» Sounds

Elvis Costello

hourigan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:11:30 +0000

We went to see Elvis Costello at the Palais last night. I have been a fan for a long time in fact went to see him at the concert hall 25 years ago and it was crap! He seemed like a fish out of water in those staid surroundings. I spent the night longing that it was at the pub. 25 years later I was ready to give it another stab. My goodest girlfriend said she thought he was probably going to be bad, my big brother told me that he had heard him on the radio during the day and he sounded horrible, so we were primed for a great night.

He sounded fantastic, much better than 25 years ago, and since it was a solo show we really got to see him perform. He played a huge range of music from jazz standards to his own rock. He played his own hits that have been reworked and virtually unplugged apart from a distortion pedal or two. The crowd loved it and he included the audience of die-hards in the show. It was great.

I Will Let Go If You Will Let Go

hourigan — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:43:41 +0000

I recently purchased Ben Folds new album Way to Normal . The raw anger that leaps out of almost every song on the album is difficult to ignore. It seems apparent that he has suffered from a broken relationship in recent history. Some of the song titles include ‘bitch went nuts’ and ‘you don’t know me’ on which Regina Spektor is a guest vocalist.

A few listens in I started to really like it especially as an album to listen to as a whole. I feel as if I am going on the grief journey with him only its him and not me which is great. He does anger very well, an emotion as valid as the rest which is misused and underrated. He attacks it with great lyrics and instrumentation. The song I like the most is ‘cologne’ which comes as a trough between the peaks of rage, and song 6 of 12 songs. It has a lovely reflective, lilting quality which makes a refreshing contrast to the fury. Have a listen.