Corinne Bailey Rae

[d.a.walker]

It's worth checking out Buck 65, a fanastic Canadian rapper, whom blends folk, country, rock and blues into his music and is a fantastic storyteller rather than your usual misogynistic/sexist/offensive rap crap. Some of his music, especially on his album Secret House Against The World, comes close to Tom Waits. particularly the superb Kennedy Killed The Hat. He worked with Feist on that album too, which is also another reason to recommend it. His other album Honky Talkin' Blues is also superb, very organic and full of innovation and brilliant characters. His latest album Situation is based on the year 1957, and is up on my top 10 for 2007 list.

Interestingly he has been the victim of constant abuse from the rap community.

Asides from this rap artist I have little to no time for rap music (tho quite like The Beastie Boys depending on my mood/blood alcohol content hehe). And if you want to hear the truly truly hideous go for Australian Rap, my god, it's a genre that is so unbelievably hideous you'd swear it was actually a joke!!!!!

[sound world]

RE: Tori-yes,that's a good song,and there's PLENTY more where those came from with Tom.Great perf from Tori!
(I couldn't help noticing (seems rather piffling in the light of that song and it's resonance at the time) that she plays piano like Nat Cole used to-side on,almost,and pedalling with her left foot,which is pretty unorthodox.)
At least her technique is better than most rock pianists who either play like a rock-breaking machine or Elton John,God help us, in 'Your Song'-with piddling arpeggios-'Chopsticks' dressed as lamb.

Back on Tom Waits songs,you might like this one,Beth-a song about a dead child ,'Georgia Lee'.Aside from all the ironies and lowlife Americana that invests Tom's work,he sometimes produces these straight-up,common touch,maudlin songs that can be really affecting.The images in the video-and the video title- are what a fan's put there,but there isn't an alternative:-

And here's the words:-
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/ ... FB000854E7

The middle eight ('Close your eyes' etc) is just a great piece of songwriting,words and chord sequence.




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[blue]

(I couldn't help noticing (seems rather piffling in the light of that song and it's resonance at the time) that she plays piano like Nat Cole used to-side on,almost,and pedalling with her left foot,which is pretty unorthodox.)

Her stance at the piano is certainly unusual - it's something that caused a great deal of comment in the music press back in the early days, I think almost every article or interview I read mentioned it, mainly because it was perceived as a deliberately confrontational pose. I guess rock journalists couldn't help seeing it as a sexually aggressive stance, particularly given the subject matter she was writing and talking about in those days. Tori herself, however, has explained that it's mainly to do with her diminutive size - she's only 5ft 2 and of rather fragile build, so in order to get the physical power she sometimes needs at the piano, she 'braces' herself with the right leg against the floor. When she's playing concerts she has a bank of keyboards on her right and will often be playing the Wurly or the Rhodes or the Hammond at the same time as the piano, so obviously she needs to be facing front to do that.

At least her technique is better than most rock pianists who either play like a rock-breaking machine or Elton John,God help us, in 'Your Song'-with piddling arpeggios-'Chopsticks' dressed as lamb.

Funnily enough, I was just reading a rather interesting post in MTF by a musician who detailed some of the ways in which her playing differs from the average rock pianist, he pointed up a few things that are quite unusual in her playing. I can't comment really because I know nothing whatever about piano technique, all I can say is that I was initially drawn to her music because of her playing and that it's always sounded to me very different from other rock pianists I'm aware of. She did spend six years of her childhood being trained 'properly' - she won a scholarship to the Peabody Conservatory at John Hopkins University aged 5, and she played Mozart at her audition so she was clearly quite gifted even at that young age. I'm sure some of that training is still with her.

Back on Tom Waits songs,you might like this one,Beth-a song about a dead child ,'Georgia Lee'.Aside from all the ironies and lowlife Americana that invests Tom's work,he sometimes produces these straight-up,common touch,maudlin songs that can be really affecting.

Oh wow, that's beautiful! I love it. Ha, you know me too well. Which album is it from, I know he's made loads?

[sound world]

It's from 'Mule variations',which is wonderful from start to finish.
Aside from his first two albums,where he's trying to find his feet,I'd recommend any of his albums,but particularly 'Small Change','Frank's Wild Years','Bone Machine','Mule' and 'Alice'.And if you like Beat poetry and a good laugh,'Nighthawks at the Diner'.He and Kathleen have become a formidable writing team from 'Bone Machine' onwards.Their lyrics are up there with Stina,IMHO.And the music is just great,ragged and vivid and human.

[blue]

OK, thanks for the heads-up.

Kathleen is his wife I take it, or a writing partner?

[sound world]

His wife-Kathleen Brennan-and they guard their privacy very carefully.You won't find a pic of Kathleen anywhere,interestingly.

[blue]

Bit like the mythical quest that Radiohead fans have to find a picture of Thom Yorke's partner Rachel, then. (Hilariously, a rumour is now spreading that he's gay, because no-one can find any proof of Rachel's existence. )

[d.a.walker]

Hello?? Anyone interested in Buck 65? Am I shouting in a wind tunnel?

[blue]

Oh sorry Daniel, I did read your post and I'll see if I can find any of his tracks on youtube, from your description he sounds a cut above the typical rap fodder. Actually I'll ask my daughter if she has any of his stuff too, she's into lots of rap - it's possible I've heard him already without realising.

[RobB]

Hello?? Anyone interested in Buck 65? Am I shouting in a wind tunnel?

Sorry but once you mentioned 'rapper',I just automatically lost interest.

[d.a.walker]

Yes I did say rapper, but Buck 65 goes a lot further than that, he is very lyrically diverse and deep. He is innovative musically, combining a lot fo genres alien to the norm of rap music. He sings in a beautiful husky voice, especially in French, at times, and is very worthy of acclaim. He, without pun, bucks the trend of rap by being very organic and musically adventurous. He lacks the traits of his so called peers and I really think he is something specially and feel so bad that he gets so much shit from the USA rap community for daring to be different.

http://www.buck65.com

[paul-pgss]

Bit like the mythical quest that Radiohead fans have to find a picture of Thom Yorke's partner Rachel, then. (Hilariously, a rumour is now spreading that he's gay, because no-one can find any proof of Rachel's existence. )

If only [love]
That man has sexappeal.

[YaoPau]

Yes, Buck65! I really like his album "Square" (four 15-minute songs), and my favorite song is Devil's Eyes (not on Square) even though it's more alternative than rap. Good stuff though, and I'm glad to hear he's getting listens from others on the forum.