Happy Birthday, P&P!

Today marks the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

your hands are cold

I honor it with my two favorite quotes, both spoken by Lizzie:

“I am the happiest creature in the world. Perhaps other people have said so before, but not one with such justice. I am happier even than Jane; she only smiles, I laugh.”

♦

“But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them forever.”

And the first proposal scene from the BBC version (Colin Firth on a Monday morning; you’re welcome):

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And last, the soundtrack from the 2005 Joe Wright version via Spotify, composed by Dario Marianelli and performed by Jean-Yves Thibaudet.

Happy Birthday, Pride and Prejudice!

Discovery Thursday: Two Door Cinema Club

they're being ironic

In honor of their first Coachella appearance (the entire lineup of which was announced this week), my Best Band You May Not Have Heard Of for this week is Two Door Cinema Club, an alt-rock trio from Northern Ireland. Their debut album, Tourist History, was released March 1, 2010 in the UK (April 27, 2010 in the US) to solid critical acclaim.

The band is young (formed in 2007) as are its members (these kids can’t be more than 23), but they seen quite a bit of success: Tourist History certified silver in the UK. TDCC has opened for well known European bands like Foals, Phoenix, and Delphic and is currently making US rounds.

Two Door Cinema Club sounds like Franz Ferdinand meets Vampire Weekend, with some electronic bits and cool samples thrown in too. Their songs are upbeat and infectious, their instrumentation modern and layered. Tracks to check out include “Cigarettes in the Theatre,” “Something Good Can Work,” “I Can Talk” -all of which can be found on the band’s MySpace – and newest single “What You Know,” which is right here:

P.S. The album is currently available to download from Amazon for $5. DOO IT.

Friday Favorite: Kate Nash

adorbs

Kate Nash has been a usual suspect on playlists of mine for about three years now. I heard her first on my Britpop Pandora station, just a few days before her debut album Made of Bricks came out in the UK, an album that reached #1 on the UK charts and eventually went platinum. I’ve been in love ever since.

Nash’s music feels like an adorably rebellious, wickedly sharp ode to the eclectic. Each song is cleverly penned and expertly played, both recognizable and unique. Even at 23, Kate Nash touches on everyday themes with playful honesty and subtle poignancy.

Kate’s most recent album, My Best Friend is You, is an even broader range of influences and sounds. From her first album, my favorite tracks are the single “Foundations,” “Dickhead,” “Skeleton Song,” and “Merry Happy.” From the new album, that was released in the US last May, my favs are “Paris,” single “Do Wah Doo,” “Take Me to a Higher Plane,” “Later On,” and “Pickpocket.”

I’ve never seen her live because she spends so little time touring in the States. I watch her MySpace pretty consistently, hoping against hope that she’ll stop somewhere even remotely close to Nashville sometime soon. Watch her first video from My Best Friend is You. Isn’t she just magnetic?

Friday Favorite: Mumford & Sons

aren't they lovely

In a continuation of the semi-regular post under a common thread idea, I’ve chosen Fridays to share an ongoing collection of my current musical obsessions.

This week, I choose Mumford & Sons, in honor of their recently announced show here in Nashville in November (I got my tickets in a presale on Wednesday, hellyeah).

Mumford & Sons is coming up fast.  Their lyrics are simple and poetic, their music rollicking and complex.  I like to think of them as a sort of 2nd cousin to The Avett Brothers, trading the raw bluegrass overtones that makes the Avetts so compelling to listen to for the fuller, heavier feel of Celtic banjo and folk mandolin.  The young quartet put out their major label debut Sigh No More in February of this year and have since been accumulating some serious industry chops.  They were the talk of Bonnaroo this year, and their US tour has grown organically into sold out show after sold out show.  Their passionate energy and collective musical virtuoso is driving and contagious, and frankly, I’m overwhelmed.

Currently, an mp3 version of their debut album is available on Amazon for only $5.00, an absolute steal.  I highly recommend taking the plunge.  If you’re still hesitant, listen to tracks on their MySpace, specifically “Little Lion Man,” “The Cave,” “Thistle & Weeds,” and “Winter Winds,” and watch this video: