origami hands

On June 19th, I was fortunate enough to be part of a Robin Walker music festival (hopefully one of many). Out of the large handful of acts - mind you, all very talented musicians - there was one particular group that happened to stand out, giving their audience a spectacular one of a kind performance and outplaying the headlining-over-hyped-dying-to-be-Animal Collective-Beatles (circa 60s)- Candy Claws, and I hope I am not the only one with that opinion.

origami hands, birthed in Fort Collins by the talented and eclectic minds of Triance Sosa and Katie Whittle, is a group that should be heard. These two artists combine elements of minimalism, sustained lap steel, hypnotic vocal harmonies, and genuine nature to create a soulful, nostalgic, and heart warming sound. During origami hands' set it was pleasant to see their entire crowd of 50+ youthful-trust-fund-bourgeois-hipsters was mesmerized and silent, giving their ears and undivided attention to Triance and Katie, surprising me and probably themselves with their unbiased attitude. This can only further prove that these young ladies have created GOOD music and not just music.

Through a bit of musician-to-musician haggling (the standard I'll give you my music if you give me yours), I was able to trade a couple tiny coffins/Tall City split cassettes and a tiny coffins EP CD-R for their latest release 'Oh, Goodnight'. As difficult as it may be to get your hands on one, I suggest that you try as hard as you can to do so. These two begin this LP with a powerful first track, 'Half Full,' that is a perfect introduction to their more than stellar album, and follow it with 'Bastard Child,' 'Fu-U-Su,' 'Matamores,' and others showing their instrumental diversity, and bilingual creativity.

If you're looking for a beautiful-magnetic-lullaby, then here it is. GET IT.




Laura Marling, She and Him, Jenny Lewis, Camera Obscura, Rilo Kiley, Noah and the Whale

Paleo

Paleo, the moniker of David Strackany - a folk musician who has no home, travels America writing and playing songs, and has for a very long time. I was lucky enough to catch him in Colorado Springs at The Piano Warehouse on April 1st.

Strackany, credited with writing and recording a song every day for a year (you can download all 365 tracks from his website), was very pleasant and modest in person. He started his set out by having everyone in the room sit behind a piano and play a note in the key of F for the entirety of his first song.

As his set progressed, it was easy to see that this man was an accomplished guitar player. He also had an amazing voice, comparable to new-folk/freak folk artist Devendra Banhart and former Clap Your Hands Say Yeah frontman Alec Ounsworth.

His performance had an astonishing amount of creativity surrounding the lyrics and music that presented story after story and feeling after feeling to his audience.

Check out his website with his chronological song diary or his MySpace page if you're looking to get a sample of his music, and if he's ever running through your town make sure you stop, listen, and give him some gas money.