Something Good by Alt-J
Ayla by The Maccabees
Bom Bom by Sam and The Womp
Read All About It by Emeli Sande
Flaws by Bastille
Talk Through The Night by Dog is Dead
Madness by Muse
Two Fingers by Jake Bugg
Music Notes this Month:
I have been very fortunate this month to see a lot of concerts and with each one I was reminded how much I love music and how important it is in my life. I am constantly amazed with peoples' talent, especially since I myself have none. Sitting in a room listening to a great singer still gives me chills and I vividly remember some performances that have brought me to tears. So even though many of these really messed up my sleep schedule, here are some highlights from my month of music:
A Silent Film - This band has long been on my radar, included in best of lists since April of 2009. So I was really excited when they were announced to play a work event. Their songs are pretty and the lyrics are mostly sad, which is a trait that for some reason I really like. Like most music I really like, hardly anyone was familiar with the band which is a shame. In person they were humble, sweet and very appreciative of people actually singing their lyrics. Two of my favorites: You Will Leave a Mark and Driven By Their Beating Hearts.
Metric: This band has been around for a bit and their songs are played pretty consistently on the station that I listen to the most, Atl Nation. I've never really loved them, never hated them. Then I saw them in an acoustic performance and I was amazed. The lead singer's voice is pure and beautiful and it has forever changed how I think of their music. You will probably recognize Youth Without Youth.
The Wombats: This band peaked my interest a few years ago with their song "Let's Dance to Joy Division" because it is a good song and I love that they get the irony of that line. It made me laugh. So I have been following them, purchasing all of their stuff and would consider myself a fan. Their newest single Jump Into the Fog addresses a woman as "love" (which I LOVE and want) and also has a great lines: "I'm only here because I want to twist the structure of my average day" and "life tastes sweeter when its wrapped in debauchery". So I was more than a little excited to see they were coming to Charlotte and that they would be coming to work. I was the only one that I work with that even knew who they were! Now I see a lot of bands come through work, some big and some small. Some do a great job interacting with the crowd and then there are bands like The Wombats. They walked onto the platform, hardly said hello, unceremoniously sang two songs (the usual is three) and walked off stage. That's it. I was very disappointed. For a band with such a sense of humor in their lyrics, to have no personality whatsoever was not what I expected. I went to the show that night and they were better, but still they have lost a bit of their appeal. I still like the music, but I will never again skip down the hall at work exclaiming "The Wombats are here!" Check out one of my favorites, Tokyo.
Morning Parade: I liked this band's first major hit and since they were opening for the Wombats, they also came by work. They were the first band in the 16 years I have worked here that wore a sports coat. They also smelled good, a rarity. They did the normal introduction, sang a song and then said they wanted to play a game with the audience members. It was hilarious! They sang another song and when it came to the next break they chose me. Steve, the lead singer introduced himself to me and asked the question, then played their hit song. We took pictures and that was it. That night at the concert I bought a cd and went up to get it autographed. He looked at me and right away said 'Hi Amy, so glad to see you again!". How awesome is that?! We chatted, he said he'd be around afterwards and asked if I'd stay for a drink. I was there with Shelia, so we both stayed and she bought the band a round of drinks. I hung out and talked with Steve while The Wombats were playing. He had been touring with them for a few weeks and said that they are funny and nice. He also said he was so impressed that the Wombats were playing in a small venue here when just two weeks ago they were playing to a sold out 50,000 crowd in the UK. I asked him if that was disheartening and he said quite the opposite...that it was inspiring to be with a band that loved performing and loved the music so much. So Steve bought me two drinks, we hung out talking for about an hour. I am pretty sure we are best friends now. :) But seriously, they will be back in Charlotte in November. Go see them; they are a group of nice guys with a lot of talent. Headlights is great, but this Us & Ourselves is my favorite.
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