Karen Dalton - 1971 Acid-folk Reissue

"My favorite singer in the place was Karen Dalton. Karen had a voice like Billie Holiday's and played the guitar like Jimmy Reed." - Bob Dylan

Among this year top 20 reissues must stand Karen Dalton’s two albums. More than three and a half decades later It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best (1969) first saw the light of day at the beginning of this year. This reissue allows us to (re)discover the vocal talent of this never mentioned American folk singer.
Her second album, In My Own Time (1971), released on November 7, 2006 by Light In The Attic, saw her surrounded by musicians who helped her to diverse her style. Together, they covered with ability soul songs from Marvin Gaye or Percy Sledge or rewrite with inspiration In The Station from The Band. The best song of this wonderful album is the icy Katie Cruel, a song about a desperate woman who may be Karen Dalton herself.

MySpace: myspace.com/karendaltoninmyowntime

Karen Dalton - Katie Cruel .mp3 (Traditional)
Karen Dalton - In My Own Dream .mp3 (Paul Butterfield)
Karen Dalton - Same Old Man .mp3 (Traditional)

Psychic Ills @ the Triptyque

November 14, one evening at the Triptyque, rue Montmartre, Paris. On the same bill (for 10 euros only) you have the indie folk pop from the young New York-based female artist Dawn Landes , the quiet and melancholic melodies from Barzin (Toronto, Canada) and the dark psychedelic rock of Psychic Ills, also from New York City.

It was almost midnight, late for many Parisians (?), when only 25 fans were still standing in front of the stage until a guy on a microphone said “They came specially from New York for this show, please don’t leave and welcome Psychic Ills…” Almost from the shade took place the dynamic and hammering sound from January Rain. I guess Psychic Ills has listened to all the experimental rock, krautrock and post-rock from the last thirty years and convert it in their own sound where sonic guitars cross tribal rhythms and distant aching vocals. On stage, Psychic Ills are simply spectacular. They played fast and furious - the show was short 30 to 40 minutes, I don’t know – and it was over too soon. I wanted more! So, you must come back, but for longer, you are very welcome…

Web:

thesocialregistry.com/artist_pages/psychicills
MySpace: myspace.com/psychicills

Psychic Ills - January Rain .mp3
Psychic Ills - I Knew My Name .mp3
More songs here: Another Record

Barzin - Past All Concerns .mp3

Dawn Landes - Kissing Song .mp3 from the Planet Claire Session (March 9, 2005)

Halou Wins

Halou are Rebecca Coseboom on vocals, Ryan Coseboom on guitars and programming and Count on drums. After a near 5 year wait, the trio from San Rafael, CA, celebrates 10 years as a band and returned with an impressive third album Wholeness and Separation (May 2006).
Halou's debut album, We Only Love You, was released in 1999, Wiser, the second one was released in October 2001.
Part Hooverphonic, part Goldfrapp, part Bowery Electric, Halou offers their luxurious electropop, alternative, down-tempo trip-hop on this last released.

Web: halou.com
MySpace: myspace.com/halou

Halou - Stone Fruit .mp3 from Wholeness & Separation (2006)
Halou - Half Gifts .mp3 (Elizabeth Fraser cover) from the limited edition compilation Sans Soucie (1999)

Halou - You Are One Of Us .mp3 from We Only Love You (1998)

Vito - Free Live Session Tracks

You may know that I like very much Vito since I discovered them as a support of Sophia last April (read leakysparrow - about-vito).

Vito is working on a second album. Meanwhile, they recorded 3 songs for a radio session available to listen to in the “Music” section of their website vitomusic.co.uk. The songs were recorded live. 2 tunes are from the album Make Good Areas Disturbed (June 2006) that originally had orchestral strings on them. The 3rd track is a new recording of My Tornado Is Resting which was originally the B Side of a Limited Edition 7" single.

