Why hello!

There's a little trail of my breadcrumbs across the interwebs of my old blogs that you have somehow landed on.
Have a browse, and then hurry over to Sometimes Elna Blogs, which is where the real (current) party is at.

That's all. Carry on.

Oh, hello world. The new blog.

As promised, Here's the link to my new personal blog. I'm excited about it and really hope I'm able to keep it exciting and up and running.

If you're really only here for the music, go and listen to A Weather. I would give you a juicy review... but I only found them 5 minutes ago. So far so good.

Have a nice day:)

I know you want to be different, but you should probably move past that.

I'm sorry the blog's been dead lately, but I've been working hard on my new blog baby- a more personal space about traveling and other pretty things. I've loved writing the Sound Between, and I'll still keep the blog open, but blogs just aren't the main pipeline for the music world, so I've decided to rather focus on other things for now.

I'll post the link for the new blog here when it's done, so keep checking in please!

For now though, I'd like you to meet an awesome guy called Jacob Ulickij and his one-man band New Orleans Swim Team. 

I'm not very familiar with talk-music, but this feels like good stuff to me.
His honest lyrics are like raw, unvarnished wood, but captivating in the way whispers are in loud rooms. Expect intricate metaphors and a voice that is clearly laced with strong emotion.
We're talking here about a 18 year-old Canadian who nicked instruments from his school to record in his basement... don't you just love the underdog?

Jacob's sound direction was new to me, so it felt very experimental and fresh. Download the full album with lyrics for free on bandcamp and give it a decent chance. I hope it grows on you to.

Try.... You Were A Ground Level Limb

Listen to New Orleans Swim Team... for something to think about.

"I'm not as much a builder

as I am a man with gasoline

and a fire's flicker in my eyes,

set on you it would seem"

-What We're Not

We dance and grow on through our darkest days

There are so many great South African bands on the scene lately it's hard to line them all up and pick out the best like this is fourth grade gym class. So, instead I offer you just a random little smorgasbord (fancy word alert) of nice local tunes.
Enjoy and then go find more!

Checked Zebra - Koudinikaap
Here's a funky Cape Town band, which already makes them cool, of course. (I'm only half kidding;)
This song is just unbelievably catchy and will make you a little happier. And really, when last did you hear a song with the word 'shu-wap'?

Jakkals- Woah, Nelly!
In the same vein, here's another animal-named Cape Town act that's just as upbeat as those patterned zebras.What I really like about these guys that you know straight away you'd have a ball at their gigs. There's this South African energy in bands like this that make listening to them live just so much fun, and the Jakkals seem to fit the bill.

Die Tuin Dwergies- Kopskudkinders
I'm not even remotely Afrikaans, but there's something smooth and and vibey about this song that I quite like. Plus their name is awesome and they're from my hometown, Pretoria. Win!

I could go on and on, but that's enough for now. I leave you with this pretty little vid by Fulka, that makes me want a banjo even more.


image by Dylan

can I be close to you?

I was going to make this a part of longer post on music videos, but now it's a gorgeous, sunny Friday morning and this song just fits. *happiness*

I like how the Paper Kites have layered this songs, without it loosing any of it's quiet smoothness. The whistling with the different acoustic instruments makes it just a little quirky while being quite melodious and sweet.

The lyrics are a like a love poem- the good, sincere kind, no roses are red cheesiness. I really appreciate love songs like this, that you can hear are a reflection of something deep and special, that just happened to escape into the outer world. True love songs are not written to be heard by the others, and that's what makes them so great.

Hoping you're having a great Friday.

Oh, the whole world is sleeping, 

But my world is you. 

Can I be close to you?

So we are moving to a lighthouse, you and I

On a rainy day, of which we've been having many lately, I love listening to a medley of Joshes.
Like Jon or James, Josh is one of those names that belong to a slew of good musicians. (Come to think of it, naming your son anything with a J seems to be a great idea.)
So, if you have a friend with this musically mystical name, give him a banjo and see what happens... alternatively, listen to my pick of Josh songs.

