Dear All

Hello again! It's been a long time and much has happened since my last letter, but rather that update you on my life so far I thought I would make my first letter of 2010 all about the music I loved during the 00s.

Every newspaper and music website has pronounced its own verdict on the decade that was and I am no different. I can't, however, copy Pitchfork and make a critical appraisal of the decade. Music is vital to my life, but it isn't my life and I could never pretend to have heard enough of a variety of music to make any comment on what is "best". What I can do instead is give you a sense of what moved me in the last 10 years - a kind of soundtrack to my life during this period. So here I present you my "top 30" albums of the 00s:

30 The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
Blame Zach Braff and that lot for making The Shins so ubiquitous in the mid-00s that there was no escape, but I defy you not to have been moved at some point by James Mercer's lyrics. Chutes Too Narrow might have been the mainstream breakthrough success, but Wincing the Night Away's darker and more experimental sound (for The Shins) was a real treat for me in 2007.

29 Primal Scream - Exterminator
I came to Primal Scream in 1997 through a boyfriend who wooed me with mix tapes of songs from England. He gave me Primal Scream's Screamadelica and I gave him Sloan's One Chord to Another (we both did well out of this arrangement, methinks). Having been conned into thinking Screamadelica was typical of Primal Scream I was quite shocked and amazed when I heard Exterminator. Whereas the former makes you want to hug everyone the latter makes you want to inflict bodily harm. What amazed me further was how much I genuinely enjoyed such aggressive music (I'm about as aggressive as a donut). Not sure if it was a question of getting older or moving to a metropolis like London, but Exterminator arrived at exactly the right time for me.

28 Death From Above 1979 - You're A Woman, I'm A Machine
My brother sneakily put You're A Woman, I'm A Machine on my iPod and I didn't realise it until Blood On Our Hands came up on shuffle while walking to London's King's Road - I woke up pretty darn quickly! Sexy, dangerous and empowering - what better accompaniment to the long runs along the Brighton seafront that were a staple of the 00s for me?

27 Buck 65 - Talkin' Honky Blues
Do you know what happens when you leave your home country? All of a sudden it gets cool .. very cool. While Buck 65 is unlikely to come to mind when you think of the great wave of exciting acts to come out of Canada in the 00s (Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene etc..) it isn't down to lack of talent. The difficult thing with Buck is that he's hard to pigeon-hole therefore succinct descriptions of his music are virtually impossible and I won't even attempt it here. What I will say is that Talkin' Honky Blues was a total revelation to me and continues to make me smile. Plus it reminds me of my childhood in the Maritimes which is no bad thing for a girl as homesick as me.

why, when I was a kid, playing in the ditches
living in fear of satan and the witches
the whole world was made of wood and smelled like gasoline
the days were at least twice as long and the grass was green.

463 from Talkin' Honky Blues

26 Pipettes - We Are the Pipettes
You would think a girl band from Brighton with retro frocks and funky specs (ok, one of them had cool specs) would be right up my alley and you're right. Unfortunately I didn't appreciate The Pipettes when they first came out, but upon being reminded of their existence last September I went back to them and am so glad I did. Scratch beneath the shiny cool exterior and you have razor sharp lyrics and a sound that will keep you moving (We Are the Pipettes is a firm favourite for my 5km runs). I'll be honest, I'm no Pipette and will never be so sassy but at least in listening to We Are the Pipettes I can at least pretend to be.

25 Great Lake Swimmers - Bodies and Minds
As mentioned above, a wave of cool music came out of Canada in the 00s and while Arcade Fire dominated in the music press and Feist was selling clothes for GAP I discovered a cool band called Great Lake Swimmers through Chris. Its calm beauty was just the tonic for how I was feeling in the mid-00s and I'll always remember sitting on the floor of the Glee Club in Birmingham with Chris, Nick and Matt watching the band play Bodies and Minds with a small handful of other awestruck fans. It was a special night. On a less sentimental note I'll also remember having a chat with the banjo player prior to the show where we joked about alternative uses for GLS tshirts. They play sweet sentimental music, but the still had a sense of humour.


24 Micah P Hinson - Micah P Hinson And the Gospel of Progress
Micah P Hinson fulfills virtually all of the prerequisites for being the subject of a country and western song. Drugs? Check. Bad relationship? Check. Homeless? Check. Out of all of that he produced several moving (though non-country and western) records of which Micah P Hinson and the Gospel of Progress was my favourite. As with Great Lake Swimmers, this genre of sad heartfelt music meant a great deal to me in the mid-00s and I've been a keen follower of Mr.Hinson's since then.

