I know this for a fact, since I own no floaty skirts whatsoever*, I never find myself wishing my name was Sky, or Pomegranate, and I also preside in evil bourgeois fashion over a (tiny) capitalist creative empire.However, if anything was going to turn me into a hippy, it would be this really gorgeous album** I've just bought. It's by Archer Prewitt (there's a hippy name, if ever there were), and it's a year old (but hey, what's time, man?). It's full of truly lovely songs about, well, you know, love, and sunshine, and travelling unhurriedly from A to B, and "romantic monastics", whatever they might be.
It's a bit Nick Drake, with a bit of low-key psychedelia thrown in, which doesn't stop it sometimes sounding a bit like Simon and Garfunkel. In a good way.
I've been listening to it pretty much all day, while editing factsheets about clinical research software, with the result that my clinical software-related thoughts have been continually interrupted by far nicer thoughts, like "oo, I think I should climb a hill now, and just sit there for ages watching the sun set", and "oo, I think I should just go to the beach now, and sit there for ages, watching the sun set", and "oo, if only I lived in my cottage in Scotland, I could sit in the garden for ages, watching the sun set over the sea and the distant mountains."
Which leads me to conclude that this is probably an album for watching sunsets to, and that's never a bad thing.
I'm not a hippy, though. Honest.
UPDATE: Tracked down an mp3 now, from a BBC session: O, Lord (courtesy of Tight Ship Records)
* This may not be strictly true.
** Sadly no mp3s to be found, but you can listen to the whole album at this link. Far out.
11 comments:
Love and peace, man.
On one of my downloading sprees I seem to have found a couple of free downloads from an older album, Gerroa Songs, which may still be out there somewhere or other. Rather nice in a modest, understated kind of way. Definitely sunset music.
Illustrator, guitarist for The Sea and Cake, and draws a comic called Sof' Boy (merchandise deal in Japan)?
Is anyone else horribly jealous?
Harking back to previous musical posts I didn't get around to investigating/commenting on:
Husky Rescue - I don't use exclamation marks lightly, but thoroughly, utterly splendid!! New Light of Tomorrow is my new favourite song. Listening to it late night on a beach the other day, just wonderful.
The Tiny - you might like Hanne Hukkelberg (also Scandinavian, by the way, if you're still on that divine mission thing).
Calexico - if another band from near the Mexican border appeals, but with Eastern European violins and things, try Devotchka (a few pretty representative downloads on their site). Also, have you heard of Friends of Dean Martinez? Kind of related to Calexico (I forget how), they do mostly instrumental stuff. Their CD Under the Waves is rather atmospheric and wonderful.
Oo, spooky. Barry Adamson's Come Hell or High Water has just shuffled into my headphones.
Oo, hello there OPC. Yes, Husky Rescue are just great, and if you get the chance to see them live I highly recommend it. Last saw them at Bush Hall, illuminated by candles, and it was just lovely. They're working on a new album now, apparently.
Will check out Devotchka and Hanne Hukkelberg - I have heard some stuff by Friends of Dean Martinez (courtesy of last.fm) and liked it very much, though had forgotten until now. Thanks for the reminder - will download some songs.
Hope all's well with you!
PS I'm hoping that the beach in question was in a warmer country.
A warmer country? Well, it was if you count Cornwall as a separate country. Which, being half Cornish, I do. Kernow bys vyken! (Cornwall forever!) etc.
Late night beach walks in Cornwall in February? You're quite hardcore.
Do you know any more Cornish? It might help with the whole Pictish thing. I've got a Cornish surname, having married a native of that land, but that's about as far as it goes.
And that reminds me - my public academic spat with Dr Richard Cox is long overdue. If only I didn't spend so much time arsing about on the internet.
Based entirely on that really pretty album cover, and my great enjoyment of Rabbit Fur Coat (which purchase was, yes, based entirely on your recommendation - I'm so easily swayed), I now really want to hie me FOPP-wards and try this out. But that would be bad. Bad and wrong. My budget will hate me. Dammit.
Onto the wishlist it goes, then.
(Not a hippy, but I do like to wear floaty skirts and burn incense. And occasionally read Tarot cards. So not entirely innocent of hippy-dom.)
Ohhh, Rabbit Fur Coat is great, isn't it?
And as for FOPP, well, I might as well set up my salary to be paid straight into their tills. It has to be the best shop ever - and it's directly opposite our office. Fatal.
Fatal indeed. Bad, bad things would happen if I worked that close. As it is it's *just* within reach, but far enough to discourage strolling by too regularly. At least in this weather.
Have I mentioned how sick I am of this weather? Sick of it. Every year around this time I start spouting venom about everything that's wrong with this bloody country, why am I here, etc etc and it's only when the sun comes out and the haze of cumulative SAD lifts that I realise hang on, I've done this before, haven't I...
Taking a swim, now that would have been hardcore. Brrrr. Erm, not that the cold seemed to deter two 12 year old girls from the beach cafe.
Actually, I should probably explain that I was in Cornwall for an open day at Falmouth (thinking of doing an MA, not stalking James) rather than a beach holiday. Anyway, late night walks are always good, and if I can stare out to sea and listen to some waves/.wav's (oh, alright then, MP3's) all the better.
Sadly my knowledge of Cornish doesn't extend far beyond Kernow bys vyken (and some stuff I googled when I was still half considering pretending to be well informed). So, yes, I remain useless at Pictish decipherment.
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