La Femme - "Sur La Planche"

There is a question I hear all the time... you know the one. It goes "If The Cure were actually a French Surf band and they first released "A Forest" in 2010, what would they sound like?" Well, here is the answer.

Townes Van Zandt - "Waiting Around To Die"

Townes Van Zandt was a Texas folk-country singer songwriter who never found the success he deserved. His cult status stayed with him until his death in 1997. His career was littered with setbacks, with many of them self inflicted because of his alcohol and drug addictions. There was shock treatment for his bipolar disorder early on and a few years before his death he had signed his whole catalogue over to his third wife and their children during their separation... which left him broke and living on what he earned from concerts, and they were mostly in dive bars at this point. His drug and alcohol problems also contributed to his death at the age of 52. "Waitin' around to die" was his first single and came from his debut album 'For the Sake of the Song' released in 1968. It is about the life of a rambler and his troubles from an abusive father, to time in prison and the obvious drug and alcohol problems.... which could've been seen as biographical years later, due to his own drug abuse.



"Waiting Around To Die" Lyrics


Sometimes I don't know where
this dirty road is taking me
sometimes I can't even see the reason why
I guess I keep a-gamblin'
lots of booze and lots of ramblin'
it's easier than just waitin' around to die


One time, friends, I had a ma
I even had a pa
he beat her with a belt once 'cause she cried
She told him to take care of me
headed down to Tennessee
it's easier than just waitin' around to die


I came of age and I found a girl
in a Tuscaloosa bar
She cleaned me out and hit in on the sly
I tried to kill the pain, bought some wine
and hopped a train
seemed easier than just waitin' around to die


A friend said he knew
where some easy money was
we robbed a man, and brother did we fly
the posse caught up with me
and drug me back to Muskogee
it's two long years I've been waitin' around to die


Now I'm out of prison
I got me a friend at last
he don't drink or steal or cheat or lie
His name's Codeine
he's the nicest thing I've seen
together we're gonna wait around and die
together we're gonna wait around and die

Kimbra - "Settle Down (Live SXSW 2012)"

I first posted the original version of this song on this blog in January 2011 but this version just has to be heard. I am not surprised at all about her impending international success, regardless of it being on the back of the Gotye single. Partly because she had already released an album here and was well established as a solo artist before the Gotye single "Somebody That I Used To Know" was released and partly because she has genuine talent. The album 'Vows' is typical of a talented singer/songwriter still finding her feet. There are some exceptional moments and some others not so. To the unfamiliar, other than the Gotye hit, it may be hard to be convinced she isn't just jumping on the Gotye bandwagon... but to the familiar, the timing may be fortunate but she is worthy of the hype. Well, you be the judge. Here are two classic examples of her talent. First up is "Settle Down" live from SXSW with great vocal looping on stage... or, um, on the lawn. That is followed by "Plain Gold Ring" which was recorded live at Sing Sing studios and it is another brilliant performance, this time with a band. She comes across like a jazzy R&B P.J.Harvey by the end of this one. Stunning! I've also added the original "Settle Down" video because it is so good.



Kimbra - "Plain Gold Ring" Live at Sing Sing Studios



Kimbra - "Settle Down"

Meiko - "Leave The Lights On"

"Leave The Lights On" by American singer/songwriter Meiko is close to the perfect pop song. It has all the attributes a hit single needs... on second thought, it does lack the blandness of many mainstream hits. I suppose the point I am making is that "Leave The Lights On" could be the best thing on commercial radio. It's from her second album 'The Bright Side' released just recently.

Exitmusic - "Passage"

Exitmusic are a New York four-piece band featuring (husband and wife) Devon Church and Aleska Palladino. They are obviously Radiohead fans (who isn't?) because their band name comes from a Radiohead song. It turns out that Aleska is also an actress and has a part in Boardwalk Empire. Exitmusic have been a real find for me... they tick all the boxes. Their debut album 'Passage' has just been released on the Secretly Canadian label. The title track has an eerie atmosphere that could be described as a more bleak Beach House with some Portishead similarities. It is so cinematic... it could be the soundtrack to the cold misty winter's day we had today.

The Sex Pistols - "God Save The Queen"

Okay, no more depressing talk about unemployment figures and being in the doledrums. All is forgotten because we have a long weekend ahead of us. It is Queen's Birthday Weekend in New Zealand... so we've got someone to thank for that. Oh, and I think she may be celebrating a diamond jubilee. God Save the Queen.

The Chills — "Doledrums"

The latest worldwide unemployment figures make depressing reading. I think the word of the year for 2012 will be "Austerity"... we hear it many times every day, whether it is at local government, national or international level, it seems nowhere is exempt. So instead of trying to be positive about the situation... how about a song about being unemployed.