fatandconfused

The Finches – Human Like A House (Dulcitone)

“New front door/ same address/ same front step/ same back porch/ geraniums to the terrace/sold my shoe to pay the rent/ I won’t be needing them/ I won’t be leaving too soon” The opening lines of the title track from the Finches excellent Human Like a House sum up in my mind exactly how I view the excellently named Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs. A country type, but not the redneck violin playing country type you may instantly think of, instead the type that lives in a little cottage in the woods with gingham table cloths, a stream running buy and neatly arranged flower beds outside the front door. One that is contended, happy in their own environment and instantly enviable.

Much like Bosque Brown and to some extent Joanna Newsom and perhaps Carolyn has a distinctive voice that stands out and as I’ve said before it’s the kind of voice you’d expect Cat Power to have the way people go on about her, captivating and pure, spanning the scales so eloquently, pauses in all the right places, notes held for just the right amount of time “but these days it takes more/ than two feet it takes four” delivered so perfectly and conjuring up a number of comparisons along the way (you’ll hear the odd glint of Vashti or Isobel, Bosque Brown, maybe Mirah) yet individual enough to stand out in her own rights, perhaps Laura Veirs being the closest comparison, yet at times, especially half way through Lay she sounds exactly like Gorkys Euros Childs. The occasional duets with the deep and slightly flat Aaron Morgan fit together so beautifully, the contrast works equally as well as Isobel and Mark, Joanna and Bill, Lee and Nancy, I think you see where I’m coming from. Track two June Carter Cash “June Carter Cashes voice was in my dream/ I was listening to a tape that you made for me/ when my heart got so tight/ I thought I might die” is already working its way up the last fm charts as my favourite song, a lovely mix of folk and country for sunny days and contented afternoons spent reflecting on just how wonderful things are if you would only take the time to appreciate them.

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Various Artists – Let’s Dream it, Dream it for Free (Various Labels)

A seven label 29 track free CD and a very good one too. Where Its At Is Where You Are continue to merge into the indie pop background yet release nugget after nugget of pop joy, particularly impressive of the three tracks on offer here is DJ Downfalls synth pop gem Rediscover Fire. Rose Melberg isn’t a million miles from The Finches (and looks ver cute on a google image search) and should be instantly checked out.

Victory Gardens and Vacuous Pop Recordings do very little for me sadly, Static Caravan on the other hand will always impress though perhaps a little further away again from the electronica/post rock 7 inches they used to release when I were a lad. Here Men-An-Tol’s Orange Juice and Vodka is a spectacular piece of Mediaeval folk, like the Espers had they not been so clever and learned to play all those instruments so well.

If this compilation has taught me one thing its that I really should pay more attention to Leicester’s Pickled Egg records, Fulborn Tevershams Beachtune is a glorious piece of skronky jazz, delightful from start to finish, Dragon Or Emperor show Vacuous Pop Recording how there records should sound, all fuzzy guitars against circling mesmerising bass lines and urgent vocals, I like this a lot. aPAtT is another bizarre little creature “I’m going to find out right just where you live my dear” he sings in the most sinister Germanic stalker voice you’ll hear outside of the Vanishing film before a barber shop trio give the poppiest set of doo-wops you’ll hear this side of Motown, exceptionally good whilst equally disturbing.

Fortuna Pop! are a class act as always showcasing new signings The Mountain Movers (an offshoot of the Butterflies of Love) and My Sad Captains who both impressive as does the surf instrumental of Airport Girls Black Rock Sounds.

Bearos also seem to have strayed from my youth and their post rock reputation, Richard Burke’s singer songwriter style is similar to James Yorkston, The Baker Boys are proper Bluegrass, reminiscent of the Radio Sweethearts and a number of others bands on the excellent Shoeshine Records label. Lazarus Clamp give us a lovely slice of Jack White like blues rock, suitably angry and all the better for it.

Perhaps the standout track though is Clair Hortons Puppet, like Belle and Sebastian’s Boy With The Arab Strap soaked in harpsichord and country ideals with a hint of Women’s Realm thrown in for good measure.

All this and not a penny spent yet a shopping list of albums to go discover.

** this was handed out free at ATP, i'm sure if you get in touch with one of the labels they can arrange for you to get your hands on a copy