Single Of The Month - Sarah Nixey – Le Temps de l’amour

Do you remember Black Box Recorder? Yes you do, the late 90’s answer to Saint Etienne (if I can say so)…almost similar: two genius musicians, Luke Haines, founder of the Auteurs, and John Moore, former member of Jesus Of The Mary Chain, with a very fine vocalist named Sarah Nixey.

Black Box Recorder described with humour and cynicism the dark side of the British way of living while Saint Etienne did the opposite. But, both were (or still are) musically inspired.
I just thought about Black Box Recorder few days ago - in the middle of a lazy summer for Leaky Sparrow - wondering what happened to this amazing band who produced three unforgettable records: England Made Me (1998), The Facts Of Life (2000) and Passionoia (2003). Well, the answer is an attractive single from Sarah Nixey, a cover of a Françoise Hardy’s song (not written by husband Jacques Dutronc like everyone wrote, only musically arranged by him). Pitchfork proposed a video here below:

Sarah Nixey – Le Temps de l’amour video here

C'est le temps de l'amour
Le temps des copains
Et de l'aventure
Quand le temps va et vient
On ne pense à rien
Malgré ses blessures…

Black Box Recording - The Art Of Driving .mp3
The Auteurs - Baader Meinhof .mp3

Bonus: Françoise Hardy - Suzanne (Leonard Cohen) .mp3

Web: blackboxrecorder.net or blackboxrecorder.net/old

And: sarahnixey.com + john-moore.net + lukehaines.co.uk

Single Of The Month - Sarabeth Tucek - Something For You

You may say that I’m a little bit obsessed with women singer-songwriters and you may be right. After Emily Jane White, Cat Power and Eleni Mandell let me introduce to you Sarabeth Tucek.
Born in Florida, raised in New York City, living now in California, Sarabeth Tucek tried to be at the beginning a movie star (Flatliners, 1990). Later she started to play music and sure it was a better idea. She played with Bill Callahan (Smog) on the album Supper, loved Bob Dylan’s music – who liked Tucek’s sinister folk songs enough to ask her to open for him. She has recently completed her debut album (December, 2007). The self-titled album was co-produced by Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon/Ryan Adams/Ray LaMontagne) and Luther Russell (Richmond Fontaine/Fernando).
Something For You was her first single and is a beautiful song. Hot Tears, that you can hear on her MySpace, is also a very good one.

MySpace: myspace.com/sarabethtucek
Label: echo.co.uk

Sarabeth Tucek - Something For You .mp3 via peeliever.twoday.net
Video: youtube.com

Single of The Month - Film School

Hideout is Film School’s second full-length for Beggars Banquet. The album is already out in the States since September 11th (beggars). For Europe, you’ll first have to wait for the CD single, Dear Me, due to hit the shelves on October 22nd. The album, Hideout, will follow on November 5th.
Film School is a Californian collective from San Francisco watching an old movie from the eighties: the English new wave. Hideout relives the days when we listened to Echo & The Bunnymen, My Bloody Valentine or Joy Division.
The CD single, Dear Me, is backed by Two Kinds a heartbreaker pop song about lost love, a beautiful melody that you can find on the blog Speed Of Dark.

Film School - Two Kinds .mp3 from Dear Me, CD Single (November 22) via Speed Of Dark.

Web: filmschoolmusic.com
MySpace: myspace.com/filmschool
Label: beggars.com/banquet/index.htm

Film School - Lectric .mp3 from Hideout (2007)
Film School - On And On .mp3 from Film School (2006)

Single Of The Month - Thedo: On My Shoulders

Thedo (o with a /) or when Dan levy, a French film score composer (imdb), meets Olivia B Merilahti a singer-songwriter from Finland. Two new talents together.

They don’t have a label yet but On My Shoulders is already a hit on myspace.com/thedoband. Enjoy!

Thedo - On My Shoulders .mp3 via Le Mellotron

Terry Lee Hale - New Song For Leaky Sparrow 200th

Already 200 posts since Leaky Sparrow started to fly in April 2006. That’s a lot of posts friends and I am the most surprised of all! Never had I imagined that I could find enough material to share with you, which means that music is still very much alive for me and that there are still good records to listen to and shows to watch. Let me take the opportunity of this “anniversary” to thank all of you for your visits, for your useful comments and for mentioning Leaky Sparrow on other websites and blogs. Also, big thanks to my contributors and co-writers: Lucky Girl, Bookerfatz2 & Sunday Worker – for their reports from Cologne, Seattle and, of course, Paris.

