Andy McKeeWell I believe not updating my last.fm journal for nearly 2 years is shocking, but I have been uber busy and well Facebook happened, so did Twitter and Spotify almost stole the limelight, aside from all that; my passion for music and live music seemed to reward me with a huge amount of serendipity. Anyways I can't sleep and around this time of year I come up with contenders for my end of year Mix CD, so here are a few songs (well more than a few) I fell in love with this year.
Electronic
Cosmic Love - Florence & The Machine
Nocturnal Hum - Short Stories
Fin Song 8 (Orange River Remix) - Gregory & The Hawk
The District Sleeps Alone - The Postal Service
Snow - Kuryakin
Smile Upon Me - Passion Pit
Hot Pink - Halloween, Alaska
True To Life - royksopp
Rise - Azure Ray
Sleepless - Kate Havnevik
Daniel - Bat for Lashes
Collapsing At Your Doorstep - Air France
Jump In The Pool - Friendly Fires
Far Away - Cut Copy
Tonight's Today - Jack Penate
stranger - Figurine
Shh - Frou Frou
I'm Not Alone - Calvin Harris
Move - CSS
Misery loves company - Her Space Holiday
Acoustic
Alice In Wonderland - Lisa Mitchell
Make It Mine - Jason Mraz
Tu es ma came - Carla Bruni
Hell Yeah - Ani DiFranco
Heather's Song - Andy McKee
Why Georgia - John Mayer
Riot On An Empty Street - Kings of Convenience
Indie
Lady Fingers - Luscious Jackson
Girlfriend - Phoenix
Intentions - The Whitest Boy Alive
We Are The Opposite Of Thieves - Reverie Sound Revue
Big Big Love (Fig. 2) - Foals
You Don't Know Me - Ben Folds
Kingdom Of Rust - Doves
Tokyo - Athlete
Lovers In Japan - Coldplay
Pop
Linger - Cranberries
Wishing Heart - Lisa Lobe
Spellbound - Rae & Christian
Wish I - Jem
Dignity - Deacon Blue
The Loving Kind - Girls Aloud
A mention of Jem
(Whatever happened to Jem) I got caught humming along to Wish I in Wilko's :)
Special Mentions - Serendipity
The Paddy's Day Parade - The father Teds
Whiskey in the Jar - The father Teds
Toss The Feathers - The father Teds
First Train Home - Imogen Heap
Arms Control - Rogue States
It's Good To Get Away - Dan Whitehouse
Until Something Fits - Rod Thomas
Right To Be Wrong - Joss Stone
The father Teds get a special mention, being based in my hometown the band got in touch with me out of the blue and asked me if I wouldn't mind letting them use one of my photos for a single cover. The serendipity of this year in relation to music didn't start here; but it turns out that I had already met the lead singer, Rich McMahon, in a pub through a local contact I met on a flickrmeet. Things progressed and I boarded a float with them on one of the biggest St Patricks Day Parade outside of New York, in the Irish Quarter of Birmingham in the UK. It was a great day! Though I had seemingly got "There's A Whiskey In The Jar" on my mind for the next week, being as it is that infectious. Being a huge fan of The Corrs of course their version of Toss The Feathers on this CD is amazing as is seeing my work printed on a CD!
Imogen Heap, now there's a Whole Heap of serendipity to this one too.First Train Home, agonized over for months, became a hit as soon as we heard it on the vBlogs. It became the first track on the the album which is due out within the next week-ish. I loved Imogen from the first time I heard Frou Frou. The serendipity came in the form of friends and it's fair to say on reflection any chaos in this year was eradicated by the creative process of Ellipse, which seems to be more than an album to me; kinda embodies the year and I have a feeling I'm gonna fall head over heals for Tidal.
In full circle with serendipity, we come back to where I live, quite literally. I seemed to be bumping into this bunch of friendly locals going under the name Rogue States, a British band with a very bright future. Arms Control was a track I'd heard on their facebook page back in September of last year, after being invited down to a gig with local Dan Whitehouse I was blown away by the track live. Having seen them a fair few times live, I'd say watch this space, it's gonna be good! Dan Whitehouse continues this almost "you couldn't make this up" aspect to the year and his track It's Good To Get Away is amazing on the EP.
Rod Thomas also gets a special mention here just because he's so sweet and he drew me back to The Marrs Bar for one hell of a great night in Worcester. It seems I only ever see the Welsh there, given the last time I was there was with the very lovely Julia Harris. Such an Intimate gig, I was sold a wristband by a local guy I adore Sam Isacc similar to Nizlopi and while we are on the local music scene out that way, Kristy Gallacher just keeps getting more awesome by the second! Ooooh and Joss Stone, intimate gig at the Rainbow in Birmingham, AMAZING!