23 Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf
Getting away from the heartfelt you get the heart-pumping music of Queens of the Stone Age. I will not lie and deny that part of my affection for this band lies in the uber-sexiness of Mr.Josh Homme (even if, in the words of my friend IB, he looks like a lorry driver). I am only human after all. I also like a good rock record and Songs for the Deaf delivers in spades. Micah P Hinson and Great Lake Swimmers are great for pausing to contemplate feelings of sadness and loss, but Queens of the Stone Age make you want to rush head first into all that is fast, dangerous and a bit scary.

22 Lambchop - Nixon
The early 00s were marked by the triumphant rise of all things Americana and I was thrilled. It was finally cool to like music that sounded vaguely country! Woo hoo! Bring on the banjos and slide guitars! Lambchop's Nixon was special to me for songs that were uniquely American in the most romantic and exotic sense.

21 Elliott Smith - Figure 8
I was never a die-hard Elliott Smith fan, but Figure 8 struck a nerve and is on this list if only for Somebody I used to Know

I had tender feelings that you made hard
But it's your heart, not mine, that's scarred
So when I go home, I'll be happy to go
You're just somebody that I used to know
You don't need my help anymore
It's all now to you, there ain't no before
Now that you're big enough to run your own show
You're just somebody that I used to know
I watched you deal in a dying day
And throw a living past away
So you can be sure that you're in control
You're just somebody that I used to know
I know you don't think you did me wrong
And I can't stay this mad for long
Keeping a hold of what you just let go
You're just somebody that I used to know

20 Junior Boys - So This is Goodbye
So you know that I'm not (just) into doom and gloom kind of music I will remind you of Junior Boys. Yes, some of the songs from So This is Goodbye are very sad, but others are rather dirty and just make you want to move. A musical companion for when you're sad and for when you're running - what more could I want?!

19 Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
For Emma, Forever Ago managed to live up to the hype surrounding it in 2008 and my love for this album was further confirmed when I saw Bon Iver perform it live at Scala. Not sure how I would feel if I were the muse for such a hauntingly sad record, but tough on her and yay for me who gets to listen to it.

18 Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
Folks have strong feelings about this young chap and I've been told in no uncertain terms that there is only ONE Bright Eyes album that could possibly be considered for the top 30 of the 00s and that one album isn't the one I chose. Sorry! I'm Wide Awake It's Morning was my introduction to Bright Eyes and, like all albums on this list, came along at just the right moment when my life had taken a new exciting turn and I was introduced to some wonderful people after a rather long spell of less than wonderful people. No doubt you'll have a different favourite, but I'll never forget how I felt upon hearing First Day of My Life for the first time and meeting folks who shared my love for it. :)

17 White Stripes - White Blood Cells
Music snob that I am, I have to admit that I derived a certain amount of pleasure from the fact that I fell for The White Stripes before the great music press told me I should. It may have only been seconds before the rest of the world caught on to them, but as a result of my speediness I managed to see them live at a small venue (Brighton's Concorde 2) and was further blown away. I can't say that I've felt any great need to follow their career in recent years as the singles have been sufficient, but White Blood Cells still has me singing (and dancing) along. Plus, if I were ever to change my views on marriage (and found someone .. you know .. to marry) then I would kind of like Hotel Yorba to be played at the reception (or during the ceremony itself?). :)

16 Richmond Fontaine - Post to Wire
If you read Uncut magazine in the 00s then you invariably know all about Richmond Fontaine. If you didn't then they may have passed you by which is a great shame, but you now have the opportunity to make up for lost time! In the same way that Lambchop can transport me from Brighton to the American south-west, Richmond Fontaine took me from London-by-the-sea to the seedy side of Nevada. Each song is a story of ordinary people trying to make a go of it and often being knocked back at every turn. I'll be honest, it was a relief in 2003 to hear about folks living way more fucked up lives than me. Plus, I highly recommend Willy Vlautin's book Motel Life which made my gut wrench the same way The Grapes of Wrath did.

15 Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy
The upside of breaking up with the Big Ex is that my world expanded (it couldn't get any smaller!) and into the fold came some wonderful people who helped make the sweet triumph over the sour. On top of being such solid folks, they also happened to be MEGA cool and introduced me to many wonderful things including Okkervil River. You wouldn't think a gal would feel such affection for an album filled with songs about emotional turmoil and murder, but sometimes only sad painful (and murderous?) songs will do. Plus seeing Okkervil River play For Real at The Hanbury Ballroom in Brighton (2005) was a highlight of my entire concert-going life.

