Mumford and Sons are the brazen and bold!

Mumford and Sons was born out of the London underground folk scene that surged up from across the pond a couple of years ago. The folk quartet started playing together in 2007 and quickly bonded over a love of rootsy music, romance, and honest lyrics. The toothsome sound really is something to sink your ears and your heart into. It’s easy to get caught up in the rapture of the strumming banjo and four-part harmonies, but don’t miss the heartfelt and brazen lyrics.

Marcus Mumford on lead vocals presents an incredibly raw and distinctive sound that is matched perfectly by the sincere rich sound of the band. Made up of Country Winston (vocals, banjo, dobro), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboards, accordion), and Ted Dwane (vocals, double bass). It is impossible to sit still while listening to Mumford and Sons debut album “Sigh No More” released February 2010. At very least my toes are tapping incessantly and usually my body follows suit shortly after with good old fashioned English folk music.



The song “The Cave” ruminates with hope and wonder while it eloquently displays a transformation in three and a half minutes with lyrics like “I’ll find strength in pain and I will change my ways…” Each song tells a story that feels as if it could have been pulled from any of our lives creating a universal bond amongst listeners. With songs like “Little Lion Man” that possesses an intensely guttural chorus “It was not your fault, but mine and it was your heart on the line. I really f***ed it up this time, didn’t I my dear.” Anyone who has ever been in a relationship knows exactly what that feels like. I’m looking forward to the future of Mumford and Sons and definitely excited about seeing them at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood on June 4.

The xx have made their mark!

Until just recently, The xx was a four piece band consisting of Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, Jamie Smith and keyboardist Baria Qureshi who only just left the band citing exhaustion as the reason for her departure. They formed a band in 2005 in Wandsworth, south west London, when the four met at Elliott School. Romy and Oliver, lead vocalists, have known each other since they were 3-years-old and started creating music together at 15-years-old. The female vocals and guitar are delicately delivered by Romy with Oliver pouring deep vocals and bass in for the balance. Jamie is the master beat maker on the MPC and he is absolutely brilliant to watch live. Some people say beat machines have no soul, but arguably Jamie truly does bring The xx songs to life.

Croft and Sim’s voices are like crushed velvet and cashmere together while they envelope and caress you with each word. And slow driving bass lines that drip into your ears like warm honey. The backbone is in the MPC with the beats cleverly arranged to give a little toe tap. I close my eyes and listen to her and then to him and get a warm fuzzy feeling that pours through my entire body. The breakdowns and the build ups lead into a full sonic island of melodic sound. The lyrics that sound like something Thom Yorke may have written in his journal when he was 19. On the song Crystalised lyrics like “…I’ll forgive and forget before I’m paralyzed…” hook straight into a dark place that exists in all of us. Helping us find and heal some buried hurt from a long lost love ages ago with each tender tone. Each song leads perfectly into the next for a body shaking ear-gasm.



The xx songs are brooding and mellow with some introspective rhythms. There is a modern goth feeling that oozes from this band while they don all black attire and new wave haircuts. If you could imagine New Order and The Pixies having a baby band…this would be it! Their debut album, xx, was released on Young Turks Records on 17 August 2009 and ranked #9 on Rolling Stones “best of the year” list. They have quickly become one of my favorites and I know I’m not the only one who can’t get enough of The xx from the looks of their healthy tour schedule. They will be at Coachella on April 17, 2010 so if you get the chance, catch this British wave of electro-goth goodness.

3 countries, 2 weeks, 1 Porkchop!

Hey guys,
So I haven't written anything on here for quite some time, but a lot has happened in the last few months. I returned a few weeks ago, reluctantly, from my summer holiday in Barcelona, Paris, and London. Having spent a week in Barcelona and 3 days in both Paris and London.

Barcelona:
A small apartment situated right in the heart of Las Ramblas about 2 blocks away from the port of Barcelona. My feet found new and interesting ways to feel pain. We walked everywhere in this city. Park Guell, Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo, the beach, payaya, tapas, fanta, and beautiful smiling faces. This city breathes in the summer, alive in a way that feels electric. I would sleep just enough to have energy for the next day, but not much. I was up till 4, 5, 6am most nights or mornings! Seeing many old friends along the way and making wonderful new ones.

