Then real life interfered, and I got side-tracked (hence the unforgivable delay in updating, but by now, you’ll be used to it. Sorry…)

And then Yestyn emailed me to say thanks for the mention. Which kind of freaked me out. But also reminded me of this absolute beauty. The song, not Yestyn. Although he does seem like a good-looking chap.

Glass Pear is singer/songwriter Yestyn Griffiths, and very interestingly, the Welsh-born singer is the younger brother of recording artist Jem (whom had a huge hit with “They” a few years ago, and whom I had, and still have, a massive crush on. Yestyn, if you do read this, feel free to pass on my details. Sigh.)

So I give you two versions of “My Ghost”, by Glass Pear. The only difference is one is Yestyn and a guitar, the other Yestyn and a piano. My own preference is for the piano version, but not by much.

A song of yearning and utter heartache. Of pain, of loss, of desperation. Of watching something wonderful disappear…

And when I turn to see your face, I saw a joy I could not place, vanishing without a trace, like a shadow in the sun.

And I dare you not to feel shivers down your spine from 2:18 to 2:28…

Lovers come and lovers go,
Once they lived but now they’re ghosts,
Walking the streets they used to know like shadows.

People disappear every hour and every year,
Sometimes I believe they’re here like shadows,
Like shadows.

Who can you trust, in this place?
And whom can I put my faith?
If you’re real, then show me now,
Who you are.

How can I love, without grace?
Shine a light on your face,
If you’re real, then show me now,
Who you are.

Blowing like a secret wind,
Pouring on my naked skin,
Like a river flowing in the ocean.

And when I turn to see your face,
I saw a joy I could not place,
Vanishing without a trace,
Like a shadow in the sun.

Who can you trust, in this place?
Where can I put my face?
If God is love, then why the world the way it is?

How can I love, without grace?
Shine a light on your face,
If you’re real then show me now,
Who you are.

My ghost.

Glass Pear – My Ghost (Piano Version)

Glass Pear – My Ghost (Guitar Version)

www: Glass Pear’s official website and Facebook Page.

A German indie rock band formed in 1989, the band has made some pretty dramatic changes to their musical style, while keeping pretty much the same lineup. Their early music moved through heavy metal and dark indie rock, with their more recent (and most popular) being electronica-influenced.

From 2002′s “Neon Golden”, I offer up “Consequence”. (Re)brought to my attention by a good friend, I listened to it once. Twice. Three times. And on loop for about 30 minutes.

A wonderfully hypnotic and hypnotically wonderful song, a repeating electronic organ motif plays underneath the entire song, layered on top with a repetitive drumbeat, joined at 0:40 with the emotionless and yet emotion-full vocals of Markus Acher. Slowly building, joined with more organs, and culminating in an outpouring of static and electronic feedback at 3:33, with those lyrics slowly drilling, drilling down into you….A once-repeated verse and an oft-repeated chorus…

The song itself is a plea to someone worshiped to not abandon the other; a nursery rhyme of desperation.

Guys, I promise I won’t forget about you this year….

Uhm, what was that album name again? Damnit….

You’re the colour,
you’re the movement and the spin.
Never
Could it stay with me the whole day long
Fail with consequence, lose with eloquence
and smile.
I’m not in this movie
I’m not in this song.
Never
Leave me paralyzed, love.
Leave me hypnotized, love.

You’re the colour,
you’re the movement and the spin.
Never
Could it stay with me the whole day long
Fail with consequence, lose with eloquence
and smile.
You’re not in this movie
You’re not in this song.
Never

Leave me paralyzed, love.
Leave me hypnotized, love.
Leave me paralyzed, love.
Leave me hypnotized, love.

Leave me paralyzed, love.
Leave me hypnotized, love.
Leave me paralyzed, love.
Leave me hypnotized, love.

The Notwist – Consequence

www: The Notwist’s official website and MySpaces – number 1 and number 2.

Sometimes I hit a dead end. I find myself with no-one new, simply finding again what I’ve already found. I know that I’ll find someone else soon – but sometimes it takes time.