14 Brendan Benson - Lapalco
You may know him as the really really skinny dude from The Raconteurs, but in my humble opinion Brendan Benson is an important (and under-appreciated) singer-songwriter in his own right. He's written some of the most honest bitter songs about love and life that I've heard and I always return to Lapalco (and his subsequent album Alternative to Love) when my heart has taken a beating. They make a perfect antidote to the saccharine bullshit peddled by many of the "sensitive" male singer-songwriters of today. Add to that the fact that he's a great guitar player with a clear appreciation of power pop and 70s rawk and you've got music that gets you moving.

13 Interpol - Antics
Before I started this list I had a long chat with a fellow list-maker on the rules of list making. One of our rules was that the list had to reflect our own personal taste as opposed to a definitive list of what was truly "best" in the last decade. This made my life easier and liberated me from including Radiohead because I "should" (sorry!). The rule that made my life difficult was that an artist couldn't feature in the list more than once. This meant I had to make the hard choice between Brendan Benson's Alternative to Love and Lapalco and between Interpol's Antics and Turn on the Bright Lights. While Turn on the Bright Lights was a true revelation at the time and had me bouncing around my living room, it's also the record that Big Ex got custody of in the split and I later acquired Antics for myself. By virtue of being MY Interpol album leading to connections with new friends then it will always be special to me.

12 Strokes - Is This It
In the days before portable MP3 players I once rode the train from London to Glasgow armed only with a laptop and a CD single of Hard to Explain. The train died somewhere outside Carlisle and I listened to the Strokes the whole time. Sexy cool get-off-your ass music for one and all! What's not to love? I worried that it wouldn't age well, but all of these years later I get the same thrill when I hear it which is no mean feat.

11 Iron and Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days
When the world gets crazy I regularly turn to Our Endless Numbered Days to soothe my mind (and heart usually). There was a time I couldn't go to sleep without this playing in the background. While this likely sounds like a back-handed compliment it is only meant to be a testament to it's calm beauty.

10 Kings of Convenience - Quiet Is the New Loud
I received Quiet Is the New Loud from a great friend with impeccable taste and when a guy I was interested in made a pun on the album name I knew he was a keeper. It's easy enough to like Kings of Convenience and no doubt they have fans who wouldn't ordinarily call themselves music lovers, but when someone shows a deep appreciation of their music I know I've met a kindred spirit. Like a more solemn and painful Endless Numbered Days, Quiet Is the New Loud has been a steady companion in times of sadness and uncertainty.

9 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind O/S
This may seem like an odd choice as soundtracks rarely make it high on these sorts of lists (unless, of course, you are referring to the classic Saturday Night Fever), but this is a rather special collection of songs. From Beck's cover of Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime to Jon Brion's theme to the film, you have a collection of songs that remind you of how you felt at various points in the film but also develop significance in their own right. I wouldn't have heartbreak without this album.

8 LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
There are many reasons why a person should appreciate LCD Soundsystem, but my fondness for the band goes beyond a simple appreciation of the music. They accompanied me when life started afresh in 2005 and I guess I've always seen them as being part of the soundtrack to Phase II of my life. Plus, how glorious to have a podgy, dorky guy fronting such a cool band! Finally cool music I could relate to!

7 Sufjan Stevens - Come On Feel the Illinoise
Like most people I fell hook, line and sinker for Come On Feel the Illinoise!. How could you not? The premise of recording an album for each American state was ambitious, but could have easily resulted in mediocre songs weighed down by the theme. In the case of .. Illinoise!, you've got a collection of varied songs that only complement the theme rather than be weighed down by it. Plus, he made the banjo sexy again which isn't a bad thing at all.

6 Arcade Fire - Funeral
Holy crap this was a good record! It wakes you up, shakes the cobwebs out and makes you appreciate the beautiful cacophony of the myriad of instruments. It was like nothing I'd listened to before and incredibly refreshing. Note that the video in the link above is slightly pretentious twaddle which bears little resemblance to the energetic anthemic show they put on at Alexandra Palace in 2008. Such a video reminds me of a review I read on Midnight Poutine explaining how too much Dork Band music (in this case The Decemberists and Arcade Fire) can lead a person to yearn for "a band with tight pants and hard cocks". All I'll say is that it takes all sorts in a record collection from the tight pants and hard cocks (Queens of the Stone Age?) to Dork Bands like Arcade Fire.

5 Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block
You may be wondering how I could include an album that was famous primarily for one song so high on my list. Well, you may have been fooled into thinking that THAT song was the only good one to come from PB&J, but I wasn't! I'll always have a soft spot for pop and Writer's Block is chock-a-block full of playful clever songs. PLUS, having seen them live 3 times I've always been impressed by how inventive they are live. Final reason? My first PB&J gig was also the first date with a guy I really liked. :) See! It's not all sad songs with me!

