SOTW: Come in the Water ~ The Barr Brothers

There's chill- and then there's...

Song of the Week - Come in the Water by the Barr Brothers

I finally bought 'Sleeping Operator' last week after seeing the Barr Brothers at End of the Road last year and absolutely loving them and the ambiance they created so effortlessly on the Woods Stage. Listening through the album, I have three firm favourites, this being one of them.

Starting off with a very acoustic, light, very relaxed and gentle feel, this song does the 'Barr Brothers-y' develop into an atmospheric, ambient chorus with power and feeling. They've achieved successful use of a harp (this is rare, folks!) - so major kudos to Sarah Pagé who is 'harping' so beautifully.

The Barr Brothers' songs are often so atmospheric that you can't differentiate between the range of instruments they use- as they all work in perfect harmony, creating an enclosure of sound. It's hard to comment on specific things as with this band, it's all about the gorgeous sound and mood they create together. But still, I'm a massive fan of the added organ line, piano and guitar line (and its tone).

The Barr Brothers are a Canadian band who predominantly play folk- and yes, there are a set of brothers in the band. 'Sleeping Operator', which features this track, is their second album- and I can highly recommend it. Buy it here on Amazon.

I was so impressed when I stumbled across them last year- and they fitted the festival perfectly, particularly for an afternoon of basking in the sun. Seriously- if you see them on any of your line-ups this year, you should definitely check them out- they won't disappoint.


As always, hear it here, on YouTube (a live version!):

On Spotify here.
And on Soundcloud here.

Other great tracks on the album are 'Love Ain't Enough' and 'Even the Darkness has Arms'- give them a listen, too! I hope to perhaps review the album over the next few weeks.

Ciao!

-Ella

SOTW (for exam time!) : Same Jeans ~ The View

Hello y'all-

So when you look in the mirror
Reflecting back at you someone that you don't know...
Life sometimes makes your head spin around
So get yourself together
Get your feet back on the ground...


Song of the Week ~ Same Jeans by the View

It's almost May. Exams are fast approaching. One by one, we're beginning to fall apart, resulting in each of us respectively experiencing the annual 'complete mental breakdown'. Mentally- it's fair to say we're feeling considerably less stable than usual.

If this sounds somehow relevant to you- this is the song for you.

Days upon days of revision often mean wearing the same clothes. I've been wearing the same pair of leggings for about 3 days. I would very much like like to hit the disco in the middle of town- and I probably would if there was a disco near me...I am the master procrastinator.

This song makes your life falling apart seem so much more positive- because in the end, all you can do is pick yourself back up and stabilise yourself, and then push on.

A great chord progression, fitting guitar tone and timbre. This song really does have an ongoing, limitless feel that seems to fit the lyrics perfectly. I can hardly believe it's three and a half minutes long because it feels like so much more (and in a good way.)

The View have been around a little while now, in their tenth year. Originating from Scotland, their biggest hit is arguably 'Same Jeans', which reached number 3 in the UK charts in 2007. Their most recent single is 'Marriage', released in March.

The View are at Isle of Wight festival this year, and I promise to view (ha) and review (ha) the gig, with some luck. I'll also try to get a bit on camera. Whilst they play this song though, I'll probably be in an extremely happy place beyond anything or any limits.

Listen to the song here:

On Spotify here.
And no Soundcloud link this week...unfortunately there is no sign of it on there (apart from covers of it.)

'My mind's not perfect but it's sincere.'

I'm going to go change my leggings.
Have a good week!

-Ella

A Rant ~ Music Festival Fashion

Okay- as summer approaches, we see the fashion industry kick in, trying to get us to buy our summer wardrobe- and moreover a heavy focus on festival fashion.

As you know, I love a good festival. I love bohemian, chic, flowy clothes, I love prints and I love carelessly wearing wellies with absolutely any outfit. I bring these kinds of clothes to festivals myself, because it's classic and I feel great in them.

But there is one thing which we must stop promoting as 'Festival Fashion' and that is...

THE PLAYSUIT.

Don't get me wrong- I LOVE playsuits and jumpsuits. They're a statement piece, look flattering and are summery as hell.

Despite this, it's fair to say the playsuit is one of the most impractical items of clothing- seriously not made for a festival. And honestly, I'm tired of the fashion industry promoting these and exploiting the naivety of those who haven't yet had their first festival experience.