So all in an ace year for music that got really serendipitous
Electronic
Cosmic Love - Florence & The Machine
Nocturnal Hum - Short Stories
Fin Song 8 (Orange River Remix) - Gregory & The Hawk
The District Sleeps Alone - The Postal Service
Snow - KuryakinSmile Upon Me - Passion PitHot Pink - Halloween, Alaska
True To Life - royksopp
Rise - Azure Ray Sleepless - Kate Havnevik
Daniel - Bat for LashesCollapsing At Your Doorstep - Air France
Jump In The Pool - Friendly Fires
Far Away - Cut CopyTonight's Today - Jack Penate
stranger - FigurineShh - Frou FrouI'm Not Alone - Calvin Harris
Move - CSS
Misery loves company - Her Space Holiday
Acoustic
Alice In Wonderland - Lisa Mitchell
Make It Mine - Jason Mraz
Tu es ma came - Carla BruniHell Yeah - Ani DiFranco
Heather's Song - Andy McKeeWhy Georgia - John MayerRiot On An Empty Street - Kings of ConvenienceIndie
Lady Fingers - Luscious Jackson
Girlfriend - Phoenix
Intentions - The Whitest Boy Alive
We Are The Opposite Of Thieves - Reverie Sound RevueBig Big Love (Fig. 2) - FoalsYou Don't Know Me - Ben Folds
Kingdom Of Rust - DovesTokyo - AthleteLovers In Japan - ColdplayPop
Linger - Cranberries
Wishing Heart - Lisa Lobe
Spellbound - Rae & ChristianWish I - JemDignity - Deacon BlueThe Loving Kind - Girls Aloud
A mention of Jem
(Whatever happened to Jem) I got caught humming along to Wish I in Wilko's :)
Special Mentions - Serendipity
The Paddy's Day Parade - The father Teds
Whiskey in the Jar - The father Teds
Toss The Feathers - The father Teds
First Train Home - Imogen HeapArms Control - Rogue States
It's Good To Get Away - Dan Whitehouse
Until Something Fits - Rod ThomasRight To Be Wrong - Joss StoneThe father Teds get a special mention, being based in my hometown the band got in touch with me out of the blue and asked me if I wouldn't mind letting them use one of my photos for a single cover. The serendipity of this year in relation to music didn't start here; but it turns out that I had already met the lead singer, Rich McMahon, in a pub through a local contact I met on a flickrmeet. Things progressed and I boarded a float with them on one of the biggest St Patricks Day Parade outside of New York, in the Irish Quarter of Birmingham in the UK. It was a great day! Though I had seemingly got "There's A Whiskey In The Jar" on my mind for the next week, being as it is that infectious. Being a huge fan of The Corrs of course their version of Toss The Feathers on this CD is amazing as is seeing my work printed on a CD!
Imogen Heap, now there's a Whole Heap of serendipity to this one too.
First Train Home, agonized over for months, became a hit as soon as we heard it on the vBlogs. It became the first track on the the album which is due out within the next week-ish. I loved Imogen from the first time I heard Frou Frou. The serendipity came in the form of friends and it's fair to say on reflection any chaos in this year was eradicated by the creative process of Ellipse, which seems to be more than an album to me; kinda embodies the year and I have a feeling I'm gonna fall head over heals for Tidal.In full circle with serendipity, we come back to where I live, quite literally. I seemed to be bumping into this bunch of friendly locals going under the name Rogue States, a British band with a very bright future. Arms Control was a track I'd heard on their facebook page back in September of last year, after being invited down to a gig with local Dan Whitehouse I was blown away by the track live. Having seen them a fair few times live, I'd say watch this space, it's gonna be good! Dan Whitehouse continues this almost "you couldn't make this up" aspect to the year and his track It's Good To Get Away is amazing on the EP.
Rod Thomas also gets a special mention here just because he's so sweet and he drew me back to The Marrs Bar for one hell of a great night in Worcester. It seems I only ever see the Welsh there, given the last time I was there was with the very lovely Julia Harris. Such an Intimate gig, I was sold a wristband by a local guy I adore Sam Isacc similar to Nizlopi and while we are on the local music scene out that way, Kristy Gallacher just keeps getting more awesome by the second! Ooooh and Joss Stone, intimate gig at the Rainbow in Birmingham, AMAZING!
So all in an ace year for music that got really serendipitous
