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Myself

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Hi Everyone,

I haven't posted here in a long while, but I thought I'd get started again by sharing an extraordinary new artist I learned about. Her name is Anna Calvi and, well, I'm going to let her music and performances speak for themselves...

These songs are from her debut album, Anna Calvi.

 

 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb9fAs1AfIM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qobdDWvV9cM

These tracks are from her new album One Breath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnhdFOHrix4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZug1q9ns0I

I encourage anyone who's interested to listen to the entirety of both of her albums. You can start with the first one here : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7FFCD79156FE813D

I thought Anna Calvi might appeal to the Objectivist sense of esthetics due to the obvious passion, sophistication, and clarity of her music.

I'm really interested in hearing your opinions about her.

I'd also like to mention that if anyone is interested in discussing her music more in depth, I created a forum dedicated to her over at annacalvi.net -- we'd definitely welcome some more members there coming from an Objectivist perspective.

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Hmmm...I wasn't too in to the first video but I actually liked Desire. I like her intensity. I wouldn't say she's an extroidinary singer but she's got a neat low tone, and with her intense eyes and that lipstick it's pretty sexy. 

 

I dunno what the visuals were about. I try not to dissect that too much, or the lyrics. But  like her replacing desire as being the devil in her, to rather the fire. It's got a sort of triumphant chorus at that notion too. 

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I like her intensity.

That's one of her defining characteristics. She has an integrity to her emotions and a purity to her approach that would let her reside comfortably in an Ayn Rand novel.

 

It's got a sort of triumphant chorus at that notion too.

I certainly agree with you there.

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I think I'll have to listen to a bit more before I write off her singing...I'd be curious to hear how she can belt

If you want to hear the full unleashing of her voice then I'll highlight one of the videos I listed above:

Her voice has incredible range and power, although she tends to use it sparingly for a more dramatic effect.

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There we go. That's certainly and ambitious use of her voice...extending low hums to those cries. She really gets into it too heh...she makes it look agonizing at the end. I like her phrasing, the key change, and especially how it ended (as it started). I don't know exactly why but I have to admit I like her music. I don't think I could listen to her all the time, just because I'm more easy going. But she definitely has a place in the epic playlist. 

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I don't think I could listen to her all the time, just because I'm more easy going. But she definitely has a place in the epic playlist.

 

Epic is the right word. ^_^

Her music is very emotionally charged, so I can understand why you wouldn't want to listen to her all the time. She doesn't exactly make for "easy listening."

If you get a chance to check out more of her songs, let me know what you think. :)

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Cool stuff. Reminds me of St. Vincent, except better. Actually, I think of Siouxsie Sioux - a comparison to Siouxsie is something I'm careful about. Calvi even sounds like the vocal style of goth musicians (a bit wailing, long notes), with a lot more vocal range/ability/emotion. My main preferences are elsewhere, and I like this. I wonder, though, if Anna Calvi here has the attitude to not only be a good musical act, but also an inspiring *performance* artist? Time will tell I guess.

The first song makes me think of the song "Conquest", and a lot better.



And of course, how Calvi reminds me of Siouxsie:

 



Back to Calvi... The flamenco guitar sorta style and gender bending (Wikipedia says she wears what a male flamenco dancer wears) aesthetic is really interesting.

Oh, and the only reason I mention what I'm reminded of is because I find that Anna Calvi takes inspiration from a lot of music after listening to everything linked. Seems like a PJ Harvey vibe is in there, too. She definitely has her own style, though. (Oh, and if Wikipedia is any indication, I'm not the only one who has compared Calvi to Siouxsie. B) ) Edited by Eiuol
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Actually, I think of Siouxsie Sioux - a comparison to Siouxsie is something I'm careful about. Calvi even sounds like the vocal style of goth musicians (a bit wailing, long notes), with a lot more vocal range/ability/emotion.

I've only recently discovered Siouxsie, but even with my limited exposure, I have to agree about the similarities. Interestingly, when an interviewer asked Anna about Siouxsie she said that she hadn't heard of her, so there's no direct influence. They did however have similar influences in Bowie et al, so that may explain the parallel development of their sound.

