Alela Diane: To Be Still (Rough Trade, 2009)

Alela Diane is a true great among folk artists. She has found some masterful way to make this highly artistic music so easily accessible. As you well know, I’m a rather simple man and my problem with folk chanteusses often is that eventhough I appreciate the artistic value of it, I just find myself getting bored in the long run. Joanna Newsom is a prime example. As much as I would like to love her, I just have to admit that I don’t. But Alela Diane. I love her. That acoustic beauty of the songs. Those amazing vocal melodies. Like hugs wrapped around your heart. To Be Still is her second album and more than half of it is really wonderful folk music. Especially Every Path, Take Us Back, To Be Still and The Ocean are treasures that have taken the form of a song. If I want to complain about something than I have to say that soundwise it’s a bit too clean and polished for me. Therefore my folk album favourite of the year is still Haruko’s Wild Geese, because that home recorded beauty feels a bit more rural and alive.

Alela Diane Website
Alela Diane at myspace

A power pop record of the year 2009? Well that’s too early to say, but this really is a wonderful pop record. Tinded Windows is obviously the new band where pop legends Adam Schlesinger, James Iha and Bun E. Carlos have joined forces with Taylor Hanson. Self-titled debut has been out now for few weeks and it’s getting rather mixed reviews. For me it’s hard to understand why popmatters gave this 2 out of 10 and said it might be the worst release of the year so far. Heck, if this high energy pop blast is the worst of the year, it must be one hell of a year. Sure this might be just whole lot of fun packed into simple, energic pop songs about the girls they either have, have lost or are only dreaming about, but exactly when did that become a bad thing. For example Messing With My Head is just one gorgeous pop song with a real killer chorus. Where’s that Taylor Hanson fansite? I wanna join in. Oh, and when mentioning James Iha every self-respecting pop snob has to say that James Iha’s solo debut Let It Come Down is a fantastic album (for example better than anything The Smashing Pumpkins ever did, not that I have anything against Smashing Pumpkins) and please James make another solo album.

Tinted Windows website
Tinted Windows at myspace

And then something completely different. After being entertained by Tinted Windows, it’s time to let Alela Diane’s amazing voice carry you into the most beautiful surroundings. Be still and be captivated. Alela Diane is a true great among folk artists. She has found some masterful way to make this highly artistic music be so easily accessible. As you well know, I’m a rather simple boy (that Tinted Windows praising being a good example) and my problem with folk chanteusses often is that eventhough I appreciate the artistic value of it, I just find myself getting bored in the long run. Joanna Newsom is a prime example. As much as I would like to love her, I just have to admit that I don’t. But Alela Diane. I love her. That acoustic beauty of the songs. Those amazing vocal melodies. Like hugs wrapped around your heart. To Be Still. Alela Diane. An incredible album.

Alela Diane at myspace