And other times, I wonder where the Hell someone’s been all my life. Kina Grannis, it’s you.

Miss Grannis is a 24 year old singer of Japanese, English, Irish, French, Dutch, Welsh and Scottish origins. I throw that in there because I’m Irish, and so now have enough in common with Miss Grannis to propose marriage.

Why marriage, I hear you ask? Well, I don’t. If I could, that would be weird – why on Earth would you be in my apartment? Where would I fit you all? How would I feed you all? And I just don’t have enough towels for everyone.

Basically, I feel I could happily spend the rest of my life listening to Miss Grannis (assuming she decided not to take my last name…). And from her 2010 album “Stairwells”, I give you the reason why…”Delicate”, gently plucked out on an acoustic guitar, with a slow build involving a snare drum, piano and a string section, with a truly and utterly haunting story of not listening to someone who knows you, of forging ahead without thinking of consequences, and the realisation as everything falls apart around you that you should have listened in the first place.

And of course, who couldn’t love someone who called their album after the places they wrote their songs?

While attending college at USC, Kina often retreated to the secluded stairwells around campus where she could write and sing without being heard. Protected by their quiet confines, she found a safe haven and a creative outlet for her music. Armed with a guitar and a cup of tea, Kina wrote in every stairwell she came across.

So how about it, Kina?

You said, “Be careful, it’s delicate, things can just crumble apart.”
But it’s not the same for me
It’s not the same for me

So I kept treading so carelessly
Thin lines that splintered my ground
But I closed my eyes to them
I closed my eyes to them

How did you know that I couldn’t be what everyone wanted me to be?
And how did you know that I wouldn’t see when everything falls away from me?
When everything falls away from me

One day I woke in the rubble
Knee-deep in damage I’d done
And I was ashamed of it
How did it come to this?

How did you know that I couldn’t be what everyone wanted me to be?
And how did you know that I wouldn’t see when everything falls away from me?
When everything falls away from me

How did you know that I couldn’t be what everyone wanted me to be?
And how did you know that I wouldn’t see when everything falls away from me?
When everything falls away from me

When everything falls away from me

I await Miss Grannis’ response to my proposal, and shall keep you all updated.

Kina Grannis – Delicate

www: Kina’s official website, MySpace, and Youtube channel.

Yep, that’s about right.

Like a number of artists I receive submissions from, the submission came from Amy’s marketing/PR company. Usually, I find this a turn-off, as I get quite a lot of bulk mails and mail merges. However, kudos to Amy’s team for reaching out in a unique and personal way. Of course, that wouldn’t have mattered a jot if Amy’s music sucked. But….it doesn’t. It’s pretty fucking amazing, to be honest.

First, we have the very Pink-ish “Being Awesome” – at first, what seems a rock anthem to being drunk. But listen to it a few times, and take those lyrics on board…”If I’m slurring my words what can I say? Right now I’m Just a drink away from being awesome…” It’s definitely a happy tune, and maybe it’s just my own melancholic conditioning, but sometime inside me finds this song a little, a tiny, a smidgen bit sad. Catchy, though!

It happened again
I think it just hit me
Take me keys cuz later
You’ll be driving my drunk ass home

As long as I’m here
You know I’ll be dancing
So you can get me a drink
And make it anything but H2O

If I’m slurring my words what can I say?
Right now I’m Just a drink away from being awesome
Gonna make it happen
Right now I’m Just a drink away from being awesome
Gonna make it happen

I’m not checking my hair
Or fixing my make up
If I looked any hotter
I’d be hooking up with your boyfriend

Getting close to last call
And I’m out of money
I’m gonna push my luck
And go gamble on the ATM

If I’m slurring my words what can I say?
Right now I’m Just a drink away from being awesome
Gonna make it happen
Right now I’m Just a drink away from being awesome
Gonna make it happen

It isn’t like I’m falling down
I think it’s time for another round
Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Right now I’m just a drink away
Right now I’m just a drink away (from being awesome)

Right now I’m Just a drink away from being awesome
Gonna make it happen
Right now I’m Just a drink away from being awesome
Gonna make it happen
Right now I’m Just a drink away from being awesome
Gonna make it happen
Right now I’m Just a drink away from being awesome
Gonna make it happen

Next, we have the insistent “Over Again” – a story of repeated patterns; of trying to escape and failing again and again; of accepting things, until one day, it’s time to stop. The signature change at 1:04 is a joy, the entire song an anthem to endings.

