I’ve been looking for an artist like George Harrison for so so so so so long.  There is lots of slide guitar and even a hint of sitar in his music.  This is good stuff.

Wikipedia Article Here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_%26_Wine

I’m just listening to his most listened to on last.fm at the moment because he has a good few albums and EPs out.  To start listening to him, see his most listened to: http://www.last.fm/music/Iron+%2526+Wine

If you like Sufjan Stevens, Colin Meloy, The Shins, Death Cab For Cutie, The Decemberists, George Harrison, thenewno2 you will definitely like this guy.

For me, he is somewhere in the middle between Sufjan Stevens and George Harrison (two of my favourite artists.)

I’ll post more of a commentary when I listen to more of his work.

Happy listening.

[digg=http://digg.com/music/Iron_Wine_Artist_Review]

Thenewno2 logo

Thenewno2 is a band featuring Dhani Harrison and Oli Hecks.  I would describe their music as being in the same genre as ‘Brainwashed (2002)‘ which was George Harrison’s last album produced before he died but largely evolved.  It contains guitar music with odd George Style diminished chords and his classic slide guitar sound.  Thenewno2 deals with themes such as religion, postmoderism, hippyism amongst other things.  If you liked Brainwashed, you’ll like this.

Alot of work must have gone into this album because I’ve been listening to their myspace for well over a year and waited ever so patiently for their debut album titled, “You Are Here” set for release on August 1, 2008 on iTunes.

The confirmed tracks according to wikipedia are:

Another John Doe (video here)

Choose What You’re Watching (video here)

People

Crazy Tuesday

Stop Sign

Yomp

I have heard all of those songs except for ‘People,’ ‘Crazy Tuesday’ and ‘Stop Sign,’ and I have also heard ‘Say,’ ‘Truly,’ ‘Out Of My Mind‘ & ‘Lord, Lord.’ These were featured on the EP ‘EP001.‘

Underlined songs can be listen to at thenewno2’s myspace page.

• Another John Doe -”How Many Falling Stars Does It Take to Wake a Nation?”

This is a very slow melodic song, a very defined indie ballad with repetitive keyboard added to illustrate the occurence of another boring John Doe.  It’s hard to guess what this song is about specifically, perhaps repition in life “We all become the same,”  but features some brilliant slide guitar playing reminiscent of George’s playing.

• Choose What You’re Watching – “You don’t fool us, we know you’re evil and your methods are illegal, they choose what you’re watching and you don’t mind, you don’t know what you’re watching and you don’t mind.”

A much heavier, fast paced rock song dealing with the issue of television brainwashing people blaming corporations and governments presumably.

• Yomp – “I will be there, just say the word.” “You’re no match for the bigger man.”

Again, very reminiscent of George’s Style with the slide guitar and lots of heavy guitars.  A very upbeat song concerning break-up I would imagine with a religious line thrown in much like George would have done.

I’ll post up some more info on the songs as soon as I listen to the album.

[digg=http://digg.com/music/Thenewno2_You_Are_Here_Album_Preview]

Colin Meloy Sings Live!
(Wikipedia Article)

I discovered Colin Meloy fairly recently and within a month or so he had moved to my most listented to artists on my iTunes.  My first encounter was his 2005 EP  when he covers 6 Morrissey songs in an acoustic set.

I am an obsesso-face, self proclaimed Smiths fan and went to experience Morrissey in Cork in June 2008.  I had just gotten to know The Smiths in the previous months which led me to Morrissey’s back catalogue which is quite extensive so I didn’t know where to start listening with him.  I wanted to sing along at the concert.  I assumed that Meloy would play the most popular Morrissey songs to prep me for the concert but the EP was more of a mix of rare B-Sides and featured just two popular songs.  The two songs which were most known were ‘Sister, I’m a Poet” and “Everyday is like Sunday.”  The latter which Morrissey played at the Cork Gig in June.  It was a good starting point for getting to know Morrisey post-Smiths.  The success of this EP led to Meloy recording and releasing two more cover EPs Colin Meloy Sings Shirley Collins & Colin Meloy Sings Sam Cooke.

‘Colin Meloy Sings Live!’ is a collection of The Decemberist’s songs & other material from Meloy which were recorded at live shows in 2006.  The Decemberists are an extremely popular folk/rock band from the USA who have enjoyed tremendous success.  The Live! Album is a great starting point if you wish to get into ‘The Decemberists,’ as it features some of their best songs like ‘The Engine Driver,’ ‘We Both Go Down Together’ & ‘On The Bus Mall.’

One of the things that I like about the album is that with the longer songs on the album, he tends to add in samples of favourite songs of his own  ‘Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect’ features a few bars from Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams,’ & ‘California One/Youth And Beauty Brigade’ which tends to drag on for a bit (although I really like the song) finishes with an almost full cover of ‘Ask’ by The Smiths.  Another feature about the album which I really like is Meloy’s introductions to the songs because it gives the album a very personal touch.  The audience participation in the songs as well always comes at the right times and unlike other live albums, there is no screeching, whistling or any background noise at all, only when Meloy commands it so.

This album is a gem.