The Underground of Happiness

The human voice. Singers. Vocalists. Solo. In groups. Harmonies. Dissonance. A capella. Sotto voce. Screeches. Swoops. Croons. Devotional. An attack. A glide. A growl. A swoon. A yearning. Jazz. Blues. Folk. Pop. Psych. Electro. Classical. Doo Wop. Whatever. Sometimes the simple effect of massed voices. Sometimes singing just for the joy of it. Sometimes a voice not technically great but still with something great about it. Intonations are involved too. Maybe not even words. A voice below the brain. Giving breath to feelings. Backing vocals. Sometimes so crucial and innovative they are the true heart of a song. Backing vocals that don’t deserve to be called backing. Some of my favourite singers and vocal arrangements and performances. Enjoy. ************************************************** Playlist Cocteau Twins – Cherry coloured funk (4AD) Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares – Pilentzee Pee (4AD) Julianna Barwick – The magic place (Asthmat...

******************************************************************************************************** Bill MacKay & Ryley Walker – Spider Beetlebee (Drag City) Beautiful album of bright and bracing guitar instrumentals from this Chicago duo collaboration. The range of styles spanned over the course of just half an hour is a clue to the open mindedness and sense of adventure of both musicians. There’s a real sense of the shared joy in playing about the whole piece. A gorgeous miniature body of work and in many ways perfect music for this time of year. SpiderBeetleBee by Bill MacKay & Ryley Walker Laura Cannell – Lines of copper gold (Brawl Records) Bracing is also a word to describe this blast of overbowed fiddle from Laura Cannell of East Anglia recorded in a semi ruined church from her current album Hunter Huntress Hawker . Call it early music. Improvised. Experimental. It is primal and it is stirring. It feels essential. HUNTER HUN...

A few themes in this week’s show. Female folk artists. Bedouine , bringing a great soulful touch (and a Middle Eastern tinge if you listen closely) to a sound reminiscient of 60’s folk pop. Lean Year , a male-female duo in fact, but a psychedelic swirl of intrigue amidst hushed melodies. Something cosmic. Colleen , using a Moog to convey the universe, gorgeously. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith , using a Buchla Music Easel to create brilliantly light and playful electronic tunes. And Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra , a genius orchestra with swing or is it jazz sound. More on these pages. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Twitter: UndergroundOfHappy Playlist 460 Tues Sept 19 2017 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) UCC 98.3FM listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/983fm *listen back to this show here goo.gl/G8Wrvx Playlist...

Standing room only in the back of Coughlan’s Thursday. James Yorkston wearing a cap. Jon Thorne in bare feet. Suhail Khan with a ponytail. A joyous occasion even if plenty of sorrowful songs. Some things that happened. The furious blues conjured with an acoustic guitar a double bass and a sarangi. The sarangi a blur of fingers and a keening yearning tone to it you sometimes get from a steel guitar or some other times from a fiddle. Suhail’s feet tucked under him with the sarangi in his lap perched on a table covered with a rug. James’ cheeky way with a wisecrack. (“Thanks to Christy Moore for playing support earlier. And Paul Brady.”) Jon’s laconic way with a wisecrack. (“Remember when The Beatles were so high that they let Ringo sing” as he took the guitar off James to sing.) Suhail’s earnest boyish quality. James’ mischievous boyish quality. Jon’s stand up routine. “I first met Suhail on the set of a Star Trek movie. The Wrath of Khan.” Su...

A second brilliant album of east west exchanges... ...featuring Indian sarangi on the one hand and reverberating British folk drones on the other. And the mesmerising voice of Suhail Khan swinging and twirling with carefree abandon. It’s a heady mix. I particularly love the loose baggy double bass of Jon Thorne a lovely down to earth quality to balance the poise and elegance of the sarangi. Stirring stuff.