4 Beck - Sea Change
Ok, now we get to some seriously sad songs. You knew full well that I couldn't keep up the uplifting music for long. Sea Change was initially offered to me as a sleeping aid after a weekend of wet camping. Little did he know that it would become the anthem to all heartbreak and torment I would subsequently experience! While it's emotional importance is reason enough for it to appear in my top 5, you can't deny the beauty of this album from the guy who previously brought us Loser and Sexx Laws (both are great in their own ways, of course).

3 Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
When I'm tired of being all heartbroken and miserable I turn to Jens Lekman. Sure, the songs on Night Falls Over Kortedala aren't all about the wonders and beauty of life, but the music makes you feel as though life can be beautiful and sunny like an episode of Love Boat. A person needs that sometimes.

2 Ryan Adams and the Cardinals - Cold Roses
As a Ryan Adams devotee it was a struggle to identify a single album to include on the list. Soon, however, Cold Roses became the obvious choice. Certainly not the most critically revered of his albums (still don't get all of the fuss over Gold myself), but it was an essential part of 2005 for me and I always return to it when I'm blue or want to just reflect on the sweet and sour of life.

1 Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
My love affair with Wilco has been long and slightly turbulent. I only took brief notice of them in the days of Being There and then had a disappointing experience when I saw them on their Summerteeth tour in London. When Yankee Hotel Foxtrot landed, however, the Summerteeth debacle was forgotten and I was totally in love again. It's a quintessentially American album that could only have been made in the 00s with the disenfranchisement felt by many post-9/11. That being said, it survived the Bush years and I will no doubt be returning to it again and again over the next 10 years .. and longer. Also, if I change my mind on the whole marriage thing again then Jesus Etc is definitely being played. :) And in this dream wedding I'm marrying Jeff Tweedy (or at least his lookalike).

Dear X, Greg, Si, Chris, Stephanie and Chloe

Oooh! I've been a fairweather friend. Many apologies.

Since I last wrote I've been busy with lots of good things like gigs (Animal Collective!!!), good friends (I still have fond memories of my pre-New Year pub crawl across Brighton resulting in a very blurry picture of yours truly taken by a very kind and bearded man in a pub), holiday in Croatia (!), reading lots of books (I went from Richard Yates to Hunter S Thompson and now I'm on Ernest Hemingway), watching lots of movies (Open Hearts anyone?). I hope that you've all been well and I will endeavor to be a better pen friend in the future.

Much love,

Stephanie

Dear X, Greg, Chloe, Chris and Stephanie,

Hello. :) I hope that you all are well. I'm fine if a bit restless - I'm off to Poland this week for work and have much on my mind work-wise but also can't help but think about other things like....

• At the age of 32 you would think I wouldn't giggle so much each time I see references to colostomy bags on a prescriptions database. I'm not laughing at the person who needs them, but I get a kick out of the snazzy names they give these sorts of products. Juvenile, I know..
• How long after the "best before" date would you eat a chocolate bar? I found 2 posh chocolate bars in my cabinet of magic treats this morning. I bought them when they were on sale and thought I would have a nibble of one today. The best before dates were April/May. I knew they were on sale for a reason...
• I've developed a keen interest in ... Hollyoaks. I watch it when I'm on the treadmill at the gym and catch up on missed episodes on Sunday. :) The characters are pretty loathsome on the whole, but I find myself really liking Michaela. Sure, she's irritating and needs a good slap ... but she's decent enough and has more in her nut than pretty much everyone else.
  
• Wasn't Homicide: Life on the Street one of the most amazing tv shows in recent memory? I stumbled across a very cheap copy of the DVD boxset at a charity shop and I've fallen in love with the show all over again. Friends have loaned me The Wire which is great as well, but it lacks some of the charm of Homicide if you can say that about a cop show filled with drugs, death and despair..

That's it for now, folks. Take care of yourselves.

Stephanie
xo

Dear X, Greg, Chloe, Chris and Stephanie,


Hi. I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Mine was alright - a bit of work (yuck!), a bit of running and a bit of relaxing. Not too bad all in all. :)

I've realised that the thing that holds me back from writing more often is that I don't have the energy for regular long letters. As you've no doubt noted, I ramble. So this letter will be short and sweet. :) The inspiration for this letter was my recent purchase of Jeffrey Brown's latest book Little Things.

As with all of Jeffrey's books, I enjoy Little Things for it's humour and sensitivity. It also features Jeffrey's musical discoveries too which I am really enjoying. I loved reading how he discovered Andrew Bird's music and how it formed the soundtrack of a particular part of his life. I tend to look back on music in a similar way - songs become important parts of the way I remember periods in my life. For example, Iron and Wine's Our Endless Numbered Days will always remind me of starting a new life post-Big Ex and filling it with good people like Chris. I think he was even the person who told me about Iron and Wine.. :)

I'm off to bed to read and reminisce a bit more.

