Thea Gilmore!! If you like *smart* songwriting, give her a spin!

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by mrjinks, May 14, 2015.

  1. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Thea Gilmore on vinyl! Thought I would never see this - on order - not out until June 8th.
     
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  2. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Thanks for the tip. On first listen to this new song, I was instantly reminded of Rosanne Cash---whom I am a fan of and see live often. So I will check Thea out some more.

    Arnie
     
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  3. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    I listened to JWH last night (the only album of hers I could find on Prime) - I thought it was very well done. Adding some nice melodic touches and sprucing up some songs that are a bit musically repetitive on the original album.

    My favorite (well, this and "St. Augustine"):



    I went through everything posted in the thread, and I also found some more originals on YouTube that I liked.

    Thanks for the recommendation!
     
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  4. pghmusiclover

    pghmusiclover Senior Member

    Here's a short EPK for Thea's Sandy Denny album with brief snippets of a few of the tunes:

     
  5. StephenDedalus

    StephenDedalus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Belfast, Ireland
    Hmm, I had never heard of her before, but based on the two songs from this thread (and some on Spotify) she doesn't really do anything for me. The lyrics you posted, I'm not really connecting with any of that either. She seems OK, but I don't know, there is something missing.... and I definitely like 'literate' songwriters, as you put it.

    That's maybe too hasty a judgment, but I can usually tell if like someone after a few songs. What are some more songs you would suggest, if you were trying to convert me?
     
  6. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    I took the plunge on "Regardless" (2013) and it was the soundtrack for this morning's run.

    I've only heard the album once, but a few things jumped out at me.

    There are some excellent turns of phrase (I liked how she referred to herself as the "death of the party", for instance). I was reminded in one or two places of Paul Simon (particularly Graceland/Rhythm of the Saints era).

    Two songs that stood out for me were "I Will Not Disappoint You" and the album closer, "My Friend Goodbye" (couldn't tell from just one listen if it is a break-up song or a funeral song).

    But by far and away my favorite is "Start as We Mean to Go On". This is exactly the type of humanist song I like that gets routinely derogated on this forum as "preachy", "naive", "telling me what to do", etc. It reminds me, thematically (not sonically) of McCartney's "Hope for the Future" with a bit of "We Didn't Start The Fire" in there as well. Some of these themes are revisited in "This Road". She wants to create a better world for her children - the nerve! :)

    This album definitely earned a quick revisit (tomorrow's run?) and I'm pretty sure that Thea is the youngest artist on my jam-packed 160 gib ipod (yes, I'm a classic rock fogey to the core).
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2015
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  7. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    Some audio-visual accompaniment to the post above:

     
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  8. Dhreview16

    Dhreview16 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London UK
    I have the Sandy Denny collaboration Don't Stop Singing too. The single from it, London, got a lot of airplay and publicity here, as it was used by the BBC as part of the music for its coverage of the 2012 London Olympics.
     
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  9. arthurprecarious

    arthurprecarious Forum Resident

    Location:
    North East England
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  10. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    Well, sadly, I'd say if you haven't seen anything in this thread that impresses you, then maybe she's not your cup of tea! I find her lyrics utterly dazzling. Who comes up with stuff like "I've got promises tattooed on the insides of my eyelids"?

    But I will throw out one more personal favorite, a slower one.
     
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  11. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    This is my favorite post in this thread. :wave:

    I had a hunch you, in particular, might really like her. One of the songs on her new album is a re-recording of a tune she wrote on November 4, 2008 (I think you can figure that one out). It was previously only available to her "fan club" (so to speak). The new recording is a duet with Joan Baez:

    She's done a few interviews while currently on tour in the UK and you'd appreciate that she's quite an outspoken "activist" type. Here's one: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/p...and-why-children-are-terrifying-10216092.html
     
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  12. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    Do I win a prize? :)

    Yeah, this is another song that instantly appeals to me - right in my wheelhouse. I remember 11-4-08 very well.
     
  13. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    Yes, you DO win a prize! You get an expansive back catalog of (mostly) excellent work to explore! :righton:

    This compilation is her 15th album (remember she's only 35, so she likely has a long career ahead of her!). Plus I probably have another 70-100 non-album songs of hers; mostly original works, although there are a smattering of covers and alternate versions/demos of her otherwise released works in there too. There are several excellent albums of her original songs, a great album of "covers" and even a Holiday release that avoids mawkish sentimentality and religion (I think Thea's beliefs are like yours and mine). Sounds like a great prize to me!
     
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  14. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    I'll certainly do more exploring into her catalog, but I think I'm going to just keep Christmas "in the heart", not on the CD player. :)
     
  15. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    I highly recommend this compilation on vinyl. Double Lp with virtually flawless surfaces and improves on the CDs sound wise. The new / rerecorded material sounds much better than the original studio tracks included. The new versions are consistently as good or better than the originals and the guest artists don't over dominate the tracks in which they are involved. Essential for both new and old fans.
     
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  16. john hopkins

    john hopkins Active Member

    A great artist and for those who haven't yet checked her out, you won't be disappointed.
     
  17. walrus

    walrus Staring into nothing

    Location:
    Nashville
    Saw her open for Over The Rhine around 2004, and been a fan ever since. I keep hoping she'll do some US shows one day, but it's been 10 years since I saw her at Schubas during my Chicago days. Amazing talent, a great blend of 'artistic' songwriting yet without losing pop sensibilities. Every album has at least one track that in a perfect world would be a huge radio single ("Come Up With Me," "Love Came Looking For Me," etc)
     
  18. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    She would have been a huge star in the 70s.
     
  19. walrus

    walrus Staring into nothing

    Location:
    Nashville
    It's surprisingly a not-terrible album, and I generally loathe both religion and Christmas crap. (Same with Tori's Midwinter Graces, while we're at it). Not essential, but worth a Spotify stream at least during the winter months.
     
  20. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
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  21. Paul H

    Paul H The fool on the hill

    Location:
    Nottingham, UK
    I caught That'll Be Christmas on BBC radio at the weekend and really enjoyed it. I'm keen to check her out but finding somewhere to start is a little daunting. Recommend me an order to check out her albums and I'll dive in :)
     
  22. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    I think I got our friend Ben (aka @theMess) interested a couple months back. I'd happily provide you - or anyone else that's interested - an introductory playlist and discography, if you like!

    I love the fact that she didn't put out a new original album this year, but she managed to put a bunch of new songs (and some re-recordings) on her retrospective disc this spring. Then, like our Crowded House friends, she came up with a benefit song for Syrian refugees in the fall (although hers was a new composition) and now, in the last couple weeks, she's released a new 4-song EP. An "off" year, and she's released as much new music as if she put out a full album of new material.
    [​IMG]
    Thea rocks!
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2015
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  23. Paul H

    Paul H The fool on the hill

    Location:
    Nottingham, UK
    Yes, that would be appreciated.

    I had a brief chance to spend some time with her tunes yesterday, and chose Burning Dorothy to start. I quite enjoyed Sugar but the next two passed me by. My listening was interrupted part way through Pontiac to a Home Girl, which was a shame because it quite caught my ear. I'm gonna go back and have another go :)
     
  24. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    Well, if you're liking that, you're going to be an easy convert, because I think that's her weakest album, by a country mile. I think she was only 18 at the time that debut was done...

    PM sent!
     
  25. Paul H

    Paul H The fool on the hill

    Location:
    Nottingham, UK
    Well now, I've been "spinning" it over the last half hour or so and not much has really grabbed me, Pontiac being the exception. But I await your playlist with interest.
     

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