It’s one of the standout tracks on Ed’s album, + (Plus), and the 5th single from the album.
It’s probably my favorite song lyrically - so honest and tragically beautiful. The music video reflects the simplicity of the music, while maintaing the emotions of the lyrics and story. It’s such a heartbreaking yet beautiful tune, and the video captures the sentiment of the song perfectly.
Ed is currently in the US supporting Snow Patrolon their current tour, and will be back for a headlining tour later this year.
His album + (Plus) will be released in the US on June 12th. And it’s about time he brings his talents to the US. There’s been an amazing increase in the number of UK artists hitting it big in the US, and I hope the trend continues, especially with the talented singer-songwriters like Ed and Matt Cardle.
Yesterday, I had the privilege of seeing Ed perform on the MYstage (pictures) for MYfm. It was an intimate acoustic performance, and he blew it out of the park. He played “Lego House”, “A-Team”, and the extended version of “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You”. (I’ll post the video soon.)
His performance was on point, as was his interview. He was charismatic, funny and witty, and is a great story teller. His talents and personality shined, which will help launch his career in the US.
Every once in a long while, a new band will come to my attention that just blows me away. Sure, there are many bands that I love, but only a handful I can’t imagine what life was like before I heard them.
Of Monsters and Men (website/twitter/facebook) are one such band. The Icelandic group recently release their debut album, My Head Is An Animal, and it’s perfection. I reckon they’re a prefect blend of Mumford and Sons and Arcade Fire. And their album is ace. I can’t find a single thing I don’t like about it. I absolutely love every single song. Every single one.
And with every listen, I have a new favorite, though “Sloom” and “From Finner” tend to claim that title more than the other songs. “Love Love Love”, “Lakehouse”, “The Sinking Man” and their lead single, “Little Talks” are also standout tracks.
And they’re live/acoustic performances are amazing. They are actually better live/acoustic than their studio tracks.
“Little Talks” (Live on KEXP):
There’s a soothing a relaxing quality in the blending of Naana and Ragnar‘s voices. They really complement one another, and it’s the perfect blend of pop and folk. And as an added bonus, they have fantastically awesome accents. I love accents, and the Icelandic one is particularly enticing.
“Love Love Love” (Live on KEXP):
If you don’t have a copy of My Head Is An Animal, you’re missing out. It’s easily one of my favorite albums of 2012… and one I know I’ll enjoy over the years. There vocals, melodies, and lyrics are fantastic and timeless. I’m looking forward to more releases from the band and hopefully catching a show or two.
What do you all think of Of Monsters and Men and their album, My Head Is An Animal?
“You’re far too kind,” exclaimed Matt Cardle (website/twitter/facebook) between songs throughout the night as he played his first gig in the US last night at Hotel Cafe in Hollywood.
It was an early show on a Saturday night in Los Angeles, and a holiday at that, but that didn’t stop eager fans from seeing the X-Factor winner. Before the show began, Matt came out and greeted his fans, posing for pictures and signing autographs. He was as seen on X-Factor; honest, humble, and down to earth. He was generous and genuine.
Since Matt hasn’t released any singles or albums in the US, and has had no publicity in the US, the turnout wasn’t as high as it would have been the UK, which is understanding. But the fans that were there made up for that with their enthusiasm and support.
And they were not disappointed with the performance.
Matt’s set was on the shorter side, which is typical for shows at Hotel Cafe, but had many standout moments.
Matt opened with a brilliant cover of Dolly Patron’s “Jolene”, and sprinkled Joni Mitchell’s “River” in the middle of the set. Matt has an incredibly unique voice, and it really shines on the covers he chooses. He knows his voice and how to reinterpret songs to suite his voice. He tends to pick songs originally sung by female vocalists, which makes them extra special. And really, Dolly Parton and Joni Mitchell – they’re amazing songwriters.
He played several tracks from his album, including the title track, “Letters”, “Amazing”, “When We Collide”, which I believe was requested by a fan. “Run For Your Life” was surprisingly absent from the set. While I really love the album versions of “Letters” and “Amazing”, the acoustic versions are far better, especially in person. There’s a smooth quality to Matt’s voice that doesn’t quite come across in the studio versions, or as well in the live recorded version. In person, you hear all the fantastic qualities in his powerful yet soft voice. And his control is top notch.
He also played an older track, penned some 10 years ago about a relationship, called “The Way To Be“. On the opposite spectrum, he played a brand new unfinished, as yet untitled song. It was a ballad about a breaking up and what matters to someone at that moment they realize they’re about to lose someone. (I reckon it should be called “Breaking Man”, but that’s just my two cents.)
One of my favorite moments of the night was “All For Nothing”. It’s Matt’s favorite song from the album, and he really shined while playing it. It was not originally planned into the set, but time allowed for one more song, and to the audience’s delight, Matt played a stunning version of the beautiful song.
Above all else, Matt is a great singer-songwriter with a brilliant and undeniably unique voice and talent. Hotel Cafe was the perfect venue for his first US show – it’s small and intimate. It’s also where many successful singer-songwriters have called their home and where they’ve perfected their craft. And Matt more than held his own last night.
It was a special night for Matt, but mores o to the fans in LA that were treated to a special performance by Matt Cardle – just Matt and his guitar. Hopefully this is the start of a successful career in the US.
(Miro’s Note: I went to the show to see Matt play, not intending to post about it as I had been taking a break from the site. But Matt was absolutely amazing. He and his manager were super nice, and I wanted to share it with you all. But, I wasn’t prepared – just my iPhone, and wasn’t keeping track of the songs, so pardon the less than amazing quality of the photos and if I’m missing any details or songs.)