My favourite Josh for a rainy day is one Josh Ritter, who is one of those artists that manage to say something deep and emotional without losing your interest or scaring you. I love it how he can spend a whole song talking seemingly nonsense and in the last two lines change everything. Listen to my favourite, Girl In The War, and Rainslicker.

Most of my friends would be able to tell you that my ultimate morning-music artist is Joshua Radin. This guy and all his music has meant to me really does deserve a whole post, but for now, have a peek at No Envy, No Fear and his The Smith's cover Girlfriend In A Coma.

I've mentioned Josh Pyke in a previous post, but he really shouldn't be missing from this list. Have a listen to the Lighthouse Song, for some more of his relaxed Australian tunes. Also, lighthouses are the shiz. And how can you not like someone who goes cruising around in a guitar-shaped boat?

Some of Josh Kelley's stuff is a little to rom-com cliched for me, but songs like Bound To Keep Moving has a rustically romantic feel to it that's a little Country, but feels just right sometimes. He's the hubby of actress Katherine Heigel, in case you care.

Josh Rouse is on my list of Joshes just because he has a song called Hello Porcupine and I think that's awesome. Jokes, he is pretty good and a nice rainy day artist.

That was quite a full post, but I'm sure you can handle it. Now all you need is a snuggly bed and some rainy-ness outside. Enjoy!

I got a girl in the war,

her eyes are like champagne.

They sparkle, bubble over 

and in the morning all you got is rain 

image thanks to onigiri-kun here

You're so gorgeous and you don't even know it.

When I moved to university in a crazy little town, I thought it might be the end of my music-filled glory days.  Thankfully though, Grahamstown proved me wrong with it's little collection of local bands, one of which just launched their debut album and thus deserves a post.

Life of Riley played at one of the first gigs I went to here and they've had me singing along to their whimsical love tunes ever since. They mix emotional and carefree songs and show love the way it makes sense in the mind of a crazy, confused student. Terri-Lee Adendorff gives the folk-pop duo a touch of Florence Welch and is responsible for their feisty stage presence.

The debut album, The Golden Age of Us, has all their clap-along favourites one expects from their gigs and can now finally listen to whenever you want. But the real gem is the track Your Brand New Summer Dress, which is far more acoustic than the rest and is the only one sung by Nick Mulgrew.
It's very reminiscent of Sufjan Stevens, both in sound and thoughtful lyrics, and is plainly just a great song. 

Try... Green Eyes, which I've dubbed 'the clap song' and anything else you can get. (Unfortunately, being local, they don't have a fantastic online presence).

Listen to the Life of Riley... because Grahamstown does in fact have a music scene.

You and your brand new summer dress

you wear it well, you wear it best. 

it fits you close and tight on your hips

and fits your curves better than I ever did.

This is a ride, not a fight.

I'm all for moving forward, but there are times when you kind of get stuck on something. Stuck on a person, a place... a craving for cupcakes.

I seem to be getting stuck a lot lately, and it's only fitting that I've also been stuck on some good music at the same time.The Weepies were suggested to me recently in one of those wonderful spontaneous conversations with a stranger about music. At first it just sounded like some easy listening to me, but the beautifully woven lyrics behind the mellow tunes soon had my full attention.

These are weathered story-tellers that have made their peace with the reality of pain and loss, and turned it into something precious. They've surprised me time again by describing something I've felt with images I've never thought of. They take what life is and turn it into what it feels like. At the same time though, they stay rather chilled, without making you cry yourself to sleep Damien Rice style.

Try... any of it, pretty much. I had Old Coyote and World Spins Madly On on repeat for half a week, but How You Survived the War and Hideaway are decent too.


Listen to the Weepies...for when you're missing the right words.

