It was 31 degrees celsius in Toronto today and you could see the heat rise from the pavement making the air look a bit wavy. I was driving and listening to Australian brother and sister duo Angus and Julia Stone.
Most folk music reminds me of the winter. It's probably because of the melanchony, introspective quietness that's found in alot of acoustic guitar songs. And yeah, it's true that Angus and Julia Stone fall into this category with their hushed tones and lush guitar work. But it was strange how the intense temperature gave the perfect backdrop to these songs. It's not beach music by any means, but these are folk songs meant for hot weather. It just evokes the sentimentality of summer days.
Angus and Julia Stone' The Beast EP was released just a few days ago, on the 30th of December to be exact. Or rather, it was re-released? I'm hazy on details, so please do correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe what's happening is they'll be doing a North American release for the EP, which was available in the UK beforehand. I think. If I'm correct, they'll also be releasing the corresponding full-length, A Book Like This, in early March. That's the one that was half produced by Fran Healy of Travis.
It's really a shame that music from Australia doesn't reach North America easily. I mean, when that album was released, it at #5 in its home country, but I've only just heard of it. This has happened with a few Australian acts I discovered this year. Guess I just gotta work a little harder at finding them earlier on.
Be sure to listen to more of their tracks over at mySpace.
The brother-sister duo come to us from Sydney. Prior to collaboration, the both of them started out as solo acts and performed during open mike nights. Angus' voice is very soothing I must say. He reminds of of someone though I can't quite say who. Julia, well her voice brings to mind... Amy Milan, if she started spending too much time with Paolo Nutini. I know, strange description, but maybe you'll understand once you hear it.
I used to think the boy-girl duo as a band thing was quite novel. And then I started seeing them everywhere, and I grew accustomed to the set up. But the thing is, it still works. In the end and honestly speaking, I probably will end up lumping Angus and Julia in with others of their genre. But they're in there with some great artists who form a great medley.
But who knows? Maybe once I get my hands on A Book Like This and listen to it in full, the siblings will prove to be an unexpected stand-out. So that being said, I look forward to seeing their album on my local North American record store.
The following are all-ages unless otherwise specified. This list is SUBJECT TO CHANGE. I'll try my best to keep this up-to-date but ALWAYS double check official sources before you go.
I hope that sharing a few of your songs is alright by you. If not, please let me know as I will immediately remove your material upon request. We're still good though, right?
Greetings few, but well-loved readers. Please enjoy your stay but remember, the mp3s are for sampling and will only be available for a short time. If you find something you like, support the artist. Buying the record and going to shows makes everyone happy.
Music submission? Important feedback? Questions or comments? Complaint? We're more than happy to hear it: impressionableyouth@gmail.com
It was 31 degrees celsius in Toronto today and you could see the heat rise from the pavement making the air look a bit wavy. I was driving and listening to Australian brother and sister duo Angus and Julia Stone.
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