Ólafur Arnalds produces the sort of gorgeous music Iceland seems to be noted for. He comes from an electronic/techno background, but his understanding of composition shows in his delicate compositions.
Music
[Video] Johnny Cash – Ragged Old Flag
In honor of Independence Day, here is The Man In Black. Classic Americana.
[Video] Aleksandar Subota – Watermelon Man (1970, LP)
Aleksandar ‘Saša’ Subota was a jazz musician from Belgrade, Serbia, who was quite a big player in the ex-Yugoslavian jazz scene in the 1960s and 1970s. Here, he does sterling work in covering Herbie Hancock’s 1962 classic.
[Video] Ensemble Mtiebi – Zamtaria (from Soinari: Folk Music From Georgia Today)
This is one of those songs I’ve searched for on Youtube for years, having no luck in ever finding a copy of it. Today, after digging through my own personal archives, I found this gorgeous track, which is apparently a folk song of some note in Georgia, even appearing in films.
To find this version, order the CD here from Wergo Records.
[Video] The Cinematic Orchestra – Life Of The Bird
The Cinematic Orchestra hail from London, and their sound matches their name splendidly. Rare is the band who can work comfortably in both electronica and something akin to soundtrack music. Some try, but they don’t quite pull it off as elegantly as these lads do.
[Article/Music] The Rise and Fall of Easy Listening
Marc Myers at the Wall Street Journal writes on one of the most maligned genres, Easy Listening.
[Article] Nina Simone Documentarian Reveals Singer’s Shockingly Violent Temper
Nina Simone was always worth celebrating as a wonderful musician. She was also, unfortunately, a bit of a monster to her daughter. What Happened, Miss Simone?, will show a balanced view of her public and private persona.
[Video] Swans – Mona Lisa, Mother Earth
I suppose some would call this The Swans’ ‘Joy Division’ phase. The album, The Burning World, showed a marked change in direction from a band who had previously sounded like the equivalent of a drunken brontosaurus stumbling into his cave after a healthy drinking binge (and yes, that’s a good thing). Since they reformed, their sound continues to adapt and grow. They are as vital a band now as they were in the beginning.
[Video] Heldon – In Wake Of King Fripp
I never quite agreed with Heldon (a.k.a. Richard Pinhas) being labeled as the French Robert Fripp. He’s his own man, and has come up with some rather amazing sounds on his own. Still, it’s quite something to hear Richard perform this paean to Frippertronics.
[Video] Keith Jarrett Trio – Here’s That Rainy Day (Rare)
Something melancholy from Keith Jarrett seems appropriate after hearing about the loss of a good friend yesterday afternoon.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 