Hooverphonic - No More Sweet MusicI have a couple of their earlier records and like them a lot. The band is from Belgium and they play an electronic/trip-hop/pop brand of music with female vocals. This was a total impulse buy for me because I had no idea they had any newer albums. This ablum was released in 2005. Anyway, I was just browsing at Border's when I discovered the lone album hidden within the "H's."
The interesting thing about this ablum is that it is a double disc with the same songs in the same order on both discs. One disc is call More Sweet Music and the other is No More Sweet Music. The second disc is not a remix of the original song, but rather re-recordings of the same songs. I don't think the band gave preference to which disc is more important. There is not a number 1 and 2 for the disc, so I don't know what was intended as the original. The band probably meant it that way. Think about it...when you write a song, usually it is done really basic on a piano or guitar. You get together with the band and record it during the studio. The recording can go in any number of different ways with different instruments, vocal takes, etc. But only one version appears on the record. This was kind of cool to see songs can take different shapes and yes, maybe one version is better than the other, but maybe not.
Listen at their myspace.
El Perro Del MarOh My Gosh! I don't know how to begin to tell you how much I love this disc. Amazing. This band or rather girl is from Sweden and her music has been discribed as folk pop, but I don't think that accurately discribes her sound. Yes, she uses and acoustic guitar as the main instrument, but their is nothing folky about it. Her music has a shimmery cosmopolitan sound that might remind of the 60's girl pop bands. The music is simple, the percussion is simple (handclaps or a tamborine), and the voice is achingly beautiful. Can happy music sound so sad? The lyrics are simple - often two or three lines repeated over and over. The music and voice is amazing. The music will build and the voices are layered. Really the music is simple but all the vocal tracks make it feel big. Lots of ooohs and aaaahs, and sha-la-la's. There is not a dud track on the record; it's hard to pick a favorite, because they are all so good.
Listen at her myspace.
Watch the delightful video God Knows (you got to give to get) here.
4 comments:
I held off reading this post until I'd have time to listen to the music. I've found that the best way to understand your descriptions about the musicians and music is to open the MySpace page in a separate window and listen the music at the same time I am reading what you wrote.
I think Hooverphonic's music is a lot of fun. They'd be good for a spring or summer album because they have a kind of springy feel.
I agree that El Perro Del Mar sounds very 60s. It almost sounds like the song has been mixed to sound like it's playing on an old record player.
All ladies? No guy singers? What about "the Man Voice?"
Dust,
Thanks for taking the time to listen and write a good comment.
Brian,
I guess I like the female voice. That is something I noticed too - over the last couple of months all my new music has been about 80% female voice.
Just wait 'till PART 3, I've got 2 guy records to show.
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