Meet Me in St. Louis R.I.P.

While doing my Foundation year at Surrey Institute of Art and Design (now known as the University College for the Creative Arts), one of my classmates was Ollie from the highly thought of post hardcore band, Meet Me in St. Louis. Their debut album, Variations on Swing was lauded across the board, as this poster illustrates:












However, their success was short-lived, and they announced their split last month. In a sort of parting tribute, I have uploaded two of their singles from their first E.P., And With the Right Kind of Eyes, You Can Almost See the High Water Mark, That Place Where the Wave Finally Broke and Rolled Back (named for the famous quote from the Hunter S Thompson book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas). Marvel, and get a glimpse at how greta they could have become.

Meet Me in St Louis - I am Champagne and You Are Shit.mp3
Meet Me in St Louis - The Kid Who Got His Ear Slapped By the Druggist.mp3

Buy Meet Me... from their Myspace.

James Yuill - White Crow mp3

I caught James Yuill at a record label showcase about two or three years ago, in Whitechapel, on the lineup with Catherine Anne Davies. At the time he was mixing his acoustic set with Aphex Twin-like samples from a laptop he had by his side, so when I purchased his cd, I was slightly miffed by the fact that this sampling innovation was the exception (on the hidden track), while the rest of the songs were him and his guitar for the most part.
However, the album (The Vanilla Disc) was actually great, and has been eating up my iPod space for ages. I sporadically checked back to see what he was up to in the intervening period, but not much was materialising (it didn't occur to me to join the mailing list - d'uh), so when I randomly checked back today, I was greeted with a whole newly designed web site, along with the news that he released a new album - in January 2007. According to his site, he was even invited along for a BBC Radio 1 session, and had a slot at the 1 Big Weekend (video and pics from BBC website).
Well, as the blogs have noted, now he has got a new single out, No Surprise (link to Rough Trade online Shop), released as a vinyl (no good to me, I need to settle into a house long enough to justify the purchase of a turntable...), and limited to 500 copies - although it's unclear how many are left.

The mp3 I am providing is from his first album, and its a gorgeous song, White Crow, more typical of his early works than the new folktronica direction he has taken since. Listen out for more of him in the near future, and I intend to keep on top of news of him in coming weeks, so watch this space.

MP3: James Yuill - White Crow.mp3
Buy James from his website shop

New Bobby McGee's song

The upcoming Indietracks Festival in Derby is setting up to announce it's headliners on May 11, but until then, their blog has been interviewing their other acts, including perennial Egodeity favourites, The Bobby McGee's. I've actually been a bit slow off the mark with this one, since the interview was conducted in March, but it was the first one they had done. and I've been busy.

Among the revelations from the discussion with Jimmy, is that he was a former cage fighter (!), and El has designed clothes for Heather Mills(-McCartney).

The site also has an mp3 from the band, called Not whole, 1/2 of something. Among the notable aspects of the song - about being "sick of being single" - is that the percussion is provided by Lego, and instead of El singing, it is Jimmy's 10-year-old ukulele student providing co-vocals, as well as uke duties. The pupil (named as a Louis) is unlikely to be performing the song live, and it doesn't take much to envisage El's childlike singing taking his place.

Buy Bobby's at Cherryade Music
Buy Indietracks tickets from their Official Website

Catherine Anne Davies - Long Year mp3

Catherine Anne Davies
Originally uploaded by macca7174

Catherine Ann Davies is making a lot of waves around the London music scene. Currently the Emerging Artist in Residence in the South Bank Centre, she has also made an appearance on Nitin Sawhney records. She has recently announced her first "proper headline show" (tickets can be purchased here and here) at the Bush Hall, London on August 7th. With a debut album in the pipeline, here's a sample of this gothic-voiced songstress, with one of her earlier numbers [Link removed at the request of the artist - May 2014].

buy Catherine from her Official Site and Rough Trade

Yndi Halda announce new gigs.

Fresh off the grapevine, Yndi Halda has today announced plans to perform new songs at a gig in the Barbican centre on the 20th of June.

Also on the lineup is Ólafur Arnalds, the Icelandic ambience specialist.

Details are sketchy so far, but tickets can be purchased now from the Barbican website for £10/£15/£20.

James has also told me that they are planning to record the new album during summer, and are currently writing the new tracks. Can't wait.