Comments on: Alela Diane – To Be Still http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/alela-diane-to-be-still/ Independent and alternative music in Scotland - with a shitload of gin. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:09:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Poetry Girl http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/alela-diane-to-be-still/#comment-47407 Poetry Girl Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:54:39 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5361#comment-47407 I am no expert by any means, I just know what I like. I know what moves me. Muruch mentions Laura Gibson, you all seem to love Alela Diane.........As to KT Tunstall she is amazing. I have seen her live twice and she is a true artist. Check out her acoustic extravaganza album. She is the real thing. Alela, I am in love with her.I would trade ten million Celine Dions to hear her sing Every Path just once!!! I am blown away by the entire album To Be Still. I also like Laura Gibson. There is something so heartfelt and real in the essence of their music.........it transcends "folk" and "country". I am no expert by any means, I just know what I like. I know what moves me. Muruch mentions Laura Gibson, you all seem to love Alela Diane………As to KT Tunstall she is amazing. I have seen her live twice and she is a true artist. Check out her acoustic extravaganza album. She is the real thing. Alela, I am in love with her.I would trade ten million Celine Dions to hear her sing Every Path just once!!! I am blown away by the entire album To Be Still. I also like Laura Gibson. There is something so heartfelt and real in the essence of their music………it transcends “folk” and “country”.

]]> By: Matthew http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/alela-diane-to-be-still/#comment-14639 Matthew Sat, 21 Feb 2009 10:21:18 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5361#comment-14639 No, you do NOT want a visual on that one. No, you do NOT want a visual on that one.

]]> By: Tart http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/alela-diane-to-be-still/#comment-14624 Tart Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:34:08 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5361#comment-14624 Sawing wood AS a sex aid? I'm gonna need a visual on that one. Honestly befuddled xx Sawing wood AS a sex aid? I’m gonna need a visual on that one. Honestly befuddled xx

]]> By: Campfires & Battlefields http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/alela-diane-to-be-still/#comment-14618 Campfires & Battlefields Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:02:45 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5361#comment-14618 Cold and anonymous session tub-thumper? You cruel bastard. These people are flesh and blood. They work so hard, and what do they get for their trouble? The tipsy, slightly non-grammatical ravings of a sleep-deprived Welshman, that's what. Cold and anonymous session tub-thumper? You cruel bastard. These people are flesh and blood. They work so hard, and what do they get for their trouble? The tipsy, slightly non-grammatical ravings of a sleep-deprived Welshman, that’s what.

]]> By: Campfires & Battlefields http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/alela-diane-to-be-still/#comment-14617 Campfires & Battlefields Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:58:53 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5361#comment-14617 Umm, no. Not if they couldn't pull it off. Umm, no. Not if they couldn’t pull it off.

]]> By: Dylan http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/alela-diane-to-be-still/#comment-14616 Dylan Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:56:18 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5361#comment-14616 <blockquote>but then again how many drummers are there who can play in the style of Jim White or Thomas Wydler? </blockquote> But wouldn't you rather have a drummer in your band who <i>aspired</i> to achieve such a high degree of creative artistic expression, even if they hadn't attained any such level yet, rather than a cold and anonymous session tub-thumper?

but then again how many drummers are there who can play in the style of Jim White or Thomas Wydler?

But wouldn’t you rather have a drummer in your band who aspired to achieve such a high degree of creative artistic expression, even if they hadn’t attained any such level yet, rather than a cold and anonymous session tub-thumper?

]]> By: Dylan http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/alela-diane-to-be-still/#comment-14615 Dylan Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:52:28 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5361#comment-14615 <blockq <blockq

]]> By: Campfires & Battlefields http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/alela-diane-to-be-still/#comment-14611 Campfires & Battlefields Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:38:12 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5361#comment-14611 <blockquote>Imagine if a drummer in the style of Jim White or Thomas Wydler had played - all brushes and interesting rhythms</i>. True enough, but then again how many drummers are there who can play in the style of Jim White or Thomas Wydler? Most people who <i>try</i> to play like those two can't pull it off, and then you're left with a bloody mess. As the great rock critic Donald Rumsfeld put it, you go to war with the army you have, not the army you wish you had.

Imagine if a drummer in the style of Jim White or Thomas Wydler had played – all brushes and interesting rhythms.

True enough, but then again how many drummers are there who can play in the style of Jim White or Thomas Wydler? Most people who try to play like those two can’t pull it off, and then you’re left with a bloody mess. As the great rock critic Donald Rumsfeld put it, you go to war with the army you have, not the army you wish you had.

]]> By: Drunk Country http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/alela-diane-to-be-still/#comment-14605 Drunk Country Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:12:13 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5361#comment-14605 Laura sounds like she's sawing wood as a sex aid on her new record; it's fucking mesmerizing. Laura sounds like she’s sawing wood as a sex aid on her new record; it’s fucking mesmerizing.

]]> By: muruch http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/alela-diane-to-be-still/#comment-14564 muruch Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:39:00 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5361#comment-14564 I'm usually very sensitive to "over-production", but in this case I disagree. What I loved about the sparse style of The Pirate's Gospel was that it didn't sound like anything at that time. Well, since then I've received many albums and mp3s in that same bare bones folk vein. Which I like, but you start to want some variety. I personally love that To Be Still has just a slight polish on it (compared to mainstream records, it's still austere). The feeling I get when I listen to it is that Alela (or whoever influenced her) was going for a Judee Sill kinda vibe, and I think it really suits her voice. I certainly wouldn't want her to go any further, her songs don't need any heavier veneer. And there are plenty of other singers that I've seen live and then dislike the production of their studio albums, so perhaps my opinion would be different if I'd had your experiences with her. But I think it is good that, at least for one album, she tried something new. It's one of my favorite albums of the year so far. Btw, I recommend Laura Gibson's new album if you haven't heard it yet. She doesn't quite sound like Alela, but there's something about Laura, Alela, and Marie Siouxx that reminds me of the others. I’m usually very sensitive to “over-production”, but in this case I disagree. What I loved about the sparse style of The Pirate’s Gospel was that it didn’t sound like anything at that time. Well, since then I’ve received many albums and mp3s in that same bare bones folk vein. Which I like, but you start to want some variety.

I personally love that To Be Still has just a slight polish on it (compared to mainstream records, it’s still austere). The feeling I get when I listen to it is that Alela (or whoever influenced her) was going for a Judee Sill kinda vibe, and I think it really suits her voice.

I certainly wouldn’t want her to go any further, her songs don’t need any heavier veneer. And there are plenty of other singers that I’ve seen live and then dislike the production of their studio albums, so perhaps my opinion would be different if I’d had your experiences with her. But I think it is good that, at least for one album, she tried something new. It’s one of my favorite albums of the year so far.

Btw, I recommend Laura Gibson’s new album if you haven’t heard it yet. She doesn’t quite sound like Alela, but there’s something about Laura, Alela, and Marie Siouxx that reminds me of the others.

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