chicks with chops

Warning: Some Explicit Language

I like women songwriters. When they write songs, I often recognize myself in them. There is a sisterhood out there, I don't care what anyone says. Anyway, they have humour, anger, passion - and it's all woman.


Untouchable Face by Ani Difranco... The sweetest "fuck you" in the world. Here is a great live version. I particularly appreciate the fact that she's smiling throughout the song.
It's perfect:


http://www.righteousbabe.com/ani/

This one is awesome. She is pissed off. And hurt. And she's singing from her guts.
The one and only Martha Wainwright, singing Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole.


http://www.marthawainwright.com/

The fabulous Kate Reid, once again, with Co-op Girls. This one is not so angry, she sings about trying to pick up women... and what really happens. She makes me laugh, and I recognize my own moments of awkwardness in her song.


http://www.katereid.net

Here's one of my favourite songs by this duo...Living Room from the album If It Was You by Tegan and Sara. It's has a great sound and just the right amount of energy...


http://teganandsara.com/


This following video, is by an indie-folk singer I discovered at Musicfest. She performed with Women in the Round, which included Kate Reid and Joanna Chapman-Smith.
Her name is Sarah MacDougall and this is Crow's Lament.


http://sarahmacdougall.com

conforming just ain't an option

This is my favourite song by Kate Reid, well, one of them, I have so many... It's called The Only Dyke at Open Mic.It's funny and clever. Listen to it, I think you'll agree.

Kate Reid's charm is how she peaked my interest, her humour kept me listening. It's not just that, it's her music. It's honest, simple, well expressed... and it has a healthy dose of self-deprecation. She tells stories in a way that we all can relate. 

Yep, she's a lesbian. It's a part of who she is and it's often what she sings about. Yet, so many of the feelings she expresses in her songs are universal - she finds the common thread. Her popularity is spreading, and not just in the LGBT community.That in itself, is refreshing and an important aspect of her music. Visibility, that is.  And honestly, any fan of folk can appreciate her talent.

I've had the great pleasure of seeing her perform at the Vancouver Island MusicFest in Courtenay, BC and in a local café in Victoria. I first saw her at Pride Victoria in 2009 and was immediately smitten. I have introduced her music to many friends, and they too have been won over.

Check Kate Reid out, she's definitely worth it. Her live performances are fabulous. She's candid and funny, and she knows how to connect with her audience.

Here is one of my partner Rick's favourite songs by her. It's called Truckdriver.It reminds him of the way he felt as a teenager, during a pivotal time.



To find out more about Kate Reid, check out her website:
http://www.katereid.net/

Addendum: Even better, read this article about Kate Reid. It's well written, and wonderfully true.

plant your hope with good seeds

I discovered Mumford and Sons on a road trip. Summer road trips always seem to include great music, sunshine, bare feet, and long stretches of road. This was no exception.

This band's music is rousing. That's the first word that comes to mind. They make an art of building up their songs into  anthemic gems.Their songs often feature a banjo, a mandolin, and  sometimes an accordion, among other instruments.

I had a strange disconnected thought a little while ago. They  remind me a little of U2. The earnest early-eighties version of U2, that is. I think it's their youthful eagerness and the energy they inject into their music and performances. The comparisons, however, stop here.

On the Mumford and Sons website, they're described as:               

 Four young men from West London in their early twenties, they have fire in their bellies, romance in their hearts, and rapture in their masterful, melancholy voices.

Their live performances are indeed electric, and there's more than a hint of spirituality in the lyrics that give their songs a sense of longing. With roots in folk, Mumford and Sons are not an obvious fit with the popular music scene, yet in a short time, they've exploded onto it with their intense and impassioned sound.

This first video, is from The Accoustic Bookshop Sessions. I think this is my second favourite song by them... although the whole album is fantastic. Here, they are playing a fabulous version of The Cave.

This next song caught me by surprise. I heard it a few times, and only then did it hit me just how good it was. It reaches crazy energy levels. (Apparently I'm a sucker for that). So here you have it the official video for Roll Away Your Stone. I love Marcus Mumford's smile after he finishes the song. It says: "Wow, they really like us, I can't believe it!"

I recommend that you buy the Sigh No More album and go see one of their shows.
Just from the footage I've seen, I know I'm going to love seeing these guys live! And, my friends who have recently seen Mumford and Sons at Sasquatch, rave about their performance. It's just the beginning for this fouresome...

...their incredible energy draws us in quickly to their circle of songs, to the warmth of their stories, and to their magical community of misty-eyed men. (www.mumfordandsons.com/biography)

 Now for a less polished but electric rendition of Roll Away Your Stone:



Fabulous, isn't it?

Addendum:
I recently found this video from two years ago...  Check them out, their sound has already begun to emerge. Here, it's a little raw:

music is the peanut butter to my jelly

Music is indeed that. And more. (Yes, someone did watch Juno!)

When I'm having a conversation with someone, inevitably I begin to tell so and so, all about the most amazing song I just heard... Thirty minutes later, after a few veers and turns - we are still talking about music. I can say in all sincerity, music has always been like that for me. I'm a fan. A big fan. An appreciator of music and the musicians who create it.

No, I don't really play an instrument. I can read music... sort of. Occasionally, I clumsily play a handful of tunes on the piano or on the recorder. Yes, the recorder. I imagine it's becoming obvious that I belong in Geekdom.

In light of the fact that I can't quite carry a tune  and am devoid of the discipline or natural inclination to be a musician, I get to just relish some damn good music and tell people about it. Hence, this blog.

Today I leave you with a superb songwriter that has emerged from Sweden. I admit, I'm a little behind on this one. But, this is just a teaser. I will tell you more about him soon, I know I won't be able to resist.

I'm in love with his voice... If you haven't heard him before, here is The Tallest Man On Earth, singing Thousand Ways on KCRW Radio's "Morning  Becomes Eclectic". (05/7/10)