Circle 28

Time On My Hands

Time On My Hands (Lo-Fi Version)

"'A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise" from Pride, released 10/23/07 via Dead Oceans


Musicians often head to New York, it's a familiar story. But something magical happened when Matthew Houck picked up stakes halfway through making his new Phosphorescent record, Pride, and moved to Brooklyn from Athens, Georgia.
Raised in Alabama, Houck has always made music steeped in the Southern-gothic tradition, a sweet American folk soaked in atmosphere like a pound cake in rum. On 2005's Aw Come Aw Wry, our weary-voiced bandleader cemented his reputation for making masterpiece albums filled with hallelujahs for both grace and tragedy with songs that swung from ramshackle and joyous to broken and pleading in the space of a prayer. The live show swung along this arc – with Houck sometimes backed by up to 14 or 15 members – creating a full-blown, shambling, marching-brass-band-revival-tent celebration.
Pride is something different. While it's not without the moments of sheer abandon that have made Phosphorescent's work unmistakable--"At Death, A Proclamation" thunders into familiar territory--mostly gone are the messy marching bands and evangelical fervor. Here, Houck instead channels something more mystical and haunting, offering up a dark, meditative set of songs that is all the more spiritual-sounding for its restrained tone. On previous albums, he's recruited guest musicians to fill the gaps, but on Pride, Houck has only enlisted the services of a makeshift choir, otherwise recording every instrument himself. His achingly cerebral delivery recalls Arthur Russell, but honestly, Pride sounds like nothing else we've ever heard. These are poems uttered in an empty field, punctuated by shouts and hollers, as if from a singer either abandoned or possessed. The lyrics are Houck's strongest ever, wrapped in washed out choral etudes that could be channeled from a rural French chapel or a solemn African tribe in prayer.
Pride sounds like it was made by a man set free. In fact, Pride sounds broken free of time and place altogether. Yet still it is warm, familiar, and welcoming--a record to call home.

"A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise" from Pride, released 10/23/07 via Dead Oceans


Pride

A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise

Pick it up here

Phosphorescent - 'A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise'

Part time love

Hyperballad is written by Björk
Arranged by Luke Howard and Ben Abraham
Re-arranged by Tim Shiel

I love this song.

'Hyperballad' came out as a single 20 years ago today (Feb 12, 1996).

To celebrate the fact, I approached some talented friends to help me work on a cover — composer Luke Howard and producer Tim Shiel.

The collaboration resulted in two beautiful versions that I am very proud to be a part of.

Luke's string arrangement makes the song feel like it could be a hundred years old; a testament to Björk's timeless songwriting. Tim's version, with electronic sparseness that pays homage to the original, reminds me that the song could have come out yesterday and it would still be fresh and arresting, and like nothing I've heard.

The lyrics have also become a personal narration for the stage of life I find myself in. I suppose that's what compelled me to want to record it. The exhaling that comes with singing the line "to be safe up here with you" is one of the song's many gifts.

Songs like this feel alive to me.

It's daunting to interpret such a canonised work and the original certainly didn't need to be added to or taken away from.

So with the utmost respect, here are the efforts of three friends who live on the other side of the world from this remarkable artist, celebrating her work with work of our own.

You can listen to Luke's version here: https://soundcloud.com/benabraham/hyperballad-with-luke-howard

Hyperballad with Tim Shiel

It was a long time in the making, but I am both excited and terrified to share my first single "Home" with you.
It will be available on Itunes very soon.
I hope you like it.


Home

ALLMAN BROWN - ON TOUR IN NORTH AMERICA MAY 2018: http://bit.ly/2s3Uu2M

Written and performed by Allman Brown.
Produced and mixed by Ian Barter.

Listen on Spotify: http://spoti.fi/29ITdHh

Fires

05 Ederlezi

Forget Me Not

The Shell

Mano a Mano

On the Other Side

Chasing Dials

As one of Iceland’s most successful exports, singer-songwriter Ásgeir has always pushed the boundaries of his thoughtful brand of folk-pop. His debut album, ‘Dýrð í dauðaþögn’, became the best-selling debut in Icelandic history, leading to the English-language version ‘In The Silence’ in 2014. He continued to refine his sound with ‘Afterglow’ in 2017, ‘Bury The Moon’ in 2020, and ‘Time On My Hands’ in 2022’, earning praise from press and radio worldwide, including the likes of The Independent, MOJO, NME, The Line Of Best Fit, Clash Magazine, BBC 6 Music and Radio X.
 
In recent years, Ásgeir has embraced solo performances, playing nearly 70 intimate shows across Europe, the Nordics, and Iceland, including a UK tour with Icelandic singer GDRN. He also performed with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and recorded a live session for Arte TV in Berlin. His passion for live music has taken him to unique venues, including small churches, deepening his connection with audiences. He wrote a song for a Kafkaesque play that was hosted at The Reykjavik City Theatre called Sýslumaður Dauðans.
 
Ásgeir is now back with his next album, focusing on songwriting with a fresh approach; prioritizing melody and personal storytelling, exploring themes of relationships, aging, hope, and nostalgia. His influences range from Leonard Cohen and Daniel Lanois to contemporary artists like Adrianne Lenker and Dina Ögon.
 
The album’s production was a hands-on process, with Ásgeir playing most of the instruments and collaborating with a select group of musicians, including Nashville cellist Nat Smith. Recorded both solo and with a band, the songs capture an organic, heartfelt energy. With this new chapter, Ásgeir continues to evolve, offering music that is as introspective and accomplished as ever as well as deeply resonant.

Time On My Hands (Lo-Fi Version)

Ásgeir Music

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