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" on her classic 1967 album, Wildflowers. "Both Sides Now" has since been entered into the Grammy's Hall of Fame. Winning "Song of the Year" at the 1975 Grammy's Awards show was Judy's version of "Send in the Clowns," a ballad written by Stephen Sondheim for the Broadway musical "A Little Night Music." Released on September 29th, Judy's new book, Sanity and Grace, A Journey of Suicide, Survival and Strength, is a deeply moving memoir, focusing on the death of her only son and the healing process following the tragedy. The book speaks to all who have endured the sorrow of losing a loved one before their time. In the depths of her suffering, Judy found relief by reaching out to others for help and support. Now, she extends her hand to comfort other survivors whose lives have been affected by similar tragedy. In a recent appearance on ABC's Good Morning America, Judy performed "Wings of Angels," the heartbreaking ballad that she wrote about the loss of her son. The song is currently available on the newly released Judy Collins Wildflower Festival CD and DVD, which also feature guest artists Arlo Guthrie, Tom Rush and Eric Andersen. This extraordinary concert was filmed at the famed Humphrey's By the Bay in San Diego, CA. The concert was the culmination of a 25 city national tour. Judy Collins continues to create music of hope and healing that lights up the world and speaks to the heart. © HDtracks 2007 - 2008

P-Jay

P-Jay - My Everything - 2007 - Jubilee Records (Germany)

This is not the usual type of music found on A.O.O.F.C, but it is a very good album of funky, acid jazz, and urban pop-lounge dancefloor grooves. The album has genuine musical merit, and should not be discounted because of it's musical genre. So don't take life too seriously! If you need to relax and chill out, take off your Neu and Spock's Beard albums and give this album a listen, and GET DOWN, AND GET WITH IT !!

TRACK DETAILS

1.Exit (5:57)
Composed By [Additional Composing] - Steve Wettstein
Guitar - Thom Wettstein
Lyrics By - Fabienne A. Müller
Vocals - Caroline Chevin
2.Alive (4:22)
Acoustic Guitar - Steve Wettstein
Composed By [Additional Composing] - Thom Wettstein
Drums - Eddie Walker
Lyrics By, Vocals - Caroline Chevin
3.My Everything (5:23)
Lyrics By, Vocals - Ivy Rentsch
4.Sweetest Lullaby (4:56)
Acoustic Guitar - Steve Wettstein
Lyrics By - Thom Wettstein
Lyrics By, Vocals - Caroline Chevin
5.Tell Me What You Want (5:30)
Composed By [Additional Composing] - Thom Wettstein
Drums - Eddie Walker
Lyrics By, Backing Vocals - Ivy Rentsch
Lyrics By, Vocals - Sabina Stokes
6.Subrayado (6:01)
Composed By [Additional Composing] - Michael Allemand , Paul G. Jakob
Percussion - Jean-Pierre Wettstein
7.Right Place (3:55)
Lyrics By, Vocals - Caroline Chevin
Percussion - Reto "Fonso" Von Salis*
8.Summerfeeling (6:44)
Lyrics By, Guitar - Thom Wettstein
Lyrics By, Vocals - Ivy Rentsch
9.Feel Da Funk (4:21)
Keyboards [Additional] - Philipp Kuhn*
Percussion - Jean-Pierre Wettstein
Programmed By [Additional], Composed By [Additional Composing] - Steve Wettstein
10.Make Me Feel Good (4:54)
Lyrics By, Vocals - Robbie Hacaturyan
11.Ride With Me (3:47)
Drums - Eddie Walker
Lyrics By, Vocals - Sabina Stokes
12.Glistening (5:47)
13.Autumn Dance (7:11)
Flute - Michael Allemand
Percussion - Robbie Hacaturyan
14.Walking (7:03)
Lyrics By - Thom Wettstein
Lyrics By, Vocals - Gala Stohler
Percussion - Robbie Hacaturyan

CREDITS

Bass - Thom Wettstein
Composed By - Paul G. Jakob (tracks: 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 to 14) , Thom Wettstein (tracks: 1, 4, 6 to 9)
Guitar - Steve Wettstein (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 7, 9 to 14)
Keyboards - Paul G. Jakob , Thom Wettstein (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 8, 9)
Recorded By, Mixed By - Paul G. Jakob , Thom Wettstein
Saxophone - Michael Allemand (tracks: 1, 3, 5 to 14)
Trumpet - Paul G. Jakob (tracks: 6 to 9, 14)

