Monday 20 January 2014

A few more JSC songs

 Hello!

 You may remember that in July last year I started a song challenge. I used the prompts from a photo challenge but chose songs for them instead.

 I never finished this challenge due to travelling and generally being busy, but I had an unfinished post with three days worth which I just stumbled upon and thought I should post so it wouldn't be wasted. Here it is.

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 Prompt 2: Shoes

 I've picked Diamonds on the Souls of her Shoes by Paul Simon.


 I used to like this song but it always came second to You Can Call Me Al - recently, however, they seem to have switched places in my affections. It's just so upbeat and a song you want to run down the street dancing to. Well I do, anyway.

 It's also a song I imagine being played at the end of a film; an everything's-turned-out-okay kind of song. If I ever write a film I might include it.

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 Prompt 3: Cold

 I've picked Sun Burns Gold by Maura Kennedy.


 I've mentioned the Kennedys often on this blog and have even have the honour of interviewing them - I simply love their music. Sun Burns Gold is a solo effort by Maura and I found it on Retrospective, their best-of album on which I just keep finding new and wonderful songs.

 In the song, Maura describes very vividly and beautifully the wintery scene around her and wishes summer would come. It's an ode to the summer - yet it's an ode to the winter at the same time. It's very cleverly done.


 In the instrumental in the above live clip she does amazing things with her voice. I don't think this is as prominent in the album version where the instrumental is mainly the guitar, but it is still a lovely instrumental, simple but very powerful. All in all, I really like this song and am glad I found it.

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 Prompt 4: Red, white or blue

 I have chosen Red, and The Right Thing by Simply Red for my song.


 I first encountered this song on the way to college in the car - the fact that I was going by car rather than bus suggests I had an exam that day, and I have a strange feeling it may have been biology, though I can't say for sure.

 I have since been a big fan of this song. One of the top comments on YouTube says the best bit of the song is the key change at the end, but I actually much prefer the sound of it before the key change. The key change sounds like Stars a bit too much! Before that it sounds so sophisticated and jazzy and is a unique song, I feel.

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 So there you have it; days 2-4 of the challenge. I had picked songs for other prompts but hadn't written about them; maybe I will sometime. For now, I hope you enjoyed my song selection.

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

Songs: Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes - Paul Simon - 1986
Sun Burns Gold - Maura Kennedy - 2010
Simply Red - The Right Thing - 1987

Sunday 12 January 2014

Interview with Eddi Reader

 Hello all!

 In October I had the honour of interviewing Eddi Reader for The Mancunion ahead of her gig at the RNCM on 1st November. I was then given the chance to review that gig, which was brilliant, and afterwards I met Eddi! She came across as a lovely, down-to-earth person and the whole experience was fantastic.

 You can read my interview of her here and my review of the gig here. I hope you enjoy them.

Eddi and me

 Let me now share with you some Eddi Reader videos. 

 I wish there was a video for Married to the Sea, a gorgeous song she performed at the concert I saw. Look out for that song, it's wonderful.

 Bell, Book and Candle is probably my favourite song that she sings, and this live version is so beautiful.


 There's also Patience of Angels, which I heard in a music quiz last year and which I recognised but couldn't place. I'm sure I heard it when I was much younger. It's a lovely song and always has that sense of déjà vu for me.


 Here is Perfect. I never was a massive fan of this until she performed it live at the RNCM gig, and since then it's grown on me. I love this performance:


 Finally, here is one of my favourite music videos of all time, Is This Love? by Alison Moyet, in which she, Eddi and the rest of the band dance on the beach and look so happy and carefree - that's how all music videos should be!



 Thanks for reading,

 Liz

Songs: Bell, Book and Candle - Eddi Reader - 1998
Patience of Angels - Eddi Reader - 1994
Perfect - Fairground Attraction - 1988
Is This Love? - Alison Moyet - 1986