Take care of yourselves.

Stephanie
xo

Tunes for the day: Sovay by Andrew Bird and Sodom South Georgia by Iron and Wine

Dear X, Greg, Chris, Chloe and Stephanie

I hope that you are all well on this bank holiday Monday. Me? I've got a bit of a cold so I'm sitting here in my PJs with a box of tissues to my left and a tall glass of orange juice to my right. Blech!

Ah! Enough about me and my snot! Let me tell you about the week I've just had .... It was a bit of a non-stop ride of musical fun and discovery that went a little like this ...

The Most Serene Republic - Great Escape Festival, Brighton (18 May 2008)
For those of you unfamiliar with Great Escape, it is an annual festival in Brighton where bands play across the city at a variety of venues over the course of a few days in May. Line-ups are varied and it can be an excellent opportunity to catch bands who are on the cusp of great and wonderful things. In all of the years I've lived in Brighton, however, I've never managed to take in the festival. Bad timings, conflicting arrangements and general laziness have always been my excuses. So when I got the invite from J&O I thought there was no better way to cap off a lovely weekend than to take in a cool (Canadian) band in the company of two friends who I will miss dearly when they move to Australia.

So on to the show... Imagine a younger, less jaded Arcade Fire and you have an exceptionally simplistic description of The Most Serene Republic. Like Arcade Fire they play a wide range of instruments rarely heard in traditional indie rock. But whereas Arcade Fire have a confidence that comes from the knowledge that they are changing/have changed indie music, I get the feeling that The Most Serene Republic are still exploring how to make all of these instruments and their varied influences come together. It's like they are still finding their feet (hey! let's try a bit of this with a bit of that and see what happens!) and, on seeing them live, you get the feeling you are witnessing something that could at any moment become bigger than you (or they) dreamed. I know that sounds really wanky, but you get swept up in the band's youthful optimism and the grand scale of their music. :) So while I enjoyed the music I was hearing on that Sunday afternoon I was also smiling because I knew this was a pretty special band. Plus the singer was kind of cute and did a mean air guitar with his trombone when he wasn't playing it .. ;)

For such a great show, it was a bit disappointing that so few people turned up. I suppose the band was competing with Brighton beach and the glorious sunshine. Of course, I'm no better. The show was later than scheduled so J, O and myself had to leave early to tend to pot-roasts and work commitments. :S I suspect we all missed out a bit.

**********

Bon Iver and Jens Lekman - Scala, London (20 May 2008)
I came to know Bon Iver and Jens Lekman through my ever reliable music friends O and IB. O was raving about Bon Iver earlier this year when I had dinner at his. IB introduced me to Jens Lekman in a flurry of cd swapping in March. He got a shedload of Ryan Adams cds and I got Jens Lekman (among others) in return. Fair swap methinks. ;) All of this to say that I'd been enjoying both of these artists for a few months now so I was wonderfully excited when IB offered me spare tickets to see both of these artists at the Scala. My emailed excitement must have read a bit like Meg Ryan's fake orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally, but I swear I wasn't faking. I'd been kicking myself for weeks after not scoring tickets to the sold-out show so I was thrilled to be given second chance. Ok, now on to the show....

Bon Iver is the stage name of singer-songwriter Justin Vernon who recorded For Emma, Forever Ago while hibernating in a secluded cabin in Wisconsin for 4 months. He performed that night with a small group of musicians each seated low on the stage. As a result, I couldn't see anything, but perhaps this added to the mystery and beauty of the music. I was, after all, stood alone in a crowd of strangers (plus IB and his gal L) hearing the hushed songs written in those 4 months of isolation and loneliness. So I closed my eyes at times and let the music wash over me. Wonderful musicianship aside, I have to say that what I enjoyed most about his set was that I felt as though I'd been transported away from my world to that small cabin in Wisconsin. Like Sam Beam, Justin sings as though it is just you and he in the room and he is confiding a great story to you. The immediacy was powerful.




When the set finished I think we were all surprised and a bit stunned. We were back in London .. among a large group of strangers .. Surely we couldn't expect more from the evening after that? Ah, but there was more!