BAND [ P-Jay / Real Name: Caroline Chevin, Michael Allemand, Paul G. Jakob, Stefan Wettstein, Thom Wettstein & Eddie Walker ]

Caroline Chevin - Vocals
Michael Allemand - Saxophone / Flute
Paul G. Jakob - Keyboard / Trumpet / Laptop
Stefan Wettstein - Guitar
Thom Wettstein - Bass
Eddie Walker - Drums

Feist

Feist - Let It Die - 2004 - Polydor - (Germany)

There are at least five different versions of this album. The original album was released on vinyl in 2004 in Canada on the Arts & Crafts International label. That LP featured a track called "L'Amour Ne Dure Pas Toujours " not on this release. It also excluded the track, "Tout doucement" This Polydor version is an amazing album of well-orchestrated songs. Some are jazz tinged, with a hint of soul. Others lean towards the bluesy, spiritual side. There is even an uptempo disco flavour. Listen to the Bee Gees' ""Inside and Out" track. A great album, and well above the average pop release. If you can find it give her 1999 album, "Monarch (Lay Your Jewelled Head Down)" a listen. It is also worthwhile listening to the "Riot on an Empty Street" album by the Norwegian band, Kings of Convenience. This album includes two song collaborations with Feist. It is a great album with some beautiful subtle, acoustic jazzy tracks, and like "Let It Die," a breath of fresh air in the "pop" music scene.

WIKIPEDIA ALBUM INFO

Let It Die is the second album by Canadian singer-songwriter Feist. It was recorded in Paris during 2002 and 2003 and released in 2004. The album is considered a combination of jazz, bossa nova and indie rock. Let It Die was hailed as one of the best Canadian pop albums of 2004, and garnered three Juno Award nominations in 2005—winning Best Alternative Album and Best New Artist. Let It Die was nominated once again in the 2006 Juno Awards; this time for "Inside and Out" as Single of the Year. Let It Die has attracted a significant international audience. The album was originally divided into original compositions on the first half and cover versions on the second, though a reissue later in 2004 added a further original composition as the penultimate track. The single "Mushaboom" is a pun on sh-boom as a refrain, and the Canadian coastal community east of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the province where Feist was born. The song was used in a Lacoste commercial.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

"Gatekeeper" (Feist, Gonzales) – 2:16
"Mushaboom" (Feist) – 3:44
"Let It Die" (Feist) – 2:55
"One Evening" (Feist, Gonzales) – 3:36
"Leisure Suite" (Feist, Gonzales) – 4:07
"Lonely Lonely" (music by Tony Scherr, lyrics by Feist) – 4:10
"When I Was a Young Girl" (traditional, inspired by Texas Gladden) – 3:08
"Secret Heart" (Ron Sexsmith) – 3:49
"Inside and Out" (Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb) – 4:17
"Tout doucement" (Clausier, Mercadier) – 2:31
"Now at Last" (Bob Haymes) – 3:16

MUSICIANS

Piano, Various Instruments - Gonzales
Guitar - Feist
Saxophone - Frédéric Couderc
Trombone - Julien Chirol

