Euterpe's Notebook • 30th January 2012

Doing Things Wrong on Purpose: The Nils Frahm Interview

I don’t remember how I first heard of Nils Frahm, but his music engaged me deeply from the start. He is a consummate composer, making genius music that is never pretentious. He’s also in high demand as a sound engineer at his home studio in Berlin. In this interview, we talk about that and his most recent record, Felt, out now on Erased Tapes. Named for a piece of felt he placed on the piano, initially just to dampen the sound so as not to wake the neighbors, Felt is a record full of touching, s

Euterpe's Notebook • 16th December 2011

Hilary Hahn Takes On Charles Ives: An Interview

When violinist Hilary Hahn’s publicist approached me to tell me of her latest project, I was thrilled. For years, I’d been in awe of the young musician’s virtuosity and impassioned performances. Better still, her new record, Charles Ives: Four Sonatas features Hahn playing–surprise–work by classic Americana composer Charles Ives. And play them she does, using her trademark nuanced flair to spin the pieces into sonic gold. She also has another treat in the works, entitled Encore, which features a

Euterpe's Notebook • 1st June 2012

Nude on Sand Strikes a Pose: An interview with Jenny Hval

Nude on Sand is one of many projects for which Jenny Hval, Norwegian singer-songwriter is responsible. Håvard Volden is responsible for the experimental guitar work that backs Hval’s vocals, which are always intimate and original. Their album, Nude on Sand, was released on Sofa in March 2012. Hval is also responsible for a sound installation, “Innocence is Kinky,” debuting June 3rd near Oslo. More information about that is available on Hval’s website, http://www.jennyhval.com.

How was Nude on S

Euterpe's Notebook • 9th June 2011

In the Mines With Jóhann Jóhansson: An Interview

Jóhann Jóhansson, one of today’s most brilliant contemporary classical artists, has returned with yet another masterpiece. This time around, it’s The Miner’s Hymns, a collection of songs to accompany a film that Bill Morrison was making about the mining industry. You can read details about the whole project on Jóhann’s homepage here. But before you do that, check out what he has to say about the album here.

ELM:Did you have any knowledge of or interest in mining before taking on this project? W

Euterpe's Notebook • 10th May 2012

Wild Bird Unchains Herself: An Interview with Morley

Despite releasing four albums, playing festivals aroudn the world with bands like Tinariwen, and recording with the likes of Joan Wasser (Joan As Police Woman), NYC-based Morley has stayed tragically under the radar. She possess a voice wise beyond her years and an inspiring global vision, not just through her music, but through her activism and willingness to reach out to people. Here, we discuss that, and her new album, Undivided.

I’ve been listening a lot to your album, and I think the first

Euterpe's Notebook • 16th April 2012

Rediscovering Europe: the ‘Allo Darlin Interview

Half British, Half Australian, ‘Allo Darlin is totally fun, and that comes through on their recent release, Europe. The record has a blissful pop easiness about it, and that’s refreshing. Neither twee nor pretentious, Europe is full of catchy pop hooks and pithy songwriting. Here I talk with bassist-vocalist Bill Botting.

To start with a question you’re surely sick of, how did the four of you meet, considering half of you are from a different continent?

We do get this one a lot! I met Elizabet

Euterpe's Notebook • 4th April 2012

Shuffle. Play. Listen. Repeat: The Christopher O’Riley Interview

Pianist and media personality Christopher O’Riley keeps himself busy, to say the least. He hosts NPR’s “From the Top,” a show celebrating classical music among children. He performs around the world, and is noted for playing shows as eclectic as one comprised entirely of Schumann and Elliott Smith pieces. A constant innovator of both classical and pop music (notably Radiohead), O’Riley is also stunningly well-read and in possession of a winningly dry sense of humor. Here, he talks about his ecle

Euterpe's Notebook • 12th March 2012

The Peter Broderick Interview, Part Two: Http://www.itstartshear.com

In the second part of my interview with Peter Broderick, we discuss his new record, http://www.itstartshear.com. This record is unique because the website provides all the artwork, liner notes, stories behind songs, etc. a listener could ever need. There’s even a title track where the title URL is sung. And there is, of course, music, masterminded by the wunderkind Broderick and produced by his partner in crime, Nils Frahm.

ELM: How did the idea come to you to make this album a URL and make eve

Euterpe's Notebook • 3rd March 2012

The Peter Broderick Interview, Part One: Music for Confluence

For many years, I’ve been a fan of the US-born, Berlin-based composer Peter Broderick. I was thrilled when he agreed to do an interview discussing, among other things, his most recent work, a film score entitled Music for Confluence. To my pleasant surprise, Peter said he had a new album ready that was about to come out, so naturally I asked if I could also ask him about that. What became of the intiial, hopeful email I sent him is a two-part interview. Here is the first part, which is more gene

Euterpe's Notebook • 27th January 2012

Obsessed and Mystified: The Red Horses of the Snow Interview

Red Horses of the Snow are Mark Burgess and Chris Hawtin, and the two make a formidable team that produces hazy vocals, dreamy synths, and just the right amount of dissonance. Their sound is full enough that it sounds like it took much more than two men to make their songs. You can hear that on their latest release, and first proper album, Territories, available at http://www.redhorsesofthesnow.com.

ELM: You released your demos in 2008. Have you been working on Territories since then?



MB:

Euterpe's Notebook • 18th January 2012

Making Dream Noise: The Jasmina Maschina Interview

Jasmina Maschina,(aka Jasmine Guffond) is an Australian-bred, Berlin-based one woman band, complete with live and programmed instruments and ethereal vocals. Formerly the sound engineer for Bachelorette, Guffond has been garnering press and praise worldwide for her latest release, Alphabet Dream Noise.

ELM: How did you create the effect on your voice on “Forgotten Wood?”

JM: I cut up the vocals in Protools.



ELM: What are some of your favorite places to visit and/or perform?

JM: anywher

Euterpe's Notebook • 16th January 2012

Retrieving Her Soul: The Larkin Grimm Interview

Larkin Grimm (of the Dirty Projectors) has recently released her fourth solo album, Soul Retrieval. Those not familiar with Grimm’s solo work may not know what to expect, especially when her colorful life story is offered up alongside any textual descriptions of the work. Indeed, her music defies adjectives, with the possible exception of “genuine.” Soul Retrieval, like her other music, is borne of Grimm’s open heart and wide-eyed wonder at the world.

ELM: I read that Soul Retrieval was inspire

Euterpe's Notebook • 4th January 2012

Penning a Tragedy: The Julia Holter Interview

From the first listen of Julia Holter’s Tragedy (out now on Leaving), I was impressed with the young composer’s ability to experiment with her voice and instrumentation, to tap into the art of the past to make something actually quite avant garde.

ELM: I read that Tragedy was based on Hippolytus. How did you come to that decision, and how do you see that manifesting on the album?


JH: I just was reading Hippolytus and I liked moments of it, mostly because there was so much hopelessness to it

Euterpe's Notebook • 5th December 2011

Beauty Among the Pleiades: A Correatown Interview

Californian singer-songwriter Angela Correa of Correatown has recently released Pleiades, a swooningly beautiful album of dream pop and well-thought lyrics. Correa was nice enough to answer a few questions about her music and the record.

ELM: First things first, HOW tired are you of being compared to Mazzy Star?

AC: Well, it does happen a lot. Honestly, I’ve only ever listened to that one tune that was *the hit* Fade Into You, albeit I heard that song a lot when I was younger.

I think most p

Euterpe's Notebook • 17th November 2011

Canon Blue Runs Free On Rumspringa: An Interview

Canon Blue, fronted by Nashville’s Daniel James, is having a very good year. Their full-length Rumspringa was released on Temporary Residence Ltd. and featured Efterklang and Amiina. In August, they scored NPR’s “Song of the Day” with “Indian Summer.” And, speaking of summer, they’ve opened for the band with this summer’s quintessential hit–Foster the People. But, what’s most exciting is that they made a damn fine record spanning the states and a gamut of acoustic guitars, drumbeats, violins, an

Euterpe's Notebook • 27th October 2011

Nikki Lane Starts Her Walk To Fame: An Interview

The South Carolina-bred, Nashville based singer-songwriter Nikki Lane is coming out of the gate at a gallop with her critically lauded and listener adored album Walk of Shame. Here, we chat about dessert parties, nag champa, and making music videos as a form of revenge.

ELM: What are you up to today?

