be

Alela Diane - To Be Still
Label: Rough Trade Us 2009 | Time: 47:13 | Bitrate: MP3 166kbit av. | Size: 58.80 MB
Genre: Folk

‘To Be Still’ is the follow up to Alela Diane Menig’s critically acclaimed debut ‘The Pirate’s Gospel.’ ‘To Be Still’ utilizes a fuller sonic palette in creating the world that Menig’s characters inhabit. Although there is more instrumentation on this album, the highlight is still Menig’s voice. Menig is quite capable of going from a husky growl to a delicate mew for emphasis that recalls both Karen Dalton and Joanna Newsome.
The music on ‘To Be Still’ was created between 2007 & 2008 and recorded at her father’s home studio in Nevada City, California. The recording process for Alela Diane was a rather low key and family oriented affair. Her father played on the album with several of their shared musician friends. Family friend and visionary singer Michael Hurley guests on “Age Old Blues.” The album opens casually with a high and lonesome pedal steel on “Dry Grass & Shadows” that sets the weary and ghostly tone throughout the album.
Most of these songs feel like they could have been written 100 years ago, which is an impressive feat for a songwriter so young. “White As Diamonds” and “Age Old Blues” are both spare and mournful. In their simplicity, these songs sound as if they were taken from the Appalachian Mountains. The title track is a calming listen as it yearns for simpler times. As the album progresses, the music and theme becomes heavier both in theme and accompaniment. The moodier side of Alela Diane is evident most notably on “My Brambles” and “The Ocean.” “Every Path” seems to be the spectral cousin of “To Be Still” as both songs echo the theme of returning to a loved one.
‘To Be Still’ is a satisfying listen throughout. It is apparent that each of these songs has been crafted and each benefits from the fuller production. Alela Diane also sounds more assured and confident of her musical direction. “To Be Still” is available February 17 on Rough Trade Records.

Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight
FLAC | Artwork | 24Bit 96kHz: 0,99 GB | 16Bit 44.1kHz: 328 MB
Cat#: RCA PL 70711 | Country/Year: Europe 1985
Genre: Synth Pop | Hoster: Fileserve/Hotfile/Filesonic

This album saw Eurythmics move away from their previous more experimental, synthesizer-based songs, to a more commercial pop/rock sound, incorporating a more traditional band line-up/instrumentation. Nonetheless, the recordings still possessed an atmospheric and cutting edge sound, winning Stewart awards for his production work on the album. The release of the album also coincided with a new look for singer Annie Lennox, who ditched the androgynous look of the previous albums and became, in biographer Lucy O'Brien's words, "a bleach-blonde rock 'n' roller." wikipedia