REVIEWS

Anyone who has ever seen Broken Social Scene perform in their A1 configuration knows that Leslie Feist\n\ (singer of You Forgot It in People's \"Almost Crimes") has roughly six backrooms worth of charisma\n\ stockpiled in her lighter pocket alone. Yet, despite that her tenure in the scene-stealing department extends back to her days with the middling indie rock outfit By Divine Right, Feist has always approached\n\ her solo career with agonizing apprehension. Her solo debut, Monarch, appeared in 1999, and while\ a serviceable indie rock record, it did little to communicate the swaggery gleam of her stage persona. Nearly five years removed from that debut, Let It Die finds Feist in a radically different state of mind, completely abandoning her guitars-and-strings indie rock shorthand in favor of folk, jazz, French pop, and disco accoutrements. While her propensity for serial genre-hopping makes it difficult for the album to congeal into a whole (Let It Die's scattered closing trilogy comprises covers of songs by Ron Sexsmith, The Bee Gees and 1940s vocalist Dick Haymes), it is nonetheless held together by her wistful song selection and an airy, summery aesthetic. Although many of its originals were sparked in Toronto, where Feist first cut them as four-track demos, the bulk of Let It Die was realized and recorded in Paris with the assistance of fellow Canadian expat Jason Beck, better known as Peaches collaborator Chilly Gonzales. Emblazoned with jazzy guitar shapes, droning vibes, crisp percussion, toothless synths, smoothed-out samples and Feist's slippery vocals, the music sloshes around the stereo channel like liquid in a canister. It's no wonder that, despite her protestation, reviewers have quite reasonably taken to calling it Feist's French pop album; whether intentional or not, Let It Die shares all sorts of characteristics with our archetypal vision of Paris. "Whimsical," "romantic" and "adventurous" are all adjectives that apply. With five original songs followed by six covers, Let It Die intimates its own Side A/B divide, of\ which the former is undoubtedly the stronger half. We begin with "Gatekeeper", a sparse, jazzy lament on love's inconstancy that at once establishes the album's central theme; namely, the juggling act involved\ in reconciling boundless romanticism and optimism for the future with the soured relationships and broken hearts of the past. One of the summer's gentlest, most natural pop melodies follows with first single "Mushaboom", from which we're gently airlifted into the title track. Featuring a funereal organ line and\n\ a weak pulse of a drum beat, "Let It Die" yields one of the album's stillest moments. Equal parts relationship swansong, a reproach to a former lover, and a hardening act (chorus: "The saddest part of a broken heart isn't the ending so much as the start"), it is also the album's emotional centerpiece. Comprising covers of material by Francoise Hardy, Sexsmith and others, Side B is decidedly less rewarding. Among Feist's least essential readings is her version of Sexsmith's "Secret Heart\", which, although lovingly rendered, betrays the original's vulnerability to a tangle of cutesy string plucks and whiz-bang synth sounds. When things work, as they do on her softly lit, glossy rendition of The Bee Gees' "Inside Out\" and her black-and-white take on Haynes' black-and-white piano ballad "Now at Last", they verge on inspired, but I too often found myself willfully ignoring the implications of her aggregate five original songs over the last four years and stubbornly unwishing some of the more extraneous covers in favor of more of her own material. Ultimately, however, Feist's charm is such that it doesn't matter all that much who writes the songs so long as they're the right ones. Indeed, one of the major reasons Let It Die hits is because Feist finally knows precisely what she's aiming at. For that quantum leap in wisdom, we'll grant her the aforementioned five-year hiatus, but after this record, we're not likely to be as patient again. © Mark Pytlik, July 14, 2004, www.pitchforkmedia.com

Somewhere in between living with Peaches, playing guitar with By Divine Right, rapping with Chilly Gonzales, and singing with Broken Social Scene and Apostle of Hustle, Canadian songstress Feist started a solo career. Following up 1999's self-released Monarch, Let It Die was recorded in Paris between 2002 and 2003. The romance of the City of Lights glows throughout as a combination of folk, bossa nova, jazz-pop, and indie rock finds its place among the 11-track song list. She'll woo you with her sultry vocals throughout, a delicate and sweet voice that feels cozy. From the warm shimmy and shake of "Gatekeeper" and "Mushaboom" to the classy R&B grooves of "One Evening" and "Leisure Suite," Feist explores various musical worlds without getting lost. She reels you into different soundscapes and it's an exciting adventure. Dare yourself to imagine Patrice Rushen, Ivy's Dominique Durand, and Astrud Gilberto in a group, and that's basically the beginning threads of Let It Die. Feist never holds back sonically or musically; however, Let It Die isn't an extravagant first album. She's playful with her design and the overall composition flows nicely. Feist has varied styles and sounds just right, and that's what makes Let It Die the secret treasure that it is. Her rendition of Ron Sexsmith's "Secret Heart" is a cinematic outing for a dewy spring day. The Bee Gees' "Inside and Out" gets a foxy makeover for what is probably the album's finest moment. Feist's soft touch makes magic on these particular covers, and the bittersweet loveliness of Blossom Dearie's "Now at Last" ties it all together to make Let It Die a storybook romance. © MacKenzie Wilson, www.allmusic.com

