MOVING OUT...

So, I'm afraid I decided to give up on Blogger. Text formatting seems wonky, it doesn't really work on Google Chrome, and WordPress seems generally nicer. If you are still reading this, the automatic redirect possibly hasn't worked, so click HERE. Oh, and please be patient whilst the inevitable teething problems are sorted out.

Be right back...

Even Better Than The Real Thing? Or "Authenticity..."

For those who don't know me, I like record reviews. I don't think they should dictate anyone's taste, but I find them interesting to read. Anyway, I was reading a review of one of my new favourite records- "The Creek Drank the Cradle" by Iron & Wine, and the second paragraph went like this...

"Not so for Sam "Jim" Beam. He makes bare-bones music that constantly nods to musical periods long since passed, perhaps the earliest being the 1920s of Blind Lemon Jefferson. In short, Beam makes roots music with southern themes, though to end there would do him a disservice. But now knowing this, you may be wondering: What are his qualifications? Is this guy authentic?"

The writer (Ryan Kearney, of pitchfork.com - in case you couldn't tell) then goes on to decide that actually, he is "authentic" and it is a good album after all- a sentiment that I heartily agree with, but that's not the point.

The point is, does authenticity really matter? What does it even mean? I don't think I am authentic- a British, slightly middle-class, soon-to-be music student who writes slightly angsty folk-pop - but does this mean my music sucks? Even when my music does suck (which, to be fair, it definitely does sometimes), I'm pretty sure that isn't the reason.

Don't get me wrong- I am all for honesty in music, and I seriously dislike pretentiousness. Absolutely. But does "authenticity" mean that only Americans are allowed to play banjos? Or that only kids are allowed to use kiddy musical instruments? Plenty of British indie-alt-folk-whatever acts would disagree with the former, and er- Sigur Ros would disagree with the latter. I know, a slightly less effective piece of rhetoric there, but you get the idea.

My point is this- I believe that if music is "good"- if it appeals to my taste in lyrics, musicality, content, whatever, then surely it is "good," regardless of how "authentic" the artist is.

Do you agree?

Lyrics

Well, it really has been too long. Sorry, folks. I'm hoping to get back into the habit of regular posts, but it may just be wishful thinking. This will have to do for now, anyway.

Recently I have been thinking a lot about lyrics, and why they mean so much to me, yet so little to some people. I should probably point out that I don't think this makes me a "better" music listener than anyone else- I just think everyone enjoys music differently, and I am very interested to know what all you people think.

So, my question would be this- what makes a good lyric? To me, good music (whether it has lyrics or not) has to move me in some way; make me feel something from the writer- whether it is joy, sadness, pain, anger, indignation, love, awe, happiness, escapism, or any other of the infinite number of emotions humans have the capacity to feel. And I think the same applies to lyrics. If you're not trying to say something, or even just express some sort of emotion, I don't want to hear it. Harsh? Probably. But I can't help it- if I can't see a bit of your soul, then I'm not interested in your lyrics. How sadistic.

Anyway. What do you think? How much do you care about lyrics? And what makes lyrics good? And what are your favourites? Let's get a real discussion on the go. This would make me happy.

My 2009 (sorry, this is long.)

Well, it's that time again. The presents have been opened, the chocolate has all been eaten (lie), and the wine has all been drunken (another lie), and I am waiting with truly baited breath for the second part of the Dr. Who Christmas special.

So, to bide my time until that fateful hour, I think it would be wise to do some sort of review of the year. Now, I'm no novelist, so I'm not going to get all prosaic on you, but I do like a good list. So here is a small selection of my favourite bits of 2009. Enjoy, and do tell me whether you agree/disagree!

My Top Three ALBUMS of 2009
Ok, you all know I'm an album freak. So, (definitely) in no particular order, here is my personal collection of this year's best records. To be honest, I don't think 2009 was a great year for albums (or even music in general...), but here goes.

