1) Priscilla Ahn- Pfunk has a voice that will make you think you've crossed over. I first met her when she was singing alongside Joshua Radin last summer and she was a standout even then. She released her first solo EP earlier this year after being on the Hotel Cafe Tour with Radin, Cary Brothers and the rest of that fabulously unholy bunch. When she opened for Cary at Schuba's it became clear very quickly that she was coming into her own. "Are We Different?" and "Lullaby" both have winged melodies to them that lighten my heavier days. And girlfriend can handle a late-night veggie pizza and bike rack jumping like you would not believe possible for someone her size.
*UPDATE: As if on cue, P's song Lullaby closed out tonight's Grey's Anatomy. Even if you can't handle that show anymore (hand raised) it's still a good thing!
2) Thomas Dybdahl- I owe this one to my brother but I have been hooked on him ever since the suggestion was made. At this rate, I may need to fast-track France and find Scandinavia on my next trip over the Atlantic. Sensual, emotive and altogether beautiful, "A Love Story," "Dice" and "Pale Green Eyes" are my favorites. In fact- this deserves a little YouTube. I think the Swedes, Danes, Fins, Norwegians and I are going to get along juuuust fine.3) Bon Iver- Ok, I just got this one today from what is now a reliable source. To be fair though, I have looped the album at least 9 times today while finishing up a project (YEA byline!!). This strikes me as a good time to discuss voice breakage in song. It is just so hard to do right but wow, he's got it in spades. I crumble when he sings the hook in "Skinny Love" and the rest of the album is equally haunting (What could have been lost- "The Wolves Act 1 and 2"). More than a little jealous that he's going to be at Paradise Lounge before getting to Chicago.
I haven't even been listening long enough to know the appropriate picture to put here so I'm just gonna issue that as a challenge. Justin, as soon as you come to Chicago, I will come down to the Empty Bottle/Schuba's/Double Door/Beat Kitchen/wherever else and take your picture then backlog it. In the meantime, we have been provided with a live clip from the Bowery Ballroom thanks to TKTC's frequent music contributor (does that sound official enough?) JonK who I understand gets to see the man himself in concert tonight!
And on that note, if you are in the area and just looking for something cool and new then you should stop by any of the aforementioned spots and just grab a ticket.
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4 comments:
I'm seeing Bon Iver in Madison on Saturday night. :-)
Well on the one hand, I'm jealous. On the other, you're now in charge of snagging a good shot to post:)
Well, it was a good show, though different from the pair of shows I saw this summer in that it was just him last night, solo, rather than the usual two- or three-piece band set-up.
It was still good, but I think I prefer the larger sound if only for Act II of "The Wolves." The drum build-up at the end of that song is normally really spectacular live, but seemed a little lacking with last night's loop set-up. However, getting every one to sing along "What might have been lost" was as chilling as ever.
A cool part this time around was the location: It was at Music Hall, one of the older buildings on campus (built 1878) and rarely used these days so I had actually never been inside there before.
Well it definitely sounds like an intimate setting- were there any songs that stood out as sounding better unplugged and unaccompanied?
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