As far as indie rock pedigrees go, Leslie Feist's is as distinguished as they get: Her high school punk band opened for the Ramones; potty-mouthed punk-disco diva Peaches was once her roommate; and she's an occasional member of the acclaimed collective Broken Social Scene. So it may come as a surprise that her solo work consists almost entirely of jazzy pop that would probably go down well with fans of Everything But the Girl or Norah Jones. But when you possess a voice as smoky and sultry as Feist's, it makes perfect sense, and Let It Die is a schmaltz-free showcase for her powerful pipes. Letting the mood and emotion of the songs dictate the proceedings, the arrangements are near-perfect, whether it's a lone acoustic guitar on the Gilberto-esque "Gatekeeper," the handclap percussion and warm brass of "Mushaboom," or the lush, sexy "One Evening," equal parts Steely Dan and Sade. Feist brings the same passion and good taste to the work of others. The second half of Let It Die is devoted solely to covers, where she ably tackles songs by American folk icon Texas Gladden, cabaret legend Blossom Dearie, and the Bee Gees, whose "Inside and Out" gets the full-on disco treatment. Perhaps the finest moment, however, is the elegiac title track, on which she urges her brokenhearted self to just move on. You needn't pay attention to the lyrics to know that, though. Her expressive voice says it all. © Bill Pearis, Barnes & Noble

With a career history that includes stints with Peaches, Broken Social Scene and Kings of Convenience, Canada's Lesley Feist brings uncommon breadth and individuality to the swoony indie lounge pop of her U.S. debut. Her hushed croon evokes the jazz tingle of Peggy Lee and her melodicism hearkens back to Tin Pan Alley, but Feist proves she's a modern gal with a sparse yet varied sound that draws from chamber pop, chill-out, postmodern folk, Burt Bacharach and beyond. Feist's own songs on the disc's first half segue imperceptibly into a string of well-chosen cover tunes that confirm her nuanced good taste, particularly as she gently renders Ron Sexsmith's "Secret Heart" and the Bee Gees' "Love You Inside Out" as if they were penned by the same lovesick soul: herself. © BARRY WALTERS, (Posted: Jul 28, 2005), © 2008 Rolling Stone



BIO (Wikipedia)

