Here we go people with almost another hour of stand-out tracks from Jamendo.com. This week we are featuring the singer-songwriting duo Eva and Manu and their four-song EP Still Traveling in its entirety. This incredible pair is well worth a listen, and a donation. Click the play button and listen as you read!
It isn't often that I'll lead off this show with a ballad, but this song is what grabbed me as I sampled Eva and Manu's Still Traveling EP. Forgive Me is soft, elegant and breathes the emotion of the plea. Eva's strong, yet slightly wispy vocal delivery, pulls at your heart strings and grips you until the end. Berklee College of Music grads, Eva Louhivuori and Manu Laudic returned home after college and decided to take a tour of Europe while writing music. This isn't your glitzy tour, they are traveling on the cheap, in a van with gear and staying at farms and homes along the way, paying for the hospitality of their hosts by working for them. Their songs come from their experiences as they travel. In concert with their travels and music writing, they are keeping a blog at Travelinmusic.net and including songs and video as they go. There's no better source for information on the two, so check out their traveling blog, and catch the remaining three tracks from Still Traveling later in the show.
Next up we have the Celtic Folk-Pop of Italian group (yep, I said Italian) Wooden Legs. Steeped in traditional Celtic styling, Wooden Legs bring home a winner with Hot Asphalt. You can find more information about Wooden Legs from their My Space page.
Since discovering Comfort Farmers on Jamendo, I've been intrigued by their slightly quirky, almost Dire Straits like delivery. Never Compromise provides a nice peak inside this window. There's not much available on the band outside of Jamendo, however, so you will have to be content with what you find there.
Rainman follows up with a folk-pop gem Leave At Last. The style of this number is very reminiscent of early 70's Folk-Pop. This is another case of, 'If you like them, good luck finding more info!' The link to their website posted on Jamendo is broken, and a google search turns up a boat-load of hits for 'Rainman' - just not what we are looking for.
Up next is the second of four tracks from Eva and Manu, If Only, this time featuring Manu with the lead-off vocal. That is one of the things that I love about this duo is their ability to switch between lead and harmony, seemingly effortlessly. The interchange between the two is really evident with this track.
Adding just a hint more edge than the previous tracks so far this week is Ignacio Suárez Valestrini (or Nacho Valestrin) and the acoustic guitar heavy, up-tempo, folk-pop tune Behind the Moon. There is a raw live feel to the production of this track, like sitting in a coffee shop and hearing it played live. It's very intimate and moving. Nacho can be found on his My Space page, but after that, things get hazy.
Pump up a little afro-beat and crank up the horns! Enter La Compagnie Cuanol with Luna TicTac. As with other non-English language tracks that I've reviewed before, I have no freaking idea what the lyrics are saying, but I love listening to them anyway. This song makes me laugh, just in the lyrical delivery alone. You can find more on the group by checking out their web-site and from their there are multiple links to Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and more. Listen and enjoy!
Crank up the Pop-Rock with Surround and Guys of Nowhere! Surround breaks no new ground, but they are the ultimate in party-time sounds. Since I first found Surround on Jamendo they have popped up a few more times. Expect to hear more from them in later shows. You can find a little more information (in French, but you can translate the page) right here.
Up next, a little more straight-forward rock and roll with Studebaker's Blacksmith Shop and Champagne Desert Love. I liked this track a lot, but one thing happens when you listen to the entire full-length release: you realize that there isn't a whole lot of variance from one track to the next. Still, Studebaker's Blacksmith Shop is an enjoyable change-up in the show. Take a listen, and if you'd like more information on the group, check out their My Space page.
The third track in the Eva and Manu offering is up next with In Montreal. Again, Manu is featured prominently on this song, with wonderful harmonies from Eva. I can't wait to hear the full-length from this duo! I should also point out that the production values of all four of these tracks is first-rate. The outro for this song is magnificent!
Up next The Windy City follows with the up-beat Games. This thoroughly singable number, will have you searching for more info on the band. Let me know if you find any. Update: Thanks to Catherine for posting this link!
Quirky and fun, Sunday and Monday bring you That's Not Easy. The instrumentation here is almost carnival like, and the vocalists have fun. Nothing is meant to be too serious here. Unfortunately, this is one of several bands this month with not much info to go on if you are searching for more.
Full of Blues, is the talking rocker Vanessa from Zikali. It's smarmy and sexy and a bit R rated, with a touch of humor and a dash of jam thrown in for good measure. I feel a bit like I'm letting you down this month, but no info to be found on Zikali apart from the Jamendo offerings. Check them out there.
The final track from Eva and Manu's EP is the stand-out, single-worthy Feet in the Water. This is outstanding stuff ... Again! Listen to the lyrics, there is some poignant stuff here under the toe-tapping rhythms and the melody that wants you to sing along. While you're at it, check out the YouTube video for the track:
With the final note of Feet in the Water trailing off, listen to Fra Santanthony and The Spring Sound as the credits roll.
There's much more to come. Compilations of show number 7 have already begun, with track selection for show number 5 to begin soon. Let me hear from you, and enjoy the music!
Before I let you go, here's a bonus video from my good friend and wonderful singer-songwriter in her own right, Leesha Harvey and Long Way Down from her recently self-released, download only, Church Lofts and Basement Corners available on LeeshaHarvey.com. Enjoy, and hopefully you will be watching for next months post!
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2 comments:
You can check out The Windy City via their website : www.thewindycity.co.za (Links to their facebook, soundcloud etc are all there)
Thanks very much Catherine! I believe I checked that link on posting day, but will give it another try. Thanks for your post!
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