Wednesday, October 24, 2012

pop*eye...Meiko—The Bright Side (2012)








POP*EYE
***




from LA.


Meiko
The Bright Side (2012)


*I proud to highly
Recommended!*
This album is mastered for iTunes. Singer/songwriter Meiko’s sophomore long-player delivers more of the breezy folk-pop that made her self-titled debut release such a treat. The Bright Side lives up to its title with wide-eyed odes to romance, delivered by Meiko with breathy, waifish vocals that capture her unpretentious charm. The album’s tracks benefit from input by such production notables as Styrofoam, Jimmy Messer and Greg Collins, who keep the sound clean and uncluttered as they blend acoustic instrumentation with judicious use of electronica beats. Meiko dives headlong into new infatuation on “I’m in Love,” daydreams about domestic bliss on “I’m Not Sorry” and gets positively obsessive on “When the Doors Close.” Tracks like the gleefully catty “Real Real Sweet” and the reflectively rocking “Thinking Too Much” bring in hints of ‘60s girl-group pop. The erotic intrigue of “Leave the Light On” and the regretful sentiments of “Good Looking Loser” add a little darkness to the prevailingly sunny mood. Packed with hooks and lyrically beguiling, The Bright Side reveals solid craft and genuine feeling beneath its engaging sonic sparkle.

Porta's Rating
10 of 10





Free download of 'Stuck On You' from the album, The Bright Side.
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it’s hard to believe that she sees anything but the bright side!



*Porta's favourite!*

Meiko (pronounced MEE-ko) (born February 25, 1982), is an American singer/ songwriter, born and raised in Roberta, Georgia and currently residing in Los Angeles, California. She independently released a self-titled album on September 1, 2007. All of the tracks from the LP have been featured in major network TV shows. Her second full-length album, entitled The Bright Side, was released through Fantasy Records on May 15, 2012.

Raised by her father in the small town of Roberta, Georgia, Meiko first stepped in front of an audience at the age of eight, singing “White Christmas” for parishioners of a Southern Baptist church. At eighteen, Meiko left her hometown to showcase her talents to a wider audience. After a brief stop in Miami, she set down in Los Angeles and began her career in earnest, playing venues all over Southern California and writing at a prolific pace. She performed (and bartended) at Hollywood’s Hotel Café (where she still performs regularly).

Meiko is one-quarter Japanese, on her maternal grandmother’s side; in an attempt to get in touch with their Japanese heritage, she and her sister, designer Kelly Nishimoto, adopted the nicknames Meiko and Keiko.
 
   


"My personal favorite
pretty sweet sound!"


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“Touches on the sad side of love!”


the portastylistic





Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Hot and Covered...45RPM—Fall/Winter 2012 Lookbook






45rpm
‘Fall/Winter'12 Lookbook’ 
Featuring the men’s and women’s collections!

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"Again beautifully shot as usual"
Fall-Winter 2012
 The 45RPM Fall/Winter 2012 Collection both represents what the Japanese label is all about while also showcasing great progression. The extensive line is compiled of various notable aspects from the balance of casual outerwear to more tailored pieces, while the knitwear is a highlight of any winter collection at 45RPM, there is also some impressive things coming from the bottoms and accessories.














For more looks please visit
(via 45rpm)

*Porta's favourite!*


***
- r by 45rpm -
"My personal style
favorite brand item
All Times!"




 45rpm Store  
from Porta's Greetings Adventure!—TokyoSurvey 2012

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“A lot of rustic tones and some winter sunshine!”


the portastylistic





Friday, October 12, 2012

pop*eye...Dylan Mondegreen (2012)








POP*EYE
***




from Norway


Dylan Mondegreen
Dylan Mondegreen (2012)


*I proud to highly
Recommended!*

Dylan Mondegreen is a pseudonym for the Norwegian recording artist Børge Sildnes. Børge has been releasing quality music since the mid-2000s and has subsequently acquired a dedicated fan-base worldwide. His two previous albums have sold more than 5000 copies, but this will be his first album officially released in the UK. The richly orchestrated record brings to mind recent Belle & Sebastian and some of the melodic highs in the Teenage Fanclub catalogue – from the honey-sweet opener “Castaway” to arguable album highlights, “The Heart Is A Muscle” and the winsome Americana of “You Make It Easy”, Dylan’s song writing glows.

The new album was produced and mixed by Ian Catt, best-known for his work with Saint Etienne, The Field Mice and other bands on the Sarah Records label. The result is undoubtedly Børge's most gorgeous recordings to date. Symphonic and lush, the album is filled with string ensembles, woodwinds and percussion, showing why his widescreen music has been compared to the likes of Jens Lekman, Prefab Sprout and Sufjan Stevens in the past.

While the whole recording process itself was a lengthy one, the song "Life as a Father" gives a very big clue as to why. An intelligent and mature record that spans a life-changing time for the artist, Dylan Mondegreen’s latest has been worth the wait and is a perfect introduction to a British audience.

Porta's Rating
10 of 10




 
It Takes Two by Dylan Mondegreen

 Elegant, sophisticated orchestral pop from Norway...

“...flawlessly written and performed, and produced with uncommon skill and grace… it’s likely one of the best singer/songwriter records of 2012, and most any year that came before.”

- Tim Sendra, AllMusic.com

“All in all this is not only masterfully crafted; it is beautifully composed and elegantly produced…”

- Band Of Banjo Playing Badgers

“Highly recommended.”

- Pete Fyffe, UK Folk Music Magazine

“...a lovely, serene album for lovers of well-crafted, expansive pop.” (Rating=8)

- Rhythm & Booze

“...easy to listen to...refreshing and new...”
★★★★★
- Rhys Maroney, AAA Music




Dylan Mondegreen‘s eponymous album, a soft-voiced collection of slick popsongs in the fey,  beta-male mode, tends toward the dilute culmination of a Platonic chain that draws directly from Prefab Sprout and Deacon Blue.!



*Porta's favourite!*


Dylan Mondegreen is Børge Sildnes’ one-man-band. This Norwegian’s debut album While I Walk You Home, released in 2007, is steadily growing into a classic in indie circles. Pitchfork said: “Indie-pop has entered its soft-rock phase and … it sounds pretty good!”

In 2009 he released his second album, The World Spins On. The album was licensed to labels in Japan, Korea and the Philippines. When he toured Japan later that year, he was interviewed by Spin, who called him ” a refreshing new artist”.


A new Dylan Mondegreen album is expected in 2012. The album is produced by Ian Catt, well-known for his work with Saint Etienne. 
 
www.dylanmondegreen.com


MySpace
Last.fm
YouTube
 

"My personal favorite
pretty good pop sound!"


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“It’s a fantastic popsong!”


the portastylistic