Artist: Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Song: “Crystallise”
Why You Want to Listen: A lovely song off British singer-songwriter Ellis-Bextor’s sixth album, Familia, “Crystallise” finds her again working with Ed Harcourt. In fact, Harcourt co-wrote and produced Familia and Ellis-Bextor’s album right before, Wanderlust. Great combination!
Sophie Ellis-Bextor – photo by Sophie Muller
The incredible Sigur Rós, an Icelandic band utilizing every instrument from bowed guitar to glockenspiel to oboe, visited Seattle on September 20th with a headlining show at the Paramount. For the concert, Sigur Rós was a bit stripped down, without brass and string sections. American concerts are set up through September and first half of October, so chances are good to catch them in the States. And not that Sigur Rós’ cool factor was lacking, but they even guested on Game of Thrones a couple years ago.
Photographer Dana Pleasant contributes gorgeous photos from the Seattle show:
Sigur Rós
On May 29th, Los Angeles’ La Sera, comprised of Todd Wisenbaker and Vivian Girls’ Katy Goodman, performed at Barboza. The formerly Hardly Art-signed duo started in 2010, and recently they moved over to Polyvinyl Records. The result of that move? Music for Listening to Music to, produced by Ryan Adams. Photographer Simon Krane captured photos of the band, plus trio Tancred.
La Sera
Tancred
Canada’s Basia Bulat shared new songs from her fourth album, Good Advice, with Seattle during a February visit to Barboza. She certainly performed other material, and not to take away from Bulat’s previous work, but Good Advice was produced by My Morning Jacket’s Jim James. . . Bulat, whose debut made the shortlist for Polaris Music Prize 2008, plays the autoharp, which is not actually a harp. The Weather Station, also a Canadian singer-songwriter, opened.
All photos by Simon Krane:
Basia Bulat
The Weather Station
I’ve been a Bloc Party fan ever since I heard their 2005 debut, Silent Alarm. Understand why if you see them tomorrow, Saturday, September 17th, at the Neptune. I can remember catching their very first show here, at Neumos, quite some time ago (2007 perhaps?). While waiting for doors to open, I waited in a fish and chips shop connected to the venue. As I got my dinner, the British band was sound checking. The cook/cashier said how great the bassist is. Absolutely no kidding. Bassist Gordon Moakes contributed a huge and all-things-fantastic sound to the quartet. Although he has since departed Bloc Party, that vibe lives on. Now onto their fifth album, 2016’s Hymns, even with lineup changes (you never know how that risk will turn out), Bloc Party is fabulous.
Bloc Party – photo by Rachael Wright
Grab your tickets right here.
~Dagmar