I’ve been waiting for days
And I don’t think that you’ll ever change
Is it my turn to say it?
Or should I just walk away

Tired of hearing “I’m sorry”
When I know nothing will ever change
Is it my turn to say it?
Or should I just walk away now, I know how

Slam the door and I’ll dig for my keys
Realise they’re not with me
Turn around and you beg me to stay
I’ll get angry and you’ll just melt me in your arms
And we’ll start it all over again

These old scars never heal
When I just patch them up with new wounds
Please just don’t say it
I need to walk away now, I know how

Slam the door and I’ll dig for my keys
Realise they’re not with me
Turn around and you beg me to stay
I’ll get angry and you’ll just melt me in your arms
And we’ll start it all over again

Why? I’m scared
I would walk away but I don’t know how
I don’t know how

Slam the door and I’ll dig for my keys
Realise they’re not with me
I’m not turning around this time
You’ll get angry and I’ll be walking, moving on
And we’ll never have to start again

Slam the door and I’ll dig for my keys
Realise they’re not with me
I’m not turning around this time
You’ll get angry and I’ll be walking, moving on
And we’ll never have to start again
No we’ll never start all over again

Over again

And finally, the country-ish “I Do” – a beautiful love song, with some of the simplest, yet most evocative imagery I’ve seen in some time (“You dance around the subject, you spin me ’round so perfectly”), and with a chorus that will stay with you for a long time after the final chords have run out.

You dance around the subject
You spin me ‘round so perfectly yeah
Remind me before I forget
How I love the way you look at me yeah

You tell me I’m everything you’ll ever need
And maybe someday you hope that I will feel the same
But your smile and every perfect thing you say
Won’t make me love you, you don’t have to waste your time
‘Cos I already do

Who knows you know you might be
The only one just maybe yeah
When I feel your arms around me
There’s no place that I’d rather be yeah

You tell me I’m everything you’ll ever need
And maybe someday you hope that I will feel the same
But your smile and every perfect thing you say
Won’t make me love you, you don’t have to waste your time
‘Cos I already do

I fell the moment I saw your face
I just knew my life was all about to change

We dance around the subject
We spin ‘round so perfectly
Remind me before I forget
That I’m not dreaming

You tell me I’m everything you’ll ever need
And maybe someday you hope that I will feel the same
But your smile and every perfect thing you say
Won’t make me love you, you don’t have to waste your time
‘Cos I already do
‘Cos I already do no you don’t have to waste your time
‘Cos I already do
I do

To put this in perspective, these are the three songs I ended up picking after listening to the whole album three or four times in a row, and it took that long to finally pick these three – another five or six could easily have taken the place of any here.

Awesome indeed.

Amy Heffernan – Being Awesome

Amy Heffernan – Over Again

Amy Heffernan – I Do

www: Amy’s official website, MySpace, and PR company’s microsite.

sung by a man with a Bono-type timbre to his voice (but don’t let that put you off). The song itself is, while not quite forgettable, one of many – similar to a lot of what is out there, but with an added element of something else, something to take it above the others.

On repeated listening, “Homecoming”, from 2006, has found a semi-permanent place on my MP3 player, with some wonderfully catchy soft rock tunes. Nothing outstanding, to be sure, but enough to keep the attention.

With his newest album, “The Learner”, I feel Griffin is now finding his way – and from that album, I give you “River City Lights”.

