Florence+TheMachine - Shake it Out

Have you heard the first single from Florence + The Machine's new album? It is absolutely devine.

She writes the lyrics that I wish I could write, and has a sound which speaks to my heart - even the things my heart doesn't want to admit yet.

I get sort of weepy and feel my stomach tighten whenever I hear something either profoundly beautiful or something that gets under my skin unintentionally. It haunts me.

I always admire those writers, whether in music or literature, who can write with surgical precision and yet continue to show the great depths within their words. With very few words I think that Florence Welch describes somethings which are hard to define and yet does it so elegantly and poetically too. And her videos are equally melancholic and beautiful as her music and voice.

Please enjoy!

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Downton Abbey

I LOVE period dramas... the settings, the costumes, the story lines - all of it. So not really a big surprice that I love Downton Abbey.

I have always found the era around WW1 to be extremely fascinating and I have always considered the clothes of the era to be my favourites, closely followed by the rococo. And my, does Downton Abbey pull the long straw here! Fantastic costumes, for both upper and lower class.

 Of course, I really adore the hats and evening attire of the upper class characters but the quirkishness of some of the servants' clothes really makes me smile.

Tartan coats, straw hats with small flowers, and more muted colours to contrast with the whites and pastel colours of the noble family.

And in addition, the story line is really good and the acting is superb. So if haven't seen it yet please do.. They are currently shooting season two, and I believe it is to be aired in the fall in the UK. Can't wait for it to hit Denmark again. I may need to rewatch it all on the Internet.

Untill then, I have the main theme on repeat. A very beautiful song, and sums up well the mood of the series.

Enjoy!

This dress reminds me of Kate Winslet's evening dress from Titanic. This show starts with the sink of Titanic where the heir of Downton Abbey is presumed drowned, and with the arrival of the new heir and his difficulties with the family already living there. If you imagine Mr Collins from Pride & Predjudice as a nice and likable guy suddenlt finding himself within a family consisting of both The Bennets and the staff from Upstairs & Downstairs you sort of get the picture. (Okay, this was the closest I could get without making spoilers)

This attire has a bit of a Chanel-feel to it.. The stripes, the pearls, the narrow colour scheme and the straw hat.

The upper class ladies' evening dresses are candy to the eyes! Oh, and as you can see Maggie Smith is in it, and she is hilarious! Her remarks are priceless!

The Lord and Lady of Downton Abbey. She wears the most elaborate clothes, a bit old fashioned for 1912 but her youngest daughter surely makes up for that, as you can see in the next picture..

A haram dress with trousers! Love it!!! It looks stunning on screen and causes quite a few raised eyebrows and gasps in the show.. Very Poiret.

The youngest daughter of the noble family and one of the servants. Here you can clearly see the distinction in clothes between upper and lower class, but without making the latter looking sad or demure. At least not in my opinion.

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And the lovely main theme score by John Lunn

Eurovision Song Contest - My faves!

I have actually ditched it these past years because I thought the songs were insanely bad and it all was about skinny girls taking more and more clothes off during the song! That may appeal to some but not me.. However, there are some seriously great songs this year and two of them have already been stuck in my head! That's usually a good sign, right? Nevertheless, I didn't even know that I knew the Danish contribution due to my past avoidance of ESC and was quite surprised to know that I like it.. :) But there you go!

However, my absolute favourite is Serbia's! Love everything about it; the melody, the lyrics (even though I don't understand a thing! However, here's an English version too), the style of both the music and the girls - 60s retro!!!! and it's so great for a summer party!
It's so catchy!!!! Love it!

My second favourite this year is Switzerland's song. Its so Colby Caillat and I can definately imagine this being played alot this summer while eating strawbeeries with cream and drinking iced tea. Such a feel-good song. And I really like that the musicians look so happy!



Off course, I cannot NOT post Denmark's contribution to the Eurovisions.. Rumor has it that its one of the favourites, so we are quite excited here in Denmark! Its one of the most aired songs at the moment here, and this year, I'm not hiding my enthusiasm for 'our' song.

Hope you'll like it too..



The jokester this year, is last year's winner Lena who is also Germany's contribution this year but with a completly different kind of song than 'Satelites'.. daring, but its growing on me, I must say. Also quite catchy refrain and I adore her accent.



So there you go! Be sure to tune in this Thursday for the second semi-final (where Denmark is!!!) and Saturday for the final..

To listen to the rest of the songs, including those that didn't make it in the first semi-final go here..

2010 Favourites - Music

I thought I'd make a sort of countdown or list of my various favourites from the soon to be gone year. First of all, here's my top five in music. They may not be from this year but each performer had a special place in my heart during the year.
First of is Florence & The Machine, she is magnifiscent and the best album I have bought this year. I am particularly in love with this one and My Boy Builds Coffins..

Next is Karen Elson. Ever since I saw this video I have been hooked. I must say I had initial doubts to the whole model-singer thing but I must admit, this is really awesome and just up my style.



Then there's the alltime favourite Swedish pop song bird Robyn who has just ruled the year in terms of music and especially how to make GOOD pop music. Love love love.. Heja Sverige! 



One of my best surprices this year was Danish Agnes Obel. She came out of nowhere with a poetic and melancolic album that just screams beauty and almost brings tears to my eyes. This is her first official video, but check out Beast. Its so beautilful with the harp strings playing.. *sigh*



I cannot make a list of favourites without including Ryan Adams and his Sylvia Plath. It has been my favourite song of all time since I first heard it. It's only competitors are Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones and Tina Dickow's Room With A View. Here's a live performance...



Speeking of which, here's Tina Dickow or Tina Dico as she's called abroad with Room With A View.. Lovely, huh? And she's from Aarhus!!