This is not the official music video, but it's beyond beautiful. Watch till the end! 

Thought of You from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.

Ring around rosie game 

always ends the same way

we all fall down.

Get up now, baby, it's your song playing.

-Old Coyote

A new bee in my bonnet

We all know the feeling of real, deep rock. It's not even in your ears, it's in the gut. It seeps from the speakers into the floor and creeps up you until you're headbanging with your eyes closed, forgetting anything else exists.

It's this raw, wrenching feeling that will grip you with every beat of She Keeps Bees. The duo remind me of a time when rock had dirty long hair. They keep it simple with just drums and guitar, but paired with the potency of Jessica Larrabee's voice, it's really all they need. It's a pure outpouring of feeling wrapped in simple, strong rock. In short, it works.

Try... Release and Gimmie to see what I'm talking about. Also, check out the great clip of them at the bottom of this post.

Listen to She Keeps Bees... with big speakers.

My bones are tired, my dress is weathered

I've got no place or home to cling to 

So give me water, give me light,

Give me the strength I can remember.

-My Bones Are Tired

no fear.

I've been getting the travel heebie jeebies lately from being in the city too long, so I'll be escaping to the bush till Friday.

Listen to this while I'm gone. Just because you can.

Listen to the post

I've recently been listening to some bands that I hadn't given much attention to in a while and The Postal Service charmed me once again.

cc thanks to Sarah G

They start off with little catchy electronic intros that could be signaling your next favourite electro head-bopper, but then twist into their own special direction with a casual and cool voice that sounds all too familiar. If you have any Death Cab for Cutie in your playlist (which, honestly, you really should), you'll know I'm talking about the somehow endearing Ben Gibbard. He teems up here with producer Jimmy Tamborella (of Dntel) in a combination that meshes just right. The fact that the two look eerily similar doesn't hurt either.


They only brought out one full album, and it doesn't look like we'll be getting much more, but the project worked well and caused quite the ripple effect. Their singles even feature covers of their songs by greats like Iron & Wine and the Shins, which I thought was quite snazzy.

Try... Such Great Heights of which I was not the only big fan,as a quick wiki search will tell you. Also, Be Still My Heart is a good example of how

well the two's styles mix.                                      

Listen to The Postal Service... to discover that electro and pop can work well together

I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles
In our eyes are mirror images and when
We kiss they're perfectly aligned

-Such Great Heights

Florence and one funky machine

Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine is one feisty female that puts that extra bit of energy into every song. She swings from one high to the next, surrounded by a good dose of foot stomping and hand clapping to add the extra kick to her sometimes dark, but pensive lyrics.

cc thanks to Kon Males

Florence has got a voice that should fill concert halls, but it's worth squeezing her into your headphones anyway. I'd describe her like a dark red lipstick- daring and sexy, with just a touch of morbid.


Try... the popular Kiss With A Fist, if you've never heard it. I quite like the flow of Dog Days Are Over myself, also from her debut Lungs (a consistent and strong effort, I'd say.) 

Listen to... Florence + the Machine if you can handle a strong voice and a little violence in your love songs.   'Falling's not the problem, when I'm falling I'm at peace.
It's only when I hit the ground it causes all the grief'-Falling

Falling in love with a Pigg

With the the honey-smooth voice of Landon Pigg, it's hard not to slip into daydreaming. He's got an array of easy-listening love songs that wink at you with their belief in love at first sight and big romantic gestures. The quality of his voice really carries the songs, while the lyrics would fit perfectly into any rom-com soundtrack.

cc thanks to Lucy Hakalo

Listen to Landon Pigg... to get a dreamy smile on your face. 

Try... his dreamy hit Falling in Love at the Coffee Shop (and its

 sweet music video).

There's a difference between living

and living in your head.
Don't let life pass you by.