1. U2 - "No Line On The Horizon" Ok, so it's no "Achtung Baby." But I actually think this album has been underrated- live, it was a triumph (even with the ridiculous, distracting, OTT stage set that accompanied it), and there are some songs that can only be described as "anthemic."
2. Muse - "The Resistance" As I've already explained in another post, this album needs very little explanation. Beautiful, ridiculous, epic and intimate, sometimes all within seconds of each other. Listen, laugh, cry, enjoy.
3. Volcano Choir - "Unmap" This is the only truly "indie" album I've loved this year. If you like weird, you'll like this. Imagine Bon Iver on steroids, with added glitchy production, odd noises and even a "Mbira." I don't even know what one of those is. But it's beautiful.

My Top Three GIGS of 2009
I hope you don't all think it's self-centred to include one of my own gigs here, but the fact is- I love playing live! And I've learnt a lot from my experiences this year, so I'm afraid you will just have to live with it :)

1. Carlops Jazz Band - Arran '09 Well I thought I had blogged about this once already, but turns out that I actually hadn't. As a (very) amateur band, we are so used to just playing gigs for family, friends and stragglers, so to go to the Isle of Arran and play for (literally) 100 people we had never met was an experience. Everything was last-minute, everything was crazy, but something clicked and I enjoyed what has to be one of the best nights of my life so far. Whether we actually played very well is debatable, but it was a night where it didn't matter- we gave it everything, and there was a confidence and an energy that none of us had felt before. I could go on for ever, but I won't.
2. Muse - Glasgow SECC 09/11/09 This was the night that Muse became better than U2, better than Radiohead, better than any big band you would care to name. At least in my head. There's little else to say, other than "go and see them."
3. DLDown & Dan Glover Band? - The Lot, Edinburgh, 12/11/09 OK, this was a tough one to decide. It was a toss-up between this and U2. But The Claw was a distraction for me, so hey. Plus, though we actually played crap (as I discovered about a week later when listening to the recording), this was a bit of a turning point for me, and I think for the rest of the band as well. Now, as I said, we didn't actually play that well, but this was the night we realised (I think) that actually, we can do this- this gig thing isn't as uncomfortable and weird as it could have been. So, purely for that reason, and because The Lot is one of my favourite venues, this makes the list. (If you're interested, a free download of the DGB? highlights is at http://dangloverband.bandcamp.com/)


Most Exciting Things of 2010
Now, I'm a firm believer that when you look back, you should always look forward as well, so here, in chronological order, are three things that I'm most excited about for 2010.

1. Dan Glover Band? at The Eastgate - 17/01/10 Now, although this looks like a cheap plug, it isn't. Honestly. Well, yes it is, but also I'm really REALLY excited. This is DGB?'s first ever "headlining" gig (we even have our own support act!?), so i think I'm allowed to be. Plus, the ever-awesome Bobby "Bobsleigh" Moles is going to be playing 2nd acoustic guitar, which will be fun. OK, enough self-importance.
2. The new series of Dr. Who Yes, yes, OK- I'm a ridiculously sad fanboy. There, I said it. But there's talk of a new TARDIS, people- A NEW TARDIS!!
3. Returning to Edinburgh OK, don't get me wrong- I adore Vienna. I think it's the most beautiful city I've ever been to, and I love my new community here. But I come from Edinburgh. I also can't wait to get stuck in to my Music degree at Uni- I would always recommend a gap year to anyone, but only if you know what you want to do. I didn't. And, well, still don't. In fact, if I hadn't been lucky enough to come to this brilliant city, I don't think I would have enjoyed this year anywhere near as much as I have so far.


