Hello Toronto! From Basia Bulat

Even though she still has yet to come to the states i wanted to post this release on her myspace page. Her songs are sweet, promising and bright. Just what you need to lead you into the fall. I have no doubt she has the ability to become the next Canadian act you fall in love with. If you are free i hope you turn out to support her CD release, i am sure you won't regret it. **Hi Everyone! For those who are in the Toronto area, there will be two CD release shows on Saturday, September 22nd to celebrate the Canadian release of Oh, My Darling! Both are happening here:
The Music Gallery - 197 John Street, Toronto, ON Early Show - 6 pm (doors 5:30) / Late Show - 9 pm (doors 8:30) Price: $10.50 Tickets are available from either Soundscapes, Rotate This, or Ticketmaster (online or call 870-8000). Please do come and celebrate with us if you can, as there will be many surprises (and surprise guests!), a lot of new songs, and of course, many sing-a-longs! Hope to see you there! Basia xo**
Basia Bulat Tags

Dear Basia Bulat please come to the United States

I have been listening to Basia's beautiful voice for months now and after checking up on her website see she still has yet to announce US dates. Enough already! I for one would love it if she came with her current tour mates The Veils to their Mercury Lounge date (tickets are already on sale). Not only are The Veils an incredible talent but she goes on to support The Great Lake Swimmers fellow Canadians whose music so gently lulls you into craving more and many blogs have already commented on a bright future for the lads and then Sondre Lerche as well. Busy girl! Hopefully her upcoming European audiences will show her the admiration she completely deserves. I invite you to check out her offered up below as well as her myspace and website pages. Her album has yet to be released here (i search every week!) but for those of you lucky folks residing outside of our lovely boarders you can find it after April 30th care of Rough Trade Records (UK and Europe).
Snakes and Ladders.mp3
The Pilgriming Vine.mp3

20-10

As of this year this blog is three years old. THREE YEARS OLD. My first year I hit it out of the ballpark so to say. I wrote almost everyday. I was picked up and asked to write for my very favorite thing people in all of the music industry. My roommate would download songs she liked and we would dance around my apartment. Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, LCD Soundsystem and The Rapture all toured that year. I discovered Basia Bulat, Ghostland Observatory, Midlake, Cold War Kids, Florence and the Machine, Lykke Li and I became...ahem, a 'critic.' My second year I got a real job and learned some real lessons and it was more difficult for me to write time-wise. Then it became more difficult for me to write on an emotional level. I have never had writers block. This is new to me. Like most bloggers I write like I talk and blogging is writing out into the void. If you can't writer for yourself, who can you write for? No one apparently. This year is a whole new story. I love music. I do. No matter how many people try to beat it out of me it is not going to happen. I am excited for this year. Some great things are about to happen, i just know it. And so, I will write. I will write and post as though I never have before. Like it is 2007 all over again. I promise. This is my first post. Mountain Man is a band from Vermont. Give them a second to work their way into your bloodstream. It is soothing and warm and delightful for fighting off the cold winter air. They will be at SXSW so keep your ears open. This video was filmed during a recent show in Greenpoint and I am so sad I missed it! Ray Concepcion has become one of my favorite new videographers to watch. His color palete is pleasing and reminds me of scratchy lithographs. Which is neat. Check out his vimeo here.

Mountain Man from Ray Concepcioñ on Vimeo.

