Actually some that’s a couple of years old already, and some that dates back much further to 1973! Discovery of the newer stuff is all thanks to iTunes 8, which plucked an overlooked gem from my library and led to further refreshment.
Almost without fail I pick up The Word, partly because it’s cover CDs are an excellent way to discover new music, much like the Playlist discs that HMV used to give away with select purchases.
Just like thousands of other people I’ve just updated to iTunes 8 and swiftly sent data about my music to Apple to make use of the new Genius features. I can’t remember the track I used to seed an early playlist that lifted Midlake’s Roscoe from my library, where it languished on a Word album from a couple of years ago, but I’m already glad of Genius playlists. The end result probably isn’t what Apple hoped for, though.
The financially unhealthy combination of sample tracks on the band’s website, my previous whinge about needing new music and a steadfast love of shiny 12cm discs stirred me to make an impulse purchase of 2006 album, The Trials of Van Occupanther. It’s a lovely album that ought to keep my ears busy for at least a couple of weeks. They’ll also get some work from other recent purchases: Dennis Wilson’s Pacific Ocean Blue and Emiliana Torrini’s Me and Armini, and a John Cale compilation that, bar two or three songs, has also been neglected until Paris 1919 came up on shuffle a few days ago.
It turns out that Midlake are on Bella Union, the same label as the marvellous Laura Veirs. I fell in love with her music after an even more reckless purchase a couple of years back that was based entirely on the librarian-esque looks of Year of Meteors and vague recollection of a website posting that compared her to Suzanne Vega, but with observations of city life replaced with oceanic imagery. Just a little, I can see where that comment came from.
Since discovering Veirs, I’ve done further investigation of the label’s signed acts before but never got around to buying more of its albums. I have a feeling that’s about to change.
So here’s to aurally fruitful spending. If you haven’t already heard Year of Meteors then it’s worth checking out for the worrisome Spelunking. Veirs’ most recent full album, Saltbreakers, is softer and an easier route into her material with gentle harmonies and vocal contributions from her band. I saw her touring for this album twice last year, first with the band and a second time, building magnificent live samples with a Loop Station to retain the harmonies despite being on her own. She’s already toured the UK once this summer, but I recommend catching a performance if she returns any time soon.
Find out more…