Resolutions for 2010
Oh, and what would New Year be without a few resolutions which may or may not stick? I'm not going to lie, I'm hopeless at keeping them. But, just in case, here they are:

1. Blogging better Yeah- this blog has so far not really gone as well as I had hoped. I mean, I like writing album reviews, but that wasn't what it was originally here for. I would like to get a bit more "philosophical" next year, and actually write about what is important to me in music. But hey, you are the readers- what do you want to see more of next year?
2. Reading more Believe it or not, I'm a terrible reader. I get too distracted. My laptop is just more fun. But when I do read a really good book, I'm always glad I did. So, again, other than the Bible and Steinbeck's Cannery Row (my current favourite), what books would you guys all recommend?
3. The mythical DGB? album Yes, it's going to happen. Recently I've been falling in the trap of releasing "singles" all the time. This is good in some ways (quick feedback, chances to experiment and find what I like), but I think it's time that I really focused on something complete and coherent. Early next year, there will be one more "big, expansive, electric" single, but I have already started working on the first DGB? LP, which will be more groove-based, intricate and acoustic. I hope you like.


So, to (finally) close, I want to ask you readers- what have been the defining moments of 2009 for you? Are some of mine along the right lines, or completely wrong? Do tell me. Plus, recommendations of books and opinions on what you want this blog to be would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for all putting up with my ramblings so far, see you next decade!!

St. Andrews Day. Apparently.

So, as you probably all know by now, I no longer live in Scotland, I live in Austria. Although I love it here (seriously, Vienna is probably the most beautiful city I have ever visited), I miss Scotland all the time. Obviously that may have something to do with the fact that all my friends are there, but there are definitely just some "Scottish things" I miss. Haggis. Irn Bru. Scottish accents. Oh, and cider. Not strictly Scottish, but definitely not Austrian!

Originally I was going to write a whole post about what I miss from Scotland, but then I figured that something music-related would make more sense. Now, you all know how much I love albums and album reviews. So here are 3 Awesome Scottish Albums, for your reading and listening pleasure.


My first choice is probably the one none of you will have heard of. This is Scottish saxophonist Paul Towndrow's third album, Six By Six, released in 2007. I was lucky enough to play drums at the same gig as him and his quartet (my first real live jazz experience), and it was a night I won't soon forget.

This album isn't for everyone, and if you aren't already familiar with jazz, it's maybe not a great introduction. But that doesn't stop it from being phenomenal- featuring (amongst others) the incredibly talented Konrad Wiszniewski on tenor sax, and one of my favourite drummers Alyn Cosker (incidentally, already mentioned here), this album ranks amongst my favourite jazz records of all time. The tunes (all originals) are big, funky and exciting, and Towndrow's solos are crazed and virtuosic. As I said, not for everyone, but all jazz fans (at least!) should definitely listen.

• Key tracks: "Crook Sludge," (possibly one of the coolest basslines I have heard for a while) "Rostov," "Big Hitter."
• Best moment: The aforementioned bassline to "Crook Sludge," Steve Hamilton's gorgeous piano solo on "Rostov," Cosker's drum solo on opener "Big Hitter."

Next up is a band that I am only just getting into, but loving so far. It's the obligatory (yet still great) weirdcoustic-indie-pop of Belle & Sebastian, with cult classic If You're Feeling Sinister. I bought this album when I was on my second favourite family holiday ever, in Florida, so this album has wonderfully strange connotations for me, making me love it even more.

And, as if that wasn't enough, the bassist in this album (Stuart David) is the uncle of one of my very good schoolfriends, making it even more special.

Now I would love to give you lots of history and background information here, but the fact is I don't know any (yet)!! Interestingly, though, I can tell you that the band were never satisfied with the recording quality of this album, and released a live version in 2005 to try and improve it. I love it when artists do things like this- Classical composers never had one "final product" - their music gets played, rerecorded and refined (or the opposite of refined...) all the time, so why should pop acts rest on their laurels when it comes to studio recording? Plus, I just love hearing different versions of songs- it almost takes more creativity to completely reinvent a song you've already written than it does to write a new one. But anyway, that's for another post.

• Key tracks: Pretty much all of them, but my personal favourites are "Like Dylan In The Movies," "Fox In The Snow," and "Mayfly"
• Best moment: First verse of "Like Dylan In The Movies," drums cutting out at the word "stop," then the very slightly delayed bass pickup. Some say predictable, I say textbook :) alternatively, the harmonica part to "Me And The Major." Raucous and funky- Love it!
  

