Monday, May 13, 2013

5/13/13

If I was a producer and wanted to lock a pair of singer-songwriters in a room together to write soundtrack of my life today, I'd have to say Elena Tonra and Dallas Green. Soft songs with a lot of heart - I guess that's how I'm feeling today.


I am a recent fan of Daughter, she's pretty amazing and stands out among the bazillion indie Brits or indie wanna-be brits flooded the "hipster" scene and primetime female-led drama soundtracks. Daughter is different, there's a lot of real musicianship in her songwriter. Here, for example -- it's a bold move to go with such stripped down instrumentals in a whole verse or two, that sotto voce while soft acoustics chime gradually in and out, before swelling into something more full.

Torna's song lyrics are quite dark, as such I think they almost require that kind of delicacy...feelings and messages so bold and visceral they are better delivered by a light touch.

"Throw me in the landfill
Don't think about the consequences
Throw me in the dirt pit
Don't think about the choices that you make
Throw me in the water
Don't think about the splash I will create
Leave me at the altar
Knowing all the things you just escaped


Push me out to sea
On the little boat that you made
Out of the evergreen
That you helped your father cut away
Leave me on the tracks
To wait until the morning train arrives
Don't you dare look back
Walk away, catch up with the sunrise


'Cause this is torturous
Electricity between both of us
And this is dangerous

 'cause I want you so much
But I hate your guts"

~Landfill
Daughter,  His Young Heart



I also can't get enough of City and Colour lately, inspired by the supreme fandom of recently made friends. I've always appreciated Dallas Green, even from back in the Alexisonfire days when I thought was I hardcore because I had checkered Vans and long bangs, or something. I remember listening to "Save Your Scissors" a lot when I was about 18.

Lately, though, on this side of college and real relationships and indulging in all the highs and lows young adulthood can offer, his heartfelt sincerity for love and affection is perfectly sweet,simply just right. He has some serious perspective, on life and despair and dreams and love....it's the last one though, where he really drives it home. Lyrically,  Green equally captures the fragile and the strong sides of sentimentality, never pandering to either. Seriously don't know of any other modern songwriter who can write this many love songs that are so beautiful without being incredibly cheesy or poppy or forced. You have to click here to see what I'm talking about because of YouTube rules.

Green's voice is ethereal, his melodies are enchanting, and when he gets the choir-like backup vocals and tambourine going, I cannot help but feel lighter, making no matter of my automatic default to remain knee-deep in melancholy. I suppose it's not the worst thing to find yourself smiling alone.

"You're the Northern Wind
Sending shivers down my spine.
You're like fallen leaves
In an autumn night.

You're the lullaby,
Singing me to sleep.
You are the other half
You're like a missing piece

Oh my love...
Oh my love ,
Oh my love,
You don't know,
What you're doing to me


You are all four seasons
Rolled into one,
You're like the cold December snow,
In the warm July sun.

I'm the jet black sky,
Just before the rain,
Like the mighty current,
Pulling you under the waves
Oh my love,
Oh my love,
Oh my love,

You must be tired of me,
Of me...


I'm the darkest hour,
Just before the dawn,
I'm slowly sinking

Into the slough of despond

Like an old guitar
Worn out and left behind
I have stories still to tell
Of the healing kind

Oh my love,
Oh my love,
Oh my love,
If I could just find you tonight,
If I could just find you tonight...
Oh my love..."

~Northern Lights
City and Colour, Little Hell