Women's Music CHAT THREAD

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

I've been nattering away off-topic on Stewie's excellent thread asking for suggestions for her International Women's Day CD...so thought I would start an ongoing thread for anyone who, like me particularly enjoys music by female artists and female-fronted bands.

I'm not looking for lists of recommendations - there are two threads called Music By Women which have dozens of brilliant suggestions of artists to check out.

This is more about sharing a recent discovery (artist doesn't have to be new, though!) - a song, album, band, singer/songwriter etc. etc. that have inspired or excited you and you want to share. Or to chew the cud about anything related to women's music that catches your interest. Please join in!

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Cheers Stewie!

One for tonight:

Now there's an interesting female artist and what a bewitchingly cracked voice. This is a relatively early track. One for the those who like a bit of indie...

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Interesting and sympathetic article about Sinead O'Connor whose new album is getting some good reviews. I haven't heard any of it myself, but think I will seek it out now.
I love The Lion And The Cobra, but never got as lit up by subsequent material - although the folk album she released a few years back had a few stunners on it.

[alexpolismum]

I like that sort of folk music too, Immaculada.

Here's another Welsh artist I've only just discovered (via the suggestions on youtube!) - slow music, for some reason my ds2 seems to love it!

[skrumle]

i saw maverick sabre last night and his support acts were both women:
aruba red (www.last.fm/music/Aruba+Red)
ms dynamite (www.msdynamite.co.uk)

was very excited when i found out it ms dynamite would be there and she was indeed fab although i prefer her "angry" tracks and she did more crowd-pleasers... had never heard of aruba red and she wasn't totally my cup of tea but she did have a nice voice and she said that one of her tracks is available to download free on itunes at the moment.

have added nicola roberts' CD to my amazon wishlist - and it's my birthday next week so fingers crossed!

[skrumle]

sheesh, try again:
www.last.fm/music/Aruba+Red
www.msdynamite.co.uk

[MoChan]

I like Cat Power, was listening to her for the first time in ages yesterday. I have been looking through my music and collection and realising that it's not really a case of 50/50 M/F as I was kind of hoping...

I also listened to this again yesterday - I love the wrong-yet-rightness of the languorous, slow cover of Born Slippy.

I wonder if you've come across The Honeymoon - I like this album - find it soothingly melodic late at night! It is a male/female duo but I think her voice mostly dominates.

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Good to hear Ms Dynamite still doing her thang, skrumie - I liked her debut Mercury Winner A Little Deeper, but haven't really caught up with her since.

I'm going out in a moment, but had a quick dip into the Barefoot Born Slippy cover - love it, love it, thanks Mo! I really enjoy artists giving a completely new spin on a classic song like that. Anyone heard anything by Nouvelle Vague? French chanson reworkings of New Wave songs. The Dead Kennedys' Too Drunk To Fuck as sung by Camille is BRILLIANT!!

For my song for the day, something by Dolly Parton - who I utterly adore. Yep, she's a slave to her image, but she's so upfront about it, I can't help but forgive her. And I spent the most money I've ever spent on a single artist when I went to saw her live and she was worth every penny. Absolute flawless performer and entertainer, probably the favourite gig of my life. She's an extraordinary businesswoman and professional too, a fascinating bundle of contradictions.

Anyway, here's my favourite Dolly track and one that doesn't get aired much nowadays and is about a woman operating in a male-dominated workplace, plus it's a real thigh-slapper and has some awesome yodelling. What's not to like?!!:

[alexpolismum]

You all have to stop posting all these links! I'm supposed to be packing and stuff, and I'm not getting anything done! [glares at laptop]

[ReclaimingMyFuckingLife]

I'm absolutely loving Ani DiFranco's newest album Which Side Are You On? Title song is amazing, as are all the rest.

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Finally made my way to Julie Doiron - thanks for that one, Sidney - like her stuff very much.

Ah, AniDiFranco! Haven't listened to her in ages. She's so incredibly prolific, I find a lack of quality control in her material, which can make it a bit of a trawl to find the standout tracks. But standouts there certainly are.
I'll make a point of giving the new one a listen, thanks for the reminder Reclaiming.

In that case, my pick of the day has to be my fave Ani track, which includes the immortal lyrics:
"And people talk about my image
Like I come in two dimensions
Like lipstick is a sign of my declining mind..."

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Incidentally, Liz Kershaw was playing tracks from "iconic women musicians" this afternoon and read out my emailed request for Dolly Parton (well, she was fresh in my mind!) Sadly, she didn't play Mule Skinner Blues, though...!

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Tune for the day:

I challenge you to find a huskier female voice than this one. Pietra even gives Mark Lanegan a run for his money! A great version of the song, though:

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Reclaiming another thank you for pointing me in the direction of Ani DiFranco's latest - Which Side Are You On is especially awesome and what a great verse specifically about feminism!!
Worth including on your CD Stewie, if you're still compiling it.

[MoChan]

You're right. I don't think I can think of a huskier female voice. Brilliant.

Are you aware of Al Spx aka ? She's a bit husky. Debut album out in a couple of months.

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

I love the way you keep coming up with artists I haven't come across before Mo! Another one to look forward to checking out. Honeymoon are on my list for today too....

SO enjoying this thread...

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

That sounds like a hell of a fusion, Stewie!

I've just been sampling the delights of The Honeymoon and First Aid Kid. Both rather lovely.

And while we're on the subject of lovely (see what I did, there?!) here's a Swiss singer with a wonderful voice and a rare talent for vocal arrangement.
I must confess, I had only heard the track linked below before tonight, but went and hunted down a few others and guess what? More loveliness....
NB alex I reckon this will probably be well up your strasse...!

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

PS That's a major bummer about your laptop, Stewie....

[Quodlibet]

Tune Yards!

BRILLIANT album, my find of 2011. And she's awesome live.

[alexpolismum]

Immaculada you were right, it's just my kind of thing. For some reason, the title reminded me of Patricia Kaas, but I can't think of a specific song, just a general feeling, if you know what I mean.

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Tune Yards, ah yes! I like the Bizness single that came from that album.

That Gangstagrass track is great, Stewie!

IC's tune for the day:

From one of those bands who split up too early - after only two albums, both of which are superb IMO.

Here's

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

IC's tune for the day:

I know Kate Bush isn't everyone's cup of tea, so how about this cover of

, sister of another clear, flutey-voiced folk singer, Cara?
I think it's right pretty...

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Me too, Stewie
The Kick Inside, Never Forever, Hounds of Love, Ariel are all incredible albums. Apart from The Red Shoes and the latest one, I'm pretty keen on the others as well.