3 posts tagged “bert jansch”
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Camera Obscura and ABBA both have songs called "Happy New Year", but they are unrelated.
Or are they?
Apparently the ABBA song is from their Super Trouper LP, appearing as the first song on Side B. Guess what? Camera Obscura covered "Super Trouper" (first song on Side A) as their B-Side to Tears for Affairs 7". You can hear Camera Obscura's "Super Trouper" on Cover Lover.
Bert Jansch has a "The Bright New Year" from his album Birthday Blues (1968). If you're interested in reading about Jansch's "Angie" song, check out Marco Mahler - Otmar Elmer, where Mahler explains Spanish/Flamenco chord progressions.
Finally, a very, very loud band called New Years Day ends the list. I've actually heard of this band in 2005 when the first Myspace Records launched. They are one of the few bands that benefitted from the early days of myspace. They built up an audience and was included on the Myspace album.
Obviously I haven't followed their career because I just found out that they have a debut album called My Dear (released in May 2007). Their official website is currently down, but you can always check out their (guess where?) myspace.
Also, check out Dave's My Dear Acquaintance(s)...Happy New Year! if you can't get enough of New Year songs.
Happy New Year!
01/01/2008 14:56:11
vu
my♥posts
www.weheartmusic.com
Back in 2004, Acid-folk god Devendra Banhart compiled a collection of folk music for some magazine. Much like Nostradamus before him, he managed to predict some of the leading lights of modern folk music, freak folk, new weird america or whatever label you want to give it.
This collection was entitled The Golden Apples of the Sun. It
featured artists like Antony and the Johnsons, Joanna Newsom and Vetiver.
Fast forward to 2007 and a similar feat is being attempted in Uncut
magazine (November 2007 UK Edition). This time Banhart has opted to call the album "Love Above All" and has selected
some known friends like Bert Jansch and Feathers and some unknown
friends who have yet to release a record.
According to Uncut, the track list originally contained 39 tracks. I'd
love to have seen that list. Anyway, it was edited down to 11 tracks
(Boo). It is one of my favourite Uncut compilations since Hard Rain
Volume One & Two ( A collection of Bob Dylan covers in the May 2002
UK Edition).
The magazine is currently available in the shops and if you are a fan of Devendra Banhart and the Golden Apples of the Sun then I recommend picking up a copy ASAP.
I've also included links to most of the artists on Love Above All. The
only one missing is Kyle Tomzo, which is a shame because his song, Bicycle, is
one of the best on the CD. I guess you'll just have to buy it to hear
it...
September 30, 2007 18:05
Ryan
my♥posts
Uncut.co.uk
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As you might have guessed, I have about five or six articles already pre-written and I queue them up to be published days in advance. This article below, I had meant it to go live on Sunday, but I got such a positive feedback (and great working material) from the artist, that I've decided to publish the article tonight. Please let me know what you think! There will be a surprise treat for you!
Anyway, according to Marco Mahler's press release, he's influenced by Stephen Malkmus, Belle and Sebastian [W♥M] and Bert Jansch. Since I liked all those musicians, I decided to give Mahler a try.
Reading his biography, it would seem that Mahler has a dual citizen in the US and Switzerland. He's currently based out of Brooklyn, New York, and he released Design In Quick Rotation last month.
My favorite track off of Design In Quick Rotation is "Otmar Elmer". You can just hear Mahler's very skilled guitar-playing in this song.
Unfortunately it's an instrumental track, so it's a bit unfair to represent Mahler's sound with this song. I suggest you head over to his myspace and listen to any of his songs he has on there. "Orange Chinese Car" is a pretty solid track.
I was curious about Otmar Elmer's origin and why it seems to conjure up images of a Spanish/Flamenco music when I first listened to it. I asked Mahler, who wrote back this very detailed reply:
I see it (even though it is somewhat different) as sort of my contemporary version of Bert Jansch’s “Angie” (from his 1965 debut album “Bert Jansch”). Sort of an evolutionary step/version. Bert Jansch got it from Davey Graham’s “Angi” (from his 1962 debut album “3/4 AD”) who, if I remember this right (I just googled it but couldn’t find anything on it off hand), got it from a tune by Thelonious Monk. I think “Otmar Elmer” has, in an abstract way, simple elements of electronic music and hiphop to it, which I’ve listened to a lot, too, over the years. I also think there’s a lot of hiphop in Bert Jansch’s guitar playing.
Bert Jansch is a major influence on my music (if you’re not familiar with his music I recommend his first album “Bert Jansch” as well as “Jack Orion” and the 1968 debut of his band Pentangle called “The Pentangle”). When I really got into playing music I got all of his records and figured out how to play them. I lived in Switzerland at the time and I hitch-hiked up to London a few times and went to see him play at the 12 Bar Club and a bunch of other places. I thought about calling it “Otmar Elmer (for Bert Jansch)” but then I thought it just isn’t as strong as the meaning his music had and still has to me.
As far as you saying it reminds you of Spanish guitars/flamenco: The chord progression (Am, G, F, E) is quite common in traditional Spanish music. But also, Davey Graham, when he came up with “Angi”, was strongly influenced by Steve Benbow, who was strongly influenced by Moroccan music, which shares elements with Spanish music.
So go ahead and listen to "Otmar Elmer" and let me know what you think. Does it exceed the original Angi song or does it a pale comparison? I personally think they're both equally great! And they are two different songs.
PS, As a special treat, I've dugged up Simon & Garfunkel's version of "Anji". This is a live version that appears on their Old Friends (1997) boxset. I believe the studio version appears on their 1966 album Sounds of Silence.
PPS, Unfortunately I have never heard of Davey Graham prior to this article so obviously I don't have any of his music. But judging from Jansch's version, I would have to agree that it's very good.
I did check up on Davey Graham and he is going to be on tour in the UK in October.
Bert Jansch released a new album The Black Swan last year, and have finished wrapping up tour a few weeks ago.
July 28, 2007 12:02 AM
vu
my♥posts
vu@weheartmusic.com
marcomahler.com
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