Irma Thomas

imma dance this one out, real quick-like.

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I was the best man at a wedding a couple weeks back, floating amidst the mixed emotions that weddings sometimes bring, and then this song happened. Though I am pretty well versed in New Orleans Funk music, I had never heard of the Sweet Soul Queen Irma Thomas.

This song uses a favorite device of mine: singing about something tragic with fun poppy music that completely clashes (I used to LOVE the Unicorns for this. … What the hell happened to the Unicorns?).

Needless to say there was a lot of kick-stompin' and finger waggin' on the dance floor when this came on. Pick up "Sweet Soul Queen of New Orleans" if you'd like to smile at your latest worries.

-da

Irma Thomas // Breakaway

The Head and The Heart

{image from Sub-Pop Records}

Though I didn't get up before the sun to see the Royal Wedding, I'm making up for the day's enjoyment with a patio-sit-work-sesh in 70some and sunny RVA. Feels good. Calls for feel good, Americana music {though I suppose if I was more topical, we'd be featuring some post-punk Brit outfit. But we had The Beatles on Monday, so cut me a little slack?}.

As Seattle keeps cranking out the kids with the good stuff, The Head and The Heart recently signed to Sub Pop Records to release their self -titled debut. An easy six-piece ensemble, piano and guitars dominate with flourishes of Charity Rose Thielen's violin and topped off with ebullient handclaps and footstomps. Think Avett Bros., a little Jason Isbell and the harder edge of Augustana. Lyrics from core songwriting partners Josiah Johnson and {VA-native} Jonathan Russel have you either coming or going – looking for life-lessons and experience in a new land, or missing the loved ones in cities left behind.

The Head and The Heart // Down In The Valley

The Week's Once-Over

Bluegrass Bonanza - Brown Bird, Devil Makes Three {Becki Hoehn}
Perfume Genius
Explosions in the Sky {Dustin Artz}
Under the Covers Monday - The Beatles v. She&Him

cheerio, pip-pip!
xx, chirgo

tUnE-YaRdS

Eventually from Portland's Marriage Records. This chick, Merrill, was into anarchy puppets and Christmas music when she was younger. You can actually hear that in the music. She attended Smith and sang in a "brazen" all-female a capella group, too, and later went to Kenya, all of which you can also hear.

She recorded her whole album, BiRd-BrAiNs, on a hand-held voice recorder. She also booked her own tour all last year, which led to the thing with Marriage and this past month to opening for Beirut.



Sunlight