dimanche 14 novembre 2010

Live report: 7th November 2010, GREGORY & THE HAWK(US) + LES SHELLEYS(US) + SNAILHOUSE(CAN) at Oliver Peel Session #31

Oliver Peel Session #31Oliver Peel Session #31

Oliver Peel Session #21 with:
Gregory and The Hawk(US)
Les Shelleys(US)
Snailhouse(CAN)


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Sometimes, you have to choose between two (or more) gigs you would like to attend, because they take place on the same night at the same moment, so you can't do two gigs in one night. That happened (again) to me last Sunday night. I originally planned to see my favorite Irish artist, Conor O'Brien, aka Villagers, playing with his full band at La Cigale in Paris. But when my friend Oliver Peel informed me that Gregory and The Hawk, Les Shelleys and Snailhouse were invited to do a session that Sunday night, my heart swung obviously between these two shows. As I've never seen these artists before, I really think I did the good choice of the house show, because the artists were absolutely lovely and amazing! No regret at all!

I actually heard about the artists Gregory & The Hawk and Tom Brosseau years ago, but I didn't really know well about their past projects. And when I updated the gigs agenda page on the blog at the end of October, I noticed that they were going to play at Espace B in Paris, so I checked out their songs on their websites and fell in love with their songs and voices immediately.

When I arrived at Oliver's, the place was already packed with about 50 persons, I guess. Just enough time to grab a few biscuits and some orange juice (no time to eat one of the delicious looking pieces of baguette), to greet some friends, and the first artist began to play. (yeah, I didn't arrive early, busy with some work)




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Gregory & The Hawk(US)

Meredith Godreau behind the moniker Gregory & The Hawk is a lovely young woman from New York. I really like her very sweet voice that can melt you instantaneously. Listen to her songs, so you will agree with me. She sang less than ten songs, alternating with acoustic guitar and small harp. Oliver said that she played with Mice Parade at their last Paris concert and Adam Pierce from Mice Parade was actually at the house show! I really enjoy all the songs she performed and like the person, very modest and very nice. She's amazing! ;) I bought her two albums, 'Moeni and Kitchi' and 'Leche', and they are both excellent! Happiness!

Favorite songs: 'Oats We Sow', 'August Moon', 'Doubtful', 'Grey Weather', 'Voice Like A Bell', 'Stonewall, Stone Fence', 'Ghost', 'Two Faced Twin', 'For The Best', 'Landscapes', 'Soulgazing', 'Geysir Nationale', 'Dream Machine'.

Videos : (no setlist)
August Moon
song2?
Oats We Sow
Landscapes
song5?
For The Best
Geysir Nationale
[encore]
song8?

Gregory & The Hawk(US) at Oliver Peel Session #31
CDs of Gregory & The Hawk(US) at Oliver Peel Session #31


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It's not a band with "The", but with "Les". But what makes this band kind of original? Angela Correa and Tom Brosseau are the two amazing members of Les Shelleys, based in Los Angeles. They have their own musical career, but in this project, they covered in duet traditional songs from famous singers in the 1950s-60s. Perfect harmony in the voices. They were "introduced and encouraged in 2002 by California-based songwriter/film-maker Gregory Page" (good artist I actually heard about when I followed Jason Mraz 3 years ago). At this session, they entertained the audience in a simple and delightful way with Angela clapping her hands, snapping her fingers and stamping her feet and Tom playing acoustic guitar. Their excellent self-titled album 'Les Shelleys' was released in the US/Canada on August 31st 2010 and then in the UK/Europe on November 8th 2010 on Fat Cat Records. It was recorded by themselves "using only a minidisc recorder and a battery-powered microphone", so you have to give it a listen! Perfect for your calm evenings with a glass of wine. Moreover you can read why they chose to cover the songs on this physical LP, instead of having the lyrics. Very interesting!
By the way, Tom's particular voice makes me think of my other favorite artists, Al Lewis from Cardiff/London, UK, and Hector Projector from Gothenburg, Sweden, don't you think? I like that fact.

Favorite songs: 'The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise', 'Green Door', 'Rum and Coca Cola', 'The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll', 'Oh Babe, It Ain't No Lie', and songs below.



Setlist :
'Oh Babe, It Ain't No Lie' by Elizabeth Cotton
'Rum and Cola Coca' by Morey Amsterdam, Paul Girlando and Jeri Kelli Sullivan
'Something Stupid' by Carson and Gaile
'My World Is Empty Without You' by The Supremes
'The Lonesome River' by Bob Dylan
'I Love The Sound of Breaking Glass' by Nick Lowe
'Green Door' by Bob Davie and Marvin J. Moore
[encore]
'The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise' by Eugene Lockhart and Ernest Seitz

To know more about Les Shelleys:
Daytrotter session recorded on Nov. 5th 2010
Fat Cat Records Podcast with Les Shelleys: this is a soundtrack-themed podcast of songs from films that inspired them.


Les Shelleys(US) at Oliver Peel Session #31


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Snailhouse(CAN)

Snailhouse is the lovely and funny Mike Feuerstack from Montreal, Canada, who also plays guitars and sings in The Wooden Stars, plays lap steel guitar in the band The Bell Orchestre, plays guitar and sings with Angela Desveaux. Moreover, his last album called 'Lies On The Prize' released on Unfamiliar Records was produced by Jeremy Gara (the drummer of Arcade Fire) and was nominated in 2009 for the Polaris Music Prize (long list)! With The Bell Orchestre, he won the 2000 Juno award for Best Alternative Album with Julie Doiron, and also the 2010 Juno award for Instrumental Album of the year (album 'As Seen Through The Windows'). Quite impressive, right? This is, of course, not what makes me like him, because I found this info when writing this review, but it's his soul, folk and smooth songs on his project Snailhouse. His LP and the EP 'Monumental Moments' (that you can listen to on his Bandcamp) are both excellent, alternating calm folk songs and more pop songs! At this house show, he was with an another Mike on drums, guitar and piano, and Kyle on bass. Very, very nice guys! ;) The night before, they played at Flèche d'Or with Male Bonding, Papier Tigre and Silvervince.


Favorite songs: 'Living The Dream', 'Don't Go Anywhere', 'The Shape I'm In', 'Salvation Army (in four)', 'Chimney Sweep (live with Julie Doiron)', 'Timeshare', '(Not) Supertitious', 'Tone Deaf Birds', 'They Won't Believe You', 'Who We Are', 'O My God', 'Fire Alarm', 'Homesick'.

Snailhouse - Don't Go Anywhere

Snailhouse - Airwaves

Videos of:
Dollar Signs
Great Storytellers
God Created Monsters
Tone Deaf Birds
Don't Go Anywhere
Airwaves
Fire Alarm


He played 'Homesick' as the encore.

Snailhouse(CAN) at Oliver Peel Session #31

And the funny picture :). I'd love to talk to them a bit longer, but I left before the short "aftershow", because I had to get up very early the next day... I hope to see all of these artists again next year or very soon! ;)

Snailhouse(CAN) at Oliver Peel Session #31


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at 11/14/2010 02:30:00 PM
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