Have you ever been to the loo whilst wearing a playsuit?

If you have, it'll have quickly become apparent that the playsuit/jumpsuit/dungarees are not the easiest for going to the toilet, as you have to pull the whole thing down all in one piece, often removing tight straps (as these things do have to stay up, they're not usually simple to slip off).

Second question: have you experienced the festival portaloo? Often a grim, unpleasant, vaguely claustrophobic experience, it's not the place you want to be fidgeting and fussing around in trying to pull down a playsuit. And the tight fitting elasticated jumpsuits!? Good luck, mate.
There's also often a grim, wet, pungent floor, and this is why the fashion industry should preferably stop promoting maxi skirts as festival fashion also. You will conclusively, and inevitably, have your playsuit/jumpsuit/maxi skirt hit the floor, and you'll smell off for the rest of the day.

It angers me that some people will feel they *have* to buy a playsuit if they're hitting a festival this summer. You don't- seriously. They're a cute summer staple- but not a completely necessary festival piece.

Now Miss, that looks lovely, very chic, but how are you going to get out of it when you go to a portaloo, and secondly, you're going to ruin that nice white fabric when you sit down anywhere.

From my previous experience, a few quick festival clothing tips:

1. Stick to separate shorts/skirts and tops. Easier for hitting the portaloos and easier to get changed in a small tent.
2. Be careful where you sit down so you don't ruin whatever you're wearing by sitting on something unappetising.
3. Don't wear white. Especially white shorts, skirts, or dresses. Seriously, don't. It looks chic, but I promise you you'll ruin it.
4. Layer up...don't rely on one raincoat. A hot day can turn into a cooler evening and you may find yourself requiring a bit of coverage, but not a sweaty coat. And in a crowd, you want to be able to slip layers off and on quickly and easily. It gets hot when you're all in close proximity with an abundance of strangers!
5. Rucksacks are alright at smaller festivals...but easy to pickpocket at bigger ones, especially when in a crowd. In this case, use a small side bag or a bum bag. Make sure it can zip up.
6. It sounds like your mum- but don't forget suncream. Festivals are ruined by sunstroke or sunburn, and your friends won't forgive you for making them apply aloe vera to your back.
7. Keep a pair of shoes that are easy to slip on in your tent for heading off to the toilets in the dead of night. When you're about to pee yourself, you don't want to desperately be lacing up your converses.
8. Go insane with fashion...pair up what you like, because it's fair to say that at a festival pretty much anything goes. Embrace it!

Apart from that, have a wonderful festival weekend to any of you hitting any. I hope you found my brief rant somewhat relatable and agreeable...

Happy Wednesday!

-Ella

SOTW: Avril 14th ~ Aphex Twin

Hello-

I waited until the perfect date to post this one.


Song of the Week - Avril 14th by Aphex Twin

Now this song holds a special place in my heart.

Ambient piano: no lyrics, no bass, no percussion. You can hear feet pushing pedals and the creaking of the piano, the crackling of the recording. The piano timbre is soft, slightly off-tune and played legato. The song is free to interpret as you wish, as there's no lyrics, only music.

Anger struck when Kanye West sampled this track for his song 'Blame Game', 2010, initially without even asking for permission from Aphex Twin, let alone paying royalties. Richard David James (Aphex Twin himself) naturally was having none of this, and got what he wished. I still feel this song was used wrongly. Perfection is best left untouched.

This track is also one of my personal favourites to play on piano.


Here is the track on YouTube:

On Spotify here.
And on Soundcloud here.

Listen to Kanye's (irresistible, and kind of good) abomination here:

Have a great week. Happy Avril 14th!

-Ella

Secrets of London ~ Tea and Tattle

Labelled teapots...and snapchat captions. Apologies.

Gooood evening-

Whilst most of my posts are music-based, I can't help but do the odd review of something else once in a while. In the future, hope I can do a few more like this.

Now- when given the concept of afternoon tea, I tend to visualise a pricey trip to the Ritz, where you're fed cakes and tea until you're stuffed for the next two days, and probably can't look at cake for a week. Afternoon tea is at least £50 each there- and well, I think I've found a lovelier, maybe less pretentious little place, for much less than half the price.

Last week, I had a friend from Wiltshire to visit- so had to do the classic trip to London. Like complete tourists, we hit Oxford Street for a while, visited Buckingham Palace...and I insisted on the prospect of afternoon tea. So for the second time, I had a lovely trip to Tea & Tattle, a lovely little underground café (it feels wrong to simply label it a café, but there's no other word for it), based around Tottenham Court Road, by the British Museum. 

Coffee & Walnut Cake...my favourite...notice the half gone homemade lemonade in the background.

For around £15 a person- you'll get your cup of tea/coffee (unfortunately I had coffee instead of tea, which was lovely, but my friend Issy referred to her tea as some of the best she'd had), little sandwiches (triangles and everything), scones (with clotted cream, obviously, and a choice of jams), a glass of their (amazing) homemade lemonade and polished off with a slice of cake. And it's all deliciously served to you in a tiny little underground location by friendly staff.

My scones...with raspberry and vanilla jam. Truly amazing.

It is a tiny little café, so would not rely on just walking in- but very easy to book online (we booked the night before and got a table for 3pm no trouble). This little spot is perfect for the afternoon tea experience, but a little more original, a little bit cuter, and a whole lot less expensive.

The cake is moist, the sandwiches are cutely cut, and the scones (pronounced sconns, not scohhnes)...best I've had. 

All served on pretty china plates and teacups. The staff also were very friendly. Their tomato, brie and ham toasted sandwiches were perfection!

So if you're a little unsure on what to do in London - Tea & Tattle is recommended. You can even do a little trip to the British Museum after...

Until next time,

-Ella

The obligatory 'sippin tea' picture.

SOTW: I'll Be There ~ Chic

Hellooo,


Yes, the main question is why I didn't do this track as Song of the Week about three weeks ago. The truth is that I completely forgot to mention this song, even though I've been obsessive over it.

As a complete 80s freak, the fact I forgot this is very unnatural and unlike me.


Song of the Week - I'll Be There by Chic


Oh my god. This new single is next level amazing. It's a classic Chic track with its brass, its Nile Rodgers guitar, strings section, vocals, break down section and of course a funky bass line. It's like everything we expect of Chic, without feeling the same- it's a completely new track, but has all those conventions we know and love.

Thing about this one, is that it brings together the past 30 years of Chic...bringing back little iconic lines: 'everybody dance', 'the clock keeps turning'... amazing. It does leavs you feeling slightly emotional and nostalgic as well
(I know I'm not from the 80s era. But as someone who has grown up listening to Chic thanks to parents.)

I'll mention it now, seeing as I haven't already- Chic at Glastonbury 2013 is my favourite ever festival set, and has remained it since I saw it on the night. That bass player was so on fire that he looked in pain as he played 'Everybody Dance'.

What saddens me, however, is this feels like this is the final ever Chic single. It's not subtle- the lyrics are about goodbyes, about loyalty, about always 'being there', and the repetition, samples of previous hits and references to previous points in Chic's career really hit home.


'Smash after smash after smash
I appreciate all the gifts I was given
Now I don't wanna live in the past
But it's a nice place to visit'


It's clearly about moving on from the past and entering the future.

And with Nile Rodgers' now being 62 (but not looking it), he may be looking to let himself retire in the near future. After all, he's battled prostate cancer, still keeping up with the music. He has a well earned break waiting for him when he does bring Chic to an end. I'm sure he'll continue being a legend of the music business, no matter what he's doing.

But at least we can all say that there couldn't have been a much better song to potentially finish such an iconic music career on. Long live the legacy of (in my opinion) the greatest disco band of all time.



You won't regret it. Listen to 'I'll Be There' here:

On Spotify here.
Aaaand here's an awesome extended club version of it on Soundcloud here.


My favourite Song of the Week yet. And I got next week's all lined up (it's date appropriate. Hint: 14/04).

Until next week!

-Ella


PS: This is all extremely appropriate, as I'm performing Good Times again with friends and family next weekend. It's been played a healthy amount of times, once even with a family and friend-formed group of 18. There were two drummers, one amazing bass player, two pianists, three guitarists, four of us playing percussion and a whole load of vocalists. It sounded insane. In a great way. Good times.)