 

I wonder, though, if Anna Calvi here has the attitude to not only be a good musical act, but also an inspiring *performance* artist? Time will tell I guess.

I'm not sure what you mean. Are you talking about adding other stage elements to her production? Even with her more stripped down performance style, she's still electric in a live setting. All I can say is that if you liked her videos you'd be overwhelmed by a live show.

 

The first song makes me think of the song "Conquest", and a lot better.

Wow, "Conquest" is almost a direct ripoff of "Jezebel" (the original Frankie Laine version came out a year earlier).

You must have a wide breadth of musical knowledge to be able to pull that song out at the drop of a dime.

By the way, if you liked Anna's cover of "Jezebel" then you'll definitely want to take a listen to the B-Side of that single, an original song of hers, Moulinette. It has a similar style and tone while being more reflective in its emotion.

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I'm not sure what you mean. Are you talking about adding other stage elements to her production? Even with her more stripped down performance style, she's still electric in a live setting. All I can say is that if you liked her videos you'd be overwhelmed by a live show.

I mean in the sense that some musicians become icons, and deservingly so, and it's due to more than just their music. People like Bowie, or Siouxsie, have a compelling personality, and goes beyond just being a musician. The greatest performers are people who convey their passion or emotion - stage elements are inessential to that (they're a positive, but doesn't make a performer good or bad).

Actually, I knew the White Stripes cover of Conquest, and found the original one on Youtube when I made the post. I didn't know Jezebel was a cover, I should listen to to the original, too.

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I didn't know Jezebel was a cover, I should listen to to the original, too.

 

Don't expect Frankie's to be anything like Anna's. Fair warning. ^_^

 

Anna based her cover more on the Edith Piaf version, so if you're curious you could check that out as well.

 

I mean in the sense that some musicians become icons, and deservingly so, and it's due to more than just their music. People like Bowie, or Siouxsie, have a compelling personality, and goes beyond just being a musician.

You're right in that Anna's cultural status remains a thing to be seen. I think she has all of the potential in the world though.

 

The greatest performers are people who convey their passion or emotion - stage elements are inessential to that (they're a positive, but doesn't make a performer good or bad).

That, Anna has in spades.

I agree that the trappings of a performance can't make up for or diminish the substance of one. I think most of the time in pop music "artists" rely more on razzle dazzle than compelling music to carry a performance. I'm just glad you didn't think she needed to add backup dancers or something. :P

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I've listened to desire a bunch of times now. I'm still trying to figure out what the ocean painting come to life symbolizes.

Well, the most obvious interpretation is that it symbolized the desire the protagonist felt finally being unleashed. Since this coincides with the song's climax, the previously still painting coming to life in violent motion served as a visual representation of what she was feeling.

If you're interested in seeing how other listeners interpreted the song, check out this thread on ACN:

http://annacalvi.net/topic/180-desire/

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  • 4 weeks later...

I don't know how to attach a youtube video, but I suggest going there and watching Yeah Yeah Yeahs . (Maps is the song--it's got a photo of a strat on it.)

The attached photo is from a cover of a Rene Chateaubriand book. Hugo said something like his dream was to be as good of a writer as Chateaubriand. Hugo smoked him.

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I don't know how to attach a youtube video, but I suggest going there and watching Yeah Yeah Yeahs . (Maps is the song--it's got a photo of a strat on it.)

The attached photo is from a cover of a Rene Chateaubriand book.attachicon.gifback from jamaica.jpgattachicon.gifback from jamaica.jpg Hugo said something like his dream was to be as good of a writer as Chateaubriand. Hugo smoked him.

 

I'm confused. What does any of this have to do with Anna Calvi?

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I'm confused. What does any of this have to do with Anna Calvi?

The Youtube video of Yeah Yeah Yeahs Maps is very much like the Anna Calvi video so I think you'd like it. Regarding the comparison to Siouxsie Sioux: I'd like to note that Anna Calvi's sometimes dark/sometimes baritone style reminds me of Nina Hagen.  

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