heart & sound

With Guitars and Harmonicas You Share a Secret with Me

On stage at Richards on Richards in Vancouver, Angus and Julia Stone seem to have jumped out of the past, two travelling minstrels sharing their soft, folk music. Music that is even more powerful live than it is on a recording.

As they play, this brother sister duo from Australia often share a look. A look that implies they’re enjoying this as much as the audience. They’re not just putting on a show; they’re sharing their music with us. Letting us in on their little secret.

Despite a repertoire of slower songs, their rhythms and melodies and the occasional trumpet solo succeed in getting the crowd moving, with Julia leading the way. In her vintage long white dress with flowers in her hair she is dancing on stage, subtly encouraging the crowd to do the same.

Julia has a voice that is as unique as her style and fluctuates dramatically to use her entire vocal range while she sings, from the softer Wasted to more intense vocals on Private Lawns. Angus also sings and together they have created a sound that is soft and peaceful, and complimented by charming lyrics sung by two distinctive voices that are perfectly suited to the songs they sing.

As the opening band they played a short set, and it did not end without cries for an encore. Unfortunately the audience did not get their wish but they still went home happy. If the true beauty of a song is its ability to evoke a feeling in the listener, then Angus and Julia Stone are performing incredibly beautiful music - never before have I been more inspired to learn how to play the harmonica.

Oh My Heart by Mother Mother

Consisting of twelve songs that individually could be listened to over and over again without losing their attraction, Oh My Heart is the second album from the Vancouver-based band Mother Mother.

Mother Mother is Ryan Guldemond, Molly Guldemond, Jasmin Parkin, Jeremy Page, and Ali Siadat, and they have created an album that is equally quirky and brilliant. While many of these songs are about love and relationships they couldn’t be further from your typical cheesy pop song.

In Hayloft, the band sings a comical warning to young lovers, “my daddy’s got a gun, you better run”. The sweet and very unique song Ghosting tells the story of a ghost haunting you while you sleep.

“Would it be so bad if I stayed?
I’m just a ghost out of his grave
and I can make love in my grave
I won’t put white into your hair
I won’t make noises in your stairs
I will be kind and I’ll be sweet
if you stop staring straight through me…”

Throughout the track, and the album, metaphors abound and Ghosting is definitely not just a token holiday themed song.

Overall the album is a unique experience and one that should be repeated daily. With rhythms that will take you out of any workday slump and charming yet intricate lyrics that encourage contemplation, Oh My Heart by Mother Mother is an album worth every listen.

To check out Mother Mother on Myspace click here.

Metric Love Rocks the Orpheum

On tour for their fourth studio album, Fantasies, Metric played the Orpheum theatre in Vancouver on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 to a crowd of avid listeners.

Having mostly seen Metric play 19plus shows, the all-ages aspect of their show drew attention to the fact that, thanks in part to the new local radio station The Peak, Metric is gaining some status with a younger as well as a more mainstream music audience.

The band’s gilded performance dazzled and not just because of the lights or singer Emily Haines’ gold sequined dress. Blending songs from Fantasies with hits from Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? and Live It Out, the foursome played a solid show, complete with Haines’ characteristic dancing and even some inspirational chit chat between songs.

Haines stated that it’s time for our ADD, MySpace generation to produce another band like Led Zeppelin, and although she didn’t volunteer Metric to fill those shoes, most of the audience members would likely have been happy to nominate them. Before breaking into an unyielding performance of Gimme Sympathy Haines continued, “it’s not about romanticizing the past but acknowledging what sucks about the present,” as she crumbled a plastic cup that an audience member had left sitting on the edge of the stage – “this was just a convenient example.” Although her monologue wasn’t met with quite the volume of cheers that this indie-rock loving environmentalist would have liked to hear, their set sure was.

Haines and guitarist James Shaw finished the night with an acoustic performance of Combat Baby; a beautiful sing-a-long ending the night with coos of “Bye Bye Baby” and Haines reaching out to touch the hands of the lucky listeners up front. The final show on their Canadian tour, Metric’s rock-solid performance at the Orpheum showed off their “stadium loving” skill while capitalizing on the intensity behind the music.