Jens Lekman arrived with his gang of multi-instrumentalists to remind us that music can convey both sadness and happiness. The thing I love about Jens is his playfulness in music. What could be sad and/or twee gets elevated to something beautiful and sensual through grandiose Scott Walker-style production and clever lyrics. This translated perfectly live - the musicians created a fantastic mini-symphony of pop and Jens's voice carried off the songs both with and without the band. This was no ordinary indie gig .. This was damn near perfect pop delivered by talented and dedicated musicians who performed with tremendous skill, precision and love. Add to this some fun and witty banter with the audience and I thoroughly enjoyed the show. :)

So that was my evening. Blown away not once, but twice! How often can you say that on a Tuesday night? :)

**********

Fireworks Night and Sunset Rubdown - Luminaire, London (22 May 2008)
How do you finish a week that starts with a Canadian favourite then segues into Americana and Swedish Pop? Another Canadian band in the form of Sunset Rubdown! I've got to say, I've loved this band for a while and have been very excited about the gig since booking the tickets months ago. :) My love of this band started when I got an Absolutely Kosher sampler CD in the post a few years ago... The band's name read like a filthy sexy rock combo à la Eagles of Death Metal so I was intrigued. They sounded nothing like my beloved Eagles (just leave him alone cos the boy's bad news), but their song Stadiums and Shrines II quickly became a firm favourite.

In the intimate Luminaire (best venue in town, my friends!), the band delivered the goods after following the impressive Fireworks Night. They played a great set and, as with Jens Lekman's show, I was impressed by how the non-traditional instruments ("non-indie" instruments) and the female backing vocals added warmth and feeling to the music. [By the way, I can't take credit for this observation but I agreed with IB when he said it so there you have it..] On any other Thursday night I would have gone home a happy woman after a show like that, but that Thursday the band had the misfortune of arriving after Most Serene Replubic, Bon Iver and Jens Lekman. Hard acts to follow, for sure! I had a really fun night hanging out with IB, listening to Fireworks Night and Sunset Rubdown didn't disappoint, but they didn't "wow" me either.

Furthermore, there was some drama over requests from the audience which left bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't follow the whole discussion (after three gigs that week my hearing was a bit gone), but from what I could hear the audience wanted a song that the band were refusing to play. I don't expect bands to be performing monkeys and I sided whole-heartedly with Ryan Adams when he shot down whingers at his show in Birmingham. But ... for the reasons I mentioned above I often think of Eagles of Death Metal when I listen to Sunset Rubdown and I couldn't help but think of what they were like live. Back in 2007 when I saw them at the Astoria, Jesse Hughes delivered the goods and he was a total showman.. A skinny, more excitable Greg Dulli. :) He gave the people what they wanted and then a bit more because he knew deep down that was what they wanted (uh huh) .. It's old-fashioned and not very "indie", but that's what was so refreshing about it! Much as I love Sunset Rubdown's music, their moodiness and lack of humour left me a bit cold and wanting a bit more of the showmanship you get from the Jesse Hughes of the world. :)

**********

So these were the shows I attended last week. I hope you take the time to check out their music to see what all of my fuss is about. :) Also, if you have any musical suggestions then please pass them on. :)

Dear X, Chris, Chloe, Greg and Stephanie

Hello again. I hope that this finds you well and that you've been enjoying the delights of spring. The last week or so have been glorious here in London/Brighton. I've never been one to enjoy getting baked on the beach, but there is something so refreshingly lovely about walking around Brighton with the warm sun on your back. Ahh... :) Of course, it didn't last ... but there is plenty of time for full summer weather. I'm excited. :)

Other things that are exciting me are:
- Jens Lekman on Tuesday (I wrote about this last time, but I must say again "yay!!")
- Sunset Rubdown on Thursday (I've loved this band for a while so I am very excited .. even more so because the gig is at the Luminaire)
- the upcoming Indiana Jones movie (I'm a grown woman, but I'll always love Indiana Jones)
- the new Jeffrey Brown comic (yes, he needs a shave, but he's funny)
- long weekend (need I say any more?)
- girly day out with my friend H (we aim to shop until we drop)

Since my last letter I've been listening to some new stuff that I feel that I should share with you:

Jason Collett - Out of Time
I'll be honest, upon first listening to this song on the CBC R3-30 podcast I wasn't impressed. I found his Dylan-Petty impersonation quite distracting/irritating (invitation = invitaayshiyon). I mean, dude! You're a young man from Canada - you don't sound like that! But then he got to the goods: "Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh! We're all out of time...". It must be a Law of Music that any song with repeated "Ooh"s/"Woo"s or handclapping must be enjoyable (See Blur's Song 2). So I'm converted. You may not be so easily converted, but I guarantee there will be a part of you shimmying (voluntarily or involuntarily) to the "Oooh"s . Just enjoy it and ignore the rest.



Feist - One Evening
I was slow to jump on the Feist Is the Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread bandwagon. I could always appreciate her, but was hesitant to become a full fledged devotee as many people I know and respect have become. I think I just feel like a bit of a dweeb when I get into something far later than your granny has. Then I stumbled upon this video on YouTube..



