Author Archive for Andrew

First, my apologies for the lapse of time between my first presentation post and the actual first musical column. Some technical problems, gracefully solved by our webmistress (Thanks!), and a lack of time/excess of procrastination from me, are the reasons. But from now on, I will try to write regullarly. I hope I will manage to do so!.

Anyway, I’m finally going to introduce my first group. Taking into account that we are in BritPopCorn, and that I love contradicting, I’m going to start speaking about a band that are not British and don’t play pop!: Okkervil River.

Nevertheless, besides of being my current favourite group, they also have a relation with this blog, which is deeper than it could seem at first sight. Some weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of watching a live show in Amsterdam, with the invaluable company of Alvaro and the also with the even more invaluable company of Trus.

They play american folk, sometimes they even introduce some country in their songs. They have invented nothing, but they do it so well that it seems they actually did. If I had to highlight just one thing from them, it would be their intensity. Most of their songs “grow”, they become more and more intense as they play. They represent perfectly one of the most important features for me in a musician/artist, they transmit emotions.

The singer and composer’s voice is quite peculiar, I could even say it’s not a nice voice, but it makes their songs more “human”, they sound closer, more accessible, what makes them more attractives.

English speakers -and I assume that if you are reading this, you’re one of them :-)-, should pay attention to the lyrics, because some of them are really good, and it is worth to listen to them carefully.

Anyway, let’s stop with descriptions!, you can check what I am talking about by yourselve!, it’s just a click away!.

First song that I’m going to put here is “Plus Ones”, one of these songs that makes you feel that it is worth to stand all the shit that life throws into us, just to be able to listen to it at least one more time, over and over again. Probably my most heard song this year. I can’t find an studio version online, so I put here a live one. Anyway, you MUST listen to this song. Go and get it!.

In addition, the lyrics are simply spectacular, because it’s a kind of game, with continuous references to lots of songs. Take a look at this blog.

Other favourite, “For Real”, an intense song, which gets to you at first hearing. One of their most acclaimed songs.

Another huge song, but because of its beautiful simplicity: “The president’s dead” (Warning: The video is something that a fan produced, it’s very cheesy). It’s worth to listen to the lyrics carefully, I love the contrast between the “Big event”, and the quiet life of a normal man

“It ends with a fall”. First song of their record “Down the river of golden dreams”. I can’t think of a better way to start a record…

And last, but not least, first single of their new record “The stand Ins”, maybe their less good one, but an authentic wonder that most artist would want for themselves. And with a banjo!

I would put many more, but everything has to stop at some point, so I recommend that you listen everything you can, I’m can’t leave out glorious songs, such as “Another Radio Song” , “Seas too far to reach“… You have to listen to these ones!, If you don’t like them, then I surrender!.

I hope you enjoy!.

This is the most heard sentence when I speak to someone about music that I like. In fact, more than a conversation, it tends to be a monologue, garnished with the faces of the interlocutor, first astonishment, then, “this guy is nuts”, or even of compassion!.

This is is my first post in this blog, so following the usual protocol, I’m going to write an introductory text. First, I would like to thank my BritPopCorner hosts for letting me write a column in their blog. I hope that you all like it, and that you convince them to renew my contract :-).

This column will be about music. What kind of music?, I’m not able to define it with a single term, I hate labels, genders and all artificial categories trying to classify everything. Actually, I only believe in two kinds of music, the one I like (“Good music”), and the one I dislike (“Bad Music”). Let’s say that I will speak about music I like. And of course I hope that you all will like it as well. Even just a little bit.

Speaking about music is very difficult, I suppose nobody feels it the same way, the same song can cause very different reactions depending on who’s hearing it, or even depending on the situation. Deep down, speaking about music is speaking about feelings, something so subjective that I don’t know how anyone dares doing it. At least, I don’t know how I dare.

My idea is to try to “introduce” you the records/songs that I like best, and trying to explain why. It’s a hard task, because I don’t even know myself, but I’ll try. I’ll try not to be obvious on the choice, nobody likes to be introduced someone he already knows, Isn’t it?.

To make this lighter, I’ll try to include some material along with the texts, mainly links where you can listen the band, songs, youtube links… And of course, you have emule, soulseek, bit torrent, or even record shops.

About me, Who cares?, Wasn’t this column about music?. I don’t sing, nor play, nor compose, so I’m not relevant. Those of you who already know me don’t need introductions, and the rest, I’m sure that if you try hard enough you won’t have problems to know me!.

So, let the fun begin!.