Some good things lost - Vic Chesnutt is dead

On the 25th of december Vic Chesnutt past away at the age of 45. To describe the immense influence he have had on fellow musicians and - not least - on his fans will be beyond my humble words. The Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation from 1996 could give you a sense of the of the scale of his significance. May he rest in peace.

Vic Chesnutt and Kirstin Hersh - Panic Pure (mp3)

Vic Chesnutt cover by R.E.M.

Do you realize?? Flaming Lips delivering the song of the decade?

Glimmer psychotic scepticism could be a description for the desperate cry-out in Do you realize??. In the light of all things considered these days, it sums up the feeling of not being able to comprehend the scale of the world, the changes and our - the human - part in it. But I'm able to comprehend that this could be the song of the decade, and that it despite all is quite beautiful

Thom Yorke attending COP15/Best of the decade: Radiohead - 'Idioteque'

For the past two weeks Copenhagen, the home of three of us, has had the attention from the entire world due to the UN Climate Conference COP15. Not much indie-related stuff there, you might think. But Pitchfork reports that the one and only Thom Yorke has managed to sneak in to witness the negotiations at first hand.

I don't know how much Mr. Yorke actually knows about climate change but he is pissed for sure. Perhaps his passion about the matter is related to a former unpleasant experience with fossil fuel (pictured.... sorry;-).

If you don't have the spirit to read through his reports, enjoy this video as it appears that he wrote a song about COP15 way back in the Kid A-era (2000). Bad picture quality, excellent song:

Best of the decade: Outkast - 'Ms. Jackson'

Here at Indie Laundry we would like to pay tribute to some of all the music that stood out for us during the 2000s. By no means will it be an exhaustive account. It will be more like a few well-chosen highlights.

My first example is rather unconventional given that I am not really into rap music. However, Outkast does the trick for me. I don't know whether it is the cat across the street that sits in the windowsill all day long that made me think of 'Ms. Jackson' from 2001. But besides the groovy animals in the awesome video, it is also one of the most sincere and melodic rap songs I know. Perhaps my all-time favorite of the genre.

Bonus info: the song is actually an apology from André (the well-trimmed half of Outkast) to Erykah Badu's mother following Erykah and André's divorce.

The Cardinals member Chris Feinstein is dead. RIP

I checked my Facebook this morning and updates from Brad Pemberton, the drummer in The Cardinals who played with Ryan Adams, showed that Chris Feinstein aka Spacewolf has passed away.

He died in the early hours of the day in his home in Manhattan, New York City.

Well, I don't know the guy, but have come to love his talented bass-playing with Ryan Adams and The Cardinals, as well as having checkedup on his doings after The Cardinals split with Ryan Adams. He sounded like an awesome guy, so thoughts and peace out.

In July 2009, Chris Feinstein and The Cardinals landed a gig with singer/songwriter Gin Wigmore in New Zealand, with whom they recently toured Australia / New Zealand.

Erlend Oye - Last Christmas

Last Christmas is like a plague and now Kings of Convenience / Whitest Boy Alive-frontman Erlend Oye jumped it as well. As always he manages to downtempo everything into a nice warm shower of calmness, which can be soothing or plain annoying. This version could easily have been his own. I'm okay with his performance on this cover, but one can ask why the f*** he did in the first place.

Departement of Eagles - ballerina legs n' stuff!

Department of Eagles - ' No one does it like you' is that kind of video that transforms a song into signifying something quite different.

It's not new or anything, but just a nice break this wednesday. What an eerie and brilliant video.

Department of Eagles is a band formed in 2000 by friends and New York University (NYU) roommates Daniel Rossen (Grizzly Bear) and Fred Nicolaus.

Check this out if you're into ballerina legs and singing ghosts.

He will take our energi - Windmill

For the two albums british Windwill have released until now the critics have been happy and given him positiv reviews. This is not a review, but still we're no different at Indie Laundry. Windmill is great! His simple yet magnificent (indie)pop takes my breath away.

Windmills lastest album Epcot starfields is - as these words are typed - giving my office (most of the time my bedroom) a lovely paradox - one minute I want to dance and be energetic, the next moment my bed is dragging me towards its comfort where the music makes an embrassing duvet. I might spend to much time in bed, but so be it, i'll use my last breath of energi on Windwill and fall smiling asleep.

The comfort of music... and William Elliot Whitmore

Some have maybe noticed that the Indielaundry blog has been quite slow for at while. René has singlehanded showed the way - and now we have agreed to make a comeback - still have a lot to say about the good music. In Denmark now it is dark all the time, it´s raining a you have to be insane not to get depressed. But sometimes you can find comfort in the music. A guy who has quite some fights with life is the exceptionally soulfull William Elliot Whitmore. Belonging somewhere in the blues, alt-country, folk area, he is one of the new storytellers I have heard lately who has the most guts and mojo to him, and it really get's me. Try him out - it helps - even in fucking Denmark.