What’s all that noise?

Once again I have spending my hard earned (well not all that hard earned) money on my addiction to music.
 
Mirah is an artist that I heard of through KEXP who’s music is very much from the same mould as many of the Seattle folky scene at the moment. The album I bought ‘advisory committee’ has some real gems on it, but it won’t suit everyone’s taste.
 
Calexico are a band with a definite Tex-Mex feel to them. ‘Convict Pool’ is a rocking good album, very spicy.
 
The ‘Bedroom Communities O2. ReLounge’ compilation from Kriztal Records  is a fantastic Sunday on the Sofa album (pitched as dance/electronica/chillout).
 
The Streets, ‘a grand don’t come for free’ is my only real nod towards the rap genre. Mike Skinner doesn’t seem to take himself too seriously yet for people from a white, middle-class, suburban UK his lyrics are spot on. Again this is not to everyone’s taste, but I have both his albums.  
 
Zero7 are so ambient-cool and their ‘when it falls’ album is sublime. This is a very easy sound that just washes over you.
 
The US band Passenger (not to be confused with the Nordic Heavy Metalers of the same name), are another group I heard whilest listening to KEXP. They play music that is similar to the current flavour of the month Keane, Coldplay and the other Indie-Pop outfits. Their EP ‘late tonight’ is all good.
 
The Veils with their album ‘the runaway found’ are a top band. Their song ‘the valleys of New Orleans’ brings me close to tears.
 
Sun Kil Moon  is a very distinctive sounding band, due for the most part to lead singer Mark Kozelek. The sound tends to the country-folk side if the scale, but don’t let that put you off. ‘Ghosts of the Great Highway’ is a great album.
 
If you every wanted to know what all the fuss about the late Nick Drake  was all about then ‘Way to Blue’ is a good place to start. This influential folk artist is less well known at large, yet many current artists rate him very highly. The track ‘Hazey Jane II’ is one of my favourites.
 
Grant Lee Buffalo  with their album ‘Fuzzy’ are a jingly-jangly band that I am sure you will like if you like Sun Kil Moon.
 
I really love the sound of the Willard Grant Conspiracy  and their album ‘Regard the End’. It is kind of Nick Cave meets Lambchop. Beware this is defiantly of the country persuasion (though not the Stetson and Spurs type).
 
Black Cherry is the second album I have from Goldfrapp and I am a little disappointed in it. It is not as good as the first.
 
Sue did buy me a CD of Jim Reaves, but I haven’t got around to listening to this yet!
 
Unusually it has taken me some time to listen to all of this music. It wasn’t due to the quantity but to do with holidays, having family around (Dad is a big fan of jazz), and the fact the CD Player finally expired (I have borrowed Jamie’s while I look for a new one).
 
Play on.