The National goes acoustic!

Putting the finishing touches to the Best of the Year Songs So Far after the Records/EPs' list, but I couldn't resist posting this. The National at their most intimate, almost acoustic (but still lush and instrumentally gorgeous), home-made version, courtesy of NPR Music and their fantastic Tiny Desk Concerts series. Four tunes from the amazing "Trouble Will Find Me", "This Is the Last Time", "I Need My Girl", "Pink Rabbits" and "Sea of Love". Just relax & enjoy!
Want the audio of this very special gig? Just grab it here (free download).

An intimate afternoon with "The Bright"

The Bright. FNAC Diagonal, Barcelona, May 31st

Tuesday was a lovely afternoon despite the heavy rain, as I had the chance of seeing The Bright playing live (for free). It was an intimate, acoustic set, just Miryam, Anibal, their guitars and their unforced, genuine and natural charm. For almost 45 minutes they offered a good taste of their absolutely recommendable album, "Soundtrack for a Winter's Tale", some additional songs, and a funny version of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire". They even came back to "stage" with an unexpected encore, as the small crowd didn't want to leave.

In a time so much paraphernalia surrounds music industry, it is so refreshing to see and hear a band to go "back to the bone" of music, it's so rewarding to watch a group just worried about what matters: the music. While they are not reinventing the wheel with their classic folk-rock, they do have a kind of spark playing. During the afternoon, when Miryam's voice tore down she reached a touching climax several times, revealing that she's not just a pretty voice, she's a fantastic singer. And live, they confirmed what we already knew from the album. They have an style, but they can show different sides: an eerie, countrified approach sometimes, a smoky, folkish some others, or a more upbeat, poppier side. What matter's of course, is that The Bright have tunes to defend these approaches, take gems like "Odd Towns", "Coffee & Wine", "Your Private Garden", that we heard on Tuesday, as examples.

My only regret is that I didn't have the time to chat with them for a second, or to ask for a picture. But they promised to come back, so I do hope I will have the opportunity soon. Really looking forward to see them with a full band! Don't miss the chance of seeing this brightly (I know, easy joke again) brilliant duo.



*Aside from the pics, I will update this post with a couple of videos soon!

Spanish indie 2: suggesting the best national acts

I enjoyed doing the first round, so new suggestions of Spanish indie bands!

Odio París. This new band from Barcelona must be the most hyped Spanish (indie) group in many years. Aside the comparisons with Los Planetas (early times) and The Pains of Being Pure at the Heart, both pretty obvious, what we have is a debut album (out very soon) without a single bad track on it, and that's what matters. Melodies infected in feedback and reverb, gold indierock, C-86 style, but in Spanish. Fame awaits the Spanishgazers!
Odio París - Cuando nadie pone un disco
Odio París - 1 de Noviembre

Russian Red. Lourdes Hernández broke indie Spanish standards with her first album, "I Love Your Glasses", on 2008, selling more than 40.000 copies (an impressive mark for a debuting singer / songwriter here). Tomorrow she will publish her second record, "Fuerteventura", produced by Tony Doogan (B&S, David Byrne, Teenage Fanclub, The Delgados) in Glasgow and with the help of Belle & Sebastian musicians. Impressive names for a highly awaited album, that promises changes while she keeps her natural talent for writing indiepop gems.



The Bright. Classic, acoustic folk-rock from León? Yes sir, you're right. Miryam Gutiérrez and Aníbal Sánchez are the duo behind "Soundtrack for a Winter's Tale", their first album, already released, a stunning collection of tunes that seem to converge somewhere between the American tradition and a more diverse ambition, with the (be careful with her warm voice, you might get addicted) presence of Myriam dominating a record as pleasant as exciting to hear. Sorry for the easy joke, but the future looks bright for them.