For this special occasion, Terry Lee Hale has allowed me to link Big Sigh from his latest album Shotgun Pillowcase (January 2007) that you can purchase here: Borderdreams, Amazon.
This is what Terry Lee says about it: “This song and also Devil Blues (featured on Terry Lee Hale Web) were written at exactly the same time and place and I remember it well. It was in the kitchen and springtime garden at Glitterhouse Records office (Beverungen, Germany) maybe in 1998 or something. I was touring at the time and had a couple days off and so was kindly being hosted by the record company. The original song was much more jaunty and happy, almost like skipping rope kinda music. Written by a much younger man for sure. This version (featured on Shotgun Pillowcase) has been heavily edited and shortened from that first original writing. To be remembered: when it comes to song writing, nothing is sacred!!”

Web: terryleehale.com
MySpace: myspace.com/terryleehale

Terry Lee Hale - Big Sigh .mp3 from Shotgun Pillowcase (2007)

Terry Lee Hale & Fingerbones in The Netherlands:
25/10/07 - "De Witte Bal" - Assen
26/10/07 - "Musiekpodium Bakkeveen" - Bakkeveen
27/10/07 - "Night Live Music Bar" - Volendam
28/10/07 - "Patronaat" - Harleem

Illustration: Claude Monet (1840-1926) La Pie (The Magpie). Between 1868 and 1869 - Paris, Musée d'Orsay.

Single Of The Month - Everybody Loves Irene

Lovers of Portishead, like me, and of Trip Hop in general, like me again, please take few minutes and listen to Everybody Loves Irene, you’ll be amaze to discover the little sister of Beth Gibbons. Her name is Irene.
Who is Irene? Irene is Yohanna Erine Putri Ana Siregar she’s from Jarkata (Indonesia) and those who first loved Irene and her beautiful voice were 7 boys who started a band in 1998 named Gooton and hired her few years latter.
You’ll find more about Everybody Loves Irene in their MySpace with updated information and lots of music to listen and to download (mp3, video, live demos). Knows that the album The Very First Thing You Must Learn About Flying is Gravity (2006) is still unreleased. To support the group you can purchase 9 unreleased tracks available exclusively only on iTunes Music Store.

MySpace : myspace.com/everybodylovesirene

Everybody Loves Irene - Uncertainty And Anxiety .mp3

Everybody Loves Irene - Crop Circle Me .mp3
Everybody Loves Irene - Hate Sunday .mp3

Chic Chic Chic

Easter holidays are over now, so let’s come back to music.
And, after i ii iii… why not… !!! (or chk chk chk). You follow me?
Good, let’s dance.

Web: chkchkchk.net
Label: warprecords.com

chk chk chk - Heart Of Hearts .mp3

Loney, Dear - Brazil vs Sweden

Loney, Dear is in fact a one-man-band, the one of Emil Svanängen (Sweden). Because of that, Loney, Dear makes me think of Sufjan Stevens and his songwriting could be close to the “Arcade Fire” one. Loney, Dear has already released four records since 2003 – like Sufjan Stevens again, he is very prolific - but, unfortunately, those albums are difficult to find. The last one Loney Noir (2005) got a US released last February and Sologne (2005) will be out in France next April. Loney, Dear will tour the US and Europe in spring (details below).

Web: loneydear.com
MySpace: myspace.com/loneydear

When the Brazilian girls from CSS bring some warmth to Loney, Dear:
Loney, Dear - The City, The Airport (CSS Remix) .mp3
Loney, Dear - The City, The Airport .mp3 from Sologne

Single Of The Month - +81, Deerhoof

I know, I’m a bit late. Released December 19, 2006 as a download-only EP, +81 is the first single taken from Friend Opportunity the ninth opus from Deerhoof (San Francisco). Friend Opportunity was released last month on Kill Rock Stars.
+81 symbolize for me what Deerhoof have been doing with every album since 1999, always with something completely different: perfecting the bitter-sweet art of marrying melody and noise.

Web: deerhoof.killrockstars.com
MySpace: myspace.com/deerhoof

Deerhoof - +81 .mp3