I've got to say that there isn't anything not to love about this song and video. Pretty much perfect pop. Plus, I wished people danced like that a bit more. :) Plus, it features the Great Buck 65. Two Nova Scotians in one video - it's got to be good.

Buck 65 - Dang
I saw Buck for the 4th time earlier this year when he played in Brighton. I went to the gig thinking "Hmmff. I'm tired and want to go home.. Seen this guy 3 times already .. I could do with a good night's sleep". Despite being a grumpy old fool, I dragged myself out and I'm so glad I did. :) He was promoting his latest album The Situation which is inspired by 1957 and the socio-cultural changes going on at the time. It's easy for someone to think that this period in North American history was all about tupperware parties, pastels and bouffant hairdos but things were changing irrecoverably under the surface.

Ok, Dang isn't about the changes in social norms and sexual politics, but it is the only song from The Situation with an official video. Plus, it will forever remind me of being in the Komedia being torn between watching Buck on stage or a group of Superbad-lookalikes pulling shapes next to me so enjoy...



I'll be honest, the critics haven't always been taken with Buck and his previous work. Maybe you won't like this either. While I accept that he doesn't always pull off his grand ideas, I've got tremendous respect for his ambition in what he does because when he pulls it off it's tremendous. In a world of Pop Idol manufactured bullshit, long live the likes of Buck 65.

I'd better sign off here and meet my mates on the beach. :) When I write next I'll hopefully have wonderful stories to tell you about Jens, Sunset Rubdown and some of the cds I've recently been loaned (Mercury Rev, Ride and Dungen). In the meantime, let me take this opportunity to promote these Polish cookies you can now buy in UK supermarkets. They are lush. :)



Take care of yourselves.

Stephanie

Tune for the day: Watching You by Hardship Post
This is a song I loved as a university student. After rediscovering it recently it has had me jumping around my bedroom like the silly sod I am.

Dear X and Chloe and Stephanie and Greg,

I hope that you are well and enjoying the start of spring (for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere). It's been funny here with rain, chilly spells then glorious sunshine. It's like the weather is in the throws of a bad case of PMT (or PMS to North Americans).

Thank you for the musical suggestions and advice on Greek Easter. I am currently in the process of (legally) downloading a bit of Album Leaf so I will let you know how I get on. In other music news I am supremely excited to report that I am going to see Jens Lekman in a few weeks. Yay! The show was sold out, but due to the availability of cheap holidays to Paris I managed to get offered 2 tickets. Yipee! It took me a while to get into Jens as I originally thought he was another Jose Gonzalez. Why was I so deluded? Fuck, I dunno. Two sensitive Swedes - must sing song about how painful life is. Obviously... So imagine my surprise to hear Jens and discover ... Love Boat in all its lusciousness! Wowee! I hear his music and imagine myself in a powder blue ballgown sashaying across the dance floor with a handsome man in a tux with floppy bow tie. It could be horribly twee, but there is something really heartbreaking and sensual in his music at the same time ( ... and oh those lips i've loved/that i was dreaming of/they're so red and soft ...). So yes, I'm excited about this show. :)

And regarding Greek Easter (yes, I know it isn't just the Greeks who celebrated Easter last week but I'm being lazy)... On Sunday went to a party in North London hosted by lovely Greek friends. As requested by the hostess, I brought some food and, as suggested by Chloe, I brought something English. Actually, it was something Nigella - damp lemon and almond cake with raspberries. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but it was tasty. :) That's not to say the other food at the party wasn't tasty. Holy! There was food for an army! Lamb, pork, salads, tzatziki, bread, beans etc .. Not to mention the drink! I tried a bit of everything and discovered that I actually like lamb (my tastebuds must only kick in when it's been slow roasted for hours) and ouzo (it smelled like medicine, but it was pretty good). Apart from the culinary delights, there was also good music (it all started traditional, segued into Grease soundtrack with a short interlude of Ryan Adams' Cold Roses), good conversation, dancing and general loveliness. The only bummer was that I had to leave at 8pm so I had a chance of getting into bed before midnight (flippin' train alterations).

In other news I had a great time at the We Are Scientists gig last week. Fun music, good company, cool purchase and the surreal experience of having a strange woman tap me on the shoulder to tell me she has my tshirt. :) Biggest bummer of the night? Mild stomach pains kicking in at around 11 growing to really painful by 11.30 and super painful by midnight. I'm not sure what set me off - although I had a terrible week before that I had been feeling much better. Anyhow, I spent the 1hr long train journey twisting and shifting in my seat trying to get comfortable. I considered getting off at Gatwick Airport, but knew that it would be 1am before another train showed up. Hideous. Sleep, water, peppermint tea and minimal food the following day helped. My body hates me from time to time - I just have to learn not to piss it off. ;)

I'd better sign off here, but I leave you with a picture I took in Brighton a few weekends ago. I couldn't not. :) Take care of yourselves.



