Recommendations: March 2013

At the start of last month, I was in London for an event called Moxafrica, hosted by the Telegraph's Neil McCormick, to raise funds for tuberculosis solutions in third world countries. It brought together some incredible artists, some up and coming like Bo Bruce and Buckshot Soup, and others that have already expienced large scale success: David Gray, Gabriella Cilmi,  those you hear of and remember songs you loved. As well as it being a great cause, I got to hang out with friends I've met through Twitter and through this blog, which is strange and magical and makes me incredibly happy, because people are lying when they tell you the internet is a waste of time.

I spent St Patrick's Day losing all my dignity, an incredibly "mainstream" evening as my friend put it - appropriately enough, I went to hear Irish rock-pop balladeers The Script grace the MEN, a night of catchy love songs and happiness.

Other things I bought, heard, loved:

"Moranthology" - Caitlin Moran

This book is collection of  Times columnist Caitlin Moran's best work - she is "the first journalist to prove Lady Gaga isn't a man". Musings on music, travel, hair, and an incredible meeting with Paul McCartney, Caitlin is sassy, smart, hilarious and inspires me no end.

"The Next Day" - David Bowie
It's safe to say I'm going through a bit of a Bowie phrase. I lost my Labyrinth-watching virginity today, better late than ever, it is bizarre and insane and perfect. His new album "The Next Day" is a perfect continuation of his career. I love the sound of his voice now, the audible sense of his having aged, grizzly and soft, yet this album makes connections to his older work whilst still managing to be gorgeously refreshing and unobvious. Lyrically, it's a complete adventure. "The Stars Are Out Tonight" and "Dancing Out in Space" are personal favourites of mine.

Piccadilly Records, Manchester
I spend a lot of time in Manchester but had never been here until stumbling across it a few weeks ago, which was such an uplifting surprise after finding out that same day the main HMV over there is closing. This little shop seems untouched by the death of physical CD crisis, and it's run with so much love and care. Browsing through their shelves, each album has a little hand-written note with a description, an opinion. Chances are, they won't have what you came in looking for. And chances are, before you leave, something else will find you.

"There Will Come A Time" - Noah and the Whale
The first taste from Noah and the Whale's fourth studio album, to be released in May, shows a continuation from the less folk-driven and more American influences of 2011's "Last Night on Earth". A simple  chord progression, it is cheerfully refreshing and nostalgic, "There will come a time when you will need your friends, tonight." Check out their website for upcoming tour details.

The Magic Numbers

... played at the event in Islington I talked about, a band I used to listen to a lot when I was younger. They are two pairs of siblings, making rock-pop that is very much driven by voice and harmony, which transfers beautifully onto a live setting. "Morning's Eleven" is a great one of theirs if you haven't listened to them before.

Bo Bruce at Neil McCormick's Moxafrica Fundraiser - Wednesday 6th March, 2013 - Islington Assembely Rooms, London

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Bo Bruce is someone I've written about a lot on here, but for those of you who don't know, she came in second place on The Voice UK last year. Since, she's broken away from the path of a typical reality TV show runner-up, signing to Mercury and working with the likes of Snow Patrol, Joel Pott and Danny O'Donoghue on new album "Before I Sleep".

This week, I went to London to see her perform at Moxafrica, a fundraiser gig for tuberculosis cures, held by the Telegraph's music critic Neil McCormick. She played alongside acts such as David Gray, The Magic Numbers, and Gabriella Cilmi.

Bo's performance followed those by country band Buckshot Soup and one from McCormick himself, her drifting onto the stage, adorned with trademark bangles and rings. She opened with "Save Me", and the upcoming first single from her new album. It's a heartbreak song, tonight's acoustic performance giving more focus on her voice, soaring falsetto notes, it glitters with Sinead O'Connor-esque lilts and glottal strokes.

Viewers of The Voice UK will remember Bo for her cover of Coldplay's "Charlie Brown", that iconic moment of her twirling in a white dress, in a television studio lit up with the colours of the rainbow, "Glowing in the dark". The original arrangement is colourful and explosive, echoing the tones of "Mylo Xyloto", all keyboards and bouncing reverb. But tonight's rendition was just a piano and acoustic guitar, softer, whispers of what it was. A song like this, about being high, and feeling liberated, produced with layers of sonic joy and lyrics of heartfelt desperation can spin off into so many different directions, and the hint of sorrow gives it another kind of beauty.

"The Fall" is about losing someone, something huge and life changing that will weave its way through the undertones of meaning and honesty in every song on "Before I Sleep". But it means to you what it will: a song about loss, and ultimately survival. I've been lucky enough to witness two performances of this song now: once in a small venue, intimate and full of fans, once in a hall of unknowing strangers who'd come out to raise money for tuberculosis by buying expensive drinks. The effect of stunned silence has been almost the same each time.

The Coronas Danny O'Reilly, and violinist Gita Langley (who recently played with Muse, opening the BRIT Awards) were welcomed to the stage for the final song, "Speed the Fire", another from the album. It's lyrics are nostalgic and hold the bittersweet imagery of everything going up in flames.

"Before I Sleep" is due out on April 29th, avaliable to preorder here.

* Image belonging to Lisa