Five Songs I'm Loving This Week

Essie Jain, "Glory"

This song makes me feel like I'm a on porch swing at night in a sleepy, starry small town. Or, I could be watching a black and white film from the 50's, and a girl with blond wavy hair and a pleated dress is singing this to her beau. Either way, "Glory" settles a calmness over me, washing away my nerves, rocking my restlessness away. It's a very gorgeous song.

Website (More mp3s available there)
Myspace
Thanks to KEXP for the mp3


Essie Jain

Go Find, "25 Years"

A jaunty and unclouded song, the music has little more than a keyboard line going for it and some drums, but the minimilism of the song supports the hopeful, wishfulness of the subject. The singer is regretting drifting apart from someone, and he's hoping they can meet again in the future. I would've picked sooner than 25 years, but that's just me ;) The sentiment reminds me of Pulp's "Disco 2000" where Jarvis Cocker is reminding a girl they swore they'd meet up with the girl in the year 2000 (never mind that she has a baby now, etc.) In either case the anticipated reunion may never happen, but in a way these songs are about things that passed and probably won't be again.

Website
Myspace


The Go Find

Jacqui Naylor, "Lola"

Heh heh. It's my song. I'm geeking all out. It's all jazzy and king of bossa nov-y. She's got a gorgeous voice that belongs in a smoky Parisian theatre. She covers a lot of songs on her album "The Color of Five", including REM's "Losing My Religion", but there's something thrilling about hearing my favorfite Lola song in such a beautiful setting.

Website
Myspace


Jacqui Naylor

Jesper Henriksen, "Try Again" (Thanks to Copy, right?)

Sigh...I have a major thing for covers of R & B songs done by men with sexy, deep voices. What? Don't believe me? First I posted about James Eric's cover of "Sexyback" (that's sort of R & B) and now this song. I like a well-done, sexy R & B song, and hang a sexy male voice on it and I am there! As much as I love Alanis Morrissette's version of "My Humps", I think it'd be even greater if the guy from The National sang it. Oh hell, anything sung by the guy from The National would be sexy. Same thing with the guy from Motel Creeps. And the guy from Something For Rockets (listen to "Might As Well"). Oh, I feel faint.

Anyway, this is a sexy cover of an R & B. Oh yeah, it is.

Myspace (I know this doesn't seem like a musician's page, but I'm pretty sure it's his--Liza, from Copy, right? is one of the friends listed, also The Covers Project thinks this is his Myspace too. Also, it's the only thing I could find).


Jesper H. did not put a picture of himself on his Myspace; however, he did put this picture under his "about me" section.

Fruit Bats, "Legs of Bees"

I've been trying to figure out what legs of bees have to do with this song. I've given up trying to figure out what legs of bees have to do with anything. He says "let your pollen fly, on legs of bees". It sounds dirty, which is okay.

It's fitting that they're on the Sub-Pop label; the singer's voice is reminiscent of The Shins' James Mercer's vocals, and the feel of the song is close to The Shins' shimmery pop music. It's bright--not overly dramatic, not emo (thank God) and it doesn't take itself too seriously--it seems to coast along unself-consciously.

Website
Subpop Page (more downloads available here)
Myspace
Thanks to Kexp for the mp3


The Fruit Bats (or at least two of their members--the only permanent member seems to be the guy--Eric Johnson)