An absolute gem of a song, “River City Lights” is reminiscent of Ryan Adams or Whiskeytown at their best. A very, very simple tune, with an insistent guitar line and a non-stop snare drum beat, it’s sing-song, lullaby-like, and just beautiful – and once you add backing vocals by Alison Krauss….Well, just have a listen.

With a wonderful air of wistfulness, of losing someone you love and wishing for that back, “River City Lights” is just perfect.

The rest of the album is good, but this track stands out. Should Griffin reduce the soft rock musings, and produce an album of such alt-country (or even country) gems, then this House will have found a home (I’m sorry; I’m so, so sorry for that awful joke. Sorry.)

I met her down
In Tennessee
Went by the name
Of Amelie
She was a character
Anyone could see
She had eyes
Just for me

Time would fly
And the summer would end
And I would never see her again
And I hear thunder in my head
When I wonder
Where she is

And the river runs
Through her town
And all of the stars
They’re out tonight
She’s up on the rooftop
Looking down
Just staring at the river
Lit up with the city lights

And I roll on
Years gone by
The sun goes down
On another sky
And there is nowhere
I’d rather be
And there is no-one
I’d rather see

Where the river runs
Through her town
And all of the stars
They’re out tonight
She’s up on the rooftop
Looking down
Just staring at the river
Lit up with the city lights

Shouldn’t be so torn upside
From losing what is hard to find

But that’s just the way
The way it goes sometimes

The way it goes sometimes

Griffin House – River City Lights

www: Griffin’s official website and MySpace.

But lately, I received a submission from Isaac Thompson, and after listening to 45 seconds of a single song, I bought his album. Yes – 45 seconds.

And that album is utterly amazing. Starting with a number of strong songs, dipping a little in the centre, but finishing on a high, Isaac has now set the bar for any submissions sent in. I’ve now highlighted a number of artists (Sheltered in Sound, Jason Moore, Jason Ferris, please raise your hands).

However, Isaac has, in one fell swoop, ruined me. Ruined all future submissions. What am I supposed to do now? Only post submissions where I buy their albums in less than 45 seconds of one song? Sigh. Thanks, Thompson….

EDIT: Full lyrics now below, thanks to Isaac!

Anyhow, below you’ll find “The Midnight Train”, all strummed guitar and slight falsetto…

Lost it all in the midnight train, come on
here next to me, what do you see
Give it all and then lose the rest, come on
here next to me, what do you see

I’m so lonely, yes I’m only
here next to me
here next to me
what do you see

Lost it all in the midnight train, come on
here next to me, what do you see
I lose it all then give the rest and come on
here next to me, what do you see

I’m so lonely, yes I’m only
here next to me
oh here next to me, do you see
I’m so lonely, yes I’m only
here next to me

I’m so lonely, yes I’m only
Here next to me.

Followed by “I Changed My Life”, all plucked guitar, less falsetto, and some wonderfully bittersweet lyrics

I changed my life, I’ll make it into something right now
I changed it all, I’ll make it into something good

I changed my life, taking it all away
There’s nothing left, there’s nothing here to say
You take a load and you fade away
for the thing I couldn’t say

Changing every day, you know I cannot stay
You changed my life, you know I changed my life and run home
choosing right from wrong, you know I’m not that strong
I changed my life, you know I changed my life and run home

Got nothing left to own
I changed my life and run home
There’s nothing left to own

I changed my life, I’ll make it into something right now
You changed it all, I’m losing all control

I changed my life, taking it all away
There’s nothing left, there’s nothing here to say
You take a load and you fade away
For the thing I couldn’t say

Changing every day, you know I cannot stay
I changed my life, you know I changed my life and run home
Choosing right from wrong, but you know I’m not that strong
I changed my life, you know I changed my life and run home
Changing every day, you know I cannot stay
I changed my life, you know I changed my life and run home
Changing every day, you know I cannot stay
I changed my life, you know I changed my life and run home

Cause there’s nothing left to own
There’s nowhere left to roam
There’s nothing left to own

There’s nowhere left to roam
And nothing left to own

And finally, “A Thousand Miles”, all, uhm, plucked guitars and no falsetto. But the most melancholy of the three songs featured here.