*Mountain Man's Myspace
*Mountain Man's Website
*My Old Kentucky Blog has some of their Mp3's for Download

Oh Europe

Along with whistfully wishing i was going to Coachella this weekend i also spend massive amounts of time day dreaming about being in Europe so i could see some of my favorite acts while they tour about. One of these is Kate Nash so i thought i would post her dates in case someone across the pond reads this- then you can go for me!
The Nicest Thing.mp3
Birds.mp3
********************
Tracks/links to previous posts for the other four superior bands:
*Basia Bulat
*The Great Lake Swimmers
I am Part of a Large Family.mp3
*Sol Seppy
Come Running.mp3
Injoy.mp3
*The Twilight Sad
That Summer At Home I Had Become The Invisible Boy.mp3

I won't drag my feet in whatever dirt you track in

I am incredibly superstitious. Always have been. I loathed that story about stepping on cracks and breaking my mother's back when I was little. It terrified me. I never pick up pennies that are tails-side down on the pavement. I avoid walking under ladders (for two reasons...that is just not safe!). I throw salt over my shoulder when it spills on the table. For as long as I can remember when my mom left for work in the morning I would wave goodbye from the window until I couldn't see her car, otherwise I would worry she wouldn't make it home. When my dad traveled on trips the last thing I always made sure I said was I love you. I don't write about boys when I have crushes in my journal...whenever I do and I am happy things head straight to the trash bin. Once when I was walking home while living in Avignon a black cat crossed my path and I literally gasped out loud causing my french family to give me the hairy eyeball. I can't help it. I am beginning to think March is my unlucky month. Just like Cesar bad things befall me during this transition from winter to spring. Last year my boss at the time called me in for a meeting and told me he didn't like my taste in music or my attitude. At the time I was supposed to be at SXSW but had passed up the opportunity to go because I did not want to miss work and spending time with that lovely boss of mine. I remember sitting at my desk listening to Justin Vernon crooning live Bon Iver songs over the airways and straight into my heart and had to bite my lip as hard as possible to stop me from getting up and throwing a chair at my presiding officer due to his lack of intelligence and TASTE. "Where is Bon Iver now", is a something I would love to ask him if we ever crossed paths. Maybe I am his black cat. Things work in this way, especially in New York City. People have different ways of understanding the music business and I have come to understand that it is because no matter why you entered into the arena you end up making it by on your instincts. Music is an instinctual behavior. You either like something and the way it sounds to your own ears, or you don't. You can learn to appreciate an artist, yes. But like them and choose to listen to them on your own time...now that takes a little bit of work and love. But I digress. Again this year I was supposed to go to SXSW and I didn't...for the same reasons as last. Friday I walked into work and was released from my job. My music venue could not afford me anymore and will be booking through outside promoters only now. I did not cry. I cursed March.

And so today I am back talking to my computer and drinking my green tea from the comforts of my little apartment. I can do things like jump around to the Clash and play the latest Silversun Pickups songs as loud as I want to. I don't have to answer to anyone for the moment and until next week I won't be full on freaking out about the R word I don't like to mention. For now I am continent. Which makes it the absolute perfect time to share the latest songbird to soothe my nerves, Alela Diane. She has been floating around the scene for a bit now and was recently signed to Rough Trade records and will remind you a bit of her label mates Basia Bulat and Emilaina Torrini. Her LP To Be Still was released in February and she has recorded a session with Daytrotter that is stunning. To Be Still is the first song by Alela that grabbed my ear immediately. Her lyrics are honest and intense. Although she is a beautiful feminine creature she does not hide behind the pain of loss or loneliness. Instead she steps over the boundaries of fear and fragility and tells you, her listener, exactly how it is going to be.

No I won't drag my feet in whatever dirt you track in
Will you look at me when your face shows the lines of years
While you've been away
I have needed your strong hands

Alela Diane-To Be Still.mp3
Alela Diane-White As Diamonds.mp3

If you are lucky enough to be down in Austin please visit her and support her live:

Mars-19~2:30 PM-SXSW-French Legation Museum-Austin, Texas
4:45 PM-SXSW-Lamberts-Austin, Texas

Mars-20~3:30 PM-SXSW-The Mowhawk-Austin, Texas
10:00 PM-SXSW-Garden Hotel, Black Cab Showcase-Austin, Texas

Mars-21~3:45 PM-SXSW-The Mean Eayed Cat-Mojo BBQ-Austin, Texas