Shrugging off the education/informational-column-writing feeling from the last post…and finally do this long overdue one!
Keren Ann!
Keyword: singer-songwriter, acoustic, folk, Nick Drake-ian (oh which means there need a Drake post…or read last.fm bio for now)
Language: English, French
A mini-bio:
Born 1974 in Israel, Keren Ann is singer-songwriter/producer based largely in Paris, New York and Israel. She began her solo career in 2000 with La biographie de Luka Philipsen, "Luka" in homage to the Suzanne Vega song-- written with and produced by Biolay, who also co-wrote and -produced its follow-up, La disparition (“Disappearance”). In 2003, Not Going Anywhere which includes several songs from La disparition re-sung in English, was her first U.S. release, but the American breakthrough came with its bilingual follow-up, Nolita, named after her neighborhood in lower Manhattan. She also collaborated with Barði Jóhannson of the Icelandic group Bang Gang for the album Lady & Bird. The fifth album, the eponymous Keren Ann, will be released April 23rd, 2007 in Europe and May 8, 2007 in the United States.(Groans...not another eponymous album! What's so cool with eponymousness besides a fair touch of narcissistic smiles into the mirror? Or maybe eponymous has proven to be always critically acclaimed and commercially successful and thus an auspicious move…Okay I’ll keep the grumbles to me self. Getting that album, eponymous or not!)
Keren’s style takes a lot of influence from folk while blending in elements of rock. One special thing about her is the serenity in her music—it’s not just melodious or soothing—it exudes tranquillity (not the Zen-master kind though), yet underneath her lightly sung, almost dreamlike vocal it goes deeper, takes on brooding tones and sometimes dark turns. Just like what could be said of Nick Drake’s sounds, pretty much the same could be said of Keren’s—gentle, autumnal, intimate, and can be at once so beatific and melancholic.
Not Going Anywhere was the first album I ever listened to, and remains my favourite. The light nonchalance of her vocal totally belies and sometimes hides the dissecting disillusionment in the lyrics, if you float buoyed by the tunes and don't listen closely. A gem.
A selection of a few tracks from three of her albums may be obtained here (expires arrgh today, should've posted earlier). Ask me to re-send if you are interested.
...And this freakin thing happened
what's wrong with this picture?
BRAVO! That's foremost very informative, no matter how much you stray from 'education/informational-column-writing', it betrays your initial intention nicely. Regarding eponymous, I guess that's just the most direct way to sell yourself to consumer conscience. Keren Ann by Keren Ann, okay, now you remember her. I agree her music is soothing and Drake-ian, both folkish and poetic. They can be somber and serious too. I remember a tight moment when I listened to 'Sailor'. 'Suicide is painless' on the other hand is ultra soothing, probably because I have no intention of suicide at all lol. More collaborations of such please!! Prefer her french version in general coz the syllables rhyme and tail one after another in a spontaneous fashion. She is a insightful 'whisperer' that pretty much sums up what I wanna say.
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