Alela Diane – New & Gorgeous
Finally finally finally we are entering into the home straight as far as Alela Diane’s new album is concerned. The Pirate’s Gospel, her superlative debut, was recorded a little over five years ago and because of the slow trickle that finally saw it ease its way out into the world she has been sitting on this new one for bloody ages.
Well she’s signed to Rough Trade now and her new album, To Be Still, will be emerging in the middle of February next year. White as Diamonds has been released as a teaser mp3 to whet our appetites, and bugger me it’s whetted mine. She’s talked recently about adding depth and instrumentation to her sound and in this song you can hear just that, most instantly with the violin. The bigger departure for her existing fans, however, will almost certainly be the standard pop rhythm section of bass and drums. I have no idea why people feel the need to add this to songs – is it just to create a sound as unsurprising as possible for a radio audience?
Well it doesn’t really matter because, after the initial surprise, it makes little difference to the song, which is gorgeous. The ability to add fiddle and, just at the end, a wonderful rumble of cello, is where the extra money of a recording deal really adds to an album and hearing an Alela Diane record with these lovely flourishes promises to be a real treat. The bass and drums, frankly, I could do without, but from the sounds of this they don’t actually do it any harm either, once you get used to their presence.
Alela Diane – White as Diamonds
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Don’t even tease me! Christ I can’t fucking wait. She did a very stripped down performance of White As Diamonds for a Daytrotter session a while back and it’s absolutely become one of my favorite songs.
That drumming does sound strange to my ears. Perhaps she could add some scratchin’ for the next record. Sorry. I fear change.
Didn’t hear the previous stripped down incarnation but to these uneducated ears it sounds rather splendid. Looking forward to the full drum and bass versions and the hip hop remixes.
C&B that face is creeping me out. Remove it.
Yeah, the surprise was the biggest thing for me, but it’s pretty easy to get over, and it’s a fucking great song. She’s played a fair few of these live, so I think I might know a couple of the songs when it comes out. But that anticipation is part of the torture, eh.
Add the Celine Dion strings..!
I’ll have you know that the creepy face in question belongs to my 5-year-old son. “Creeping me out” indeed.
No.
It’s because regular rhythmic percussion noises are the most basic primeval sounds that the human – as an animal – responds to.
We’re hard-wired to react to thumps, bangs and crashes, it was our earliest form of communication. It’s in our very genes.
And that applies as much to the performer as to the listening audience.
Not to suggest that the particular percussion Alela has chosen for this track is any good in a more advanced musical sense. It isn’t. However the basic concept remains true as a response to your queestion.
C&B he looks like you may have mated with a duck by accident. Unless he’s pulling a face, which I suppose is possible.
Dylan was on the cider last night……..
And the Discovery Channel, from the sounds of it.
You heartless bastard! Can’t you see he suffers from Anatamorphism? There, there, little one, just cry yourself to sleep. Daddy will protect you from the mean man with the funny accent.
Really? I always thought it was the fart sound. But maybe that’s just me…. Nope, on further analysis I’m pretty sure it’s the fart sound.
As anyone who has read Kurt Vonnegut’s Galapagos can tell you…
My little sister heard a couple of minutes from a Toadcast and took an immediate dislike to “the horrible sweary man” too!
Baby, you and me ain’t nothin’ but mammals.
Or amphibians, of course, in deference to our host.
I’m glad you put White As Diamonds on the Toadcast. My concerns about the specific type of drumming used aside, it really is a wonderful song.
Right, I know what the problem is now. It’s the fucking cymbals. Just listen to them towards the three quarter mark – they crash around like a drunken uncle at a wedding to which he wasn’t invited. Cymbals – the fucking high-hat – they just bash their way through the song like they’re supposed to be the stars themselves. Just shush and let us listen to Alela, please.