Courtney Askey. Aspiring film director & musician in Leicester. I eat a lot of cake, drink a lot of coffee, have a lot of cats, make a lot of things and I'm desperately in love with Keats.
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Sunday, 13 January 2013
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Music: My Top 10 songs of 2012
(I’ve made the
titles click through so you can listen to them on youtube :))
The first song I heard from the band, and it
made me fall in love with them. It still gives me shivers and fuzzy feelings
after hundreds of plays. It reminds me of driving over Yorkshire moors in the
summer rain with the windows open.
I found this song when I was sad and I realised
I’ll never find a song sadder ever again.
2012 has been a big year for discovering more
about feminism and educating myself. This song has soundtracked that and made
me feel like a badass bitch.
This year I discovered Bauhaus. This
song broke my headphones and made me wear a lot of black. I covered this at the
first gig as frontwoman of our reformed post-punk/noise pop inspired band and
I’ve never had so much fun on stage ever before, prowling around in head to toe
black with a glass of rosé.
Never have I ever consumed so much caffeine.
Ever. “There’s too much caffeine in your bloodstream, and a lack of real spice
in your life”.
I was walking back from college one day after
consuming aforementioned ludicrous amounts of caffeine and Autumn was turning
to Winter and the sky was clear and cold. I turned a corner and was hit with
such a beautiful sunset as I wallowed in self pity in this song and I had to
stop walking.
I spent a large portion of the year pretending
I was in the sixties and dancing in my underwear a la Moonrise Kingdom. No song
is more appropriate.
I watched Lucy play at a little venue in my
hometown of Leicester on her summer tour and it was such a lovely night. We met
her afterwards and I bought some tea from her. It is really, really good tea.
This song reminds me of boys.
Lana is a babe from the Land of Babes. This year
I got my first radio play (twice!). Lots and lots of victory singing of this
song.
Watching Foo Fighters at Leeds was one of the
best nights of my life. Screaming along to this song was more than incredible.
Hearing it makes me feel elated.
Saturday, 29 December 2012
Adventures: December in photos
It's been an awful long time since I posted properly, it's been madness over here!
Nancy and I dressed up as Mia Wallace and went out. We drank too many blue drinks.
I got a new guitar baby. He's called Percy.
Our new band Lure had our first gig!
I went to Paris for three days! (Photos to come)
I hope you all had a very lovely festive season xxx
Monday, 17 December 2012
Music: Secret Song - Courtney Askey and the Gentlemen
Secret Song - Courtney Askey and the Gentlemen
This is the first and final music video from my band. Formerly we we were Courtney Askey and the Gentlemen, now we are Lure. We've moved on from acoustic and are now producing music hailed as 'grunge folk/noise pop'. Look forward to showing you all more soon!
Music: Shallow Bed (Acoustic) - Dry the River
Shallow Bed (Acoustic) - Dry the River
by Courtney Askey
I've been looking forward to this ever since it was announced that Shallow Bed, one of my favourite albums of 2012, would be re-released acoustically. And my word, it definitely does not disappoint. It's a whole different album- and equally as excellent.
With the same track listing of the previous album, the translation from one to the other is superb. Beginning with a haunting a capella version of Animal Skins, you're gently thrown into a Wintery world of flawless harmonies. New Ceremony, on the other hand, reminds me of Summer. It's incredibly gentle, and it's wonderfully beautiful. Will Harvey's violin accompanies the delicate (whilst at the same time powerful) voice of Peter Liddle and the backing from other band members Scott Miller, Matt Taylor and Jon Warren with grace. Shield Your Eyes is a little punchier with its percussion. My favourite from the album so far is History Book. It's been stripped down considerably from the original version. The first thirty seconds or so with vocals from Peter with the piano accompaniment really highlights the duality of the band. 'Shallow Bed' is all raging crescendos and epic 'folk rock' build ups. 'Shallow Bed (Acoustic)', on the other hand, allows us to focus on the vocal talent. The harmonies are heart-wrenchingly good. The Chambers & The Valves is slowed down and less bouncy than before, and now it seems a whole other level of sentimental. Next is another of my favourites: Demons. This song is probably my favourite from 'Shallow Bed', and from the two live performances I've seen of the boys. The original conjures emotions in me that I didn't know existed. The strings, booming drums and the crescendo of the electric version really are a thing to behold. And on this acoustic offering, this song is something a bit more intimate. It seems sadder. I like sad. Bible Belt translates beautiful acoustically. I've always loved the acoustic versions of Bible Belt that I've discovered on the internet after finding the Watch Listen Tell session. No Rest is another of my favourite from the original album. I've found myself many a time screaming along in a most unruly fashion. I must say, this acoustic version is missing something a little with the lack of drums, but that doesn't mean it's not something really rather wonderful. The power of Peter's vocals really shine through in this song. Shaker Hymns is beautiful. It's folk at its best. Now, Weights & Measures. This song does things to me- especially this version. I remember when I first heard this song I had it on repeat for an hour in the darkness of my bedroom. It was devastating. I probably cried a bit, too. I'd like to say I've hardened after a good few hundred plays but that isn't the case. I think this is just one of those songs. Ending on previously rowdy and shouty (in the best way possible) (did you get that) Lion's Den, this is a great closing number. It leaves you wanting more.
This is a really great album. I can't wait to listen to this more. It's a perfect soundtrack to the movie moments of life. You know, the sunsets, the long car journeys, the heartbreak... Buy it. Just buy it now.
Available on iTunes from 17th December.
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