One of the biggest criticisms of new music blogs is their hype-laden over-eagerness to post about particular acts, until the latest new thing in town comes along and they drop their previous loves like stones into water, never to be written about again. It’s the bloggers version of humping and dumping, quite possibly because it’s the only chance they get to do it; after all they’re too busy staring at their laptops to actually have real sex.
Yet as anyone who is passionate about music and writes about it will know, this criticism is part of the inevitable connection that you develop. Not with your laptop we should add (although that’s quite big) but with songs. Music is all about relationships. Sometimes it’s a lustful, drunk, energy charged one-night stand that’s never going to work out, but you’re going to do it anyway. The conversation around pop music can’t always be thoughtful and long lasting, particularly when its just about one or two songs. Sometimes the heart has to rule.
So today here’s an artist that we could have been easily criticised of getting into bed with once and then leaving amongst the crumpled sheets having nothing to do with her ever again. The Welsh singer and harpist Georgia Ruth featured as a New Wave way back in May 2010, but today we’re reviving those old connections as she has a new 10” vinyl EP titled In Luna due on the 20th February. Recorded in Snowdonia, we’re streaming Through Your Hands from the EP, which certainly isn’t deserving of a one off dirty romp under the (musical) sheets. This is a much more absorbing affair with Georgia’s exquisite vocal, the brush of drums and the delicate sound of harp creating a soothing intimate backdrop. The tune is of course about love. “You cannot love unless it’s slipping through your hands,” she sings.
A sophisticated song with perfectly pitched emotional resonance, this time we promise we won’t rush off and forget about Georgia Ruth.
Georgia Ruth - Through Your Hands
Georgia Ruth - Through Your Hands
As a seemingly guilty music blogger I feel I must point out that just because we don't keep on writing about an artist doesn't mean we're not listening to them, (and continuing the relationship), offline.
ReplyDeleteMonikers that we attach to artists, such as 'next best thing' or 'new favourite band' may seem temporary to the point of being flippant, but that's because, well, they're by their very nature temporary and flippant monikers.
If the online world slowed down even one iota then I'd probably fall off, but offline I'm happy to take all the time in the world to digest and fall in love with someone's music.
...much of which you cover on your yummy blog by the way...x
True point
ReplyDeleteHowever I will hold my hand up to having sexy one night stands with some artists (musically) and then quickly forgetting about them. It's important to do this for me, particularly with pop music because being sexy is the job of pop music.
As the conveyorbelt of new music continues to flow for those of us who have other things to do in our lives (ie most of us), somewhere a balance of new stuff and old stuff has to be found. As more new stuff becomes old stuff its inevitable that sometimes we forget / dispose of / dump some of it - there simply isn't the time to consume it all.
My point is bloggers may be accused of humping and dumping with high claims about new favourite bands, but that's the very nature of listening to, writing about and getting excited about music.
Wouldn't it be dull if every blog you (or I) posted stated "Here's another average song that's just OK"
So I think what I'm trying to say Mike is we're not guilty - even if we never listen to a particular artist ever again !
I guess if the music is good enough then you return to it time and again. Just like an enjoyable one-night stand may well become a two-night stand.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, there's plenty of music you could say I'm virtually married to from over the years. At least in music you can enjoy a multitude of affairs without any hint of guilt.
Yep exactly
ReplyDelete