Visit ilovemetric.com for more information about the band and to listen to a preview of Fantasies. In exchange for an email address Metric often offers free acoustic downloads on their site!

Yeah! It’s Blitz!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs, a New York City based band released their third studio album, It’s Blitz!, in March of this year. The album consists of ten elaborate tracks including smash dance hits such as the single Zero, and softer indie rock ballads sung by lead crooner Karen O. The band also consists of drummer Brian Chase and guitarist Nick Zinner.

Zero starts off the album demanding you “Shake it like a ladder to the sun” and succeeds in making the listener want to shake it, bop it, and twist it. Hysterics, a softer song on the album, speaks to the romantic listener without giving way to cliché.

On It’s Blitz!, Yeah Yeah Yeahs blend the hyper and upbeat characteristics of a good night out with the sweetness of a lullaby to create a unique and addicting album. Karen O brings the album to a close with all the charm of a goodnight kiss on the forehead through her soft delivery of Little Shadow.

Karen O’s strong vocals combined with the bands intense creativity and imaginative lyrics have created a strong female-led arrangement that defies the traditional image of female musicians and breaks-through into a new genre of music for the contemporary listener.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ bombardment of indie-rock freshness with original pop-dance sensations makes them a band that warrants your attention – if it doesn’t have it already.

To listen to a sample of tracks from the band and from It’s Blitz! visit their myspace page.

Lisa Mitchell’s Enchanting Album is a Wonder

On her first full-length album Wonder Lisa Mitchell, an Australian singer-songwriter, arranges a selection of sweet melodies and soft love songs. From the catchy Neapolitan Dreams to the most recent single Coin Laundry, Lisa maintains her characteristic gentle vocals and charming lyrics.

On Coin Laundry, the innocent 19-year-old dreams of meeting a boy in a Laundromat. She asks,

“Do you have a dollar, do you have a dollar for me? Can I be the girl that you met in the coin laundry?”

It is a simple, everyday kind of fantasy that Lisa effectively translates into a song, and its original lyrics, catchy backing rhythms and smooth rhymes keep it from being overly cute or clichéd.

Lisa’s songs feature genuine lyrics and she has compiled them into a diverse collection united by a predominantly romantic theme and her unique voice. While many of the sentimental songs on the album are accompanied by delicate melodies, Mitchell does pull off a heavier sound on So Jealous, with an acoustic guitar and a soulful harmonica in the background. In contrast, Love Letter features heartbreaking lyrics and a somber melody that provides a moment of solemn reflection for the listener while illustrating the maturity of the young artist.

With upbeat rhythms and enchanting melodies Lisa Mitchell’s Wonder is an enjoyable collection of modern love songs and innocent daydreams well suited to listeners looking for a more genuine pop experience.

Dempsey’s Guitar Rings True

Australian Paul Dempsey, lead singer and guitarist of the band Something for Kate, has taken his talent for words and music and compiled his debut solo album, Everything is True, which was released in August.

Featuring 11 original tracks as well as four cover songs, the album is like a good intentioned (not creepy) smile from a stranger. Like the friend you never had but wish you did, it is honest, full of talent, well composed and it does not let you down.

The first single, Out the Airlock, is one of many soft ballads on the album and though the song features somewhat melancholy lyrics Dempsey combines gentle guitar playing and eloquence that succeed in reaching out to the listener.

The softer songs on the album are complemented by more upbeat tunes such as Ramona was a Waitress. Ramona captivates your attention without demanding it, and it will make the listener tap, bob and shake and then push repeat.

She Great Optimist highlights Dempsey’s rugged voice and amidst soft yet upbeat drums and subtle guitar his honest lyrics declare “It would be something if, if somehow after this you could still call yourself the great optimist”.

The cover of MGMT’s Time to Pretend is more than just a bonus track it is a pleasant surprise, in which Dempsey takes an amazing song and breaks it down to its simplest elements, lyrics and an acoustic guitar.

Paul Dempsey’s acoustic pop music is enjoyable without being overbearing. Everything is True may blow up but it will not dissipate; it will only get better with every listen.