Top 20 Countdown - no.3

For 2009

No.3 - Kleerup - Kleerup

Released last year in his native Sweden, but only this year everywhere else, Kleerup's self-titled debut album is clearly one of the best albums of the year. An intoxicating mix of electronic instrumentation and great vocals (by the usual suspects: Robyn, Lykke Li, Titiyo, Marit Bergman and Linda Sundblad), it is full of gorgeous songs that stick to your mind and heart no moatter what. He raised the bar quite high.

For the 00's

No. 3 - Kate Bush - Aerial

"The witch is back". Indeed Kate returned with a vengeance, back in 2005, after a 12 year hiatus, to assure us that, mmm yes, she is indeed alive and kicking and in top form. Offering us a masterpiece that few artists can reach, in a way that is inimitably Kate. I hope she does not take that long again for the next one.

Poplie radio show, Sunday 8th of November 2009

Special show today as it is my name day celebration! Featuring voices that I love listening to, most of the singers heard today on the show have played a major part in shaping my early musical influences. From the breathy, ethereal voice of Olivia Newton-John to the raspy voice of Kim Carnes, through jazz-influenced Joni Mitchell and Rickie Lee- Jones to exotic Kate Bush, women's voices are dominating the playlist. You can download the show from the right side of this blog. I hope you enjoy it! Background photo by Irving Penn.

The Thrill And The Hurting

Once, a year or so ago, Kyla, a nice young lady I met on a Kate Bush forum, Homeground, had an idea about making a nice collection of art inspired by Kate Bush, made by her fans, and handed over to her. Now it has become a lovely little book which has thrilled all of us that contributed to it and finds lots of admirers even outside the Kate Bush fandom. The book is called The Thrill And The Hurting, from a lyric of Kate. You can order it from Amazon.co. uk by clicking on the title of this post. You can see the cover here and my two contributions: two oil & pastel paintings of Kate Bush from the Running Up That Hill video clip. Enjoy.

The cover:


The first painting - actually the small one but it takes up a whole page in the book:


The second painting which is larger but takes up two thirds of a page in the book, ending up looking smaller than the previous one: