Little Bird [MP3] Takes So Long [MP3] Gotta Have You [MP3] (from Say I am You, 2005) Being partners in life, as well as in music, Deb Talan and Steve Tannen have a great story to share. Falling in love, admiring each other’s work and forming The Weepies. The duo writes sincerely sweet, quiet and simply crafted songs. Another intimate homemade record, Hideway (2008), is the result of all the couple has experienced and absorbed so far. The Weepies deliver delightful folk songs, full of clever phrasing, loveliness and darker moments. Links: Official website MySpace Profile
“Oy vey” (Yiddish: אױ װײ) (or just “oy”) is an exclamation of dismay or exasperation.
And a word of approbation:
Understanding matters little when the division marches on. In the basements of Tel Aviv, of all other place, these Eastern European conquistadors has commenced their advance. With a mixture of languages and cultures long pronounced dead, Oy Division creates, and re-creates, the Eastern European culture that seemed to have died years ago. My Yiddish and Russian are non existent and my German is a shame. I do posses an extensive knowledge of Hebrew and English, which here proved totally useless. It’s, of course, matters little in this “retro” festivity. Oy Division does traditional Klezmer music, but they do it the way it was done when it dictated the heart beats of million - frantic and insane.
Oy Division are releasing their debut album in May and will be touring Bangkok, Singapore, Hanoi, Krakow, Toronto, Tel Aviv and Romania until August (details on their MySpace). Links: MySpace profile
I Can’t Tell In His Eyes [MP3] Doubt/Hope [MP3] There is No Light [VIDEO] Building their sound on vocal expressions and drums, Mariam Wallentin and Andreas Werliin of Wildbirds & Peacedrums expand it to a level of free and raw blues. The tender intimacy, soaring ballads and certain jazz elements of their debut album Heartcore (2008) take the listener to new heights only to be grounded by the duo’s fiery passion, beautifully brutal and experimental crashes, powerful drumming and layers of sounds. The flowing dynamic ease, waves of strong emotions and intensity of Heartcore create beautiful and distinct soundscapes. Links: Official website MySpace profile
It’s hard to say when a new genre is created. Maybe it’s when it gets its own term in Wikipedia, or maybe when a mass of artists claim to be a part of it, or maybe it’s only when it has a movie covering it. Well, whatever the catalyst will be, Freak Folk is by now an official genre. Sporting dozens of artist who are part of it, basking in the limelight with a Wikipedia article and having a sweet movie covering it. Just like the genre itself, The Eternal Children, doesn’t give any straight answers, it just provides a charming childhood experience. This one is a treat to anyone cherishing the works of Devendra Banhart, CocoRosie, Antony and the likes.
Texting Your Way To Love [short movie]
Times have changed. The eloquently written love notes of yesteryear probably won't get you very far these days when it comes to serenading that special someone.