Old Fashioned Love Songs

Has anyone else noticed how fast the days are going by now we're approaching the end of the year? So much to do, so little time... I've quite a bit of catching up to do on the blog front; there have been several outings to report and even a bit of sewing. Time's a wasting so let's get to it!

 

I've been a huge fan of the Canadian chanteuse Jill Barber since discovering her music back in 2009. My former workplace used to have staff sales of CDs and books which had been sent in for review, the proceeds of which were then donated to charity. When I spied 'Chances' among the offerings, it was love at first site.

 

I had no idea what the music was like but judging by the cover art, it was likely to be to my taste. Boy, was I ever right. From the moment the I heard the first couple of notes of the intro, I was hooked Listening to this collection of songs, it is amazing to think they are all original compositions. The sweeping strings and dramatic orchestrations combined with Jill's unmistakable voice takes one back to kinder, gentler times. She captures the feeling of times gone by; to quote one reviewer: 'she has a voice that stops time'.

 

You can imagine my excitement then, when I discovered I would finally get the chance to see Jill perform live. She was touring Australia for the release of her most recent album 'Mischievous Moon' and Melbourne was the final show. Woohoo!! The venue, Bennetts Lane, is nice and intimate and is billed as a 'listening venue' so patrons are respectful and keep quiet while the artist is performing. It was refreshing to be able to go to a gig and hear the entire performance for a change.

The first half of Jill's set featured mainly songs from 'Chances', she sang all my favourites first which pleased me no end. Then it was time for a costume change for the lounge era sound of 'Mischievous Moon'.

I had been dying to hear Jill sing live and it was everything I had hoped for and more. She sounded even better live than the recordings and was genuinely appreciative of the audience taking the time to listen to her songs; she has been writing songs since she was a teenager. She was even gracious enough to stick around and sign CDs after the show - I took my copies of both her albums for just such an occasion. 

 

Once again, I managed to get an extremely very flattering photo of myself with an artist I admire - damn you  'Self-portrait' setting! Thankfully Jill was patient enough with me to allow a couple more goes and I managed to one decent one of the two of us - even if my boof-head takes up most of the frame.

 

 

If you've not heard Jill Barber's music, you can listen to tracks on her website.

She really is lovely.

 

 

- Tamara

 

To The Horses

I meant to do this post a couple of weeks ago but it completely slipped my mind.

So, with a departure from the usual, let's start the week off with a little music.

Meet Miss Lanie Lane!

I saw this photo and it was an instant girl crush. This cutie patootie hails from Sydney and has been writing songs for as long as she can remember. She started seriously
 playing the guitar before she hit her teens, learning the basics from her dad and brother, 
before venturing down her own path. Lanie's style has been described as swamp blues, country, roots, rockbilly, and even pop (huh?), but it's her smoky vocals and dirty, blues guitar that got my attention.

Lanie's Triple J Unearthed entry

At the beginning of 2011, Lanie won a slot on the Sydney Big Day Out line-up, thanks to Triple J’s Unearthed competition and hasn't looked back since. Her debut album, To The Horses, was recorded and mixed in a total of four days at a studio in Sydney, with all four musicians playing in the same room. Lanie likes to record this way because she feels it helps to maintain the rawness of the sound and the band doesn't lose energy doing endless retakes.

Photo: Facebook.

Miss Lane writes in the same way she chooses to record, quickly, and manages to find inspiration in all manner of places - 'Betty Baby' is about her battered old guitar. There is a great story about her song '(Oh Well) That's What You Get for Falling in Love with a Cowboy', as told by the lady herself at her live show:

Our songstress awoke one morning and her man said to her: "You said the strangest thing in your sleep last night." As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she responded with a smile "Yeah, what did I say?" "You said: Oh well, that's what you get for falling in love with a cowboy." Lanie had no idea what she'd been dreaming about but a seed had been planted. Lanie's man left the apartment to forrage for food and when he returned the song was finished! He was gone less than an hour.

I was lucky enough to secure two tickets for the second of her three sold out shows in Melbourne last month and seeing her live has just made me love her all the more. She's softly spoken and genuinely appreciative of the audience, but for me her most charming trait is that she's a dork. It appears she had an ongoing bet with friends and her dare for the evening was to make a noise like a Wookie. I'm afraid to say she wasn't very good, but she still threw back her head and gave it a red-hot go. How could you not love her?!

She even signed my CD.

Lanie Lane is now touring regional Australia with her solo show 'On My Own Track'.
Visit Lanie's website for more LL love!

- Tamara

Proud & Humble

This is not the kind of memento you'd hope for when you get to meet someone you admire...

In March this year, Irish rockabilly singer Imelda May was touring Australia and I had the opportunity to meet her while she was in Melbourne. One of the photographers where I worked was doing a photo shoot at the ABC Radio studios - a hop, skip & a jump from work - and, being a fan, I simply asked if it would be possible for me to tag along. Too easy!!

The day of the shoot, I had decided to wear an early 1940s chocolate brown skirt I'd made, with a purchased blouse (which fell apart after two wearings); I was looking quite the vintage chick. In fact, I was even complimented on my look - complete with hand wave - by a lovely fellow who offered to let me in the building to wait.

During the shoot, Imelda chatted happily about lipstick (MAC Ruby Woo is her preferred shade) and the ease of creating her trade mark quiff and our 15 minutes were gone before I knew it. Just before she jetted off to her next interview, she was gracious enough to autograph both my CDs and pose for some pics, which pleased me no end.

As we were getting our best fake smiles on for the camera, the photographer decided to tell Imelda May, a woman I have admired for several years, that I sew and had made the clothes I was wearing. While I was quick to distance myself from the blouse, I happily laid claim to the skirt. "Oh!" Imelda exclaimed, "Me Ma was a seamstress! Let's see how it's been finished." She then promptly bent down to check the hem of my skirt! Thank the Lord this skirt had been properly finished; it's fully lined, all edges have been overlocked (serged), and the stitches on the hem are all but invisible. Phew! Although, these days I bias bind all my hems, it gives a much neater finish.

So, the moral to the story dear Readers: Never, ever leave your garments unfinished, even if you think no one will see, because you never who might like to take a peek!

 

Thanks Imelda, you rock!!

- Tamara