Okay. This is a no brainer, and most of you have probably already heard of this group. But I like to post a great summer, cruising-in-the-car band every year. This year it’s Foster the People. I especially love their live version of “Pumped Up Kicks” live at SXSW. Just a fun band, pumping out some fun jams.
Deaf Center is a multi-instrumentalist duo—Erik Skodvin and Otto Totland—from Norway. Their music is quiet, sparse, and introspective. A combination of dark ambient electronica, post-classical, and drone music. A lot of their music sounds like a cinematic soundscape to a slow-moving movie. If none of those descriptions make any sense, give them a listen and you’ll see what I mean. Perfect music for late night conversations.
I recently had the pleasure of seeing the group Pink Martini live and it dawned on me that not everyone knows about this remarkable band. Led by Thomas M. Lauderdale, the Portland, Oregon-based group is another hard one to describe. Take some 40s and 50s swing and combine it with a heavy dose of Latin, Afro-Cuban salsa, Brazilian bossa nova, tango and French cabaret, then toss in a mix of songs from all over the globe including Russia, Greece, Japan, Croatia and points elsewhere, and you’ve got a decent, yet fuzzy picture of what Pink Martini is all about.
The group was formed in 1994 and features the vocals of the energetic China Forbes. They have several recordings to their credit, all of which are worth owning. Each cd has its own sound, but they all have that singular Pink Martini spirit of fun to them. If you ever get a chance to see them live, I can guarantee a most entertaining evening.
After long time vocalist, Victoria Bergsman left the Concretes in 2006, she started recording under the name Taken by Trees. Her music is quiet, stripped down and melancholic, and has been compared to Camera Obscura. Victoria has a wonderful voice and has two albums on the Rough Trade label. Her most recent recording was made in Pakistan with local musicians and as you’d expect, is radically different from her first cd.
Once again, I’ve discovered an artist who has very little biographical info out on the interwebs. Here’s what I do know. Leif Vollebekk is a Canadian singer/songwriter. He studied Icelandic and Philosophy in Reykjavik, Iceland, and he released his first cd, Inland, in 2010.
Here’s how he describes his sound: "I want to sound like Hank Williams meets Sigur Ros. Hopefully, I'll fail and get somewhere else." That pretty much sums up the general feel of his music. His voice reminds me a little of Jeff Buckley’s. Warning: His song “Don’t go to Klaksvik” is a real earworm. You won’t be able to get it out of your head!
It’s hard to imagine Sarah Jarosz was born in 1991. She has the maturity, presence and songwriting skills of a person far older. Sarah had mastered the mandolin at 10 and was performing live with musicians like Dave Grisman and Ricky Skaggs by the time she was 12 years old. Her sound is definitely bluegrass influenced but stretches far outside the genre. And her voice is sweet and captivating. Jarosz is currently studying at the New England Conservatory of Music, where she has picked up the clawhammer banjo and guitar and is majoring in contemporary voice improvisation. She just released her second album, Follow Me Down, in the spring of 2011.
Austra, named for the Latvian goddess of light, is based in Toronto and features Katie Stelmanis on vocals and keyboards, Maya Postepski on drums, and bassist Damian Wolf. Their music is dark and electronic and is similar to groups like Glasser and Fever Ray. Stelmanis’ voice covers quite a range, which is not surprising—she was classically trained and joined the Canadian Children’s Opera at age 10. While her delivery is pretty unique, she sounds a bit like Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine.
Austra’s 1st cd was released in May, 2011 and is full of catchy tunes—from dark and quiet to bright(ish) and poppy. On all the tracks, Stelmanis’ voice is up front and center. The production reminds me a little of Bjork’s at times. And it’s all Austra-licious!
My main focus is on films that I feel have gone under the radar and deserve more recognition. They include both mainstream and indie films streaming on services like Netflix, Hoopla, and Kanopy. I’ll also review noteworthy new theatrical releases as well. If you have any suggestions, feel free to email me at: dominmark@yahoo.com.