Leslie Feist (born February 13, 1976 in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada) is a Juno Award-winning and Grammy-nominated Canadian singer-songwriter. She performs as a solo artist under the name Feist and as a member of the indie rock supergroup Broken Social Scene. At the 2008 Juno Awards on April 6, 2008 in Calgary, Alberta, she was the top winner with five awards, including Songwriter, Artist, Pop Album, Album and Single of the Year. Feist's parents were both artists. Her father, American Harold Feist, is an abstract expressionist painter and worked at both the Alberta College of Art and Design and Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. Her mother Lyn Feist was a student of ceramics. Their first child, Ben was born (Ben is now a software engineer at Sapient in Toronto) and the family soon moved to Sackville in the Maritimes. Leslie Feist was born on Feb 13, 1976 in Amherst, Nova Scotia which borders Sackville and at the time, had the closest maternity wing. Her parents divorced soon after, and Leslie, Ben, and their mother moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, where they lived with her grandparents, and later to Calgary, Alberta. She aspired to be a writer, and spent most of her youth singing in choirs. At the age of twelve Feist performed as one of 1000 dancers in the opening ceremonies of the Calgary Winter Olympics, which she cites as inspiration for the video "1234". She also has two half-siblings, Emily and Jackson, from her father's later marriage. Feist has dual Canadian-American citizenship due to her American father, though she joked in a televised interview on The Colbert Report that she was given American citizenship as part of a deal with Apple. In 1991, at age fifteen, Feist got her start in music when she founded, and was the lead vocalist for a Calgary punk band called Placebo (not to be confused with the British band Placebo). She and her bandmates won a local Battle of the Bands competition and were awarded the opening slot at the festival Infest 1993, featuring the Ramones. At this concert she met Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew, with whom she formed Broken Social Scene ten years later. In 1995, Feist was forced to take time off from music to recover from vocal-cord damage. She moved from Calgary to Toronto in 1996. That year she was asked by Noah Mintz of hHead to play bass in his solo project Noah's Arkweld. She played the bass guitar in Noah's Arkweld for a year despite never having played bass before. In 1998, she became the rhythm guitarist for the band By Divine Right and toured with them throughout 1998, 1999, and 2000. In 1999, Feist moved in with a friend of a friend, Merrill Nisker, who then began to perform as an electro-punk musician Peaches; Feist worked the back of the stage at Peaches' shows, using a sock puppet and calling herself "Bitch Lap Lap". The two also toured together in England from 2000-2001, staying with Justine Frischmann of Elastica and Feist appeared as a guest vocalist on The Teaches of Peaches. She also met musician Gonzales during this time, and a long-term collaboration formed. Feist's solo début album, Monarch (Lay Your Jewelled Head Down), was released in 1999. Composed of 10 songs, it is a companion to her two recent and better known albums Let it Die and The Reminder. The album contains the songs "Monarch" and "That's What I Say, It's Not What I Mean". Monarch (Lay Your Jewelled Head Down) was produced by Dan Kurtz who would later form Dragonette. In the summer of 2001, Feist self-produced seven songs at home which she called The Red Demos, which have never been released commercially. She spent more than two years touring throughout Europe with Gonzales. In that same year she and a group of old friends formed Toronto indie rock supergroup Broken Social Scene and subsequently recorded You Forgot It in People. While on tour in Europe with Gonzales, they began recording new versions of her home recorded Red Demos, which would later become her major label debut Let It Die. Let It Die featured both original compositions and covers, and Feist has been noted both as a songwriter and as an innovative interpreter of other artists' songs. After the recording of Let It Die, Feist moved to Paris. While in Europe, she collaborated with Norwegian duo Kings of Convenience as co-writer and guest vocalist on their album Riot on an Empty Street, as well as co-writing and singing as a duet "The Simple Story" with Jane Birkin on her album Rendezvous. Feist toured during 2004, 2005 and 2006 through North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia supporting Let It Die. She won two Canadian Juno Awards for "Best New Artist" and "Best Alternative Rock Album" in 2004. Sales of Let It Die totaled 500,000 internationally, and she was awarded a platinum record in Canada, as well as a gold album in France. In 2005, Feist contributed to the UNICEF benefit song "Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?" In early 2006, Feist returned to Europe to record a followup to Let It Die at LaFrette Studios with Gonzales, Mocky, Jamie Lidell, and Renaud Letang, as well as her touring band Bryden Baird, Jesse Baird, Julian Brown of Apostle of Hustle, and Afie Jurvanen of Paso Mino. An album of remixes and collaborations, Open Season, was released on April 18, 2006. Feist's third solo album, The Reminder, was released on April 23, 2007 in Europe, and on May 1, 2007 in Canada, the USA, and the rest of the world. She toured worldwide to promote the album. The album features "1234", a song co-written by New Buffalo's Sally Seltmann, that became a surprise hit after being featured in a commercial for the iPod nano, hitting #8 in the US, a rare feat for indie rock musicians and even more notable since it hit the Top Ten on the strength of downloads alone. She has been lauded in the press and was featured on the cover of the New York Times arts section in June 2007. The Reminder had sold worldwide over 1,000,000 copies and is certified gold in the U.S. The album also won a 2008 Juno Award for "Album of the Year" on April 6th, 2008 in Calgary, Alberta. "1234" - Prior to the Apple iPod Nano commercial airing, The Reminder was selling at approximately 6,000 copies per week, and "1234" at 2,000 downloads per week. Following the commercial, the song passed 73,000 total downloads and reached No. 7 on Hot Digital Songs and No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100; The Reminder jumped from No. 36 to No. 28 on the Billboard 200, with sales of 19,000. Following the television advertisement for the iPod nano in the UK, the single beat its original chart position of 102 to become number 8 in the UK charts. Time magazine named "1234" one of The 10 Best Songs of 2007, ranking it at #2. Writer Josh Tyrangiel called the song a “masterpiece,” praising Feist for singing it “with a mixture of wisdom and exuberance that's all her own." On April 6th, 2008, Feist won a Juno Award for the single as "Single of the Year". The track titled My Moon, My Man was also released as a single and the intro was featured on a Verizon commercial for the LG Chocolate VX8550 in 2007.