Touring season approaches so quite a few bands on the show this week playing live soon. Daniel Knox , part of Quarter Block Party in Cork in early February August Wells , Irish tour in Feb This is the Kit & Giant Sand , both in Cork in April Yorkston Thorne Khan , part of the Field Day Festival line up in June. Great new music from Astronauts , so good to hear from them again; also Nap Eyes , songs to get under your skin. And The Altered Hours (pictured), launching their long-awaited debut album this week in Cork, after which they tour the known universe. More on these pages as always. Jan 26 2016 w/ Altered Hours, Tame Impala, Moodoid, Daniel Knox, August Wells, Astronauts++ by The Underground Of Happiness on Mixcloud The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Twitter: UndergroundOfHappy Playlist 386 Tues Jan 26 2016 11.00am-12.00pm (rep...

A fantastic musical curio taking in naive pop, folk, jazz and Indian classical music. The song is written by the great Scottish songwriter Ivor Cutler , the band is James Yorkston , renowned Scottish folk musician, double bass player Jon Thorne and Indian classical singer and sarangi player Suhail Khan . They make something lithe and supple and swoonsome. Irish singer Lisa O’Neill , someone whose own work I personally haven’t dug up to now, adds a lovely dual vocal turn. I’m sitting here on the top of the world with my little black buzzer beside me My bum is cold and my face is white and this is my message to you as a bass pulse dots the backdrop and assorted drones (sarangi, nyckelharpa?) swoop and slide. Later Khan’s devotional singing just crowns it, a beautiful percussive instrument against the drones. It's a sweet and lovely thing which takes the charming strangeness of the original and turns it into something ancient sounding.

The first show of 2016 had some great new music from Tortoise , luscious shifting grooves from their new album The catastrophist Noveller , more epic soundscapes from one guitar, new album No dreams Josephine Foster , characterful vocal troubador songs, new album No more lamps in the morning . And some further fond memories from 2015 in the shape of Daniel Knox , endearing cabaret bounce Rozi Plain , beautiful kosmische type folk, both playing Cork's Quarter Block Party in February. And Lee Hazlewood from 1966, taking a leaf from Morricone, with massed vocals and bending strings...marvellous. More on these pages - check the Best of 2015 posts for more detail on my favourite music of last year. Jan 5 2016 w/ Tortoise, Noveller, Rajasthan Express, Josephine Foster, The Drink, Daniel Knox ++ by The Underground Of Happiness on Mixcloud The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com ww...

There’s one kind of thing where artists favour the avant garde while making nods in the direction of pop music. There’s another kind of thing where artists make pop music (and even better, avowedly) with the fringes teased by avant gardery. The last Julia Holter album, Loud City Song , seemed to me to have the aloofness of the former, some great moments but ultimately standoffish. This new album has patented an engaging brand of mutated showtunes, of which this single is a fantastic example. There’s mouth whistling, crazy but relatable sax solos, synth string arpeggios and a lovely endearing vocal melody. There’s a distinct warmth to it but still an intriguing strangeness. It is (avowedly) pop music gone weird and don’t you just love it.

This week's show seems to have become a compilation of recent favourites, so more from: Robert Forster , in sweltering ballad form The Chills , belting out wonderful big-hearted pop songs with ringing guitars Julia Holter , drifting gossamer-light enigmas Blank Realm , no views, no wave, no shortage of storming psych pop Laura Cannell , ancient timeless folk strains. Also great new tune from Owensie with help from Conor (Villagers) O'Brien on backing vox. And Kevin Murphy , likewise back with more top drawer folk soul songwriting. More on these pages. Oct 13 2015 w/ Deerhunter,Kevin Murphy,Julia Holter,The Chills,Laura Cannell,Darren Hayman++ by The Underground Of Happiness on Mixcloud The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Twitter: UndergroundOfHappy Playlist 373 Tues Oct 13 2015 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) UCC 9...

A few nice pairings in this week's show. Robert Forster - "my soup-stained vest, my critical eye" Bob Dylan - "God said to Abraham, give me a son, Abe said, God you gotta be puttin me on" Joanna Newsom with leaping folk singing and a stirring medieval undertow Julia Holter crashing brilliantly through the naff barrier with delicate singing and unashamed sax solos Leo Abrahams going to town on Brian Eno, who sings guest Brian Eno going to town on 70s pop music Sun Ra going to the future. More on these pages. Sept 29 2015 w/ Robert Forster,Bob Dylan,Joanna Newsom,Julia Holter,Sun Ra,Leo Abrahams,Leaf Library by The Underground Of Happiness on Mixcloud The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Twitter: UndergroundOfHappy Playlist 371 Tues Sept 29 2015 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) UCC 98.3FM listen ...