NL: It’s my friend’s birthday today, and we’re having an all-dessert party, so I’m making a much of things. And I’m getting ready to have a flea market for the weekend that I put on. I work on the

Euterpe's Notebook • 15th October 2011

Places Unfamiliar Yet Comfortable: The Cian Nugent Interview

If you haven’t heard Cian Nugent’s striking Doubles, you’re missing out on an incredible ride. The album is composed of just two pieces, but each piece holds a sonic journey let by Nugent’s meandering guitar. About to set out on tour, Nugent was kind enough to answer my copious questions.

ELM:When you’re writing, where does a song begin for you?

CN:I think I generally know I’ve got something if every time I stop playing it I want to hear it again, or if I do a recording and I can’t stop listen

Euterpe's Notebook • 30th September 2011

What Sharp Teeth They Have: The Elysian Fields Interview

The Brooklyn-based so-called “noir rock” band Elysian Fields has been filling our ears with dark, sexy tunes since 1995. Though the band has gone through some lineup changes, the vocals of Jennifer Charles and the intricate guitar work of Owen Bloedow have remained constant pleasure throughout. Having recently released Last Night on Earth, the ‘Fields were gracious enough to take some time to chat fairy tales, John Zorn, and the sexiness of chandeliers.

ELM: As someone who’s interested in fairy

Euterpe's Notebook • 21st September 2011

Lydia Loveless is an Indestructible Machine: An Interview

Twenty-one year-old Lydia Loveless has recently released Indestructible Machine on Bloodshot Records. That record finds this Ohioan rocking out to quirky and deeply-felt tracks about soured relationships, being stalked by Steve Earle, Jesus being a wino, and men with insatiable appetites for women. And all the songs are yoked together by Loveless’ gorgeous, lilting timbre, with just the right amount of distortion in just the right places. What’s not to love?

ELM:I read in your press kit that yo

Euterpe's Notebook • 22nd August 2011

James Vincent McMorrow Gets Up Early in the Morning: An Interview

Once upon a time, a talented singer-songwriter named James VIncent McMorrow decided to make a record, and in order to make that record, he decided to work in isolation in a little house on the Irish coast. The result of that process is the dazzling and moving Early In The Morning, which finds McMorrow delving into vivid images, all delivered in his voice with an impeccable range that goes up to a sweet falsetto.

ELM: Were any of the songs written prior to your time off the cost in Ireland?

JVM

Euterpe's Notebook • 20th September 2011

Asa’s Beautiful Imperfection: An Interview

As African artists like Tinariwen gain visibility in US media, the Paris-and-Nigeria-raised Asa (Yoruban for “hawk”) flies under the radar with the promise of breaking free at any moment. Her first release, Asha, showed off her sharp political wit as blended with her impossibly soulful vocals. Her latest release, Beautiful Imperfection, is a more lighthearted affair, evocative of the summery stylings of Zee Avi while her vocals drip with soul beyond her years.



ELM: Why did you decide to go

Euterpe's Notebook • 14th September 2011

Brilliant Colors Turn it Out Again and Again: An Interview

Somewhere between pop and punk, somewhere between distortion and breezy melodies, there lies Brilliant Colors. And those colors are brighter than ever on their recent release, Again and Again. This album finds lead singer/songwriter Jess Scott and company in full swing, singing about Patti Smith and generally rocking out.

ELM: Are all of you from San Francisco? How did the music scene there influence you?

JS: i am from the east bay, diane is from connecticut, and michelle is from outside phill

Euterpe's Notebook • 31st August 2011

Madly in Love with Katharine Whalen: An Interview

Katharine Whalen will perhaps always be most famous for her career in the Squirrel Nut Zippers, but her talent extends far beyond their cool retro stylings. Whalen has recorded three albums without the Zippers, including her most recent, Madly Love, which is her first outing with backing band The Fascinators. This record, described by Whalen as “electric folk” is full of delicious story-songs spun around infectious melodies and Whalen’s wonderfully slippery, versatile voice.

When I spoke with W

Euterpe's Notebook • 31st August 2011

Collections of Colonies of Bees Learn the Art of ‘Giving’: An Interview

Collections of Colonies of Bees, headed by Milwaukee’s Chris Rosenau, is making quite the–forgive the pun–buzz with their latest release, GIVING. This album, comprised of just four sprawling tracks, is post-rock at its soaring, spacious best. Rosenau talks here about GIVING, the band’s new lineup, and the band’s songwriting process.


ELM: How are you doing today?

CR: Good, how are you?

ELM: I am doing just fine. Have you guys been playing shows?



CR: No, we are actually in the middle of