take a trip to mexico...

I just wanted to share some other lovely things I've been listening to lately, namely the lovely Staves sisters, each gifted with beautiful voices, and beautiful minimalist arrangements of guitar and vocals.  I won't say too much more, because I really don't rate my chances as a music journalist, but it's really lovely music that is soft and subtle, and conducive to daydreaming and making plans, and I'm thrilled to be going to see them at Bristol's Thekla in November.  This one is my favourite.

Another lady well, well worth checking out is the beautiful Rachel Sermanni, who I'm absolutely devastated to be missing at Bristol's Thekla next month!  I have become a bit smitten with this Scottish singer (and her supreme songwriting abilities) who totally charmed everyone with her brilliance when I saw her support Fink in February.  I think she creates wonderful imagery with her lyrics, and the movement in her songs.  In particular, I would recommend listening to Song for a Fox and Eggshells.  But they're all brilliant.

Finally, I'm sort of beating myself up a little bit for not snapping up the opportunity to see Gemma Hayes, an old favourite of mine and a real inspiration, when she was in Bristol (and Bath!) a few months ago (please come back, Gemma?).  This woman has talent and beauty in abundance, and I can't get enough of this song.

I'm on the hunt for some new tunes, so if anyone has any recommendations, I'd be very grateful for a comment below!

notes from the treehouse

I've really fallen for this album since producing an entry for the Creative Allies Alessi's Ark CD cover design contest.  For whatever reason, I've not been privy to 

Unbeknown to me, there were a couple of Alessi's Ark songs on the playlist in a shop that I used to work in (in a job that I didn't particularly enjoy), that used to play in a continual loop for however many hours you'd been assigned to work for the day, and at the time I think that tarnished my enjoyment of the songs.  But then this competition sprung up, and I remembered that a friend of a boyfriend used to drum for a band named Alessi's Ark, and the competition sounded like a lot of fun, so I took the opportunity to really engage with the music.  And what enchanting music it is.  I'm a bit in love with Alessi's ability to craft a lyric, and conjure a sort of magical atmosphere that embodies the band's songs and their beautiful narrative style.  That's what I hoped to achieve with this pictorial response to Notes from the Treehouse, and I hope that it does that, even slightly.

I've since picked up a copy of their Time Travel album, which has some real gems on it too!

I've added a few new things, and a few well-overdue things to my website of late, including this EP cover that I designed for the lovely folks in Wiltshire band The Penny Red, who recently celebrated the launch of 'Where Butterflies Dance'. Investigate at your peril, their songs will get firmly lodged in your head (I mean this in a very nice way, of course)!


More to follow!  Working on some exciting things at the moment!

P.s. I've done a bit of post-spring cleaning!  What do you think of the new blog decor?

mistaking clouds for mountains

Yesterday I snuck out of the house with Jon to see Andrew Bird and his clever musician friends huddle around a microphone and perform beautiful 'old-timer tunes' in my local record shop.  Front row seats (of the cross-legged on the floor variety.  The best variety).