by Frank Gualtier -- 08/08/07, 07/18/06
Ever have one of those moments when you see someone as if through a completely new set of eyes?Sometimes that's a bad thing but I think those we remember most are the times when our vantage of someone is whipped into a higher plane. When it's a good thing. And perhaps the most profound of all is when someone who resides already very high in our sky appears suddenly to have shot off into the cosmos and become a blazing star.
Last February I was off surfing the net for 'something music something good' and I came across the myspace profile of Alexandra Krakus. This was definitely 'something music something good'.
She had several Americana songs on her profile player that were excellent. Though she spent her childhood in Poland I noticed she had Canada listed as her location so 'excellent' didn't surprise me too much. The best bluesy folk in the world is coming out of Canada right now and especially from the ladies. One thing that does surprise me is that so many of them are friends. Does that kind of thing rub off on people or does it just bring out what's already there?
Much of what I heard had a very DIY laid back sound to it. I'm talking standard DIY definition -- not punk as Wikipedia sort of mentions in passing as perhaps a predominant musical assocation. There's definitely strong associations to electronic music and DIY but ... some other time.
The point I was making is that it seemed as if good songs maybe fell from her when she shakes and she then whips out the guitar and hits record and presto -- instant music. To this day I do actually believe it comes that readily to her. Amazing.
She's quite prolific so I tend to hit her profile frequently but I missed a gap of a couple months with the internet as a whole awhile back so I've recently been playing catchup.
In the process of catching up she was one of the first people I visited to see what was new. That was the day I first heard 'Birdsong'. That was the day Alexandra Krakus went from a highly situated resident in my sky to a blazing star out in the cosmos.
I'll spare you my cursing "why can't I hear anything remotely this good on the radio" rant and leave this on a peaceful note -- an Alexandra Krakus singing Birdsong note.
(hit the little right arrow [play] button - enjoy)
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