Francis

Wednesday, 6 March 2013

et moi, je ne t'oublierai pas et je compte sur toi pour venir en aide

à ceux qui ressentent pour toi, ce que tu écris dans ces chansons pour elle

I barely understand the French language, but Cœur de pirate (translation: pirate heart) puts me under a spell. Her songs are the perfect example of how music is an international language. It doesn't matter that I can't understand every word. The instrumentation and her charming voice still mean something to me. I never thought I'd fall in love with lyrics that aren't in my first language, but it has happened and I can't be anything other than grateful.

I'm not completely in the dark. I do understand some (if not most) of what her music is saying. Even if you've never heard someone speak French before, I encourage you to listen to the song below. There's no denying that it is beautiful.

Her most recent album, Blonde, is a gem. I can listen to it from start to finish without ever growing tired or feeling any less entranced.

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Locked Out

Tuesday, 19 February 2013

we have the rations to go anywhere

we have the rations to go anywhere

the striding lightbeam fades

Both Freelance Whales albums - Weathervanes and Diluvia - have a strong science fiction influence. Sure, some of the lyrics sound like they are picked out of select scifi books, but the instrumentation also has a beautiful science to it.

Below, I'm sharing the first single from Diluvia (2012), the band's second album. The video is a live performance of "Locked Out" because that's how most music should be experienced - live. I saw Freelance Whales in concert last summer and their show made me love them even more. As I watched the band members run back and forth between instruments for every new song, I appreciated their dedication to music.

I find both of the albums calming. Since its release, Diluvia has become my go-to album for background music when I'm writing or having trouble falling asleep. The songs transport me to another world and create the perfect atmosphere for writing or dreaming (which is almost the same thing).

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Waiting Song

Wednesday, 23 January 2013

I'll probably never be to as many places

I've seen in my mind

and I know that if I sit here and grin

then maybe it'll be all right

Theresa Sokyrka's album Something Is Expected was released in 2006 and it still remains one my favourites. I fell in love with Theresa when she was on Canadian Idol (yes, we had an Idol show here for a short time) because her voice was unlike anything I had heard before. Her folky tone pairs even better with a simple guitar, which makes this sophomore album absolutely beautiful.

The lyrics in her songs are simple, but evoke so much emotion. It seems that every song on the album brings up something different from my past and, no matter how many years go by, Theresa's songs still resonate in my life.

"Waiting Song" is the first track on the album, a song about things being just out of reach, about feeling stagnant, about comparing ourselves to others. In the end, it's a song about following our own path, avoiding those people and things that will cause us pain even if we so desperately want them, even if it seems to be the easy route.

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Music Notes: Some Nights

Thursday, 27 December 2012

some nights I wish that this all would end

'cause I could use some friends for a change

and some nights I'm scared you'll forget me again

some nights I always win, I always win

It doesn't seem right to end the year without featuring fun. on my blog. The Some Nights album is most definitely my album of the year. The album was released at the perfect time in my life where every song was relatable and the lyrics said exactly what I couldn't express.

I can't think of another album where every song tells a narrative as much as Some Nights. The lyrics change track by track to tell a new story. Even the instrumentation is different on each track, creating an album that reads like a book.

The title track "Some Nights" is my song of the year. It is for purely personal reasons that I love the song so much, but with the heightened success of fun. in 2012, I'm certain that a lot of people connect to the lyrics. The song has a strange way of making me feel sad and yet hopeful. It sums up our longing and dislike of the past, but pushes us forward, head-strong, into the future.

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Forever Is A Long Time

Tuesday, 11 December 2012

it's a long way to the end of the road

when you wandered were you swallowed by the valley below?

so focus hard on every following step

oh 'cause forever is a long long time to guess

Charlene Kaye's album Animal Love was released this year, solidifying Charlene's place in the music world. Funded through a Kickstarter campaign, the album showcases Charlene's beautiful voice and ability to produce pure pop music.

I've been a fan of the album for quite awhile now, but I only recently discovered Charlene's "Postcard Series" on YouTube. Every video in this series takes place in a different location around the world, showcasing one of the songs from the Animal Love album. Not only does Charlene play a live version of the track, but she also discusses the story behind the featured song.

This "Postcard Series" really opened my eyes to Charlene's artistry. The videos provide a history to the lyrics and the musical production, adding another layer to the already beautifully created tracks. Listening to Charlene's inspiration behind her music led me to appreciate the album more as a whole; the videos really brought out the secrets behind the lyrics and the production.

I've included Postcard #4, but I encourage you to head over to Charlene Kaye's YouTube Account and watch all ten videos in the series.

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