Web : vitomusic.co.uk
MySpace: myspace.com/vitotheband

Vito - Arrested By These Phenonmena - Live radio session recording .mp3
Vito - My Tornado Is Resting .mp3 (a sample from the 7” single, available here: piccadillyrecords.com)

Tim Easton Unplugged In Paris

I'd seen Tim Easton's name around for a few years now. The fact that he is signed to one of my favorite labels (New West Records) is enough of a recommendation for me to see the show. Tousle-haired Easton took the stage looking very much like the American songwriter he is dressed in t-shirt, blue jean jacket and jeans. He's a good guitar strummer and picker and also accompanies himself occasionally with the harmonica. His voice is his best instrument though. Smokey, rich and warm, you fall easily right into his many stories of wanderlust, worldwide adventure and misbegotten romance. Hate to say it though - the best song of the night for me was his cover Bob Dylan's Spanish Harlem Incident. He played a very find piano on this number and somehow, the contrast between the piano and the previous guitar playing really highlighted the stark beauty of this fine song.
Tim Easton is a great entertainer - lot's of jokes and self deprecating humor give us the view of a young artist serious about what he is doing but thankfully not taking himself too seriously. Not an easy balancing act I think but, on this night at least, done quite well by this talented singer and songwriter. (I had to leave a bit early tonight but the story was he played a second set that went on until after midnight! Well-done Tim!!!). Another good show at La Pomme d'Eve!

Bookerfatz2

Web: timeaston.com
MySpace: myspace.com/timeaston

Tim Easton - Next To You .mp3 from Ammunition (May, 2006)
Tim Easton - Amor Azul .mp3 Acoustic Café Session 2003 via jrummer.com

To come at La Pomme d’Eve:

• Terry Lee Hale & Fingerbones – December 7
• Richard Dobson – January 18
• Iain Matthews – February 6 and 8

More info: Acoustic In Paris

Photo: Hervé Oudet

Oren Bloedow Desperately Seeking for Me'shell NdegeOcello

Very attractive bill yesterday at Le Divan du Monde a place located in the heart of Pigalle (you know the “red quarter” of Paris, the Moulin Rouge…), a venue usually dedicated to Tzigane or African music. Oren Bloedow and Nina Nastasia together the same evening, fine, and only for 10 Euros, no excuses for me to stay home.
Oren Bloedow is from the legendary New York trio Elysian Fields (les Champs Elysées), a band that I saw … years ago. Yesterday, Oren played solo, no Jennifer Charles with him, too bad for me. After his very impressive performance, my friend Bookerfatz 2 and I had a little chat with Oren telling him that we were very happy with what we heard tonight and I also asked him why he was playing solo in Paris. Does he have a new record in mind to promote, etc… “No, no, no, I will play tomorrow with Michelle at La Cigale, You know Michelle?” “Well, no, I must say”, I answered. “Oh, she’s there tonight, he replied, let me find her… where is Michelle, where is Michelle?” We waited a little bit but Oren didn’t come back… with or without Michelle! So, we never met Michelle.
In fact, he thought that we were kind of dull people because he was talking about Me’shell NdegeOcello and that we had no idea who she is.

I confirm, Me’shell NdegeOcello will indeed play this Tuesday in Paris at La Cigale. Oren Bloedow will be on stage with her. You know Me’shell, of course! Like everybody…
Later Nina Nastasia came on stage.
To be continued...

Web: elysianmusic.com

Next show: Friday December 22 at the Joe's Pub, New York, NY

MySpace: Oren Bloedow: myspace.com/orenbloedow
MySpace: Elysian Fields: myspace.com/elysianfieldsnyc
MySpace: Meshell: myspace.com/officialmeshellndegeocello

Elysian Fields - Live For the Touch .mp3

Elysian Fields - Mermaid .mp3

Photo: Julien Murdry (mudry.org/photoblog)

Mogwai: Mr. Zidane

As you may or may not know Mogwai recorded the soundtrack for Douglas Gordon's Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (read Leaky Sparrow June 2, 2006). It's being released in Europe as an album and is out since October 30, 2006 (on PIAS Recordings). Also there's 2 tracks 10” out 23rd October...It's worth noting that matador records will not be releasing this record in north America. Why?

I bought the album today, and I must say that I am quite pleased after the first two listening. The general atmosphere reminds me of C.O.D.Y. (specially the song 7:25). Mogwai also contributed to the soundtrack of Miami Vice (2006) from Michael Mann and to the one of The Fountain (2006) from Darren Aronofsky.

