Category: music

No.

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Note to family:
Under no circumstances must Colin be allowed to see this video.

Quite aside from the chances of horrendous damage to the piano and the god-awful noise, our beagle would turn in its metaphorical grave upon seeing the title of this video.

“Buddy Mercury”? Really?

The dog’s name is Buddy, but you couldn’t think of a better choice of musical individual to put in the title than Freddy “Buddy” Mercury*?

If only there had been an actual famous musical star with the first name Buddy.
Then you could have used that name instead and it would have been ever so much better.

* I take this back unreservedly if the annoyingly-voiced lady recording this is called Mrs Mercury, obviously.

Gentle Storm

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Not Dineo  – the one that’s blowing through the Mozambique Channel right now. It’s not gentle and technically it’s a tropical cyclone, anyway.

Accurate low pressure weather system nomenclature. S’important.

No. I’m talking about the upcoming Elbow single, Gentle Storm:

Wait a second – wasn’t that Benedict Cucumberbeagle? Yes. Yes, I think it was.
This is a kind of updated, faster, more unsettling version of MJ’s Black and White video. It’s a really, really good song as well.

I have yet to post the review of the Little Fictions album, I know. It’s one of those that I just can’t stop listening to. And it’s fitting that on this day of love, I should mention it, since the whole thing is basically all about Guy Garvey falling in love.

But… more of that on a day with fewer hearts and flowers.

Take On Me

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Ag, you must know what’s coming. Yes, it’s ANOTHER cover version of a-ha’s biggest hit* Take On Me, this time by Brooklyn Duo and Ensemble Connect.

You’ll note a violin, a viola, two cellos, a double bass, a piano (big black thing at the back), a trombone, a bassoon and a very enthusiastic clarinet.

Classical.

Lovely version, and a hat-tip to whoever tied in Magne’s keyboard solo to  Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s 1899 Flight of the Bumble Beagle.

I have now heard 261 cover versions of this song, but this one is a real original, and must rate somewhere in the top 10.

* terms and conditions apply

Here. Here and good.

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I touched upon the new Elbow album when I shared the beautiful opening track Magnificent (She Says) a week or two ago.

Well, yesterday, as promised, it came out and I bought myself a copy.
And my goodness, it’s good. It’s really, really good.

Early days yet, but I have a weekend of walking along the beach to share with Guy and chums, so expect something a bit more considered and a bit less gushy next week.

Conor

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A lovely interview and live set from American singy man Conor Oberst on BBC 6 Music this afternoon. He comes across as chilled, genuine, thoughtful and accessible. And not anywhere near as weird as a lot of American singy men.

Herewith one of the songs he played: Barbary Coast (Later):

Beautiful. I’m not usually a huge fan of anything with a harmonica in it, but this is almost Bob Dylan-esque in its emotion.

Very nice.