As if on cue, I happened to restart Voilà! right when one of my favourite bands is announcing their new album! That's right, the good ol' west coast folks of Death Cab for Cutie are releasing a new record, entitled Codes and Keys. It's been three years since they're fantastic release of Narrow Stairs, which slept listeners by storm with its sheer density and well composed musicianship. A shining album of creativity, to be sure.
The set release date for Codes and Keys is due for 31 May, another summery release. And while we don't have much more than some album artwork to offer, a few songs have leaked out here and there from Camp Death Cab.
Firstly, there is the official release of "You Are A Tourist" off Codes and Keys, via Stereogum. You can check that out here. They also have LQ soundbytes of some live performances by Death Cab, new songs that will eventually appear on the album. They're rough, and likely to change quite a bit by the time of the release of the album. But it could pique your interest with a little preview. Stay tuned, or
Eliza Doolittle Sounds Like: Pop Terroir: London, England Drinking Buddies: Kate Nash, Lily Allen, Lenka
Synopsis:The long-lasting bubblegum pop with a delectable taste.
Makes You Want To: Skip down the street; Sing + Dance; Walk in the park. [Personal Blog] / [Myspace]
One week, one band. You know the drill. This week, the featured artist is Eliza Doolittle.
It's been awhile, readers! But Voilà! is sort of back in action. If you're new to this little game we play, it is weekly tradition to feature a wicked musician every week. Or at least try to. Just something that's been bubbly bouncing out of the speakers into our lives; something that we feel is worth sharing with the masses of eager ears begging for some delicious tuneage.
And are we ever returning to the music scene with a delicious piece of candy. Meet Eliza Doolittle. That would be Eliza Caird if you know her personality. But her My Fair Lady-inspired pseudonym has been the one to springboard this delightful, curly-haired darling into some fairly significant international spotlight.
Let's get things straight: Eliza Doolittle isn't your prototypical pop artist. Okay, maybe she's super stylish, has a delectable voice, and is absolutely stunning. But c'mon, let's put the fundamentals of this lovely lady aside and get to the fundamentals of her sing-song. Her band got their feet on the musical ground back in 2009 with the release of Eliza's self-titled, debut EP. Not only did this EP flare up like oil in a fire, it caught the eyes and ears of listeners and major talents across the UK and beyond. Her first songs got several remixes made of them, including one by the likes of The XX.
This helped to propel Eliza along to her first album, equally self-titled, and equally infectious. Her musical style is unfathomably bubbly and fun-loving, light with a sense of jubilance, and a voice reminiscent of Kate Nash. Pair this with a proper band of lads to accompany her, a quick wit, and a flirty sense of lyricism, and you have a road well paved for some excellent hits that will have nearly any listener cooing over her her quirk.
Eliza's quick success has placed her as a shining star quickly rising in the sky over the UK. Her singles "Skinny Genes" and "Pack Up" both have scored her numerous honours, and both got their own nifty music videos. Tonnes of media outlets have picked up on her rising fame, on aiding in making her rise further exponential. Her success even landed her a number of gigs at SXSW 2011, which I was fortunate to attend, meaning her sound is only expected to expand across the seas. And why shouldn't it? Her viral success is the best sort of ailment you can receive, giving you symptoms of random public singing and dancing. You'll want to catch yourself a bit of Eliza Doolittle.
After her stay in the Texas capital, and a brief stint here and there whilst on tour, Eliza Doolittle and her gang of misfits have returned to the UK. She'll be touring throughout Great Britain, bouncing around from several gigs and festivals. Eliza Doolittle's eponymous debut has been out for awhile now, and is finally reaching American and international audiences through regular music outlets. Or, of course, you could snag some music from iTunes. There are tonnes of videos and remixes of her songs. Whoever the dancer is in "Pack Up" is FANTASTIC, the paper-cutout version of "Skinny Genes" is too fun to watch, and I'm a particular fan of her latest single, "Mr Medicine." Check them all out! Or, if you're just curious about what Eliza and co. is up to, wander over to her personal blog and check it out for yourself. In the meantime, I recommend this nifty acoustic, rooftop performance. And until next time, peace out!
I'm debating starting this silly blog again! I've missed being apart from the music scene, and after a revitalizing time down in Austin at this year's South by Southwest, I feel energized, and ready to re-enter the scene. Maybe... It's still undecided if I will actually do this. But it's definitely on the table.
However, one major thing I'd really appreciate is having another team of writers at my disposal. Voilà! never lifted off the ground in the way that I hoped it would the first time around. It turned into a blog mostly about my opinions on music I liked, which is not what I wanted. I wanted a more cohesive blend from several different perspectives - for whatever reason (potentially the lax structure I had for writers), people didn't post, and it ended up being almost myself exclusively. That's a drag.
If you've ever wanted to voice your opinions about music, here's your chance! Contact me at chris.voilamusic@gmail.com and we can try to arrange something. Again, I'm not entirely sure if I'll be returning. But with hope, I just may do so! We'll see. Until next time, readers!