St. Vincent

St. Vincent - Marry Me - 2007 - Beggars Banquet

Annie Clark / St. Vincent. is potentially a huge talent, and a force to be reckoned with. The album is full of varied musical styles, from classical, cabaret-pop, lounge music, blues, and even electronica, soft-rock and R&B, and the songs are gorgeous and solid. Marry Me is an exceptional debut album, from a very talented lady who is going places ! HR by A.O.O.F.C. Watch out for future releases from St. Vincent or Annie Clark.

TRACKS

"Now, Now" – 4:25
"Jesus Saves, I Spend" – 3:56
"Your Lips Are Red" (Annie Clark, Daniel Hart) – 4:41
"Marry Me" – 4:41
"Paris Is Burning" – 4:20
"All My Stars Aligned" – 3:47
"The Apocalypse Song" – 3:47
"We Put a Pearl in the Ground" (Mike Garson) – 1:10
"Landmines" – 5:07
"Human Racing" – 3:48
"What Me Worry?" – 3:56

All tracks were written by Annie Clark, except where noted.

CREDITS

Mark Pirro Bass
Brian Teasley Percussion, Producer, Drums, Engineer
Heather Macintosh Cello
Daniel Hart Violin
Rick Nelson Violin, Viola, Bass (Upright), Cello
Louis Schwadron French Horn
Lester Nuby Vibraphone
Daniel Farris Synthesizer, Producer, Engineer, Percussion, Choir, Chorus
Annie Clark Organ, Clavietta, Drum Programming, Vibraphone,
Engineer, Producer, Moog Synthesizer, Xylophone, Vocals, Triangle, Bass, Piano, Percussion, Guitar, Dulcimer, Synthesizer
Nathan Blaz Cello
Merrilee Challis Choir, Chorus
Jessica Grant Choir, Chorus
Andrea Paschal Choir, Chorus
Aynsley Powell Drum Programming
John Golden Mastering
Mike Garson Engineer, Piano (Grand)

