Seems like I update the blog daily basis:) There are so many artists I want to feature here and I´ve got time, so why not update this! I think it´s time to introduce some unsung heroes/heroines of music world, who´d definetly deserve wider audience.
Who would be better artist to start with than Happy Rhodes? A true unsung heroine of music world, whom I have huge respect. She´s got amazing voice and string of excellent albums behind done with true diy attitude. She even makes the wonderful covers herself I´m told. I haven´t heard a bad album from her. Every album is different from previous and that keeps it interesting. Acoustic tracks are just beautiful and more electronic are really moody and sometimes a bit haunting. The key is always melody and her incredible voice range. Most albums are these days very hard to find and collectible (Rhodes 1 for example sellig for 100€), but some can be bought from Cd Baby. As for albums I think I´ll mention Many Worlds Are Born Tonight, since it was first album I ever heard from Happy.
It´s one of those albums that just grab you right away and make you listen to it carefully. This is Happy in more electronic mood than some records and the soundscapes are truly beautiful. Strong on melody as always and using her full range of voice makes it bit haunting but soulful. Good example of being haunting, melodic and soulful would be Ra Is A Busy God. Mellow soundscapes and her voice make this one of the standout tracks of the album and show her talent. I honestly don´t know what to say of this album except it is beautiful, melodic piece of electronic music. Well crafted and produced, sounds are well-balanced. You can hear a bit of influence of Kate Bush in her music as a little spice, which makes it more tasty and so does her dark sense of humour as well. I´d say it flirts with ambient sometimes, but not going there full way. This is one of those albums that isn´t easy to review especially when you love the album and is lost for words. I could keep telling how excellent it is over and over and that´d be boring, so let the music speak for itself and you make up your mind. More of Happy can be found here.
Here´s some tracks from the album:
If wishes were horses how beggars would ride
Many Worlds Are Born Tonight
Hold me live (From album Building The Colossus)
Next up is Latvian rock band which should have made it big, but didn´t break through outside Scandinavia (Especially Estonia and neighbouring countries). I never ever thought I´d feature here a band who went and won Eurovision Song Contest (My Star), but here we go!
Besides winning Eurovision, they Opened shows for R.E.M. on their Around The Sun tour. Brainstorm is excellent live band playing pop and rock and creating happy atmosphere. Everytime I´ve seen them live, I left the concert with smile on my face. You can honestly sense their joy of playing life, they just radiate it onstage. Songs are good, the aren´t your typical pop/rock songs ompletely. Some are, some have that twist that make them more personal. I always thought this band has what it takes to make it big, but somehow they never broke through. My star is weakest song in thei repertoire, I´d prefer Day Before Tomorrow for example, which live works like a charm. Here are some samples:
A Day Before Tomorrow
Thunder Without Rain from latest Years And Seconds album
Lonely Feeling To Be Lonely
Weekends Are Not My Happy Days
If you like Kate Bush, you might like our next artist
Hannah Fury!
Talented singer/Songwriter who has made only 2 albums for far and a string of eps. First Album, The Thing That Feels, leans on piano and her voice. The combination works like a charm and is a winner. Lyrics are dark, bit morbid even but suit the songs. We could even say it´s baroqesque as is her image. They go neatly hand in hand.
Second album Through The Gash is more varied pack. More experimental than previous one it is bold move to make. Through The Gash reminds me bit of Kate Bush´s Dreaming. It has same experimental feel to it and again dark lyrics. Carnival Justice shows she´s really pissed with some guy (forgive me if I´m mistaken). This album also leans more on heavier basslines, which were absent from Thing That Feels. I can´t wait for her to make another album and see which direction it will take. I have no idea what to expecet thanks to these two being from two different worlds. I also have to recommend the eps, if you can find them from somewhere. They have good b-sides and even odd cover of Abba´s Winner Takes It All. That cover is almost hard to recognize, it sounds (luckily) nothing like the original. Web site is here: Mellow Traumatic
Meathook from Thing That Feels
I Can´t Let You In from Thing That Feels
Don´t Be Scared from Through The Gash
Girls That Glitter Love The Dark from Through The Gash
So here we go with unsung heroes part for time being:) I gotta take dogs for a walk and will be back soon with wonderful thing called music
C Ya!
Tommi
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