Music's my imaginary friend...

Good morning. Here’s a brief appraisal of what I’m listening to at the moment. Paul Weller’s 22 Dreams still impresses. I’m slightly horrified to learn that I own the nation’s current Number One chart album but can offset the embarrassment by digging these really pleasant ‘n’ well written numbers. I’m rather surprised to run a quick search on these ‘umble pages and discover that I’ve not once mentioned how much I value 2006’s Real Life, the debut album by New York based Joan As Policewoman, possibly one of my favourite long players of recent times, and a delicate and personal collection of haunting and charming and beatifically arranged chansons. Naturally, the artist’s chosen nomenclature is one of them alias things; Joan Wasser is her real name and she possesses a fascinating CV. She was an aggressive indie rocker, she was the sweetheart of Jeffrey Buckley and she played violin with Anthony and the Johnsons. Any road up, she has a new record, To Survive. It is tender and beautiful and I’ve started to spin it once or twice. I’m taking it slowly though and choosing my moments: this is quality work. I am simultaneously revisiting Real Life and loving every note. Her duet with Anthony Hegerty on I Defy is the most beautiful song ever performed in the history of the world. Maybe.

I’m also playing the Belbury Poly emo-nostalgitronica album a fair bit and continuing to dip into – and, mark my words, with no little relish - the double folk/beard whammy of Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver. For a bit of light relief I’m playing the eponymous debut by Brazilian electro-rockists Cansei De Ser Sexy, a blitzkrieg of funky, cheeky, catchy, big and, er, bouncy pop nuggets. They are headlining one of the Glastonbury stages and, By Jairzinho!*, I am heartily tempted to chivvy them out. I’m also playing Yo La Tengo’s 1997 classic I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One lots and lots at the moment. This is a breathy, lo-fi tour-de-force that could melt the sternest o’ hearts. I’m also revising for Pilton pleasures by checking out favoured individual tracks by, inter alia, Young Knives, Vampire Weekend and British Sea Power.

*I would ne'er bully readers of these pages to click on any links but I urge all to try this one out.