Dazzle Me This #11 – Mumford, Sons & Laneways

A few weeks ago I praised the folk-tinged, heart-crunching goodness of Mumford And Sons and their single Little Lion Man. You would recall that I was hanging out for my ears to be rewarded with the entire album, Sigh No More, and even though every man and his plaid shirt wearing dog is now on this band’s wagon, it’s 100% entitled.

This band is just so super gorgeous, and even thought the songs have a melancholy weight to them, listening to Sigh No More feels like the opposite of depressing. It’s certainly introspective though; the lyrics work their way in one ear and tend to stick in the consciousness for entire days.

It’s an album full of hit picks (The Cave, White Blank Page, Little Lion Man), but one that you want to listen to from start to finish every time you put it on the stereo. The melodies are fragile, the choruses are rousing and one can only cross each and every limb that one day these guys will be performing their folk, pop and bluegrass ditties live on our shores.

Oh what’s that? The Laneway line-up was announced this week? January 31st in 2010 did you say? New venue at SCA? Mumford And Sons on stage on our shores on the day? I’ve already got my plaid shirt all picked out.

Segue to me being pretty damn impressed with the entire line-up for Laneway Festival 2010 (even though this year there is a conspicuous shortage of actual laneways), so much so that I’m dedicating mini-mix to it this week. Did you say Echo & The [freakin’] Bunnymen? Hells yes. x

The Killing Moon – Echo & The Bunnymen

Dark and gloomy and swirling and spooky. With thirty years of experience under their belts, fingers crossed these guys will be polished rather than past it. I don’t think we’ll be disappointed – cannot wait to see these guys live in action.

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All I Want – Sarah Blasko

I was lucky enough to catch Ms. Blasko at the Enmore a couple of weeks ago. She is one classy lady and put on the most stellar vocal performance, I’m excited to see what the little marionette is going to be like outdoors.

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Basic Space – The xx

Getting my hype on, there’s lots of praise being slung around this outta London four piece. The album is pretty damn impressive, we’ll see if these precocious little kidlets can live up to said hype in a live arena.

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