I’ll try again not to hurt you
You’re only here for awhile
But I’m a thousand miles from you
And what am I to do.
Give me light, for my day

What’s it gonna take, to free me
I’ve been standing here for awhile
But I’m a thousand miles from you
And what I’m I to do
Give me light for my way

Say you’ll always save me
Say you’ll never fake the light
In your eyes
I could take this all back
Make it real, make it fact
Give me light, for my day
And there’s nothing left to see
There’s nothing good there’s nothing free
Give me light, for my way
‘Cause i’m a thousand miles from you
And what I’m I to do
Give me light for my day

What’s it gonna take, to free me
I’ve been standing here for awhile
But I’m a thousand miles from you
And what I’m I to do
Give me light for my way

Say you’ll always save me
Say you’ll never fake the light
In your eyes
I could take this all back
Make it real, make it fact
Give me light, for my way
And there’s nothing left to see
There’s nothing good there’s nothing free
Give me light, for my way
I’m a thousand miles from you
But what I’m I to do
Give me light for my day

So, it took me nearly half an hour to decided what three songs to post from Isaac – that’s how good this album is. What are you waiting for? Maybe it’ll take you less than 45 seconds…

Isaac Thompson – The Midnight Train

Isaac Thompson – I Changed My Life

Isaac Thompson – A Thousand Miles

www: JUST GO AND BUY THE ALBUM NOW NOW NOW!

In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent.

And today, Professor Ryan Adams will explain counterpoint in more musical terms.

Firstly, we have “How Do You Keep Love Alive?” – a piano-and-guitar ballad questioning how to make something work when it’s just not.

How do you keep things going, how do you push through, when your heart tells you it’s time to stop?

Or do you keep pushing?

Sometimes, no. You stop.

What does it mean?
What does it mean?
What does it mean to be so sad?
When someone you love
Someone you love is supposed to make you happy
What do you do
How do you keep love alive?
When it won’t
What, what are the words
They use when they know it’s over
“We need to talk,” or
“I’m confused, maybe later you can come over”

And on the other, when you’ve had the realisation that it’s time to stop pushing, and you do stop, there’s that moment when you know, you just know, it’s for the best – and despite how sad you feel, the sun does rise every morning.

And for that moment, we have “Dance All Night” – drums, harmonica, guitar, all slightly drunk-happy, and a wonderful wistfulness…

A wistful hug and kiss and smile between two people who know that, in the end, they’re going to be fine…

Just fine…

She ain’t lonely now
See her shuffle across the floor
Yeah, she’s happier now
See her smile and say “come on”

Let’s dance all night
Let’s dance all night
Dance all night
Yeah, I think she’ll be alright

I ain’t lonely now
Yeah, I got someone I love
Someone I think about
Someone for me to take care of

Thank you, Professor Adams.

Ryan Adams – How Do You Keep Love Alive

Ryan Adams – Dance All Night

www: Ryan’s official website and MySpace.

I’ve posted about PG (as I like to call him (but he’s not a big fan of me calling him it – that crazy PG!)) before, and while there’s always been a few songs of his that have tempted me to post, there’s one that pushed me over the edge.

However, I am warning you now – I’ve always found Gabriel’s voice is divisive, to be honest. There are those that love it, those that tolerate it, and those that turn it off, and I have a feeling that this won’t be the most popular post I’ve ever made. But hey – if you love Get Your Melancholy On (and, by extension, therefore love me)…

Beginning with a string section that wouldn’t feel out of place in a big room of string sections, Peter’s immediately recognisable voice intones through the first verse.

However, at 0:45, a beautiful vocal switch occurs, and growing violins swell until, at 1:32, a second vocalist adds another depth to the proceedings.