REVIEWS

The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it." - Saint Vincent de Paul (b. 1581 - d. 1660). Maybe that explains it. Maybe that quote from the real Saint Vincent, namesake of multi-instrumentalist Annie Clark's nom du rock, explains why, rather than step right into the spotlight, Clark instead chose to spend so much of her time as an oft-befrocked member of both Sufjan Stevens and the Polyphonic Spree's flock. One might have assumed that, hey, maybe she was just more comfortable as a group utility player, but like most assumptions it's simply not borne out by the imposing reality of her various talents. As her St. Vincent debut immediately asserts, Clark's more than ready to be out front. In fact, it's amazing she didn't step into the spotlight sooner, considering the countless ideas swirling about Marry Me, an art-rock album at times redolent of prime Kate Bush and Lodger-era David Bowie. Maybe "humility" isn't the first word that springs to mind when you read the liners crediting Clark with "voices, guitars, bass, piano, organ, Moog, synthesizers, clavieta, xylophone, vibraphone, dulcimer, drum programming, triangle, percussion." Triangle? Is that really something to boast about? Then again, with its brilliant production flourishes and impeccably left-field arrangements, false modesty does not behoove the disc. In the case of music like this, the devil to conquer is preciousness and indulgence. No doubt, in lesser hands Clark's quirks and eccentricities would mark the St. Vincent project a no-go from the start. But at every turn Marry Me takes the more challenging route of twisting already twisted structures and unusual instrumentation to make them sound perfectly natural and, most importantly, easy to listen to as she overdubs her thrillingly sui generis vision into vibrant life. Clark's hardly alone in the endeavor. Not to be out-Spreed, Marry Me features, among other helpers, a chorus (used mostly as melodic and rhythmic counterpoint), Bowie pianist Mike Garson, and Polyphonic Spree/Man Or Astro-Man? drummer Brian Teasley, a wiz at picking the right beats for all the perfectly wrong places. But from the frenetic first half of the disc, where the ideas are coming fast and furious and Clark lets her inner prog run wild, to the mellow second, Marry Me is clearly the product of one person's fertile-- and clearly very well organized-- subconscious. "Now, Now" dances around a tricky little guitar pattern and Clark's sweet vocal melodies-- her big-girl voice a welcome respite from indie rock's lame habit of faux naivety-- as bass and drums push and pull the song taut then loose again. The grace of the track suddenly gives way to explosive guitar, the previous precision dissolved into distorted passion. "Jesus Saves, I Spend" bounds along in 6/8, with the chorus and sped-up vocals countering Clark's own coo. "Your Lips Are Red" mutates from throb to tribal freakout, a croaking, scraping guitar and sinewy lead hinting at the chaos that never quite comes. "Apocalypse Song" features a polyrhythmic voice, drum and handclap breakdown that vies with strings and more skronking noise. The war-is-not-over "Paris is Burning" is a woozy Weimar-esque waltz filled out by phased effects, a martial groove and sneaking, cynical lines like the Shakespeare allusion "Come sit right here and sleep while I slip poison in your ear." Elsewhere Clark slips in a few other memorable lyrics as well. In "Your Lips Are Red" she complains, "Your skin so fair it's not fair." In the title track, Clark gets off the lasciviously blasphemous come-on "we'll do what Mary and Joseph did...without the kid." The slower vibe of the last few tracks isn't as immediate as what came before it, but that doesn't make it any less impressive. "Landmines" is like "Subterranean Homesick Alien" redone as a torch song. "All the Stars Aligned" plods along like a pleasant Beatles outtake, at least until Clark's mini-orchestra briefly (and curiously) quotes John Barry's "James Bond Theme". "Human Racing" begins as a gentle bossa nova before blossoming into a hypnotic pulse for its fade-out. The jazzy final song, "What Me Worry?" is as traditional as the disc gets, except for the fact that Clark picked it to end an album that spends most of its previous minutes exploring the unconventional. "Love is just a bloodmatch to see who endures lash after lash with panache," Clark sings, without coming across nearly as precociously as she could have. "Have I fooled you, dear? The time is coming near when I'll give you my hand and I'll say, 'It's been grand, but...I'm out of here.'" And then she's gone. Oh, and the final sound you hear before you inevitably press play and listen to the whole beguiling thing again? A triangle. Guess those lessons paid off after all. © Joshua Klein, July 27, 2007, © 2008 Pitchfork Media Inc. All rights reserved

St. Vincent is the moniker of singer/multi-instrumentalist/composer Annie Clark and this is her debut full-length. She's opened for such diverse acts as Television, Jose Gonzalez, and Sufjan Stevens, and she's an inventive and versatile guitarist who has also performed with avant-garde composer Glenn Branca. On this record, she writes cinematic pop epics that feel at times like Paris in the 20s before all the fun ended. Or, conversely, an orchestra of pure modernity - a new American music, informed by jazz, gospel blues, Southern folk music, and classical composition but, in the end, an animal original unto itself. She's been compared to everyone from Bjork to Kate Bush to Jeff Buckley, and her beautiful voice melds perfectly with her intricate guitar work. [Editorial Review, © 1996-2008, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates ]
Dotmusic deems Clark’s first release a "dense, dizzying, dazzling album," while Cokemachineglow finds it an "excellent debut" with the prospects of even greater albums in the future. All Music Guide confirms Marry Me as "one of the better indie pop albums that’s come around for a long time." The Onion AV Club enjoys that the disc "seduces with one hand and stabs with the other," and Magnet calls it "elegantly crafted and darkly mischievous," while No Ripcord likes the "gorgeous and solid" songs. Slant notes similarities to Fiona Apple and Bjork (as do others), and Harp is impressed that "despite all the musical shifts, the album hangs together remarkably well." Pitchfork also finds that her quirkiness is not a dealbreaker, thanks to Clark’s talent, noting that "Marry Me takes the more challenging route of twisting already twisted structures and unusual instrumentation to make them sound perfectly natural and, most importantly, easy to listen to." It’s not completely without fault, however. Junkmedia states, "Whilst Marry Me is largely an intriguing listen, it’s largely the music, rather than attentive lyrics, that is the focal point, always a combination which struggles to engage the listener." Exclaim! notes that her "flair for the dramatic… becomes a little tiring over a whole album," but the publication still salutes an artist "brimming with ideas." The New York Times’ Kelefa Sanneh notes that while it sounds like Clark is still trying to figure some things out, it is "a thrill to hear her trying things most young singers wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) dare." Similarly, Stylus notes that "what Marry Me may lack in innovation, it makes up for in attitude and execution." However, the Boston Globe feels that she lacks focus, Prefix finds that her voice gets lost in the big sound, and Dusted prefers live St. Vincent to studio St. Vincent, saying that on record, "Clark is playing against her strengths." [The critical consensus, Copyright 2007 Criticulture, http://criticulture.com/musicreviews/stvincent-marryme]