Stephanie

Tune of the day: Gone Again by Little Wings

Dear X,

Apologies for the gap between letters. It's been manically busy at work. It still is, but I thought I'd blog/write/whatever instead of update my PowerPoint slides. Naughty? Not quite. Hibernating has been the extent of my naughtiness of late. :)

What I have been naughty about is catching up with all of the great music that friends have been recommending to me. Bands include:

Raining Pleasure
Bon Iver
Water School
Gravenhurst
Tokyo Police Club
new Little Wings
RL Burnside
Holy Fuck
Black Mountain
Castanets
Atlas Sound
new Hot Chip
Euros Childs
Monade
Jean Jacques Perrey and Luke Vibert
VHS or Beta
Most Serene Republic
new Sia
new Destroyer
new Thurston Moore
Apparat
Breathe Owl Breathe
Datarock
Lightspeed Champion
Miracle Fortress


and more.

If you have other bands I need to add to my list then let me know. :)

On the non-musical front I've been trying to build up my running after knackering my legs with the half-marathon. My muscles were all tight and knotted up, but vigorous deep tissue massage (not an enjoyable experience, but highly effective) and yoga has helped. Yes, I've taken up yoga. I'm surprised at my ability to do some of the poses, but then befuddled when I can't do the others. I'm inclined to think that the human body was never intended to contort itself into those positions, but I must accept that I'm a rather tight little ball that needs a bit of stretching.

On the social front I've been a bit naughty and cancelled some planned outings due to work commitments. On the plus-side I've got some nice things to look forward to this week:
- a day off with a friend to go clothes shopping on Tuesday
- a night out with colleagues on Wednesday
- a gig with my rock buddy on Friday
- an Easter party with some new friends (they're Greek and Easter falls a bit later for them)

I'm a bit weary of (almost) each of them. I can't spend too much money on Tuesday ... I love going to gigs with my rock buddy so that will be good and, who knows, he might get singled out by the band like the last time ... I'm looking forward to the Easter bash but I'm shy and weary of arriving at the party and not knowing many of the people there. I know I shouldn't work myself up into knots about these nice things in advance - it's just my nature.

I'd better sign off here, but I wish you well. Take care.

Stephanie

Tune for today: For Emma by Bon Iver

Dearest X,

I hope that this finds you well. I'm still beaming from a day of awesome snowfall in Brighton. I woke up at 9am thinking 'All of these snow rumours are clearly baloney'. Then raindrops appeared on the skylights in my room. Then the skylights turned grey. WTF? I opened a window to see a blanket of snow on my roof and on the grass outside. Yahoo! I spent as much time outside as possible and even wore a hat for the first time in ages. I was so taken with the hat I borrowed from my housemate that I've decided to make one for myself.

My interest in knitting has increased quite a bit lately and I've got a billion ideas in mind based on pattern books (this and that), websites (here and here) and personalities (her and her). It's an expensive habit to get into so I'm thinking of asking friends to provide the yarn when they ask for large pieces (will knit for yarn!) or use them for gifts.

I've also discovered a strange joy in making jam (ok, I made one jar, but the jar I used was gorgeous and the jam is so darn good!) so maybe it will figure in my cache of Christmas/birthday presents to give. I mean, who can turn down a jar of homemade jam made lovingly by a friend?

On the subject of food, I need some advice. I've been invited to a Greek Easter party and need to bring some food. Do I:
a) bring along a 'Stephanie special'; or
b) knock together a British Easter classic; or
c) experiment with traditional Greek food

I'm tempted to try something traditionally Greek, but my Greek hosts are likely experts in that field and will either:
a) appreciate the effort; or
b) be disappointed in my bastardised version of their national dishes

Any advice would be much appreciated.

I must sign off here, but it's good to be back in touch and I promise to be back again soon.

Stephanie

Tune for today: Swing the heartache by Young Galaxy

Dearest X,

I hope this letter finds you well. I've been shut away for a long time, but I'm starting to peep out little by little. Since we were last in touch I've been a busy woman (travelled, competed in a half-marathon, became a PhD graduate, went to a lot of gigs, took up yoga and continued to slog it out at work). I'm still busy now, but am slowly returning from my self-imposed exile.

I hope I'll see you soon and that you aren't too sore with me for being so absent.

Stephanie


Tune for today: I Don't Always Know by Ladyhawk