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Aldous Harding

Started by alan nagsworth, June 05, 2019, 12:45:33 PM

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alan nagsworth

Harding's name has floated into my musical gaze recently, which is fortunate not just because my gaze has been rather unfocused of late, but moreover because it's some of the most tremendously moving music I've heard in quite some time.

Her new album Designer came out this year, which was my first port of call, and I was dazzled by her somewhat irregular but nonetheless captivating songwriting, and her gorgeous voice, which often reminds me of Sandy Denny, one of the all time greatest. It's quite a clean, polished affair and the songs are rich and carry a great warmth. Her lyricism is a little perplexing with a lot of intrigue. She's a wonderful storyteller, for sure.

Having listened to Designer and nothing else for the last three days, yesterday I ventured back to the slightly more rugged pastoral folk of her first, self-titled album. There I was, walking beneath the grey sky of east London and feeling dreary, when the solemn choral vocal of the first track Stop Your Tears crept in shortly before the rest of the song washed over me like an ocean made of steamroller wheels. Not since hearing Susanne Sundfør a couple of years ago have I been so completely stunned by a piece of music on the first listen. I had to stop and sit on a wall. I started crying. I let it finish and I then played it through again, twice, and her voice and her words scooped out my soul like a fucking great melon baller and I just sat there, annihilated by this bit of music. I listened to it again a few times throughout the day and only today did I have the sense to let the rest of the album play on afterwards. It's fucking brilliant, obviously. The whole thing. She's a goddamn wonder and this music has enriched my life a little more.

I've not copped her second album yet but I'm guessing it's probably pretty bloody good if the ones bookending it are anything to go by! I mean, wind your noodle around these lyrics for fucks sake:

QuoteMy name is Merriweather; I sing just like I see
This song that I'm living, grace has given me
The one that I love is here by my side
And I'll love this man wholly till this world sucks me dry

He watches over the roses that bloom in my soul
And all through the garden his name does grow
The one that I lost is under the dust
And deeper he's buried, as he learns of our love

My love drives until morning, the devil behind
I talk of the colours filling my mind
He'll take on the demon and keep him in chains
And smile as his ashes fly over the plains

My name is Merriweather; I sing just like see
And all the hurried people ain't touching me
The one that I love is here by my side
And I'll love this man wholly till this world sucks me dry

And that's before you've even heard the bastard song. Is the song any good, you ask? Does the Tin Man have a sheet metal cock?

Anyway yeah she's playing a handful of dates this December and I'm gonna go and stand there and have a fucking good cry at her amazing songs.

alan nagsworth

Fuckin bump because 5 mins of this stuff is better than owt in that link of  18 hours of Thom Yorke wetting the bed. C'mon.

phantom_power

I fell in love with her music after her strange, gurning performance on Later with Julian Holland had me transfixed and led me to seek out her (then) current album, Party. It is a corker. The new one is good as well, though a bit more mainstream possibly (not a criticism). I haven't heard the first one yet but am sure it is aces as well.

alan nagsworth

Party is a bit more ambitious with the instrumentation than the debut, which is straight up folk vibes all the way. Having obsessed over the first one and Designer all week, I'm currently inclined to say Party is my least favourite. But I'm in the throes of a new discovery and once the giddiness wears off all that could change.

You're right that Designer is more of a polished and accessible affair, but the integrity is definitely in full effect and there's a beautiful organic feel to the flow of the whole thing.

I've been watching live bits and interviews and she comes across as such a genuine, humble and blossoming artist. There's just something in her composure in every aspect of how she presents herself that's completely natural. I've gone a bit mad about her in all honesty.

jobotic

At work but later will look up the ones I bookmarked. The one in which she pretends to be a flute is amazing.

hummingofevil

I saw her doing three songs in Primavera but had to leave as mate wanted to see Tame Impala. Of what I saw it was utterly lush.

jobotic

Yes the two I really liked were from Party. I really must buy it.

Swell does the skull (the flute one)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8szSWZojgos

Imagining my man (love those "hey!"s)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE-A0cNSLmc

She's also on this beauty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsJIDptF-2c

Think I heard all these on here first, so thanks!



alan nagsworth

Quote from: hummingofevil on June 06, 2019, 08:26:04 PM
I saw her doing three songs in Primavera but had to leave as mate wanted to see Tame Impala. Of what I saw it was utterly lush.

Your mate's a knobhead, tell him I said that

phantom_power

Quote from: alan nagsworth on June 06, 2019, 04:35:20 PM


You're right that Designer is more of a polished and accessible affair, but the integrity is definitely in full effect and there's a beautiful organic feel to the flow of the whole thing.


Fixture Picture came up on my shuffle when I was listening to music with some friends who are pretty much just into mainstream stuff and they asked who it was because they liked it so much. I doubt they would have done the same for anything from Party. Designer is a great album but definitely more polished and her voice is less mannered, though I agree that it is organic and not an attempt to break out