#laura mvula

[rexwrendraws]

safe passage

#laura mvula #rex draws #some quote unquote color studies #doing “”studies“” of concert photography/performances is probably still my favorite thing to do of all time the lighting is always gorgeous #pink noise

[confessionsofabargainbinaddict]

My Favorite Albums of 2023*

*not necessarily from 2023

Last year, I decided that, instead of limiting my "favorite" list to just the past year, I would broaden the scope to include any CD I acquired that year, whether it was released that year or not. Over the past 12 months, I've added 155 CDs to the already over-burdened collection (which may seem like a lot but it's down from 260 last year, so I believe some praise is due). These are my favorite 9, in alphabetical order by album title.

Foo Fighters - But Here We Are

"Times Like These," whether he intended it to be or not, was one of the very few, great post-9/11 songs. And while I might expect that from Springsteen, Grohl didn't immediately spring to mind as a voice of comfort and empathy, so the song's impact may have actually been a bit greater than something akin to "The Rising" (which, don't get me wrong, is an amazing song). And now, a couple decades later, it shouldn't be surprising that a Foo Fighters album dealing with intense and intimate grief would also be stunning, but, like before, I certainly wasn't expecting it and also, like before, I've turned to it a hell of a lot more than I would have thought.

Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You

You know those albums where you really like a bunch of the songs but not all of them but you also know that, with each repeated listen, you're going to find ways into the songs you didn't like as much on previous listens and come up with reasons why you actually do like those songs and therefore, think the entire album is brilliant? Yeah, this is one of those albums.

billy woods and kenny segal - maps

Let me preface this by saying that I am years late to the billy woods party, so I do not have any way of comparing this to his previous, abundant discography, but if it is at all indicative of the rest of his work, I have some major catching up to do! woods is a top notch lyricist with a clear love of language and the ways in which it can be structured. His metaphors and imagery are complex and layered but never so obtuse that they alienate the listener. And all of this verbal brilliance is nestled comfortably on segal's inviting but never settled production. I'll come back to this one often.

Stevie Wonder - Original Musiquarium I

I'm not normally a fan of "best of" compilations but this one, with the addition of the four unreleased tracks capping each "side," is so well put together and clearly thought through, I'm thrilled to have it as a part of my collection. Plus, it's really hard to ever go wrong with Stevie.

Laura Mvula - Pink Noise

Roughly 5 years ago, I heard "She," and was blown away. I added Sing to the Moon to my discogs want list but never got around to snagging a copy. About 3 years ago, I heard "Got Me" and decided to be a bit more active in trying to acquire a copy of Pink Noise, but I think there were some transatlantic issues because nothing seemed to be remotely affordable. Fast forward to midway through this year, the album miraculously pops up on Amazon for under 10 bucks and a day or two later, I'm finally blessed with these 10 fiercely intelligent yet uncompromisingly catchy pop bangers.

Pool Kids - Pool Kids

It's mathy, it's tappy, it's stupidly technical, but if you strip that all away, at its heart, these are 12 solid pop-punk/emo songs. So while the base effort is already worthwhile, the tremendous musicality turns them into something truly special.

Atmosphere - Sad Clown Bad Fall 10

Okay, so it's only 5 tracks but hear me out. I was introduced to Slug and Ant through their brief stint with Epitaph Records and their, imho, brilliant album, Seven's Travels. Over the years, I've picked up an Atmosphere album here and there, but my takeaways have been lackluster and I started to wonder whether they were just a one-off in my book. And then I found this at a used record store in Seattle, and it not only reignited the flame but made me want to revisit the rest of my collection. That's pretty impressive for only 16 minutes of music.

Triple Fast Action - Triple Fast Action

Triple Fast Action were probably the favorite band your favorite 90's alt-rock band (The Colour and the Shape was, apparently, greatly influenced by Broadcaster) and with only two albums to their name, it was a wonderful surprise to discover this treasure trove of unreleased and rare tracks, most of which were recorded in their rehearsal studio. While not everything is great, there's a general bittersweet air hovering around this 2-disc compilation - they could have been big, but for whatever reason, the stars didn't align. At least we now have so much more music.

Ratboys - The Window

Ratboys aren't reinventing the wheel here. They pull upon most of the major indie rock tropes of the past couple of years (Americana, pop-punk, prog rock...) but even with the genre hopping, the album shifts seamlessly from track to track and always feels authentic. What would we do with a new wheel anyway? Wouldn't you rather just get the top-of-the-line version?

Other assorted 2023 stuff

Favorite Albums NOT acquired in 2023:

Proper. - The Great American Novel

Tigers Jaw - I Don't Care How You Remember Me

Elvis Costello - Brutal Youth

Face to Face - Face to Face

Florence + The Machine - High As Hope

Beauty Pill - The Unsustainable Lifestyle

Favorite Live Bands seen in 2023:

The Verve Pipe (City Winery - 4/23)

Home Is Where (Elsewhere - 7/8)

Four Year Strong (Rocks Off Concert Cruise - 10/15)

The Hold Steady (Brooklyn Bowl - 11/30)

Favorite Movies watched in 2023:

Soft and Quiet

Poor Things

Shotgun Wedding

Pearl

Favorite TV Shows watched in 2023:

Alice in Borderland (Season 1)

The Fall of the House of Usher

The Curse

This is Pop

Channel Zero (Seasons 1 and 2)

Evil (Seasons 1 and 2)

The Last of Us

Favorite Books read in 2023:

Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry

In the Dream House - Carmen Maria Machado

Wraith - Joe Hill and Charles Paul Wilson III

Favorite Podcasts listened to in 2023:

Fearful Symmetry

Love and Radio

Detoxcity

U Springing Springsteen on My Bean?

