Goodbye Summer. Hello Autumn I’ve Missed You

September 14, 2006 at 12:12 am (Blogs, Classics, Future Classic, Grumble Grumble, Songs, Summer Banger!!!)

Summer to me invokes the image of naked young things running and swimming and staying up all night getting drunk, listening to tunes and generally having to most fun ever. Autumn however invokes images of solitary walks through golden leaved parks, people walking their dogs in the park, new couples enjoying the newness of their relationships…….. in parks of course. Summer is wanton and louche. Autumn is thoughtful and ponderous. Perhaps this change in feeling and season was more apparent in my wandering musical moods today than the fact that its pissing it down with thunder, lightening and rain right now.

Languishing in my soul destroying but soon to be ending temporary employment (2 more days WOOOT!) I decided to harness the power of ‘I FUCKING OWN THE STEREO TODAY’ and invoke the power of BBC tinternet radio. First off was 6 Music which had a live performance from The Woodentops who are some folk funk rock group who I’ve never heard of before but were really good. Next we chipped over to 1Xtra who were having some Tupac day although they never played one Tupac tune while we listened – the presenter just banged on about people getting involved in the chat room – lame. Next was Benji B on 1Xtra who played some wicked tunes from Ty and some Dilla produced tunes. Then we moved over to Gilles Peterson (Benji B used to work for Gilles’ show) where we were treated to some live Amp Fiddler, some Aloe Blacc and an amazing tune by Germany’s Breakout(a deep funk cover of Planet Rock that also seemed to sample The Mexican). Next we listened to a documentary about Dangermouse and Cee-Lo that was fucking awful, as was the documentary about how hip hop has been blamed for the Paris riots, as was the documentary about hip-hop in NY post 9/11 – seriously who makes this fucking pap. Next we listened to Steve Lamacq who played Stupid Hat favorites Los Campesinos, The Klaxons and Protokoll. Other bands of note were Cajun Dance Party and Orphan Boy.

Anyway I got home and then ended up going for drinks with some friends and talked about some amazing stuff but I think this post is already too long so you’ll have to wait – suffice to say that I believe that the tinternet is the future and some other stuff.

So here are my 3 favorite songs of the moment – they beautifully invoke (have I used this word 4 times already!) that feeling of wistful melancholy that Autumn brings – empty skylines devoid of both clouds and leaves, skeletal trees standing fast against the pre winter frost – naked on a hill top overlooking the skyscrapers across the river, deciduous, glowing warm and late into the eve.

Joanna Newsom – Cosmia

Bat For Lashes – The Wizard

Bat For Lashes – What’s A Girl To Do?

Buy some Joanna Newsom from emusic here and I can’t find the Bat For Lashes album to purchase but I’m sure its out. Playlouder has the single here. The Bat For Lashes site has snippets which you can grab below – she’s fucking awesome.

Bat For Lashes – Bat’s Mouth (Long Snippet

Bat For Lashes – Horse And I (Long Snippet)

Bat For Lashes – Trophy (Long Snippet)