Beach House.

How on earth have I not posted Beach House before now?

Wow...

Well, time to remedy that!

Beautiful, uplifting, sublime.

Enjoy.

One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong.

This week's music has been mixed, with continued leanings towards the ambient and the quiet,

but at some point almost every day I have listened to one or all of Gregory Alan Isakov's albums. 

So I thought I share this little gem with you. It's a cover from his last album, 2009's 

'This Empty Northern Hemisphere', of a favourite Leonard Cohen song of mine. This live version is with Brandi Carlile who sings so beautifully on the album with him.

I hope you enjoy it!
(And you can listen to more from Mr. Isakov here.)

Slipping Softly Back Into Quietude.

Hammock: Breathturn.

Heartsoaringly beautiful, quietly haunting.

Indelibly moving.

Mariee Sioux.

Another new discovery for me is this lady Mariee Sioux. 

I love her take on folk, and puts me in mind of a modern Buffy St. Marie, only sweeter, in a Jewel way.

So nice to meet you Mariee Sioux!

My Musical Highlights of 2010!

What a year for music! 

Each morning when I rise, the first thing I do is open my laptop on the kitchen counter, plug in the speakers and open either iTunes or Spotify, depending on whether I have a current obsession, or am in the mood for something new. And oh the wondrous places I have been transported to! 

So a quick recap of my highlights. Not all were released last year, but all were new to me and on my 'repeat' playlists for some time.

James Vincent McMorrow's album 'Early In The Morning'. A flawlessly beautiful album. Read my thoughts on it here. 

Phosphorescent's album 'Here's To Taking It Easy'. 

Matthew and the Atlas. Two EP's on loop, 'Kingdom Of Your Own' and 'To The North'. 

Joanna Newsom's new, three disc album, 'Have One On Me', a stunning offering. Sorry, she doesn't do myspace, or the internet in any way so no links to hear any of the album. But you can have a listen to a couple of my favourite tracks here.

Band of Horses new album 'Infinite Arms.'

There are so many more bands and musicians I have been listening to, I couldn't begin to list them all, but most of them are here on ~Carnival~ somewhere back in my posts, and I have a few other posts lined up for the New Year on my eclectic range of genres that somehow seem to fit together in my head!

2010 was a wonderful year for gigs. The previous year saw me take my eye off the ball and miss three or four gigs that I really regretted, so I made sure to keep tabs on all my favourite musicians so as not to miss a thing. So, considering it was a rather frugal year, money wise, and there is always the issue of babysitters to be found, I have to say, looking back, I didn't do too badly!

February was Midlake, in Vicar St. Dublin. 

June was James Vincent McMorrow, in Whelan's, Dublin. 

July was Bonnie 'Prince' Billy in Whelan's, Dublin.

September was Iron & Wine and The Low Anthem in Belfast.

and also Joanna Newsom in Dublin.

November was Jónsi in London!

So here's to a New Year, and to new discoveries, and new releases. I can't wait to see what musical offerings 2011 brings!