Anjte, Ellis and and Anais too

A few months ago I bought music by a singer called Antje Duvekot (who I think is based in Boston) - this has been my constant companion ever since. She has the sort of lyrics that mean something to me - powerful and truthful - something in them reminding me of Tracy Chapman's songs.


I sent an email to her website and now receive updates of her concerts. This has led me to buy further CDs - one by Ellis Paul (AMERICAN JUKEBOX), which was also good - I particularly liked the image of mountains kissing the sky.

Tonight the Antje Duvekot website sent me an email telling me that she was performing in Brattlebro VT with one Anais Mitchell, so after sampling one or two tracks on-line have downloaded Anais Mitchell's music HYMNS FOR THE EXILED from itunes. These songs, like Antje Duvelot's, are quite intensely lyrical with an interesting variety of backing. Music like this takes time to sink into me. It settles - tracks jostle for position - that one I disliked at first ending up my favourite; while that one I loved initially, slips, eventually, into another position.

Sometimes I find I need music to write. I listen and words come into my head. They are often nothing to do with the words I am hearing, just the mood they have brought on. Anyway, I am now looking forward to my trip to London very much. I have some good music loaded onto my ipod and I am half-way through an excellent book (AUSTERLITZ by WG Sebold), and I plan to meet a fellow-blogger in the British Library followed by a trip to the Millennium Bridge and, I hope, a good look around the mud of the Thames to see if there is any interesting rubbish there (as suggested by blogger Mark Gamon).

Who needs parties?