-On The Other Side 

P.S. Please comment and let me know what you think about the redesign of the blog and my attempt at making the posts shorter and sweeter. 

two to relax

Everyone has time of hibernation and unfortunately this blog needed one early on its little life. Now that my life has hit a sweet pocket of laziness (also called summer holidays), it's time to revive The Sound and see what it can do, ey?

It's no secret that I have a soft spot for smooth vocals matched with beautiful instruments, especially when they come from good-looking men with style. The two artists that have been keeping my ears company lately fit the bill perfectly.

Andrew Belle may describe himself as a “pop singer/songwriter”, but his sound is miles away from the over-rated boy bands and under-dressed starlets that the genre reminds of. Songs like Add It Up and Open Your Eyes are neatly layered and stay captivating, while having something essentially calm and honest about them.

Since his debut EP in 2008, Belle has had a strong presence on the scene and may sound familiar from the slew of TV shows his music has been featured on (including several visits to the Mecca of beautiful indie soundtracks, Grey's Anatomy).

Musical bachelor # 2, Newton Faulkner, is known for his unique guitar style, but the long red dreadlocks should be your first indicator that he's something special. 
 

The talented Brit caught my attention with his impressive mix of well-honed skills and lyrics that are well thought through (as all lyrics should be). Songs like I Need Something strike a chord with the things we often don't dare to say. Faulkner has some feel-good tunes reminiscent of the Jack Johnson surfer crew, matched with deeprooted observations, such as People Should Smile More.

Both Newton and Andrew will make you both smile and think, but most of all they will do you good when you need to relax with a glass of wine. Enjoy!

Dream catch me when I fall
Or else I won’t come back at all.

You do so much that you don’t know.
It’s true.

Dream Catch Me by Andrew Belle

Find Andrew through his MySpace and YouTube  

and Newton on his MySpace and YouTube .

Images is cc thanks to Jonny The Large and nadworks
Thanks to this gal for introducing me to Belle. 

Brooke Fraser's Flags

*This is a music review I wrote for my digital journalism class. Visit the original here*

It is often said that our lives are like stories, but this sentiment comes to life through the character-driven narratives in the third album of New Zealand's pop/folk songbird Brooke Fraser.

Flags boasts eleven songs that wind around topics of love, grief and wandering, using slow ballads and lilting sing-along tunes. This album marks a new chapter in Fraser's career, with a transformed approach to lyric-writing and music-making that sets it apart from her previous work while still offering loyal fans what they expect and love. The album, released on October 12th 2010, was the first to be produced by Fraser herself, making it a truer reflection of her vision and style.

While the What To Do With Daylight and Albertine albums were intensely introspective contemplations, in Flags Fraser channels her emotions through specific characters. This creates a beautiful mosaic of story-telling that brings the listener close to the issues without having them spelt out. Fraser shows us the worlds of others and lets us find our own in it, such as the exploration of grief, Ice On Her Lashes, in which a widower speaks to and about his deceased wife.

Flags is given depth and texture by Fraser's collaboration with numerous talented contemporaries, such as Jon Foreman of Switchfoot and indie folk singer William Fitzsimmons, who features on the deluxe album version. The duet with Aqualung's Matt Hales, Who Are We Fooling?, not only brings two great voices into harmony, but brings a bittersweet dialoque about commitment to life. Fraser's choice to include such a variety of inputs on the album, without shifting the focus from her, is a sign of her maturity as a song writer that many lack.

Another highlight that gives this album its unique edge is the incorporation of various instrumental elements that range beyond the usual piano, guitar and harmonica ensembles that have become the staple of many pop/folk artists. There's a variety of human percussion, from finger snapping to knee clapping that gives the album its unique sound and gives it a sense of community and fun.

Especially the little tune Here's To You exemplifies this, with a trumpet reminiscent of the Beatles and an assortment of background noises that seem to place the listener into a noisy pub with all of their friends.
One of the strengths of Flags is its distinctive structure. Fraser hooks the listener the whimsical love song Something In The Water, that is just as sunny as the 'demeanour made of bright, pretty things' described in its first line. The sound progressively becomes more slower and more intense. This serves Fraser well by letting songs like the smooth love ballad Sailboats revolve and hinge on her voice.

Although the transition is well-crafted and easy to follow, the intensity and sparseness of songs such as Flags can be hard to digest. The album demands the listeners full attention and although the lyrics are thought-provoking gems, the tracks can feel somewhat inaccessible if not examined closely.

Flags intertwines enchanting stories and sounds to bring Fraser's work to a new level. This album asks for devotion and, if taken seriously, will reveal treasures far beyond its catchy choruses.

I can’t leave you my body
But I’ll leave you a tune
This is my legacy 

Cheers to you

Here's To You by Brooke Fraser

You can stream all the songs on Brooke's site.

Weekend Mix Tape #2

This week I was swallowed up in a work-coma once again, but at least the end of term will soon be here and then I can start blogging properly. Im itching to get some posts out on newly released albums and projects from old favourites.

Until then there's nothing like a weekends mix tape to get your mind off work. I picked some songs that somehow seem made to be played after each other. They are a little strange the first time you hear them, but very easily creep into permanent spots in your playlist. Don't miss out on the bittersweet depth beneath their melodious exterior that is so easy to sing along to.

clap your hands say yeah!

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - The Skin of my Yellow Country Teeth

There's a charm in this tune not every mainstream radio listener could appreciate. This song does a good job of doing whatever it wants, not what's expected and still has a odd smoothness to it. It might be a little awkward and mismatched at times, but that's what makes it so special.

Note: This is a great one for those five minute breaks in between studying that you use to dance around your room till you can tackle work again.

bon iver

Bon Iver- Skinny Love

It's no surprise that around here this song became a trend as fast as patterned leggins will stop being one. It pulls you towards it till you're pleading along with the beautiful voice of Justin Vernon that's tinged with desperation and heartache. Bon Iver and especially this debut album deserves so much more than a quick mention, but Skinny Love is strong enough to make you devoted all by itself.

Great Lake Swimmers – Your Rocky Spine

Your Rocky Spine brings me back to those pristine moments when you get to stare out at mountains, rivers and forests and it seems that that's all there is. The lyrics sing love into this wilderness and the banjo leaves you with a rusty aftertaste. This is one of my favourites from these Canadians and is worth a good long listen.

“And the mountains said I could find you here
They whisper the snow and the leaves in my ear
I traced my finger along your trails
Your body was the map I was lost in there”

from Your Rocky Spine

Listen to the song on Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! site

Listen to Skinny love on Bon Iver's Myspace page.

Listen to Your Rocky Spine on Great Lake Swimmer's Myspace page. 

The pics are cc thanks to Chema Helmet and benzpics63

Weekend Mix Tape #1

The weekend can't come quick enough after weeks like the one behind me, when there's little time for anything not related to studying (including blogging, unfortunately). When it is finally there, why not enjoy the temporary glimpse of freedom with some good tunes?

So here it is – the first Sound Between weekend mix tape. This one is short and you might have heard these songs before, but hopefully it'll give you something to tap your feet to.

Regina Spektor- On The Radio

The sweet voice that gave everyone goosebumps with The Call (featured in Narnia: Prince Caspian) twists and turns around this track with an ease that is so signature to her experimental style. On The Radio runs the risk of just getting stuck in your head with its catchy chorus, but with a closer listening the verses wind around meaningful contemplations of love and life.

Josh Pyke- Forever Song

Josh once again longs for swapping the mundane for the perfect in this track of his Memories & Dust album. He sings like he's retelling stories of that perfect trip, when you felt free and at peace with all. The Forever Song longs for that feeling to come back.

darwin deez

Darwin Deez- Radar Detector

When I met a local songbird in the bathroom of a club a while ago, I seized the chance to swap artist names. She recommended this from the funky debut of the equally funky looking Darwin Deez. The album is arguably repetitive, but that just makes it easier to sing along to the funny choruses that make you jig up and down a bit. Radar Detector is no exception. Listen closely and you'll find some equally unusual ideas for a date.

