2009 Beats: Moved by Music

My 2009 Top 5 Albums    

I am pretty passionate about music, so is my husband for that matter.  We met at a club in 1996 dancing during Goth/Industrial night.  It has always been something we bond over.     

When I decided to create a blog with a purpose I knew music had to be one of the major subjects I covered along with my other major passions.     

So ending 2009 I want to leave you with my top 5 favorite albums.  3 out of the 5 I have already covered.  The other 2 albums were released earlier in the year before I started my blog and although the albums were on heavy rotation on my iPod, it just didn’t occur to me to go backwards and review albums that had been out for so long.     

   1. Patrick Wolf – The Bachelor   

My review is here.  I can’t believe it took me so long to realise his genius.  Oh boy, but when I did….I now own every piece of music he has ever put out.  I am over the top in love with his sound.  I cannot wait until the new album comes out slated for early 2010 – The Conqueror  

 

2.Florence and the Machine – Lungs   

What can I say about Florence that wasn’t already said here.  She is soulful and dark and I listen to her album nonstop. Really between her and Patrick Wolf they are always getting played on repeat.  I drive my husband crazy with them.  I am excited to learn from Wikipedia that she is heading to the studio in January to create album #2…get to it Woman! Hopefully a new album by late 2010 that is as brilliant as Lungs.    

3.Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer   

I didn’t really give an outright review of this super band.  I just gave a brief little shout out and told you to give it a listen.  I hope you did.  They are fun, their songs tell stories in an experimental way that makes me want to move in my chair when listening at work.  My husband is especially over the moon about them.  I think he made the music grow on me because of his constant playing of the album.  I think it was bound to happen anyway but T forced it faster.    

4. Passion Pit – Manners    

This album came out in May of 2009 and I consider it to be my happy music.  In a bad mood, in a down mood, put on some Passion Pit and it’s hard to not smile.  This is Indie Pop or Electropop at it’s very best.  You should at least know the song “Sleepyhead” if nothing else, it’s been featured in the Palm Pixi commercial on TV and was features as an iTunes discovery download back in February and I think that might even be the song that prompted me to download the album.  I challenge you to listen to this album and NOT be in a good mood!    

5. Fever Ray – Fever Ray    

I am not sure where to start with Karin Dreijer Andersson.  She is listed as Electronica, I don’t know that it is a correct explanation.  I would say Theatrical, Experimental, Alternative….hrm.  I love The Knife the band she is in with her brother and I flew to this album happy to hear a lot of the same sounds.  Distorted voice and strange noises with her accent make this such a different sound.  I love her uniqueness and have to say to give her a listen if you haven’t heard her before, she is hard to describe.     

Holiday Mention:   

Also I have to say Tori Amos had the most unusual Holiday album this year.  I thank her for putting herself to the challenge and coming out with such a beautiful album.  Midwinter Graces was reviewed by me here and I will surely listen to it for years to come.  I expect it will be my holiday go to!   

 

Beats: In Love with Patrick Wolf

Patrick Wolf - The Bachelor

Have you ever had a moment where you question where you have been for the past 4-5 years?  I did, the other day when after seeing the name Patrick Wolf pop up on blogs that I follow I finally looked him up.  I gave an immediate “WTF Shana!” to myself.  How dumb was I to not grab up his music so long ago? 

Patrick Wolf is a brilliant musician who’s music is is so hard to place in one specific genre.   He jumps from one genre to the next, one song sounding folk-pop the next sounding industial and the next sounding like a prayer put to a gypsy beat.  He uses Northern European instruments like viola, violin, harpsychord and accordian that give his music this otherworld-like sound.  I can only compare him slightly by saying if you like the vast genres that are covered by say Radiohead or Bjork that you will most likely enjoy his style as well.  His songs cover subjects of self, nature, supernatural and do so on this magical level that grab you by the heart and pull you in beat by beat.  I imagine gypsies whirling dirvish to some of his songs and can see little goth kids do the speaker box dance to others.  I love every second but if you need to take a listen to just one or two songs off this album “Oblivion” with Tilda Swinson narrating just gives me chills and album title “Bachelor” make me feel Patrick’s heart is worn on his sleeve.  Take a listen, tell me what you think! 

Five out of five big Blue Morpho Butterflies for this hidden gem!!!

Beats

Röyksopp – Junior

Norway’s Royksopp released their 3rd album Junior back on March 24th. I am still listening to the songs and picking out favorites.

The twosome added female vocalists/collaborators including Swedish superstar Robyn, Lykke Li, Karim Dreijer (The Knife!!! Hullo~I love them!) as well as fellow Norwegian Annell Drecker.

This album is everything I love about electronica, it is upbeat with strong vocals and thumping bass lines that make you want to move!

I love the songs “The Girl and The Robot” and “Tricky Tricky”. I keep going back to these songs and find myself playing them over and over. They remind me of the old Raver Anthems that make me want to pull out my glow sticks and run go find flyers for circuit parties…but I’ve grown out of that…no really I have! 😉

I give this album 4 1/2 out of 5 butterflies for making me want to dance around the house reminicing my old raver days.

B4 you go…xoxo,

Shana