Before you know it

I’m pretty sure that by now, most people have heard of The Maccabees and deservingly so, they are a brilliant band.

The Maccabees are an indie rock band from London, England. They have recently released their third studio album ‘Given to the Wild’ which debuted at number 4 in the UK charts (and rightly so, it’s a great album).

The debut track from this album was ‘Pelican’. I absolutely adore this song, every time I hear it, it makes me smile (which I admit, isn’t great when you’re sitting on a train on your own with your headphones on ... I may or may not have been subjected to some funny looks from other passengers).
The song itself, in my opinion, was extremely underrated when it came to its position in the charts, reaching only number 75.

The opening beat to this track is just spectacular and as soon as it plays, you know this is going to be a special song – and it doesn’t disappoint!

Also, is it just me or does it remind anyone else slightly of the song ‘Prince Charming’ by Adam and the Ants? No? Just me? ... okay.

All I’ll say is if you like The Vaccines, The Wombats and even The Who, give The Maccabees a listen, I think it’ll be right down your street. And even if you’re not a fan of those bands, give it a listen anyway ... for me :)

Let me know what you think (particularly on the ‘Prince Charming’ thing, surely I can't be alone with that similarity).

Kirsty xx

Drift away

What does the name Benjamin Francis Leftwich mean to you?? If like me, it means nothing to you, hopefully this will open your eyes like it did mine.

Benjamin Francis Leftwich is a singer/songwriter from York, England. His debut album “Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm” reached number 35 in the UK charts (not too bad for a newbie) and although it received praise, none of his singles really got anywhere.
However, I think this will change with his latest song.

His last release “Pictures” is an extremely chilled out and dreamy song – the type of song you can just get lost in and drift off into your own little world.

The track was original released in March 2011 but didn’t chart, however it is now being re-released as his new single on February the 20th 2012, to coincide with his upcoming UK tour.

Benjamin’s voice is quite mellow and he has slight hints of David Gray and Chris Martin to him. However, I think it is slightly unfair to compare him with others as he stands strong as a standalone artist. Not only are his lyrics powerful, but put that together with the acoustic melody, and you have yourself a brilliant song.

Anyway, give this song a listen and tell me what you think :)

Kirsty xx

RIP Etta James

It’s a sad day for the world of music as legendary blues and soul singer Etta James has passed away.

Despite her turbulent personal life, Etta James was undeniably the Queen of Soul. She put each and every one of her troubles and pains into her music, making it heartfelt and real.

Whether it’s the lyrics that people can relate to or purely the sensual beats of her songs that they enjoy, her music is loved by every generation (myself included). She is and will always be one of my all time favourite artists.

Her hits included the iconic ‘At Last’, sensual ‘I Just Want To Make Love For You’ and the emotion filled ‘All I Could Do Was Cry’.

Her music has touched millions, and she will not be forgotten ... she will forever be an icon in the music world.

Kirsty xx

Perfect for those rainy nights

So most of you have you have probably heard of Lana Del Ray by now, but for those of you who haven’t, what’s your excuse??

 Not to worry though, this is where I come in :)

Lana Del Ray is an American singer/songwriter who is fairly new to the music scene.

Her first single was ‘Video Games’, which you may recognise as it reached number 9 in the UK charts and essentially put her on the map.

As much as I love that song, I have to say, I personally prefer her new song ‘Born To Die’. It has a chilling and almost haunting sound to it (which I love) and the lyrics are beautiful.

For me, ‘Born To Die’ is the kind of song that’s perfect for those dark and rainy nights. Whether you are walking along the streets with your headphones on and the world around you blocked out, or having a night in with the lights dimmed and music loud ... either way, this is the song you want to listen to.

Give it a listen and tell me, am I wrong?

Kirsty xx

Two for the price of one

If, like me, you sometimes like to listen to something a bit different, a bit quirky, then I think you may appreciate this.

A track that I just can’t seem to stop listening to is ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ by Gotye ft. Kimbra.

‘Somebody I Used To Know’ is from Gotye’s third album ‘Making Mirrors’. It has a very soft, chilled out feel to it ... and there’s something rather ‘nursery rhymey’ about it – and I don’t mean in a humpty dumpty kind of way, but in a way that the rhythm is quite playful. Also, if you listen to the beat at the very beginning of the song, you can hear the Baa Baa Black Sheep tune (it’s about time someone sampled that if you ask me).

To me, Gotye has a bit of a Sting sound to him ... and he has the same mouth ... just sayin’.

 

Another bonus of this song is that one of my latest obsessions – Kimbra – features on this track.

Kimbra is a new singer/songwriter from New Zealand, and although pretty successful in New Zealand and Australia, she is still very much unknown in the UK.

If you like Nina Simone and Bijork, I think you’ll love Kimbra ... and even if you don’t like either of those artists, give her a listen anyway, you might be pleasantly surprised.

One of my favourite tracks of hers is a song called ‘Settle Down’ which was her first single from her debut album ‘Vows’. This song has a very ‘pop’ and bubbly feel to it, without being so cheesy that it sounds like every other pop song in the charts at the moment.

Kimbra is a very quirky artist with a stylish sound to match.

Give it a listen and let me know what you think :)

Kirsty xx

Let's try something new

Have you heard of She & Him?? No?? Well why not??

Although they're not exactly new on the music scene, they are my current obsession!

If you don't know who they are, She & Him are a duo from America made up of indie actress Zooey Deschanel (you may recognise her from the films '500 days of Summer' and 'Elf'), and singer/songwriter and guitarist, Matt Ward.
It's hard to describe their sound as there's nothing else really like it out there at the moment. If I had to put it in terms of genre, I'd say She & Him are an indie/pop/folk sound, but I don't think you can group them into one particular field.

Now normally I am the type of person who cannot stand all that cheery cheery, happy happy music, but in this case I am willing to make an exception.
She & Him produce the kind of songs that just lift your spirits. It could be a miserable, grey and cold day (so pretty much every day in England) but put a bit of She & Him on and instantly it's like the sun is shining and you could easily be lying in the middle of a field somewhere (no cows present), eyes closed, lost in your own little world (cheesy I know – so tell anyone I said that and I WILL deny it!) ... but because of this, trust me when I say, She & Him are the perfect soundtrack for your summer, whilst also being the perfect pick me up during those winter months.

Now I know you've listened to me drone on, but just do one thing today - listen to just one of the duo's tracks. I guarantee you this, if nothing else, it will make you smile ... either that or you will no longer trust my judgement and abandon this blog altogether ... personally, I am hoping for the first option.

So try them out and let me know your verdict :)

Kirsty xx