The marketplaces have the best fruit in the world. Figs, grapes, saturn peaches....everything mouth-watering. Even the kisses tasted sweeter in Barcelona. The air was thick and ripe with adventure, ready for the taking. I could see myself living in a city like Barcelona, all I have to do is learn to speak Spanish...details. A beautiful Maltese man took an emotional hole-puncher to my heart while I was there. There are small dots of me scattered throughout the city in Las Ramblas, Barceloneta, Liceu, Casanova, El Maresme, my apartment. I came home feeling like I was missing something...like I had left something behind. My soul feeling enriched with the memories and experiences shared with my friends in Barcelona.





Paris:
Travis and I boarded an easyjet plane to Paris from Barcelona after a late night at an unreasonable hour in the morning. The plane was cramped and small, but a cheap flight none the less. I caught about and hour of sleep on the plane ride over, thank god. We arrived about noon and caught a bus to a train to the west bank and then walked a few blocks to our hotel, Villa Glamour. Both starving, we found the nearest bakery to procure crepes STAT! I had a ham and cheese crepe with an egg on top and a lemon tart to finish.

The pastries in Paris are seriously the best ever. Following a much needed nap, we went out on the town with some friends and made our way to the Champs Elysees for a stroll. The Catacombs and a local graffiti exhibit were on the agenda for the next day. Seriously creepy down in the depths of the earth where the catacombs lie, but morbidly beautiful in a strange way. The kind of place that makes you realize your mortality and appreciate life all in one fell swoop. A famous ossuary deep beneath ground level in Paris due to city growth and generations of dead that began to overwhelm the city in the late 17th century.

Something to lift our spirits was definitely in order following the catacombs. So we headed over to “Ne dans la rue – Born in the streets” graffit exhibit at Fondation Cartier. Being a huge fan of graffiti and street art myself, this exhibit really tickled me. Large installations inside, a history and tools of the trade section, and live graffiti being done outside on temporary walls posted up for the show.

Another nap and then we were up and out again. After dinner we had a slight desire to go dancing, but there was no good house music to be found in the city. We went to watch the Eiffel Tower light show and called it a night with an early morning at the Pompidou ahead of us.

We had only a few hours at the Pompidou Center before I caught a train through the Chunnel to London. I really wish I had more time in Paris, but I guess that just means I'll have to go back soon!

London:
The train pulled into St. Pancreas at about 4:30pm. Made my way to the Northern Line and up to Camden Highstreet where my hostel was located. Check into the hostel and dropped off my things before going to the 99pence store to grab an umbrella and some shampoo & conditioner. Then I met up with some friends for dinner in Hampstead, fish & chips w/ peas. I went to bed early that night having been exhausted from traveling and with the hope of a full day ahead. I woke up early, got ready for the day, and set out on foot. Took the train down to Piccadilly Circus and wondered around from there. Made my way over to Pall Mall and walked down to the Grand Jubilee Bridges and across the river Thames to Waterloo Pier.

Then I went back to the statue of Cupid in Piccadilly Circus to meet up with my friend Leigh. We grabbed lunch and ate in So Ho Square followed by some shopping. Top Shop in London is absolutely divine! We made our way over to St. James Park, Green Park, and Buckingham Palace after that. Later that night I met up with some friends at a wonderful Greek restaurant and then went out on the town. The next day I went shopping in Camden Locke half the day. It's a wonderful maze of undergorund tunnels turned into little independent retailers and food stalls. Just brilliant! After I peeled myself out of there and avoided a flash rainstorm, I hoped on the tube and made my way down to the Tate Modern museum. Modern art makes me want to ROCK OUT!!! They had a RAD manga exhibit featuring some animae from Ghost In The Shell. Met some friends at a BBQ joint near Tottenham Court Road and then we went out for coffee in So Ho. I went home somewhat early that night knowing that I would have to take the tube at 6am to the airport and I wanted to give myself ample time and enough rest.

I made it to the airport in the morning safely and started the process of slowly realizing my vacation was almost over. The flight home was comfortable, but I was very sad. Like I had ended a relationship with the 3 cities I visited and felt as if I would never see them the same way again. I became very attached, especially to Barcelona. And when would I see all of the deliciously beautiful people I had met on this trip again? Would I ever see them again? My heart and mind were raught with strange ideas and feelings of separation while I was headed...home? I am glad to be back now, but I do miss it terribly...especially Barcelona. I plan to go back, I don't know when, but I do know I will be back in Europe again.