Old Man River- La

This guy has equally groovy hair as Darwin Deez and will make you sway from side to side while he repeats a single syllable. What makes this song really worth it is the arb music video.

Hint: if you listen closely around 1:53 you'll hear a duck that is just as randomly funny as the video. 

 

There you go. A sweet voice, two funky dudes and a piece of forever- what more does a weekend need?

“I want the song I can sing forever,
I don't care for structure,
Just to know it's mine”

Josh Pyke – Forever Song

The Darwin pic is cc thanks to  CZMJ 

Click song names to see youtube videos. 

Kudos to the lovely Lonely RabbitDiaries for introducing me to the song La. 

Jon Foreman

On rainy Sundays like this, when there is nowhere better to be than in bed, I always find myself going to those same special artists that have come with me so far that their songs feel like hugging an old friend. This is the comfortable, familiar niche of my music collection that is laced with memories and I always come back to. 

Today I found myself gravitating towards the smooth voice and deep lyrics of one Jon Foreman in his various incarnations. There's over a decade of albums from his legacy as the frontman of Christian rock classic Switchfoot. Then there are a few rugged jems from the Fiction Family album, his 2009 project with Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek.

The real essence of Foreman for me is his solo work- an album called Limbs & Branches and a series of EPs named after the four seasons. He described them in an interview as a “personal consolation for pain” and you can hear it in every bittersweet lyric set to intimate guitar pickings. Foreman's music reflects a deep desire for a more fulfilled life and the struggle against everything that keeps him from it. These songs were written late at night, never really intended for more than himself and you can hear it.

 Some songs, like White as Snow, are honest contemplations of his personal faith. Despite my usual aversion to direct renditions of biblical text, Foreman has managed several decent ones that stand on their own two musical feet. The EPs also include beautiful love songs like Deep In Your Eyes (There Is A River) which crackles with the unspeakable feelings between lovers.

The Winter EP deserves a special mention, because it is one of the most thought-provoking and insightful contemplations of death I have heard in a long time. These are the songs for the people who are willing to look past a song that's 'so emo' and can let it creep in and affect them. To this day my fingers naturally start playing Learning How to Die whenever I pick up a guitar when feeling emotional.

Jon Foreman is one of those artists I always come back to and at the rate he's going, there will be a lot more to come back to. His music is like someone showing you something only they know.

Build me a home inside your scars
Build me a home inside your song
Build me a home inside your open arms
The only place I ever will belong

I'm Still Running by Jon Foreman 

Extras:

Follow Jon on Twitter- his tweets are worth it.

Lastfm has some good content on Jon

Pic is cc thanks to ALQ!

the start

           I used to be one of those bloggers who spews out a long string of everyday ups and downs. After a reasonably long break to run around Europe and grow up, I'm re-entering the blogosphere with new courage and a new angle. 

This time around, my love for indie folk and rock music was the only thing worth writing about. We all have something that follows us, carries us and makes us – this is mine. 

 

I've seen the power of the right song at the right time and how music can connect and free people. A good tune that hits your core or just makes you forget everything around you can change your day or your life. Discovering that new perfect band can make you feel a little less alone or a little more like you.

I hope this blog can bring you a bit of this.

A note on content:

I'll be mixing anything newsworthy and exciting from the music world with older music that I discover and rediscover. After all, there's a reason they don't put sell by dates on CDs.

That's it for now.

Here's something from Souls Like The Wheels by Avett Brothers.

“Souls like the wings, spreading out
Away from bad memories
Make us capable of taking off and landing
Alive with understanding”

Pic is cc thanks to [Filhi][bahthi] photography ( with great hopes )