With experience playing with the Polyphonic Spree, Sufjan Stevens, and Glenn Branca, Annie Clark is more than qualified enough to start writing her own loosely ornate, lush pop songs. But while Clark, who chooses to use the name St. Vincent here, does incorporate the frilly strings and horns, background choirs, and various keyboards (most of which she plays) of her past employers in Marry Me, her solo debut, she also has an edge to her — something that shows up in the distorted electric guitar solos of "Jesus Saves, I Spend" or "Now, Now," the drums in the ominous "The Apocalypse Song" or "Your Lips Are Red," the growing intensity of the vocals "Landmines," the funereal waltz of the fantastic "Paris Is Burning" ("I write to give the war is over/Send my cinders home to mother," Clark sings sadly over electronic drumbeats and acoustic guitars) — that pushes her away from the overly sentimental and quaint. Not that Marry Me doesn't have its fair share of happy love songs ("All My Stars Aligned," "What Me Worry?"), but the album isn't seeped in that kind of joyfulness that sings blind and insincere. It's an mix of good and bad, of light and dark, of the woman who purposefully sets up the obstacles she must get through to find her lover ("I'm crawling through landmines/I know 'cause I planted them," she sings disarmingly), of sweet self-deprecation ("Marry me, John, I'll be so good to you/You won't realize I'm gone"), honest and quirky and totally enticing. Clark is young enough that she's still able to retain that sense of wonder about the world without seeming naïve, and old enough that she can say things like "My hands are red from sealing your red lips" and you believe her. It's an orchestral record for those who prefer the simplistic, a darker one for those who prefer theirs twee, love songs for the scorned and sad songs for the content, an engaging and alluring combination that makes Marry Me nearly irresistible, and one of the better indie pop albums that's come around for a long time. © Marisa Brown, allmusic.com

Judging by her debut's title, St. Vincent, or Annie Clark as her family knows her, has a simple request: she wants you to marry her. And in the titular song, she convincingly sings with her coy, childlike delivery, "I'll be so good to you / I'll be so sweet to you" while piano, horns, violins and handclaps create a beguiling atmosphere. If she's asking for our hand in marriage like this, we may just have to oblige. Clark's debut marks the arrival of an enchanting songwriter who successfully brings an element of true eccentricity to conventional pop music. The opening track, "Now Now," finds Clark channeling a contemporary Kate Bush as ethereal backing vocals and tumbling drums play over her harp-esque guitar plucks. Further on, the deceivingly sweet "Apocalypse Song" would pacify even the most vociferous of doomsday prophets. Here's to the end of the world. © Arye Dworken, 07.03.07, © 1997 - 2008 ARTISTdirect, Inc. All Rights Reserved

BIO (Wikipedia)

Annie Clark, born in 1982 in multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter who performs under the moniker St. Vincent. She was a member of The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens' touring band. Clark has opened shows for such acts as The National, Television, Arcade Fire, Briertone, Jolie Holland, John Vanderslice, Midlake, Tracy + the Plastics, Tuck & Patti and Xiu Xiu. She nded the Berklee College of Music and released an EP with fellow students in 2003, entitled Ratsliveonnoevilstar. She joined Paris Is Burning, it contains three tracks, including a cover version of Nico's "These Days". She became the guitar player for tThe Fragile Army. She released her debut album, July 10, 2007 on Beggars Banquet Records. The LP features appearances from drummer Brian Teasley (Man or Astro-man?, The Polyphonic Spree), Mike Garson (David Bowie's longtime pianist), and horn player Louis Schwadron (The Polyphonic Spree). In 2008 she was nominated for three PLUG Independent Music Awards: New Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, and Music Video of the Year, and on 6 March 2008, she won the Female Artist of the Year award.