Tag Archives: folk

Today I Stumbled Upon: Elvis Depressedly:

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New Alhambra is the album by Elvis Depressedly. 9 tracks of  dreamy folk pop blending TV samples with lush harmonies, which are reminiscent of early Prefab Sprout material. All tracks are accomplished with the opening song ‘though shall not murder’ setting the underlining dark tone of the album. The album is a carefully calculated balance between heartfelt sadnesses and restful Sunday strolls in the countryside.

Each track, like the album itself is boiled down and focused to avoid any unnecessary fat. The longest track coming in at 3.25. There is an art to developing these types of albums, to long and the listener gets bored, to short and it can leave the listener dissatisfied. This album hits the nail on the head and is available on a name your own price basis, but well worth investing in. Enjoy.

Today I Stumbled Upon: The Warm Hardies

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The Warm Hardies are Matt Batey and Tamara Power-Drutis on guitar and vocals, Samuel Anderson on cello, Colin Richey on drums, Corrie Strandjord on French horn, as well as Matt Bishop and Eric Anderson on vocals.  With song structures and lyrics that remind me of early Paul Simon the Music for Grown Up EP (released in May 2011) consists of 3 tracks, which gently float between folk and pop. The opening track Fast and Heavy sets the scene for the EP’s lyrical supreme celebration concerning the complications of finding love and relationships. All tracks contain beautiful harmonies and excellent musicianship.  Only Someday changes the pace upwards with Tamara Power-Drutis on lead vocals reminding me of  Neko Case (but different, if that makes sense). The 3rd and final track I don’t love you is the most instantly catchy of the collection ‘Love isn’t convient and its never on time’ and from the laughter heard towards the end its seems to have been fun to record. I asked The Warm Hardies a few questions about the EP via the magic of email:

  • JK: What was the main influences behind the EP? 
  • Tamara Power-Druti: Trains, dinosaurs, and rich harmonies.
  • JK: Which is favourite track and why?
  • Tamara Power-Druti: Fast and Heavy, because we wrote it about trains but it became a song about something entirely different. We liked that, and loved the way the strings came together with the vocal harmonies.
  • JK: If you could have a guest artist to appear on your next venture who would it be (dead or alive) and why?
  • Tamara Power-Druti: The Everly Brothers, and we’d do a mega-harmonied version of Dream.

Not your average couple

Pipe Smokers of the world unite and take over

This collection of songs make for a perfect mix for that feel good moment. I have the 3 tracks on a playlist, which also contains tracks from the likes of REM (Automatic for the People), Neil Young (Harvest Moon) and Crosby, Stills and Nash’s first album where these songs more than hold their own. The EP is available on a name your price basis (don’t be a skinflint!).