1. Black Spider
2. Terrific Speech 2
3. Wake Up And Go Berserk
4. Terrific Speech
5. 7:25
6. Half Time
7. Do Have Weapons
8. Time And A Half
9. It Would Have Happened Anyway
10. Black Spider 2

The lengthy hidden improvised and a bit scary track (as mentioned in the Q&A with Stuart Braithwaite here) has been split into two sections for the digital download market. Both tracks are called Untitled, one lasting 17:45 and the other 5:16.

Mogwai are playing in Nagoya today and in Tokyo next Saturday.

Web: mogwai.co.uk
MySpace: myspace.com/mogwai

The Movie: zidane-themovie.com

Mogwai - 7:25 .mp3 via The Yellow Stereo .blogspot.com

Mogwai - Auto Rock .mp3 from Mr. Beast (2006)

Cat Power Crazy About Paris - The Grand Rex, November 5

There is a love story going on between Cat Power and Paris, I must say. Yesterday evening, at the Grand Rex, at the end of a very solid show - one of the best that I saw - 2.500 people gave a standing ovation of more than 10 minutes to Miss Chan Marshall, the girl from Atlanta.
There is a love story because she already came to Paris 11 times since 1996. Most of those dates, in small or big venues, where… well you know, Cat Power emotional, tense and sometime dramatic performances, one of them ended up in a complete silence while she was leaving the stage with shame, a wine glass in one hand, knowing that once again she did an almost miserable performance. But, the French people came back again and again. Of course, yesterday, most of the audience was there to see (watch!) her for the first time due to the success of her seventh album The Greatest (Matador, February 2006).
There is a love story between Paris and Chan Marsahll, she confirmed at the end of the show, who start when she was a very young girl, a teenager proudly wearing on her chest for years a pin with Paris written on it…
For me, it was my tenth experience of a Cat Power concert in Paris (is it dangerous, Doctor?); I just missed the first one in 1996. I knew it will be a perfect show because it’s a new Chan now since her hospitalization in February. I was more anxious of veteran Memphis soul musicians backing her up. But they where just fine, happy to play and sing with her. The first part consisted mainly of songs form The Greatest ending with a very emotional Where Is My Love? And after the solo break of Chan on piano or with her new guitar, The Memphis Rhythm Band came back for the final part consisting mainly of covers like Hit The Road Jack (one of Ray Charles’s all-time classic), (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (The Rolling Stones) and, as a very good surprise, Crazy from Gnarls Barkley.
Her next album, Sun, is already written, and she talks of a second covers album; top of the list are James Brown and Billie Holiday songs. I hope she will include Crazy, one of the best songs from 2006.

Cat Power's MySpace page
Cat Power’s Matador Records site
Cat Power’s site for The Greatest

Cat Power - Love And Communication .mp3 from The Greatest (2006)

Cat Power - Rockets .mp3 from Dear Sir (1995) and Myra Lee (1996)

Photo: Jeff Graham – AOL Music

cirKus - Laylow

cirKus are Karmil, Burt Ford, Lolita Moon and Neneh Cherry. Or two couples: Neneh Cherry, ex star from the 90’s, and her husband Cameron McVey (Burt Ford) who produced some folks like Massive Attack and Portishead, plus a young genius sound engineer Karmil and his girl friend nicely called Lolita Moon. A love group, in a way…
I have always been touch by the music of Neneh Cherry, I mean since ten years now when she recorded Woman (“This is a woman world/This is my world”) and the hit song 7 Seconds with Youssou N’Dour. She has the talent to give only with her singing the perfect mix of R’n’B and Trip Hop.
But Laylow (September 2006), the first – and maybe last album – from cirKus is not a CD from Neneh Cherry, it’s just a family record. In some songs she sometime vanishes behind McVey (Horace Andy touch) and Lolita Moon voices. And the acoustic guitar from Karmil is perfect. This album is wonderful and I highly recommend the song Fools who is a real gem.

Web site: cirkustent.com
MySpace: myspace.com/cirkus

cirKus - Laylow (edit) .mp3

cirKus- Your Such An... (edit) .mp3

Neneh Cherry & Youssou N'Dour - 7 Seconds (live) .mp3