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The Yorker presents this week's succinct guide to goings-on of the musical variety, both locally and nationally. Here you'll find previews of a selection of single and album releases from the week ahead, as well as a guide to the hottest tickets in town for live music.
Fibbers proves to be the centre of attention for live music-making this week, hosting two acts definitely worth going out for. First up is alternative five-piece Wild Palms; hailing from Chatham, they make the long journey up North to take to the stage on Thursday evening as part of their current UK tour in promotion of their new EP.
On Friday evening, you can hear something completely different in the form of Youngblood Brass Band. Although the name sounds like yet another pretentious indie-kid attempt to be original and 'out there', this group in fact does exactly what it says on the tin; the eleven instrumentalists first met while at Oregon High School, Wisconsin, USA, coming together to create their very own stunning blend of jazz, hip hop and punk. Not your typical gig.
However, if you just don't feel up for heading into town to hear live music this week, the good news is you don't have to; on Wednesday the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall in the University Music Department hosts the incredible talent of pianist Steven Osborne. Following on from his sensational performance here last year, the Scottish pianist brings a programme of Beethoven Bagatelles and Schubert Sonatas that isn't to be missed. Whet your audio appetite with this footage of his performance of Brahms' Rhapsody in B minor:
Taylor Swift launches her third studio album this week, with a follow-up world tour also in the pipeline. It has emerged that Speak Now is in fact a concept album; the country-pop star revealed that 'Each song is a different confession to a person'. Quite what earth-shattering revelations the singer has to reveal at the ripe old age of 20 remains to be seen...
Also out today is Down There, the debut solo album from Avey Tare, the alias of Animal Collective member David Portner. Portner recorded the material in June with the help of fellow band-mate Josh Dibb (Collective fans may know him better as Deakin) and the results are said to have landed not too far from 2009's critically acclaimed Merriweather Post Pavilion. Hear lead single 'Lucky 1' for yourself below.
Written by Lucie Vincer
Charlotte Church – Back to Scratch
A happy, poppy sort of track, this has a catchy chorus with an interesting chord progression but overall fails to impress. It doesn’t show off Charlotte Church’s vocal skills to their true potential, doesn’t go anywhere and winds up becoming a little boring. Will most likely be eclipsed by the latest offerings from Paloma Faith and Eliza Doolittle.
The Hoosiers – Unlikely Hero
The Hoosiers – remember them? They hit it big in 2007 with the likes of ‘Goodbye Mr A’, but since then have dropped off the radar. ‘Unlikely Hero’, taken from what must have been the typically difficult second album, sees the band head in a different direction: it features far more clubland-style beats and lacks the instantly appealing quality of their original songs. Still, expect to have it stuck in your head for several days...
P.S. Their video appears to feature Chewbacca and some of his friends...
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