Said the Gramophone

the day is done

Things might be a little foggy tonight; it's 4:30 am. On the other hand - today I offer some incredibly good music.

Nina Nastasia - "The Long Walk". Finally got my hands on Nina Nastasia's debut album, just rereleased on Touch and Go. It is really, truly great - lighter on its feet than The Blackened Air or Run to Ruin. There's more glint in its eye; it's seen fewer skeletons. "The Long Walk" is a song I want to crawl inside. "Take it slow / it's only me." She sings like that closest of old friends, the comfort that sits at your feet and loves. It's grandiose and humble. Jim White (Dirty Three) drops mallets onto toms and out of the chimney flows a blue plume of electric guitar. A song to keep you breathing, a chorus that calls for the lighting of candles, of hearths, of bonfires. Let's light everything bright and relish the sights. Yet another reason that Nina Nastasia is one of my most favourite contemporary acts. [buy]

Estelle - "1980". English garage chartpop, overwhelming and uplifting. It's an explicit nostalgia trip, Estelle leading us back through her life, strings soaring and soaring with four-story ambitions. Like The Streets with a bit of Beyonce, she's totally charming, self-deprecating, utterly without pretention. She plays Connect 4, her "weird neighbours set their own house on fire." She learns to cook, "wishing we were Cosby kids," ever striding forward, voices blooming in the back. Forget Kanye West - this is the year's biggest, boldest, catchiest inspirational, a marvellous song that shines, flashes, throws sparks. [buy]

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download mgm endings, the remix album of John Vanderslice's Cellar Door (via catbirdseat)

You must check out Jay's mash-up (from May) of Kanye West ("Encore"), Public Enemy ("Bring the Noise") and John Coltrane ("Ascension"). Totally brilliant.

Grab Peter Sellers' cracked, brilliant version of "She Loves You" over at spoilt victorian child.

whoa. (via sillytech)