>> Featured Artist: Cathy Davey
Irish singer-songwriter Cathy Davey has been winning over blogs left and right with her follow-up to 2004's Something Ilk - a demo. "Sing for Your Supper" is infectious. The snare-heavy drum beat and driving bass line allows an intensity to build around an otherwise playful song. The delivery of "One way or the other, I'll be making eyes at you" does not read as important as it sounds.
Of particular note is Davey's voice, which is interesting and hard to categorize (thank God). It is also not horribly offensive. And, for that reason, the Toaster is intrigued on the basis of one song - a rare feat.
>> Album Lookout: Lynn Teeter Flower
Maria Taylor - Released: March 6, 2007 Saddle Creek
On some days (particularly those when we forget about our obligatory indie love for Jenny Lewis), the Toaster Talks likes to posture controversially: Azure Ray might be the best artist ever to come out of Saddle Creek.
Maria Taylor, now two solo albums removed from Azure Ray, is not so removed from the vocal wonder that she helped define in the group. Her fantastic lead is still partnered with those spooky-beautiful whisper harmonies. And the music still resonates, to the point where The Toaster had difficulty picking between upbeat songs and the devastating slow songs.
Today we opted for a song with drums: "A Good Start," a solid dancy pop song sure to please the Imogen Heap crowd.
For those who haven't seen Children of Men, this post is significantly less impressive. The soundtrack, driven by a rarely noted John Lennon song from the Mind Games era - "Bring on the Lucie (Freda People)" - and a hauting cover of "Ruby Tuesday" by Italian songwriter Franco Battiato.
The latter is so remarkable in its rendition of the classic Stones song that it lingers with your relentlessly in the weeks after seeing the movie - until you finally download it and listen to it on repeat as you're falling asleep. Each chorus hits a different tone, which wasn't lost on the filmmakers, who used at least two of them for crucial moments in the film.
1 comment:
I completely agree with you about the Battiato version of Ruby Tuesday. IT stayed in my head after seeing the film in just the way you describe. I am now hunting down other Battiato gems and seem to have developed a new obsession.
Post a Comment