More Music, I'm Afraid

As everyone with ears and a heart knows, music makes all the nastiness go away. Whatever happens there is always a song out there that speaks to just you and makes things just a bit better. I've been song-mining for something special this weekend and have come up with two gems that I would like to talk about. 

The first is a lovely little band called She & Him - born of the unlikely pairing of Folk star M.Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel. An amalgamation of gentle covers and beautiful guitar-y, piano-y dribbles of love and beauty whisked together to make the most listen-to-able songs I've had the pleasure to allow into my dreams this year makes up their two albumic offerings; Volume One and Volume Two (both available on Spotify). They manage to take a 60's sound and make it the most recent discovery in music. You'll be nodding along as though we were all back there. Deschanel's voice makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

There is little to dislike about them, in my opinion. They purrr their lyrics (and others') with an ease that you wouldn't expect from either member. Deschanel's voice is part Norah Jones, part Dusty Springfield and lots wonderful. I would recommend both albums to anyone. 

The second offering I have for you is a band I briefly mentioned in my last "music is good innit" type post - Au Revoir Simone; Electronic Dream Pop of the highest calibre. Songs like Sad Song and Night Majestic blend up-tempo synth-pop with watercoloured vocals and gigantic heart. There's a cutesy element to the vocals, too, which makes them sound... sort of... innocent. 

Rarely do I opt for this sound, preferring a more gutsy sound like Florence or Marina or Gaga. But this just seems, I don't know, Nice.  

Their system of releasing their albums - original, remix, original, remix - means that even the older songs that you've listened to over and over (and you will) can be heard new and shooshed up. Whether driving, cooking, bathing, dancing, drinking or simply being Au Revoir Simone have a song to tap into your day and make it brighter. I can't tell you how pleased I am that I found them... 

Both have official websites with tracks for download etc. She & Him here and Au Revoir Simone here. I urge you to check them out and also look on Spotify, or whatever you may use to listen to music online. You won't regret it, if you have a heart.

FURTHER LISTENING: See also; The Decemberists, Rilo Kiley, Tegan And Sarah, Azure Ray & Tilly And The Wall. All lovely.