The Underground of Happiness

I had the pleasure of speaking again with Liam Singer the other week on the phone from New York, whose new album Arc Iris is out on Hidden Shoal . It's such a fine piece of work, everyone should check it out, spinning a delicate and poignant brand of chamber pop. I reviewed the album here - there are also some tracks from the album on that link. Over the course of the interview, it was interesting to hear Liam talk about the "tone colours" he had in mind for the album. In fact, if I'm not mistaken this certain atmospheric quality was his starting point and main aim for the record. I asked him about the fact that many of the songs on the album seem to relate to incidents from early life or childhood. He agreed and made a fascinating point about the age at which people begin to write music, in his case around 10 years old. That is, that their songwriting often remains fixed at that age, occupied with themes, concerns relevant to that age, no matter at what age the...

I was a huge fan of Liam Singer’s last album, Dislocatia from 2010 (you can find an interview from around that time with Liam in a piece here which includes a review of the album). It was an album of chamber pop that managed to be both delicate and thrilling at the same time. A good trick that, one you might associate with The Beach Boys for example. For this album, Singer has extended his range to create an even headier brand of dreamy, cosmic pop while retaining the classical shapes that add such emotional heft. The songs unfold themselves in no verse and chorus format but as miniature symphonic movements, driven by one main piano or keyboard generally, with key and stunning second-vocal contributions from Wendy Allen of Hidden Shoal labelmates Boxharp . And once more, her Boxharp partner Scott Solter produces, providing an intriguing sound bed for these off-kilter pop creations. The album overall portrays a kind of rarefied, heightened atmosphere, as with Dislocatia the d...

As part of the ongoing housekeeping project, the interview with New York-based pop experimentalist Liam Singer is here now... ...including talk of Morton Feldman, a classical music training, "happy accidents", high art vs low art, Carlos Castaneda, supernatural themes, the influence of travel on composition , and more. Listen here. (*By the way, you might gather that the first few minutes of the interview are missing. This is because of some interference on the phone line during that part of the conversation, relating to musical influences. These included Prokofiev, New Age music, They Might Be Giants and John Cage .) That interview was recorded last October around the time of the release of his current album, Dislocatia , on Hidden Shoal . Did I mention it's brilliant? Here's how much I liked it at the time. Liam Singer - Dislocatia (Hidden Shoal) Regular readers will know that if it's chamber pop, I'm there. Even for the converted though, this ...

Spring is here The grass is ris I wonder where the birdies is... Governments are falling like skittles this weather. As usual, pop music has its own soundtrack to world events. Try turning down the volume of your favourite news channel and turning up some of this UOH playlist instead. It might just turn your world upside-down. *All albums below, unless otherwise stated. John Stammers - John Stammers (Wonderful Sound) Gorgeous folk-blues hybrid from the Manchester native, built around fingerpicked acoustic guitar and a smoky, unassuming voice. For fans of Nick Drake or (especially) Bert Jansch. As usual, the beauty is in the detail - the keening cello of Idle I'm , muted trumpet set against mournful pedal steel on Here again , the one-note violin chorus of The fridge . Plaintiff and heartfelt, a beautiful addition to the canon of modern English folk music. A Lazarus Soul - Through a window in the sunshine room (Intent to Supply Records) Authentically downbeat album of el...

That time of year for lists again. A vaguely arbitrary exercise, although strangely satisfying. Especially when it's been another great year for pop music . Below is what has been soundtracking the UOH cabin for the past year. Read. Discard. Listen. Enjoy. I've also put together a Best of 2010 Podcast which I'll send details of in another post. Til 2011, stay warm. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed Favourite Albums of 2010 (71, in no particular order) Syd Matters - Brotherocean (Because Music) Sone Institute – Curious memories (Front & Follow) Dum Dum Girls - I will be (Sub Pop) NLF3 - Beautiful is the way to the world beyond (Prohibited Records) Joanna Newsom - Have one on me (Drag City) She & Him - Volume Two (Double 6) Christy & Emily - No rest (Klangbad) Field Music - Field Music (Measure) (Memphis Industries) *d'load interview (phone) with David & Peter from Field Music here The Ruby Suns - Fight softl...