Five things you must listen to – Study edition

For those of you that haven’t finished yet, we know you’re all in revision hell, so here’s some music to help you through. These songs will hopefully relax you and put you in a revision mind-set. YOU CAN DO THIS.

The Staves – Wisely & Slowly

Three sisters from Hertfordshire, England make up folk band, The Staves and ‘Dead and Born and Grown’, the album that this song comes from, is a refreshing and stunning debut album.  Having started out singing at open-mic nights in their local pub, word soon spread and eventually the band were picked up by Atlantic Records in 2011.   The fact that the three girls are brilliantly outspoken about the pressures and hypocrisy of the music industry adds to my love of them.  Having done a full UK tour last year and landed a gig playing SXSW, there is no doubt that The Staves are just going to keep gaining much deserved appreciation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CXAY2Dtjk8

S. Carey – Alpenglow

Most known for his role as drummer and supporting vocalist in Bon Iver, S. Carey embarked on his solo career in 2010 with ‘All We Grow’.  Carey’s music is much more natural than Bon Iver’s and all the different textures and instruments create a really interesting sound.  ‘Alpenglow’ is all about him proposing to his wife and it’s just glorious.  It doesn’t succumb to the cheesiest material that it could deal with on this subject and it definitely makes it into my top 5 songs I wish that had been written about me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_nT8TLEWhg

Julie Fowlis – Tha Mo Ghaol Air Aird a’Chuan

So you probably don’t understand the title but please bear with me.  Admittedly I don’t speak any Gaelic myself but I think we can all appreciate how beautiful it sounds when sung.  Julie Fowlis has made her fame with Scottish folk songs and primarily sings in Gaelic, a language which is definitely fading away in Scottish popular culture.  However, any Disney fans out there might just recognise Fowlis from the soundtrack of ‘Brave’, as she appeared on a few songs in that perfect film depiction of Scotland.  Listen to this Gaelic heaven to put you into a true revision trance and allow yourself to be swept away by Fowlis’ silky tones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huJ46vcBxFg

Keaton Henson – You Don’t Know How Lucky You Are

Coming from his first album ‘Dear’, this song is heart-wrenchingly sad and accompanies nine other similarly depressing songs.  Henson wrote ‘Dear’ in dedication to a recent break-up and just by listening to this song, you can probably tell that he’s a little torn up about it. If you need a good cry about these horrible exams then take a tear-jerking listen to this album.  Henson was unsigned when he released this debut single and recorded the whole thing alone in his bedroom without his family even realising. I’ll take all responsibility to any tears shed in the library.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfvcPeWO8yk

Volcano Choir – Tiderays

The second appearance from a member of Bon Iver, but this time from their front man, Justin Vernon.  ‘Tiderays’ comes from Volcano Choir’s second album ‘Repave’, and just makes me want to melt.  Vernon’s voice has always made me liable to sob but I love hearing him in a different environment.  And Volcano Choir adds so much to his musical style which makes them unique to Bon Iver. It benefits from a mixture between the electronic vibe that Bon Iver offers and a standard alternative band theme.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvUyXISYX_k

Image courtesy of nymag.com