"Finn and the Bell" episode of Radiolab

"Wake" episode of The Memory Palace

#2023 #favorites #foo fighters #caroline polachek #billy woods #kenny segal #stevie wonder #laura mvula #pool kids #atmosphere #triple fast action #ratboys #proper. #tigers jaw #elvis costello #face to face #florence and the machine #beauty pill #the verve pipe #home is where #four year strong #the hold steady #cds #cd collector #cd collection #subjective #subjectivity

[stimtickle]

“How can you dance with the devil on your back?”

#laura mvula #church girl #chilled remix #vibe rn

[anthruser]

Show Me Love by Laura Mvula goes so hard y'all, shameless has a shit ton of good tracks but this is the most ethereal song in the whole show. Like it's, it's fucking crazy. The vocals ooze through my neurons and veins UGH what a song. I love it so much.

I wanna rewatch shameless again after college finally ends this semester and talk about it endlessly cause it's a horrid hyper fixation at this point. Anyway, that song is beautiful and I personally wanna interview the master behind the music department about their choice of this song, how they found it, and everything.

UGH! ITS SO GOOD YOU GUYS.

#shameless soundtrack #shameless tv #shameless #shameless us #show me love #laura mvula #season 7

[ifreakingloveroyals]

11 March 2014 | Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall chats to singer Laura Mvula at a pre-dinner reception hosted by the Royal Commonwealth Society for Commonwealth High Commisioners at St James's Palace in London, England. (c) Chris Jackson-WPA Pool/Getty Images

#Laura Mvula #Camilla #Duchess of Cornwall #Queen Camilla #Britain #2014 #Chris Jackson #WPA Pool #Getty Images

[nawolff]

😍

#Alex wolff #alex wolff’s instagram #laura mvula #rozzi #july 10th

[avoidantrecovery]

#laura mvula #before the dawn #radio #Spotify

[denimbex1986]

I absolutely loved the Peaky Blinders Rambert & Laura Mvula segment of the Commonwealth Games 2022 Closing Ceremony! Even more excited to see 'The Redemption of Thomas Shelby' in March now…

#Peaky Blinders #Rambert Dance #Laura Mvula #Commonwealth Games 2022 #Birmingham #Closing Ceremony

[thetalee]

Laura Mvula - That’s Alright

I will never be what you want And that's alright

#laura mvula #music #music monday

[cacaitos]

#music #buika #santana #laura mvula #mymusic

[iamcrystalised]

#Laura Mvula #Pink Noise #Pop

[strictlycomedancers]

Tina Turner tribute by the pros ft. singing by Beverley Knight, Fleur East and Laura Mvula | Week 2 Results Show

#beverly knight #fleur east #laura mvula #strictly come dancing #scd 2023 #pros #week 2 #results #Youtube

[virgovirgo]

#m #music #laura mvula #is there anybody out there?

[breaktheicemp3]

#music #laura mvula #Spotify

[oneawkwardcookie]

Take me outside, sit in the green garden Nobody out there, but it’s okay now Bathe in the sunlight, don't mind if rain falls Take me outside, sit in the green garden I'll go wherever you go Wherever you take me, I'll go I'll go wherever you go Wherever you take me, I'll go

#music #laura mvula #green garden #my 911 soundtrack #i'm still listening to all my music with the thought in my mind about what will be the 518 ending song #laura mvula is so good! #op #Spotify

[denimbex1986]

‘...In a tribute to one of Birmingham’s major exports of the past decade, the closing ceremony will feature a sequence from the much-anticipated theatre show Peaky Blinders: The Redemption Of Thomas Shelby.

British singer Mvula will give a special performance of a newly commissioned track inspired by Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand, the TV series’ theme song.

Written and adapted for the stage by the show’s creator Steven Knight, the theatre production will receive its world premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome on September 27 as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival...

Singer Laura Mvula said the dance element of her Peaky Blinders-inspired performance at the 2022 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in Birmingham on Monday night will be "sexy and dark but joyous."

She will give a special performance of a newly commissioned track inspired by Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand, the theme to the TV series and featuring a sequence from the much-anticipated theatre show Peaky Blinders: The Redemption Of Thomas Shelby.

Mvula said: "Between the Peaky team and Rambert dance company, they asked me to compose a Peaky Blinders-inspired song drawing on Nick Cave’s theme.

"For me, that is right up my street as a project. All the elements are everything that I care about – Peaky, Nick Cave, doing my own thing.

"I’ve loved every minute of it and the dance element is just incredible. Those dancers are just super. It’s something special to watch. It’s so sexy and dark but joyous. Everything you want to see from a performance.

"I’m really excited. I can’t wait to see the final thing, because we have been working on it for so long. Now it’s finally going to get its big moment."...’

#Commonwealth Games 2022 #Birmingham #Peaky Blinders #Steven Knight #The Redemption of Thomas Shelby #Rambert Dance #Laura Mvula