...a music recommendation blog run by d where she and her friends can recommend a song, album or artist regardless of genre or newness. some of our contributors are musicians, some write about music on their own excellent sites (see links above) and some just like to recommend, grammar be damned!
because we are sloppy, please email us if there is a link issue or error.
if you would like to submit a cd for review, please contact us at our email address.
LABELS TAKE NOTE: ALL MP3s ARE AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY. IF YOU WOULD LIKE AN MP3 REMOVED FROM SOFT COMMUNICATION, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE EMAIL BELOW AND WE WILL TAKE IT DOWN IMMEDIATELY.
one day soft communication will be a more polished operation but until then, we are casually dressed.
contact
softcommunication at gmail dot com
12.19.2006
Nothing can stand in our way
LATE EDITION NOTE: Today an anonymous reader pointed out that I don't know my right from my left and had tagged the photos below incorrectly. To all of you who were confused and thought that the bass player in Bell's name was Olga or that Marina from The Ballet's name was Greg, my apologies. It's fixed now!
Also, if you're still not trusting my rabid frothing over Bell, this is what RachaelUnderrated, whose 'The Blog Show' on Breakthru Radio you really need to check out STAT, had to say:
"...was there in time to see Bell, a female singer/songwriter donned with a keyboard and a very Regina Spektor-esque voice. I thought she was, in short, fabulous. Extremely likeable in her presence and with a voice that echoed throughout the small stage, I think everyone there was pretty captivated. It was catchy with a certain charm. As Borat would say: very nice..."
True dat.
Check Merry Swankster on Thursday, as the non-foot-in-mouth half of the Neon Lights team, Jeff K, will tell you about his side of the night which I'm sure did not include "freak dancing" on the Delancey stairs with members of our crowd. And uh, club staff.
(Clears throat. Randomly moves papers on desk.)
Some photos of the Neon Lights presents... show courtesy of Devon B. Enjoy!
1. It's a fact! I was in such a state of rabbity, single-minded nervousness at the first Neon Lights presents... show that I don't think that I am capable of writing any kind of recap of the event. So I'll leave that to Jeff K since he can like, write and stuff.
2. I can say this: it was a success! Big thanks to all the people that came, the bands that played, Bell, Lismore, Thieves Like Us and The Ballet, the DJs that spun, Earfarm, Colleen Crumbcake and Fluxblog and of course, everyone at The Delancey. We love every single one of you and since it's pretty much a guarantee I didn't talk to you because I was busy working door with a panicked look of, "Who me? Count? Stamp? Huh?," please forgive me. I am socially inept in every possible way.
3. The beautiful and talented Devon B. took photos. They will be up soon and we shall direct you to them.
4. The winner of the night's most embarassing moment is....ME! For grabbing the hand of Ginger, violinist of The Ballet, convinced she was Ingrid from Lismore, whom she LOOKS NOTHING LIKE, and chirpily telling her "Great job tonight!" And she hadn't even been on stage yet! I'm so awesome! Yup, that was the bit that kept replaying in my head, on a loop, the next day. Followed by a repeated self-smacks to the forehead.
Oddly enough, the moment that could've been the most embarassing, when I went up to Prince Paul and shook his hand like there was no tomorrow, was not. Prince Paul was spinning some magic upstairs and I had to tell him so. And I managed to, without swearing or saying inappropriate things. Go me!
5. The winner of the night's most unexpected and unintentional stylistic homage goes to Penelope from Lismore who was rocking a jaunty Olivia Newton-John in Xanadu*, ** army cap. I think that I'm not alone in wishing out loud that SOMEONE would cover something from Xanadu. Magic? Suddenly? Make it happen people!
6. The winner of the night's most unexpected and totally shouldn't have worked but it SO DID cover goes to Bell for taking on Skee-Lo's I Wish complete with choreography, ringtone melodies and an extended run through the "Name my kid ghetto names...Little Mookie" line.
