Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Sept 4 - Rick Leigh / Ouri / Pizzagirl

Let me just start by saying I hate furniture shopping. I did not think I would. I thought I would love it. But I spent my weekend doing it, and now I hate it. I mainly hate it because I move in Wednesday, have only been in my apartment once during the viewing, have no dimensions for the apartment, people in Australia are lazy and only work Monday - Friday 9 - 5, even in shops and restaurants, and I have all the big bosses coming in from Germany this week for a board meeting so this is literally the worst week I could have to sit at an empty apartment for a day waiting for shit to arrive. And also, it takes forever to deliver this shit! You have to order months in advance! What the fuck! I hate this. I'm so glad the worst of it is over. At least the shopping part. Not the moving yet. And the way the week is going, it's just going to get worse. Whatever. I don't need to complain. I just need to listen to good music. Let's do that instead.

So I usually have a theme that runs through the music when I post multiple artists. It might have to do with the place I am or the style of music or just some random weird shit that makes sense in my head and my head only. But one thing I do quite often is post single songs from artists who I think only have one good song, and the rest of their music is just meh. But that one good song is really damn good, always. And that's today's theme. Sounds great here, but no need to look any further. And then what usually also happens with these songs is that I get excited about them but not excited enough to share the artist or share it too quickly so I put it off until I have like 3 random songs to share in a single blog post. And that's how we got to where we are today.

The first song is the one I've been putting off the longest, and it is from Rick Leigh. I know nothing about him because I really liked this song but when I went to listen to more I wasn't impressed so I didn't look any further. But this song Everything is beautiful. Like really, really beautiful. Somewhere between Radiohead and Patrick Watson. Now, it is his first single, and he only has one EP out, so maybe there can be more wonderful stuff like this, but for now, just listen to this song. Probably on repeat. Cause it's so damn good.





So we started out chill, and we'll pick it up a little bit, but still keep it pretty chill with the next song. The next song being Escape, by Ouri. Now, Escape is the first single for the year from Ouri, but there are also some other EPs and even an album last year. But the album is not good. And listening to the album, you would think Ouri is a producer, not a singer. But then from the images I see, it makes me think there are two Ouris? One who put out a meh album in 2017, and one who put out a great single in 2018? I have no idea.

OK. I wanted to know so I just googled it. She is a producer, but now Escape is the first single off her upcoming EP We share our blood, and it's the first time she's actually song on a track. So maybe that's what makes the difference? Anyway, her last album isn't bad, just a bit boring. But this is good. Super chill, a bit 90s, sultry and sexy. Very nice.




Now we switch directions entirely (musically, anyway) and introduce you to Pizzagirl. What a name for a band! And the song is Coffee Shop. I love coffee! And I LOVE the na na nas all through this song. So fun. So good. So much na na na. And while the last song was super 90s, now we're back into the 80s here. So basically your typical indie pop-rock. Makes me think of Nation of Language, who I introduced you to earlier this year. Anyway, there is no pizza or girls in this song. Just coffee and fun times. And it's also by far the best song on their only EP. The rest of the EP is, once again, meh. But this! So much yes! Na na na na na na na!


Monday, September 3, 2018

Sept 3 - IAN SWEET / Day Wave

I'm just gonna quickly put a couple of fun new songs here. Well, not so new anymore. The first one, and the newer one, is Hiding, the new single from IAN SWEET. I loved IAN SWEET's first album back in 2016, and now I guess they're gearing up for something new. Which is exciting!


v


And the other one is Still Let You Down, the newest single from Day Wave. Although this one is not so new anymore. It's gotta be at least a couple months old. I really like this song. Also first single from what I guess is something new coming out later this year. Anyway, both exciting! Yay! Enjoy!


Saturday, September 1, 2018

Sept 2 - Rubblebucket

It was another busy week, but this time I was social! Kind of. Monday and Friday I worked late. Like until 7 or 8. But that's fine. Cause Tuesday I met a friend of a friend who was really great and who I might see again today. And Wednesday, I saw the mutual friend. The mutual friend is this girl Maya who I know from Shanghai. We don't know each other well, she's probably closer to my sister, but we're friendly, and she's from Sydney. Specifically from the neighborhood where I've been staying. So she invited me over to her parents house for dinner on Wednesday, and it was so nice. Her parents are fantastic (so is she by the way. She's hilarious. Super weirdo. Best kind of weirdo). They made a really great tagine and cous cous dinner, and we basically just hung out for like 3 hours. It was so nice. And they're going to give me a box of stuff to use before my China stuff gets here so that I don't have to go and buy plates and cups and sheets and towels, which I already have in China. Anyway, two great nights with great people. And then Thursday was aerial yoga, which is also great.

And now it's the weekend and I'm furniture shopping. For the first time ever. I have only ever bought a coffee table from Ikea in college (which I had for a year), and a bookcase in South Africa (which I also had for a year). Otherwise, I've always had furnished places. Or lived at my parents / took their furniture to my apartment. I have no idea what I'm doing, and I spent the whole day doing it yesterday. And will again today. At least the morning. But it's coming together. And I need it all delivered Friday cause I have nothing and I need at least a couch and bed on Friday. But I'll get more.

Anyway, on to music. And today is Rubblebucket. I only found them last year, and really liked a couple of their songs. Now they have a new album out called Sun Machine, and I really like the album. The first (I think?) single, Lemonade, was a big hit on all the indie stuff I look at, and it's a pretty good track. I think the more I listen the more I like it. But apparently the most popular one, and a very good one, is Fruity. So we'll start there.




But the best track on the album, by far, is Donna. This is the sound I love Rubblebucket for. They just do a great mix of rock and pop and interesting instrumentation. This song embodies what I love about them perfectly. So good.