Ladies in Music Part II, or: Apparently Ana Loves Lists

[nymeth]

One of my first posts here at Lady Business was a list of some of my favourite ladies in music or lady-fronted band. What I said then about the imbalance of my music listening habits is still true now, unfortunately, though I have discovered some wonderful girl-centric bands in the past year. And just recently Renay was asking me for music recommendations, which is what gave me the idea for this post.

I’m not very good at analysing music – it might be a matter of practice, but I often feel like I lack the vocabulary to write at length about music like I do about books (and more recently TV, with the encouragement of my partners in crime here at LB). Blessing all the Birds, the wonderful Joanna Newsom tumblr I discovered recently, has been giving me all sorts of ideas for possible future music-centric posts, but it might be a while before I feel comfortable trying my hand at one.

In the meantime, considering this another instalment of my small musical show and tell:

• The wonderful Sharon Van Etten has just released a new album, Tramp, which I’m completely in love with. The album was produced by Aaron Dessner of The National, and I think fans of their music are also likely to really enjoy this. I’m sharing a track from the new album below, but my favourite of her songs is still the brilliant and heartbreaking Love More, which closes her 2010 album Epic.
  
  
  
  
  
• First Aid Kit are a lovely folksy duo from Sweden who have album just released a new album. They seem to get compared to Laura Marling a lot, though Adele’s very wise comment “we’re a gender, not a genre” comes to mind whenever I read those things. Watch the video for The Lion's Roar:
  
  
  
  
  
• Hospitality: I feel bad that I already used the phrase “like a female-fronted Belle and Sebastian” when trying to sell Allo Darlin’ to Jodie, because it kind of also applies here. Just saying.
  
  
  
  
  
• Shannon Wright: An American singer-songwriter who has been around for ages and never seems to get as much attention as she deserves. I’ve lost track of her most recent releases, but her 1999 album Flightsafety is a big favourite of mine. I love this song SO MUCH. So much.
  
  
• Nina Nastasia: As above, only replace the album title with Dogs. Here's my favourite track, Stormy Weather.
  
  
• Amanda Applewood: A frequent collaborator of the indie pop band The Boy Least Likely To who released her first album in 2010. Her song Still Smiling may not be that upbeat once you get beyond the surface, but still it never fails to make me happy. You can listen to it at Myspace.
  
  EDIT TO ADD: I have just found out that Amanda Applewood is the same person as Eva Rice, author of The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets. My mind is kind of blown.

That’s all I’ve got for today, but if you have any recommendations of your own I’d really love to hear them.

Comments

[myfriendamy]

This "Love More" song is making me all teary wtf I didn't sign up for that. ;) What I mean, of course, is that it's beautiful and I should always listen to you more for recommendations.

I am completely unable to write about music, which I hate. I connect to it emotionally but I don't always know why, I don't have knowledge to speak to the mathematics of music, or the way it's produced, I'm not well versed enough to know what is taking a risk and what is new and inventive or what is clever and different. But I would absolutely love to hear you talk about it, because basically I can't get enough of your smarts and your heart. So I'm excited for when you start to write about it.

[nymeth]

Haha, I know. That song is kind of a killer.

And Amy! You're so nice ♥. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to do a good job of writing about music - I'm also not knowledgeable enough to respond to the structure of it like I'm able to respond to the structure of a book, so I'll probably end up focusing on the lyrics and the feeling and imagery the songs convey. But that's worth something, right?

[myfriendamy]

I think it's worth a lot. And I look forward to it.

[renay]

Oh, I really love the sound of First Aid Kit. This is excellent!

[nymeth]

yay :D

[(Anonymous)]

I have listened to some of Ms Wright's songs, and whole-heartedly agree - most of what I heard was her collabs with Yann Tiersen, and they're certainly beautiful, especially this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9cftWN1kDc

IF you like Ms Wright, have you listened to Haley Bonar? She sort of sounds like the alt-country version of Ms Wright in my head, though considerably smirkier, maybe a touch more intoxicated: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqObosA1lZI

[mooredatsea.blogspot.com]

Sorry, that was me! I always forget to change the from!

[nymeth]

I thought so - it sounded like you :P The Shannon Wright song you linked to is beautiful. And I hadn't heard of Haley Bonar before but will definitely check her out.

[amckiereads.com]

Interestingly the majority of what I listen to is female singers and bands I think. Will have to check out your listings here.

[nymeth]

Hope you enjoy them! And if you have any recommendations of your own I'd love to hear them :)

[irisonbooks.com]

*puts everything on the to-listen list*

Mentioning The National, you just knew that was the last push I needed, right?

Also, am amazed at finding out Amanda Applewood = Eva Rice.

[nymeth]

I might have known that that was an Iris-specific selling point, yep ;)

And isn't that amazing? I love her album and have had the book on the TBR for ages, and had NO IDEA all this time. It makes me want to read the book very soon.