What? Don't remember that jam? Check it:
I Wish/Skee-Lo
But mid '90s covers aside, all you tired, whiny, I'm so old I can't go out on a Friday, WAAAAH folks, need to make sure that you catch Bell's next show at the Sidewalk Cafe on January 6th because Olga and her cohorts most definitely live up to the promise of her online mp3s. While there was a light smattering of tech issues involving a borrowed keyboard, Olga easily overcame them with her charming and warm stage presence and of course, that beautiful voice. Backing rhythm team Jason Nazary and Mike Chiavarowere were stellar, with special commendation going out to Nazary for his smooth electronic to live drumming transitions. Jessica Martins from Via Audio provided back up vocals and dancing(!) throughout the set. I was wondering how the doubled vocal effects from Bell's songs would be handled in their live set, since her vocals are so distinctive it would be hard to match them. Luckily, Martins' warm tone paired up nicely and provided lovely vocal counterpart, especially on a rousing version of Expanded File.
Now I've told you to your face, I put the songs on a mix, I booked her for a show and I even played it on the radio! What more do I have to do to convince ya? Trust me, go check out Bell STAT. You will fall in love and promptly start planning your future together. Befriend Bell on My Space.
Love, D
* I actually haven't seen Xanadu since I was 5. I loved it so much that I'm kind of afraid to see it now and realize how much it sucks. I want it to remain a soft focus, disco roller skatin' masterpiece in my head.
** Eh, I just read the following on Wikipedia, under Xanadu: "Xanadu opens as a Broadway musical at the Helen Hayes Theatre in May 2007 starring Jane Krakowski, Ben Vereen and Cheyenne Jackson." Excuse me...JIGGA WHAT?!?
1. For those who only know heartonastick from a certain heated, murderous rant about visiting CMJ acts, head over there and read his lovely review of the Low show at Bowery Ballroom. The softer side of blogdom.
2. For a song that traffics in electronica, Tremolo by Lismore isn't a song particularly concerned with movement. Rather, it's all about mood and it sustains a a warm wash of atmospherics throughout. Like a narcotized version of Chrissie Hynde's protagonist in Brass in Pocket, the girl in the song sounds like she's forever standing at the window dreaming that the world outside will take her away. But it doesn't really matter whether it does or not, the beauty lies in waiting.
Good work Caridee! Okay, time to find another reality show to watch...
Love, D
* Non-traditional Disclaimer: Yes, I am one half of the organizational team for this event. I wasn't paid to do it and no, I'm not making any money off of your possible attendance. I just want your ears. And possibly your legs for dancing. I've been working on my worm. Still in the middling stage but it's getting better. HOLLA.
I know it's wrong to make you fall in love with me
Dear friends,
Ya like synth pop? Fabulous lady singers? Sweden? Bands that describe their sound as "4 queers, 3 chords, 100 melodies?" Fiercely competitive DJ-battling? Celebrating the first day of Hannukah with drink specials? All of the above? If your answer was YES, then you need to mark your calendar in red STAT 'cause Jeff K and I have put together an event that celebrates all those things!
"The Ballet has been a band for barely over a year, and they only pressed 200 copies of their debut full-length, which comes packaged in hand-folded envelopes and is totally brilliant, full of adorable, infectious songs that toe a line between 60s bubblegum pop and stylized 90s indie pop. They're fast becoming one of our favorite bands.... Kudos to Brooklyn Vegan for jumping all over these guys a few months back. Their orchestral pop is driven by brilliant melodies you can't believe haven't been used before." - The L Magazine
"The European electronic force is strong with this Swedish-American trio, now based in NYC, and anyone listening to their new 12" of Drugs in my Body will be left wondering why the title track and b-side Fass are not played regularly in their local club of musical entertainment...Unhinged as hell Drugs in My Body is like a clap happy Ween taking Daft Punk to the disco. If they take Cut Copy with them and they are in a dancing mood then we might be near." - 20 Jazz Funk Greats
"Lismore "Pour Un Ancien Ami" - This sounds like female-fronted early 90s Euro-indie rock (let's say Sleeper or Lush, for example) encased in a block of ice. Either that, or the song equivalent of this drawing that my man John Cei Douglas drew the other day. Chilly but sweet, like music sorbet." - Fluxblog
"If I didn't know better I'd expect Olga Bell, to be already signed and have a million fans, possibly even have sold out to a car commercial. But, I know nothing about her, save the fact that her work is part springtime tulip, part bitter wit, part grey morning heartbreak, part happy day, and all sorts of fresh and snappy. Is she American? Is she working on more songs? How can I get my fingers on an album? And, why is she so damn cute?" - Strawberryfire
