Nine Stories LP

Nine Stories LP

Nine Stories LP by Nine Stories.

A lovely collection of acoustic numbers.

Nine Stories was written in Madrid by musician/composer Nacho Ruiz. Recorded in Estudio Brazil (also Madrid) by Javier Ortiz.

Something Fierce

Something Fierce Vol I

Something Fierce Vol II

A two volume album of mainly acoustic guitar and vocals, singer-songwriter Marian Call is very reminiscent of Joni Mitchell.

At first I did not like because of the first track. No problem musically, but badly recorded, opens with a guitar way off to the left

A mix of what I would call Cabaret style to what is more like folk.

I was listening last night into the early hours of the morning.

Funded through crowd sourcing.

Latest project, a live album recorded on a European tour, raised the funding in ten minutes!

Who says crowd sourcing, community supported music, does not work?

I am no great fan of digital music. I prefer to have something tangible in my hand.

But as Imogen Heap has shown, digital music is more than a track ripped off a CD. It is a different medium to be explored.

Marian Call shows that too.

She provides a link to a photo album. Effectively liner notes and pictures.

She provides a link to a wordpress blog where you can find the lyrics and more information on each song.

Measure of Love

Measure of Love - Misty Edwards & David Brymer

It is the saints who know what being in love is all about. Earthly love pales by comparison. — Thomas Dubay

I do not like yucky Christian worship music. It makes the skin crawl. They all sound the same, the same syrupy saccharine lyrics, you can almost hear them drooling.

It does not compare with with traditional Victorian hymns and earlier, a competent choir.

Even less with earlier polyphonic music.

What a pleasure then to listen to Measure of Love by Misty Edwards & David Brymer. Brilliant musically and well recorded. Misty Edwards has a beautiful voice.

The lyrics of Harlot are fantastic. Hard to believe this was a spontaneous recording in a prayer room. Some prayer room! It sends shivers down the spine! Play it loud!

It is a pity Misty Edwards & David Brymer had not thought to embed the lyrics. Hopefully this they will do as both FLAC and mp3 make this possible.

The cover art is also excellent.

A pity it is not on bandcamp to order as a CD. I can think of two places it would sell.

A very moving album.

Where are the Arms

Where are the Arms - Gabriel Kahane

In his review Album of the Week on the Bandcamp blog, Andrew Dubber is full of praise for Where are the Arms:

Kahane’s latest release, Where are the Arms, is not only clever, interesting and musically satisfying – it’s a Great Record. To me, the difference between a really wonderful album (of which there are many) and a Great Record (of which there are very few), lies somewhere in the work’s ambition, depth of emotion, honesty, complexity, immediacy, warmth, timelessness, personality and universality.

I would not disagree, Where are the Arms by Gabriel Kahane is excellent.

Comparisons, if comparisons are to be made, would be with early Simon and Garfunkel.

Simplicity of style, brings to mind the writing of Paulo Coelho, simple but elegant, and within that elegant simplicity lies layers of complexity.

Gabriel Kahane, an earlier album by Gabriel Kahane, is also excellent.

Also see

• Gabriel Kahane – Charming Disease

The Acoustic EP

The Acoustic EP - Grace Mitchell

Recorded live. Thank you to the Cottage Grove community who have supported me through this process. You know who you are. — Grace Mitchell

Singer-songwriter Grace Mitchell has been compared with Adele. Wrong comparison. It is on the tip of my tongue who she reminds me off, frustrating, I would have to go through my music collection.

Aha, Edie Brickell!

Simple guitar, powerful voice, recorded live with the help of the Cottage Grove community.

All songs written by Grace and Christine Mitchell. Recorded by Richard Swift.