And of course, there’s those lyrics…

The book of love is long and boring
No one can lift the damn thing
It’s full of charts and facts and figures and instructions for dancing
But I
I love it when you read to me
And you
You can read me anything

The book of love has music in it
In fact that’s where music comes from
Some of it is just transcendental
Some of it is just really dumb
But I
I love it when you sing to me
And you
You can sing me anything

The book of love is long and boring
And written very long ago
It’s full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes
And things we’re all too young to know
But I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
You ought to give me wedding rings

Peter Gabriel – The Book of Love

www: Peter’s official website and MySpace.

Tom has been a steadfast companion of mine for a long, long time – his self-titled 2001 release got me through a very painful time in my life, and since then, he’s always been there, like a faithful Labrador. With a great singing voice. Although if I had a Labrador with a great singing voice, I’d be rich by now. Anyway, I digress.

But I’m not a Tom McRae fanboy. After the stunning self-titled release, and a wonderfully complex and overwhelming second album (“Just Like Blood”), Tom’s not managed to repeat the impact on me. Those two albums are back-to-back listens, with never a song skipped. However, his last 3 releases, and I include “Alphabet…” in this, have a small number of wonderful tracks, but an awful lot of mediocre songs. While this bodes well for Tom’s “Best of…”, it isn’t good…

A few weeks ago, I went to see Tom play in Dublin, keeping up my 100% attendance for all Tom McRae gigs in the city. As ever, Tom was his amazingly witty self – with a wonderful self-deprecating humour, his ability to have the crowd in stitches one moment, and nearly in tears the next, is phenomenal.

As an experiment (i.e. because I hadn’t gotten round to buying the album), I went to the gig without having hear a single new song. What I heard confirmed my fears – another album of gems and rocks. But despite this, I had one revelationary moment. I love music – completely and utterly – but sometimes, it goes beyond a passion, and hurts. Actually, physically, hurts. And as Tom played “American Spirit”, I stopped moving. Stopped breathing. My chest hurt – hurt more than it had in a long time. And for five and a half minutes, I loved every agonising second.

Alongside “American Spirit”, I also give you my second standout track, “Summer of John Wayne”. What can I say – like everything Tom has ever written and released, they’re about sadness and loss and love and broken hearts and getting older and regrets, all sung in the best voice in the music business today, bar none. And he’s much better live than on CD. Yes, I know – scary.

Stood here
At the edge of the world, dear
Three wishes for you
As the tide turns

Salt water
Meets with the skies, dear
Meets with your eyes my dear
As the day dies

I’ve seen this trick before
Watch the waves write your name
On the shore

And hold your breath
There’s stills time left
Come on hold your breath
Swim with me further from the shore
Swim with me ‘til I can swim no more

She strikes up American Spirit
And a conversation about nothing
Says I’ve burned all colour and flame from
This hard ambition that once held me
But I feel love’s season shift
This heat has lost it’s grip on us

And hold your breath
There’s stills time left
Come on hold your breath
Swim with me further from the shore
Swim with me ‘til I can swim no more

And I know what you won’t say
For all this stolen time
Someone pays

Hold your breath
There’s stills time left
Come on hold your breath
Swim with me further from the shore
Swim with me ‘til I can swim no more

A summer of John Wayne
Getting older
Reel after reel
And playing old soldiers
With old wounds
You know how that feels

And a summer of searching
The underworld
An arrow in my heel
And the winding down of days
And the speeding of time won’t change

But I know you say nothing good lasts forever
Some things burn bright
But burn themselves out to embers

And these weather conversations
And small talk
Steal my hours away
And I gave away my best to strangers
Day after day
And the winding down of days
And the speeding of time won’t change

But I know you say
Nothing good lasts forever
Some things burn bright
But burn themselves out to embers

Your love is a cold, cold place my dear
The seasons change those ghosts appear
And every sound is an echo of yesterday.
And suddenly I fall through the cracks in time
And I’m standing here with your hand in mine
And I turn around to see you there’s no one there

But I know you say
Nothing good lasts forever
You will forget
But I will always remember, the time

Tom – thanks for the companionship and the pain. Now, stop faffing about and get a good full album out again.

Tom McRae – American Spirit

Tom McRae – Summer of John Wayne

www: Tom’s official website and MySpace.