For number 3, I was truly torn between two great albums, but I've gone with this. Debut self-titled album from Glasgow alt-indie-rock-music (more than two hyphens in one word- the sign of a true critic...) band Franz Ferdinand is well-regarded as a classic, and rightly so. From dissonant rocker "Cheating On You" to quasi-dance number "Auf Achse" via the dark sensuality of "Dark Of The Matinee," this album is full of great tunes, cheeky riffs and intriguing lyrics, all brought together with understated production, solid rhythm from from Paul Thomson and Robert Hardy and references to Russian avant-garde. What's not to like?

• Key tracks: "Matinee," "This Fire," "Michael."
• Best moment: As usual, it's tough, but the riff to "Michael," combined with it's relentless four-to-the-floor bassline is hard to beat.

So I hope you've all enjoyed this, but please let me know if you think I've got it wrong, or add your own to the list- let's have some chat! And Happy St. Andrew's Day! :)

First Single!!

Just a quick plug... The first ever official Dan Glover Band? single is now available to buy!! £1 on bandcamp now, or iTunes/Amazon usual pricing in a couple of weeks.

• Dan Glover Band? on bandcamp

OR if you are an emusic subscriber-

• Dan Glover Band? on emusic

Oooooh Vienna....

Good evening all...

Well, here I am, blogging from the other side of Europe. Lovely place, but I can't lie- struggling with the language/finding things to fill my life is. I miss all the friends and music at home. Having said that, being less busy has given me an opportunity to work on my own stuff, the end result of which will be RELEASED (like, a real single!!) in the next few weeks. Stay tuned!!

So, with little else to talk about, I think it's time to catch up on my favourite records of recent weeks...

Hugely overblown artwork? Lyrics concerning superpowers, "Eurasia" and the oddest conspiracy theories you've ever heard? A three-part symphony called "Exogenesis"? Yep, it could only be the noe-alt-prog-classic-rock extravaganza that is the new album The Resistance by Muse.

There are basically only two bands in the world that can make this level of OTT work, and the other are in the process of touring the world in a giant claw. But, as well as just being MASSIVE, this album has some genuinely beautiful, even heartbreaking moments. The (fully orchestrated, of course) "Symphony" is definitely the highlight, but the rest of the album is still way up there with the best of the year, if not the decade.

• Key tracks: "Resistance," "Undisclosed Desires" (LIVE VIDEO: slap bass, keytar and questionable lyric-remembering included!), "I Belong To You / Mon Cœur S'ouvre À Ta Voix"
• Best moment: Hmm, hard to decide. If I'm pushed, I have to be biased- the drum fill at 3:57 of "Exogenesis: Symphony Part 1 (Overture)"

A very different, but equally incredible record which I recently bought (on a great tip from this fellow blogger) is Sufjan Stevens' 2005 album Illinoise. Part of his ambitious (and as yet uncompleted) 50 states album project, this is an incredible work which, as with a lot of his material, manages to relate poetic writing about geographic locations with deep, spiritual insights into life, death, love and emotions.

However, the sheer breadth of musicality in his composition is incredible- mixing elements of acoustic, folk, indie, showtunes and orchestral music into an incredible finished product. I think notorious reviewer Robert Christgau puts it perfectly when he says "...this album radiates positive energy, and in today's alt, that's a precious thing."

• Key tracks: Personally, the opener "Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois" is a favourite, along with "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!" and "Come On! Feel The Illinoise!"
• Best moment: The beautiful counterpoint vocals in the gorgeous, cinematic bridge of "The Predatory Wasp."

So I hope some of you have enjoyed my ramblings for one day. Hopefully now we are settled in our new home, blogging can be a bit more frequent. Please leave me a comment and tell me what you think of these albums, or if you have anything that you think I need to listen to- I'm open to everything!! Almost.