I know I listen to a lot of crap. Or I should say, some of what I listen to is considered crap to a lot of you. But really now, do we need to get all apeshit over Aoife (pronounced EEE-fuh) O'Donovan? I mean look at this:
I listened to half of this record and was ready for the gas pipe halfway through that half. It's not the style or genre I have a problem with. Aoife (pronounced ooo-FAH) O'Donovan has a fine voice. It's the deadly hype combo of "nothing really new" meets "greatest thing ever" that really gnaws at me. Take a listen to Aoife (pronounced ay-OFEE) O'Donovan's lead track from "Fossils," and if you dare, a few more of the tracks either on Spotify or live on YouTube and tell me just what it is I'm missing, because this can't be a "must hear record of the summer." It can't be, damnit.
P.S.
No, I am not disrespecting the beautiful Irish name.
12 comments:
Yeah, its a little to earnest for my taste. Sounds like something I would have written in high school. She's not really reinventing the open E chord or anything...
-BlakeS
She sounds a little (lot?) like Alison Krauss. Sorry...pass!
the younger gens don't have their acoustic stars yet (at least my daughter doesn't). remember the fuss over kt tunstall? then she went electric. this is the only way i can explain munford.
Sal:
Yes it sounds like a bit of over-earnest Americana in spots, but the album could get old(er) white people (NPR totebaggers) in record stores so not a bad thing. Compared to the other albums on the Rolling Stone list, this could count as alternative.
That said, there are two kinds of summer albums I gravitate towards: (1) the top down, going down the shore album/soundtrack of summer thing, and (2) the more contemplative looking at my navel on the backyard deck thing. I'm thinking an album that goes well with a cold one on summer night is worth hearing (BBQ music is an a underappreciated genre.)
Time will tell if this is a keeper or not. It's priced reasonably enough to take a shot. I like YepRoc too.
Cheers
Michael D.
I like "Lay My Burden Down". In a good way she sounds like if Nick Drake were a girl. Mixed with a little John Martyn. And not a little like Judee Sill. I think she could be for real.
I like Nick Drake. I LUUURVE John Martyn. I don't hear it. But again, it's less about Miss O'Donovan and more about the critics who seem desperate when they pile on the praise as if she was John Martyn.
"Fossils" didn't bowl me over either. But not gas pipe material for me either. Just OK.
And the new Kim Richey still hasn't caught on for me.
My go apeshit picks for recent albums by Americana female singers:
Shannon McNally's "Small Town Talk"
Carrie Rodriguez's "Give Me All You Got"
and especially, Tift Merritt's "Traveling Alone"
I need more time with the Laura Marling album.
I think she's pretty good. Again, it's the internet hype syndrome you noticed with the Alabama Shakes. Reasonably good young artists making good, not great, music, but being heralded as towering artistic giants keeping the flame.
Laura Marling is getting much the same hype right now, too. And I like her, too. It's odd to me that I'm finding female vocal artists to be among the best of what's going around with new acts these days -- think Adele, or Amy Winehouse, or even Shelby Lynne. Not my favorite genre by a longshot, but I'll take a good female vocalist like this one writing actual songs and singing in a voice that doesn't sound like a Jonathan Richman roadie trying his hand at opera any day.
Try this one on for size if her new album isn't working for you (warning, folks, not safe for work):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICIftkW3SdY
Oh, I forgot one: Kacey Musgraves.
I was lucky to hear "Same Trailer, Different Park" before I heard any hype and I loved it (the album, not the hype).
Maybe I'm alone on this one...
Lol
Hmm, she sounds reasonably American and it has a '60's sound. The American's like that. I don't dislike it but wouldn't go out and buy it or download it and play it.
I to am anonymous.
OK. Nothing to see here, move on. I blame Crooked Still for bringing us this genre (they also did "Lay my burden..." - delicate and insubstanial vocals over "traditional" acoustic sounds. They did it (fairly) well, but it now seems to be slavishly copied. Leave this one in the sleeve and straight to the remainder bin. Do not pass Go etc...
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