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Steph’s Daily Fix of Interesting: Fresh new artist alert – Jesca Hoop
Written by Steph
So we rolled back into London Gatwick yesterday after a week in Spain, all of us so tired from all the fun that we were considerably crankier during the flight back than on the flight there (my hand is up).
The trip to Spain was fantastic – much wonderful music made – pretty much a complete album – along with some very inventive videos (featuring stop-frame animation!! Thanks to Andy and Rob) and two new games, on which I will post more later…but for now, the least I will say is that the name of one of the aforementioned games was “Ultimate Body-Pong”. Intriguing, no?!
The day before we’d gone off to Spain, I’d received something great in the post – a parcel from my dad, containing a CD of a girl he’d heard in concert whilst away working, and thought I’d enjoy. I know, lovely! Unfortunately, it didn’t go straight in the CD player as I’d hoped it would – I like to have the time to sit, with a cup of tea, or lie on the living room floor, facing the ceiling with head rested on cushions as I’ve done with dad in the past when I listen to something new properly. Digesting music can sometimes be an important thing to do right when you’re hearing someone new for the first time. Well – all I can say is this particular CD should have gone in IMMEDIATELY, and before the kettle was boiled; it is unquestionably wonderful.
The lady in question’s name is Jesca Hoop, a Californian native who saw some glory in Manchester (quite rightly) and who now lives there, attracting the attention of the formidable music scene in the northwest. Not that she needed to do too much attention-attracting – her mentor and biggest fan is Tom Waits, whose children she took care of as a live-in nanny for a number of years. Lovers of blues, folk and general all-round greatness will have taken note of that significant name-drop…her music has been described by him as being like “going swimming in a lake at night”. Perhaps I’m a simpering fan, but I’d agree. Her music is folk of a lightness and darkness I haven’t heard in a long time, and she writes lyrics that make you take notice. This particular song trickled over my ears deliciously – like the feeling of the bubbles around your ears when you have a bath. Do take a listen, and see what you think.