An edgy synth arpeggio, woolly pitter patter bass and a genuine female croon. There’s a very 80s feel, presumably deliberate, perhaps to call up the paranoia and disenchantment of that decade. And despite the singalong chorus with a wash of comforting harmonies to soften the blow, there’s plenty of that here. Time will turn the tide It’s a far cry from the motorik insistence of the last album but in its own way just as insidiously intriguing and catchy as fuck.

A few more of the Best of 2014 bunch this week. A Lazarus Soul, Sean Nicholas Savage, Twerps, AWVFTS & Golden Retriever , all great music, find the full 4-part round up elsewhere on these pages. We also had new music from Nathalie Prass whose upcoming debut album is receiving much critical love, and rightly so - she also plays Whelan's in Dublin at the end of January. And Myles Manley , continuing his ongoing conversation with his public quite brilliantly with 'Pay me what I'm worth'. Robert Pollard (GBV) is going under Ricked Wicky for a new album on Fire Records , going back to his Who rots which sounds great. Lubomyr Melnyk plays two Irish shows this month. And The Go Betweens , the subject of a major new Domino box set reissue this month, with their lost treasure of a classic 'Karen' from 1978. Jan 13 2015 w/ Best of 2014 AWVFTS,Sean NIcholas Savage,Twerps + Nathalie Prass,Myles Manley++ by The Underground Of Happiness on Mixcloud...

It's a happy day when new Dirty Projectors music becomes available. Gun has no trigger is from their forthcoming Swing Lo Magellan album on Domino and it takes up where they left off with their sublime Mount Wittenberg Orca collaboration with Bjork (more on that here ). Once again, the so sweet vocals of Angel, Amber and Hayley (not stacked this time, favouring the seeming convention of sustained harmony) will ring in your ears long after the song has ended.

As a quick follow-up to the recent news about the physical release of Dirty Projectors + Bjork's Mount Wittenberg Orca by Domino - we also mentioned the Dirty Projectors vocal technique , if you remember - there's a listening link now for one of the tracks so you can get the full benefit of hi-fi. It is the glorious On and ever onward and happens to be one of the best examples on the record of that distinctive, staggered or stacked, vocal technique (works best with headphones, I find). Can I recommend you take 10 minutes and 5 seconds out of your day, sit back and listen to it five times in a row. Dirty Projectors + Björk - On and Ever Onward by DominoRecordCo *I must add this, from the Domino press release - The Projectors women Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian and Haley Dekle somehow bring the sexy back to 3-part melismatic contrapuntal organum. I couldn't agree more!

As an add-on to yesterday's post about the physical release of Mount Wittenberg Orca by Dirty Projectors & Bjork on Domino Records , here's a great piece of video - part interview, part workshop - of David Longstreth discussing, and Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian demonstrating, the vocal techniques at play on Mount Wittenberg Orca , as well as DP's previous album Bitte Orca . Go straight to about 7 minutes in to hear the women do their thing. It's a little bit staggering.

More good news. One of my favourite releases of last year is finally getting the physical treatment on Domino . Details here . This is what I thought of it at the time. Dirty Projectors + Bjork - Mount Wittenberg Orca (http://www.mountwittenbergorca.com/, donation download) Stunning collaboration with proceeds to the National Geographic Society project to create international marine protected areas (payment is by donation), and recorded live, for the most part, in The Rare Book Room bookshop in New York . David Longstreth informs that the idea stemmed from a whale sighting by DP's Amber Coffman from a ridge in California (Mount Wittenberg). Bjork sings the part of the mother whale, Amber, Angel Deradoorian and Haley Dekle the kid whales and Mr Longstreth the part of Amber (!). Overall sound a little reminiscient of Ennio Morricone in places (which we love around here) - the glorious build-up of closer All we are , for example, with its vocal stylings and counterpoints (only a ...